Bedouin Adolescents: Are Their Coping Resources Stable Over Time?

The aim in this study was to compare two groups of Bedouin adolescents from unrecognised villages in the Negev, Israel over a period of five years. More specifically, we compared paticipants’ sense of coherence (SOC), state anxiety, and state anger over time. Since Bedouin society has been going through tremendous cultural change during these years, we also aimed to explore how SOC relates to state anxiety and state anger in this unique group of adolescents. Adolescents aged 14-18 years participated in a repeated cross sectional study: 440 in the 2010 sample and 359 in the 2015 sample completed measures of SOC, state anxiety and state anger. Results show that participants scored lower on all variables (SOC, state anxiety and anger) in 2015 than in 2010. However, the most important finding was the shift in the relationship between SOC and the stress reactions. In the 2010 sample, contrary to many stable Western societies, the stronger the SOC, the more severe the stress reactions. However, in 2015, the results resembled Western cultures and the stronger the SOC, the fewer symptoms of stress were reported. The results are discussed based on the salutogenic theory and its assumptions about stable societies vs. societies in change, as well as differences between individualistic and collective cultures.