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Traumatology
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Resilience of Israeli Body Handlers: Implications of Repressive Coping Style

Zahava Solomon

Adler Research Center, Bob Shappell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, solomon{at}post.tau.ac.il

Roni Berger

Israel Trauma Center for Victims of Terror and War

Karni Ginzburg

From Adler Research Center, Bob Shappell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

This study assessed posttraumatic and psychiatric symptomatology and perception of threat among Israeli rescue workers whose work involves body handling following terrorist attacks. In addition, implications of level of exposure and repressive coping style were examined. Eighty-seven volunteer body handlers filled out a battery of self-report questionnaires. Despite high levels of exposure, results revealed considerable resilience in these men. In addition, repressors reported lower levels of psychiatric symptomatology than nonrepressors. Several explanations are suggested for body handlers' resilience, among them their strong religious beliefs, their motivation as volunteers, and self-selection factors. Implications of repressive coping style are also discussed.

Key Words: rescue workers • PTSD • terror • resilience • repressive coping style

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Traumatology, Vol. 13, No. 4, 64-74 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1534765607312687
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