Vered Ne’eMan-Haviv

Cannabis use has become widely accepted in many societies, raising questions about whether a behavior that is officially prohibited yet widely tolerated continues to be associated with attitudes toward the law and the police. The present study examined associations between cannabis use, moral disengagement, attitudes toward the law, and trust in the police among 447 young adults recruited through an online convenience sampling strategy. Participants completed a quantitative questionnaire. Results indicated that greater cannabis use was associated with higher moral disengagement, less favorable attitudes toward the law, and lower trust in the police. Moral disengagement mediated the relationship between cannabis use and attitudes toward the law, but not the relationship between cannabis use and trust in the police. These findings highlight moral disengagement as a potential psychological mechanism linking cannabis use with attitudes toward legal rules.

This study examines the associations among moral injury (MI), heroic self-representation (HER), and proactive coping (ProCop) in relation to posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among civilians exposed to national trauma. We used a mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional design to survey Israeli citizens primarily indirectly exposed to the October 7 Hamas attack. Participants (N = 589; 55.3% males, M_age = 42.26, SD = 14.82) completed self-report measures across two survey waves. In Wave 1, participants provided background information and completed measures of MI components. In Wave 2, participants completed measures assessing PTSS, HER, and ProCop. Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that the proposed model explained 40% of the variance in PTSS. PTSS were positively associated with MI self-blame (β = .29, p < .001) and HER (β = .25, p < .001) and negatively associated with ProCop (β = -.19, p < .001); other MI components showed weaker or nonsignificant associations. Furthermore, ProCop moderated the association between HER and PTSS, such that higher levels of ProCop attenuated this association. This research advances the understanding of PTSS by demonstrating its complex associations with MI, heroic identity, and ProCop. In addition, this study extends the relevance of MI beyond the context of military personnel and direct victimization to civilians experiencing indirect national trauma. Clinically, the findings support targeting maladaptive self-blame and strengthening ProCop, particularly among individuals with elevated HER. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Mass terror attacks can psychologically impact entire societies. This study examined the relationship between social inclusion and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among a population experiencing national trauma and explored mediating roles of optimism and self-efficacy. A structured questionnaire was administered to 500 adults in Israel following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack. A serial mediation model found that perceived social inclusion was positively associated with PTG, and optimism and self-efficacy acted as sequential mediators. Specifically, individuals who felt more socially included reported greater optimism, which was associated with greater self-efficacy and greater PTG. These results support the social contextual framework and highlight the importance of fostering social inclusion and psychological resources during national crises. Strengthening social inclusion may be a key strategy for promoting resilience and PTG following collective traumatic events. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Trust is a fundamental component of social life, yet it can be eroded by experiences of psychological abuse within intimate relationships. The present study examined whether exposure to gaslighting, a form of manipulation that undermines victims’ perceptions of reality, reduces general trust in people and whether this association is mediated by social support and self-care practices. A convenience sample of 567 adults (aged 18–65) completed validated questionnaires assessing gaslighting experiences, trust, social support, and self-care. Results indicated that gaslighting was directly associated with diminished trust in others. Social support significantly mediated this association, whereas self-care did not serve as an independent mediator. However, serial mediation was observed: higher gaslighting predicted lower social support, which was linked to reduced self-care practices, ultimately contributing to lower trust. Unexpectedly, men reported higher levels of gaslighting experiences, suggesting that gender dynamics in gaslighting may be more complex than previously assumed. These findings highlight the social consequences of gaslighting beyond its intrapersonal effects, pointing to a cycle in which manipulation isolates victims, weakens social support, and indirectly impairs both self-care and trust. These results underscore the importance of addressing gaslighting not only as an individual psychological issue but also as a relational and social challenge.

Background: Despite the global rise in medical cannabis use for health purposes, patients with medical cannabis licenses face significant legal and health risks when traveling abroad. The present study sought to understand how medical cannabis users experience these challenges while traveling abroad. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Israeli medical cannabis license holders and collected supplementary data from two of the largest Facebook groups of medical cannabis users in Israel. Results: Two main themes were identified : (a) vague regulations for medical cannabis users who travel abroad. Patients described international regulations as vague, with authorities failing to treat medical cannabis like other prescription medications for tourists. They criticized the lack of clear, formal information and guidelines; (b) legal , semi-legal , and illegal solutions adopted by medical cannabis users traveling abroad. In response to these challenges, patients have adopted various strategies, such as avoiding travel, selecting cannabis-friendly destinations, planning in advance to obtain cannabis through legal or illegal means, and finding alternative self-medication options. Conclusion and policy recommendation: The study revealed the need for improving the clarity of international policies to reduce legal and health risks faced by licensed medical cannabis users traveling abroad. We recommend that countries adopt mutual recognition of prescriptions, standardized travel certificates, and improved institutional guidance. The World Health Organization (WHO) should support this effort by issuing non-binding global guidelines and promoting best practices. Grounding these recommendations in access to care and health equity frameworks would ensure fair, safe, and continuous treatment access across borders.

This study examines a model predicting fear of terrorism following the October 7th attack on Israel. Grounded in construal-level theory (CLT), which highlights the significance of psychological distance (PD), this study explores the relationship between PD and fear of terrorism. It also investigates the mediating roles of negative self-labels (NSL; e.g., victim, indirect victim, harmed, spared) and positive self-labels (PSL; e.g., survivor, fighter, winner, overcomer). The online survey included Israeli civilians ( N = 844) aged 18 to 90 ( M = 40.34, SD = 14.87), with a nearly even gender distribution (48.9% female, 51.1% male). The majority (88.3%) were not directly exposed to the October 7th attack. The participants answered questions regarding their demographic background, perceived distance/closeness to the victims of the October 7th attack, NSL and PSL in the context of the attack, and fear of terrorism. The results indicated that our model for predicting fear of terrorism explained 30% in the variance of fear of terrorism, with NSL emerging as the most substantial contributor. Furthermore, both NSL and PSL mediated the relationship between PD and the fear of terrorism. Regarding the theoretical contribution, this study expands the application of the CLT by revealing that PD regarding the direct victims of a terrorist act can explain fear of terrorism in a population whose exposure to the attack was indirect. Furthermore, the discussion explores potential interpretations that may explain why the NSL more strongly contributed to predicting fear of terrorism than PSL and suggests that PSL plays a protective role since it reduces fears of terrorism.

This study investigated the mediating impact of negative and positive self-labeling and stress on the relationship between fear of terrorism and happiness in the aftermath of national trauma. An online survey included 844 Israeli citizens who answered questions about their demographic characteristics, happiness (trait and state), fear of terrorism, stress, and negative self-labeling (NSL; victim, indirect victim, a harmed person, a spared person) and positive self-labeling (PSL; survivor, fighter, winner, overcomer) in the context of the October 7th attack on Israel. The results revealed that NSL was associated with PSL. Moreover, high fear of terrorism was associated with low state happiness, high NSL and stress, and low PSL. Furthermore, NSL and stress were negatively associated with state happiness, whereas PSL was positively associated with state happiness. Finally, NSL, PSL, and stress mediated the relationship between fear of terrorism and state happiness. Fear of terrorism, self-labeling, and stress did not contribute to trait happiness. This study contributes to the understanding of the distinction between trait happiness and state happiness, highlighting the link between fear of terrorism and lower levels of state happiness and its relevance to mental well-being. It also emphasizes the crucial role of self-labeling in promoting emotional well-being and happiness. Our model contributes to theoretical frameworks of posttraumatic adaptation and resilience by emphasizing the importance of acknowledging victimhood before embracing survivorship and offers insights for interventions aiming to promote posttraumatic recovery and enhance happiness after exposure to terrorism-related fear and national trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).