Individual attributes as predictors of protective and risk components of resilience under continuing terror attacks: A longitudinal study

Objectives The present study is a longitudinal research which uses baseline individual attributes for predicting three measures of individual resilience in two consecutive periods of terror attacks. Design and setting Regressions determined the impact of personality attributes at time 1 on measures of resilience at times 2 and 3, beyond the effects of each measure of resilience at time 1. Three path analyses examined the impact of baseline attributes on resilience of civilians throughout a wave of terror. Participants The 561 participating civilian adults constituted 55% of a representative internet sample of the Israeli Jewish population, who responded to the research questionnaire three times: before and throughout this wave of terror. Participants were lower middle-class males and females, with some academic education, representing the Israeli political range. Measurements Resilience supporting personality attributes (sense of coherence, social support, and perceived community resilience), and resilience suppressing factors (exposure to terror, and sense of danger) predicted resilience which was measured by strength to vulnerability ratio (IND-SVR). Results The investigated attributes predicted protective and risk factors of post-terror resilience. Conclusion This longitudinal study corroborates the theoretical position that resilience constitutes an integration of individual protective processes and risk elements, both of which are required for understanding adaptation following adversities. Furthermore, it supports the contention that individual resilience is contingent upon, and predicted by personality attributes and attitudes.