Coping with the Stress Associated with Forced Relocation in the Golan Heights, Israel

Living under the threat of possible relocation places exceptional demands on the residents of the Golan Heights (Israel). These may become stressors due to lack of adequate resources. This research sought to develop a multivariable paradigm to determine the contribution of personal resources in explaining stress. Personal resources were divided into three types: affective (potency and psychological sense of community), cognitive (political orientation and education), and instrumental (family status and gender). A random sample of 680 men and women participated. Stress was examined by a psychological equilibrium scale and state anxiety questionnaire. Path analysis and analysis of variance showed that potency had a greater impact on stress than did education or psychological sense of community. Anxiety was found to have an intervening role between demands and stress. This study contributes to further understanding the relationship among demands, resources, and stress in a population that lives under the shadow of relocation.