Acute Stress Symptoms–Adult Scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale (NSESSS): Assessing the Immediate Aftermath of the October 7 Attacks on an Internally Displaced Population

Ohad Gilbar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: The Adult Scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale (NSESSS) is an emerging brief screening measure for the severity of Acute Stress Symptoms based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision of acute stress disorder (ASD). Scant information is known about the NSESSS’s psychometric properties among different cultures or populations exposed to an ongoing trauma and displacement. Therefore, the present study aimed to (a) assess for the first time the psychometric properties and construct validity of the Hebrew version of NSESSS in an internally displaced population following the massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023; and (b) assess the possible risk and protective predictors of ASD according to sociodemographic characteristics, types of trauma exposure, absence of basic needs, and social support. Method: Participants were 480 Israelis, internally displaced from a southern city of Israel near the Gaza border, following the October 7 attacks. Data were collected using NSESSS, the Hebrew version. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–ASD, model fit. Based on multiple regression predicting ASD, risk factors found for ASD included direct exposure and the exposure of family members to the ongoing trauma of the October 7 events (β =.27 and β =.21, respectively, p <.001) and women were at higher risk for ASD (β =.15, p <.01). Regarding protective factors, education and social support negatively predicted the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–ASD (β = −.15, p <.01 and β = −.18, respectively, p <.01). Conclusions: The present study supports the cross-cultural validity of NSESSS. The study bears clinical implications for clinicians and policymakers. This highlights the need to strengthen social support after mass trauma and displacement.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPsychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
Early online date9 Jan 2025
StateE-pub ahead of print - 9 Jan 2025
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 American Psychological Association

Keywords

  • acute stress disorder
  • Adult Scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale
  • internally displaced population
  • National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale
  • October 7 attacks

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Acute Stress Symptoms–Adult Scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale (NSESSS): Assessing the Immediate Aftermath of the October 7 Attacks on an Internally Displaced Population'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this