Disabilities In Israel Research Articles

‘I worry about you more’: insights from older care recipients’ experiences during the Israel-Hamas war

Objectives This study explored the experiences and challenges of older adults with functional disabilities in Israel during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, particularly those receiving care from migrant live-in carers. The main objectives were to identify their main concerns and coping strategies during this period. Method A qualitative methodology was employed, involving face-to-face interviews with 13 older adults (mean age 91.33, SD = 5.31). All participants liveded in separate housesholds with the assistance of migrant live-in carers. They were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results Two main themes emerged from data analysis: 1) Concerns for others affected by the war and concerns for oneself, and 2) Coping strategies, including utilizing personal resources such as optimism and distraction, seeking connections with family members and carers, and contributing to the community. Conclusion The study highlights the interplay between the vulnerabilities and strengths of older adults during wartime. Their ability to mobilize both internal and external coping strategies reflects an active approach to managing the stress and uncertainties of war, underscoring their resilience and agency and challenging the perception of older adults as passive recipients of care.

Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 and Remote Learning: Experiences of Parents Supporting Children with Mathematical Learning Disabilities in Israel

Background: Over the last three years, many studies have explored the effect of pandemic closures on learning. However, in Israel, the perspectives of parents on the short- and long-term effects of the lockdowns on students with mathematical learning disabilities (MD), have rarely been examined. Method: To fill this gap, MD (n = 33) or typically developing (n = 50) children were selected. They were in the 1st and 2nd grades during the closures, and we tested them and their surroundings, two years later. Results and Conclusions: First, according to the parent’s survey, children with MD had physical conditions similar to the TD group, the two groups had similar stable connections to the internet, computer, and a quiet environment. However, MD children (1) needed more help and (2) had a harder time concentrating during virtual math classes compared to TD children. Moreover, the coronavirus closures resulted in a greater learning gap in the MD children compared to the TD children. We found positive associations between difficulties reported by the parents and actual weakness in performances in complex multiplication and division and verbal working memory.

Experiences of verbal violence among people with intellectual disabilities in Israel.

This study examines the extent of exposure to verbal violence experienced by people with intellectual disabilities and whether it differs based on their housing situation: living in the community, with family, or in a residential facility. One hundred and eighty-nine people with intellectual disabilities were interviewed about their experience with verbal violence. Eighty-six percent reported experiencing verbal violence in their lifetime and approximately 77% experienced it the past week. Participants were most likely to be yelled at, and friends were the most common perpetrators. While there were few differences by setting, people living with their families were more likely to be laughed at and marginally more likely to experience rude comments. Verbal violence is prevalent in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities in Israel. Interventions are necessary to assist people with intellectual disabilities to deal with such incidents, with possible additional supports needed for those living with family.

Class Consciousness as Cultural Capital among High‐SES Parents of Children with Disabilities

This article proposes to examine the parenting features of high socioeconomic class (SES) parents of children with disabilities. This examination also enables us to clarify to what extent high‐SES parenting of children with disabilities aligns with the prevailing research on high‐SES parenting of children without disabilities. To resolve this question, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with high‐SES parents of children with disabilities in Israel. The findings indicate that, in addition to financial advantages, these parents hold a clear class consciousness (enacted as cultural capital), which translates into advantages for their children. To that end, the study found four manifestations of cultural capital among high‐SES parents in their approach to special education. The discussion offers a critical interpretation concerning how class consciousness serves as cultural capital among high‐SES parents of children with disabilities, thus producing and maintaining inequity in the special education system.

Insights of people with disabilities regarding barriers to equality and inclusion

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) aims to guarantee the rights and conditions essential to the full participation of people with disabilities. Israel signed the convention in 2007 and ratified it in 2012. In this study we examined the barriers to full participation from the experience of people with disabilities in Israel. Sixty-one semi-structured interviews and nine focus groups were conducted during 9/2018–12/2019. We analysed the data using direct content analyses. A total of ten CRPD articles were relevant to the barriers found in the study. Stigmas, bureaucracy, and inaccessibility are issues that affect, sometimes dramatically, decisions and behaviors of people with disabilities in Israel in daily life as well as in the significant stages of life. The findings show the importance of integrating the experiences of people with disabilities into research and policy while reaching out to them with information on their rights.

English Vocabulary Acquisition for Efl Students with Learning Disabilities in Israel- A Review of Instructional Strategies for Teachers

This article is about English Vocabulary Acquisition for EFL Students with learning disabilities- LD- in Israel - A Review of Instructional Strategies for Teachers. In this paper I present a review of Instructional Strategies for Teachers who teach English as a Foreign language. I write about several strategies that are geared toward a successful process of vocabulary acquisition. Most of the former theories link vocabulary acquisition to the reading process. When it comes to EFL LD students’ reading capabilities, even on a very basic scale, it can impose a severe obstacle. In my study, many of the students are very poor EFL readers, or emergent readers. Still, I believe that within the use of the suitable instructional strategies that do not require fluent reading, we can teach vocabulary effectively. There is a major importance for my students, to be able to study English vocabulary within a meaningful context, and to learn by doing, by action. In this paper I state that The Eco social Context Instructional Strategy is the most effective strategy when it comes to vocabulary acquisition for my EFL LD students. I base my statement mainly on the social ecology study of Bookchin, in his book Social Ecology and Communalism, that elaborates on the relationship between individuals and the environment as all part of one ecosystem. When learning new words withing action in the open environment, the acquisition abilities will be greater.

Family leadership among Israeli families of children with disabilities during the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic

AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate family leadership in family centres for families of children with disabilities in Israel amid the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic. The study focuses on mapping family leadership activities within these family centres during the COVID‐19 pandemic and explores potential associations between participation in family leadership groups and family outcomes. Thirty‐five parents who were involved in family leadership groups and 42 parents of a control group completed an online survey. The survey included the Family Leadership Activity Measure, the Sense of Community Index, the Emergency Families Centre Services Index, the Sense of Sharing Index, the Brief Family Distress Scale and the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale. Significant differences were found among groups with regard to barriers to services usage, family centre services usage, family's satisfaction with services, sense of community with the family centre and sense of sharing. Parents who were involved in family leadership groups demonstrated favourable outcomes. No significant differences were found between the groups in family quality of life and distress. It is determined that in times of local or national crises, family leadership may promote more family‐centred supports.

“It’s Disgraceful Going through All this for Being an Arab and Disabled”: Intersectional and Ecological Barriers for Arabs with Disabilities in Israel

“It’s Disgraceful Going through All this for Being an Arab and Disabled”: Intersectional and Ecological Barriers for Arabs with Disabilities in Israel

The experiences of Palestinian Arabs with disabilities in Israel

PurposeIsrael ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has subsequently worked towards putting disability-empowering policies and facilities in place. This study explores the experiences of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel with disabilities in everyday life including education, employment and accessing disability facilities and services.Design/methodology/approachThis study explores the challenges and experiences of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a disparate group of Arab men and women with various forms of disabilities.FindingsThis research indicates that Arabs with disabilities are either unable to access them or do so with great difficulty relative to their Jewish counterparts. The findings suggest that this is due to one of two reasons: first is institutional discrimination by Jewish and Arab staff, and second is structural discrimination as facilities and services are specifically designed for the Jewish majority and their areas of residence as opposed to Arab residential areas.Originality/valueGuided by intersectional theory, this article explores how the multiple identities of Arabs with disabilities living in Israel are co-constituted and ordered by different social and political structures which inform their daily lived experiences. This research illustrates that in Jewish politics and institutions, Arabs with disabilities in Israel are “otherised” by being flatly identified as Palestinians; yet, within their Arab communities, they are “otherised” by being reduced solely to their disability. This article examines how this variation in ordering and reduction can lead to specific experiences and forms of discrimination that requires multi-dimensional approaches and ways forward.

Role of Participation in Activities and Perceived Accessibility on Quality of Life among Nondisabled Older Adults and Those with Disabilities in Israel during COVID-19.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, quality of life (QoL) was reduced among many groups, including Israeli older adults. This study investigated perceived QoL, perceived accessibility of the living environment, and participation in activities among nondisabled older adults and those with disabilities in the community. It also examined whether the perceived accessibility’s effect on QoL occurs directly and/or indirectly via mediators of participation in community activities. A voluntary and anonymous survey was administered from February to May 2021 to 495 participants aged 60 and older. Respondents completed three questionnaires: WHOQOL-BREF, Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised (CIQ-R), and Perceived Accessibility of Living Environment (PALE). The main finding was that participation in activities in the community had a direct positive impact on QoL. Perceived accessibility of the living environment also had indirect positive effects on QoL through participation in activities in the community, for those without disabilities but, interestingly, not for those with disabilities. Hierarchal linear regressions revealed that participation in activities explained 53.3% of the variance for both groups while perceived accessibility added 1.1% for the nondisabled. We conclude that accessibility of living environment is a good indicator of positively perceived QoL through participation in various activities in the community for nondisabled older adults. This may be especially important during a pandemic.

The role of parental playfulness as a moderator reducing child behavioural problems among children with intellectual disability in Israel

BackgroundPlayfulness is well known to be vital for child development. However, not much is known regarding parental playfulness. We set out to investigate the role of parental playfulness in children with intellectual disabilities (ID) and typical development (TD) living in Israel. Specifically, we examined 1) differences in parental playfulness between groups and 2) parental playfulness as a moderator in the link between developmental status and behavioural problems (BP). MethodOne hundred forty-two families living in Israel and their children (48 % with ID) aged 4–7 years participated in the study. Parent-child play interaction was videotaped and coded for parental playfulness. Parents reported on child BP using the CBCL questionnaire. ResultsParents in the ID group showed lower levels of playfulness compared to parents in the TD group. Father’s playfulness acted as a moderator in the link between developmental status and child BP. ConclusionsThese results highlight the unique role of father’s playfulness in the developmental status of a child diagnosed with ID.

The Challenges Facing Arab Students with Learning Disabilities in Higher Education Institutions and the Role of Support Centers in Their Academic Functioning: A Preliminary Study

The topic of support for students with learning disabilities (LD) has been studied to a considerable extent in recent years, due to the significant increase in the integration of students with learning disabilities in higher education institutions (HEI). However, there is hardly any research examining the support for students with learning disabilities in Israel’s Arab sector. The purpose of the current preliminary study is to examine whether support centers for students with learning disabilities assist Arab students with their learning and general academic functioning in Israeli higher education institutions. The study is qualitative, involving semi-structured interviews with eight Arab students diagnosed with learning disabilities studying at two institutions of higher education. Analysis of the interviews revealed four major themes: The double difficulty that students experience due to the fact that they are Arabs for whom Hebrew is a second language, and due to their learning disabilities; lower awareness of learning disabilities in the Arab sector in Israel; post-diagnosis relief; a sense of wellbeing satisfaction with the educational, social and occupational support provided, enabling them to study and succeed. The article addresses also to the limitations of the study as a primary study, along with recommendations for further research based on this preliminary study.

Social worker perspectives on marriage and parenting among Muslim men with intellectual disabilities in Israel

ABSTRACT Background: Social workers play a central role in service delivery for parents with intellectual disability (ID). Within Israeli Muslim society, men with ID are likely to marry non-disabled women and create families. This study adds to scarce research on how social workers view these families, and how they might better serve their needs. Method: A thematic analysis was conducted on nineteen semi-structured interviews with social workers. Results: Family characteristics are described. Findings illustrate the complicated position of the Israeli Arab Muslim social workers in balancing patriarchal and traditional cultural values against professional values such as social justice and equality. Although personally opposed to these marriages, they feel that they are unable to act against either their professional ethics or social boundaries. Conclusions: Social workers should be trained to support their clients’ transition to marriage and parenthood. Policy makers should promote support services for non-disabled wives of husbands with ID.

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities in the Higher Education System in Israel: Successes and Challenges

Summary Studies show the very high probability that a child with learning disabilities will grow up to be an adult with learning disabilities and will experience difficulties in his academic or professional studies and in the world of employment. Today, there is an increase in the number of students with learning disabilities in academic institutions in Israel and around the world, with the extent of students with learning disabilities in Israel being estimated at up to 15% of diagnosed students. The article discusses the problem that most studies address children and teens with learning disabilities, while knowledge about coping with students with learning disabilities in the higher education system is limited. Moreover, there seems to be no uniform policy on supporting these students. The article is addressed to policymakers and lawmakers in Israel’s higher education system, with the aim of presenting current support and proposing changes and improvements intended for these students.

The long-term consequences of 35 years of terror attacks against civilians in Israel: Medical and nonmedical costs, disability.

Terrorism is a major threat, which requires operative preparedness, principally for the emergency struc-tures. Similarly, its rising impact on the healthcare system should interest the researchers in health affairs and policy. The number and the nature of disabilities due to terror is insufficiently addressed in the civilian population. In this article, we described the type and number of disabilities in Israel due to war and terror attacks since 1980. Descriptive analyses of the National Insurance Institute of Israel (NII) Civilian Victim of Terror database which embraces medical and social information including the number and severity of disabilities and their nonmedical costs (disability pensions) since 1980; the related medical costs (based on hospital and ambulatory invoices) and their principal International Classification of Diseases (ICD 9) diagnoses and comparison to the data coming from the START database (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism) Results: There was a surge in the number of disabilities following the years of the second Intifada 2000-2006. Al-though the number of wounded decreased after the end of the Second Intifada, the number of disabled stayed high due to their ongoing care. The costs of disability pensions grew in parallel to the number of disabled and approached 140 M US$ for 2016. The different waves of terror attacks have an awful legacy as 4,000 disabled whom are supported to-day by the State of Israel. Because of the unique way Israel is tracking and following the -victims, including the number of disabled and their attendant social and medical costs we can assess the broad impact of terrorism in Israel. It is interest-ing to note that when a country supports the victims of terror with an efficient system and dedicated means and re-sources, the social (nonmedical) costs are far more significant than the medical costs.

Social worker attitudes toward parents with intellectual disabilities in Israel

Purpose: United Nations human rights treaties and domestic law require social workers to support the parenting rights of persons with intellectual disabilities. Social workers are also required to protect the health and well-being of those clients’ children. This study explores the experiences, challenges, and complex attitudes of Israeli social workers regarding parenthood by their clients with intellectual disabilities.Methods: A qualitative method employed semi-structured interviews with twenty-one social workers. A thematic analysis identified major themes.Results: Social workers recognized the parental desires of clients with intellectual disabilities and acknowledged their role in supporting those individuals. Nevertheless, most of the social workers expressed negative perceptions regarding the right or capability of clients with intellectual disabilities to parent. Social workers thus felt the tension between their personal reservations and their professional duty to support these clients. Regardless of individual attitudes, social workers uniformly asserted that greater state and community support was needed to enable the parental capacity of their clients.Conclusions: In addition to increasing state and community support for parents with intellectual disabilities, additional training is needed for empowering social workers to act on behalf of these clients in Israel.Implications for RehabilitationSocial workers hold critical roles for parents with intellectual disabilities and are required to support their clients’ parenting while ensuring the health and well-being of their children.Israeli social workers balance negative or ambivalent attitudes regarding the capability of parents with intellectual disabilities against a desire to honor their duty to support these clients.State and community support for parents with intellectual disabilities must be increased.Additional training is needed for empowering social workers to act on behalf of these clients in Israel.

Volunteering and Subjective Well-Being Among Individuals With Disabilities: A Multivariate Model

The main goal of the study was to evaluate the contribution of volunteering to explaining two indicators of subjective well-being—self-esteem and sense of meaning in life (MIL)—among people with physical disabilities in Israel. The sample included 160 Israeli participants with physical disabilities, of whom 95 had volunteered and 65 had not. The findings revealed that volunteering was both directly and indirectly associated with factors that facilitate the sense of MIL but was not associated with factors that inhibit MIL. Furthermore, volunteering was found to mediate the relationship of economic and family support to self-esteem and to facilitators of MIL. The results point to a sequence of contingencies that facilitate indicators of subjective well-being: when people with disabilities have high levels of economic resources and family support, they are more likely to volunteer; in turn, volunteer activity increases self-esteem and promotes a sense of MIL.

From Welfare to Work and From Work to Welfare: A Comparison of People With and Without Disabilities

In this study, we explore the behavioral factors that play a role in the decision—among people with and without disabilities—to move from welfare to work and from work to welfare. A survey of people with and without disabilities in Israel was conducted; a nonprobability quota sample of 193 individuals was drawn (95 people with disabilities and 98 nondisabled people). The data were collected by means of a closed-ended questionnaire. The results show that people with disabilities tended more than nondisabled persons to favor decisions that maintain their current employment status quo bias). Furthermore, compared with nondisabled individuals, people with disabilities demanded more wages or benefits while changing status in the labor market. The more years of education people with disabilities have, the less incentive is needed to resume or begin working. In addition, the noneconomic value of work is higher among more-educated people compared with less-educated people with disabilities. The results emphasize the need to design various policies to lower the status quo bias effect, especially, among people with disabilities. Maintaining employment status among this population, and promoting their education level, should be central rehabilitation priorities.

Cultural Differences in Parental Attitudes and Ways of Coping Towards Learning Disabilities of their Children – An Outline of a Research Study

The main aim of the article is to identify and explain the issues of parents’ attitudes and ways of coping with their situation as parents toLearning Disability children, in relation to the differentCultural parents. This article stems from a deep and extensive dissertation research on parents’ attitudes toward their child Learning Disability in Israel and it is presented as an outline of the research study. Studying the parents attitudes and coping with their child’s Learning Disability, is an important area that should generate interest among researchers. The family is the source of the child’s development, and the parents are responsible for the creation of his values and beliefs. In summary, the connections between Learning disability, society and culture, attitudes, stress and coping concerning the parents of children diagnosed as having Learning was discussed in this article. There is an urgent need to explore these parents’ varied cultures, their different beliefs, attitudes, and their characteristics. It is important to remember that the family is a supportive framework that protects the child. The best way to help the L.D. child and his family is through understanding the way in which they experience the disability at home, and in the community.

The contribution of mastery to mental health and purpose in life among female veterans with disabilities in Israel

ABSTRACTSelf-report questionnaires assessing mental health, purpose in life (PIL) and mastery were administered to 61 female veterans with disabilities (FVWD) and compared 72 demographically matched women in control group without disabilities to learn about use of personal resources in promoting well-being and resilience. Age range was 20–82, average age was 48.87. Data were collected in Israel. FVWD reported significantly lower levels of mental health, PIL, and mastery than the comparison group. Group affiliation moderated association between mastery and mental health, and between mastery and PIL. For FVWD, higher mastery was associated with lower mental health and PIL.