Pathways to Thriving in Palestinian Women Citizens of Israel Experiencing IPV: The Contribution of Personal Resources and Recovery Actions

Personal resources and recovery actions to face trauma are known to impact the wellbeing of survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Although acknowledged as a key component, scant research has been conducted on the recovery trajectories of survivors from Arab societies, especially in Palestinian citizens of Israel. This study examined the contribution of personal resources (empowerment related to safety, dispositional optimism, and potency) to engaging in steps toward recovery and ultimately thriving in 157 Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCI) victims of IPV. A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach was applied to test a mediation model that estimated the extent to which personal resources (empowerment related to safety, dispositional optimism, and potency) predicted survivors’ thriving directly and indirectly through the mediating variables of engagement in specific recovery actions. The model revealed direct associations between empowerment related to safety, dispositional optimism, potency, and thriving. Women’s empowerment toward safety positively predicted thriving via establishing healing spaces. Contrary to predictions, although women’s empowerment toward safety positively predicted women’s engagement in connecting/sharing, women’s connecting/sharing negatively predicted their thriving. These findings highlight the importance of women’s personal resources by showcasing their strengths and the steps they take to enhance their thriving within the Israeli- Arab context.