Coping strategies and family stress among married Palestinians in Israel during COVID-19.

Abstract

The aim of the study is to examine the coping strategies that Palestinian families in Israel relied on during the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent to which these strategies were associated with family stress and mental health outcomes. A total of 480 married individuals participated in an online survey. Participants completed self-report questionnaires, including Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES) to assess coping strategies, and additional measures to evaluate family stress and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted in spring 2020 after the general initial lockdown in Israel was lifted. The results indicated that, as expected, families relied most on internal resources, namely, reframing and spiritual support, while strategies requiring external support, such as social support and mobilizing help, were less relied upon. Regression analyses revealed that, as expected, reframing and spiritual support were significantly associated with lower stress and better mental health, whereas mobilizing help predicted higher stress and poorer mental health, and social support did not significantly predict family stress or mental health. Contrary to expectations, passive appraisal was also associated with higher stress and poorer mental health. These findings suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, families from this specific society in Israel relied more on internal coping strategies, with external support mechanisms proving less effective. The study highlights the unique challenges faced by minority populations during global health crises. These implications call for more culturally relevant mental health interventions and improved accessibility to support services for minority groups in times of crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).