Pnina Ron | University of Haifa (original) (raw)

Papers by Pnina Ron

Journal of Family Social Work, Feb 20, 2009

The study aims were to examine the relationships of 128 elderly couples married longer than 45 ye... more The study aims were to examine the relationships of 128 elderly couples married longer than 45 years and the role division between the partners, including a comparison of their perceptions of their first 3 years of their marriage with today. The research hypotheses were (a) there will be a change in the couple's perceptions about the traditional roles at the

International journal of social science studies, Mar 13, 2015

Background: Given that many social workers in fact work with the economically disadvantaged, it m... more Background: Given that many social workers in fact work with the economically disadvantaged, it may be assumed that their attitudes stem from their academic studies combined with attitudes acquired through intergenerational transmission. The study poses two main questions: 1) what are the attitudes of Israeli social work students, as well as those of their parents and their grandparents towards the causes of poverty? 2) How does each of the three generation' members approach the question-what is the best way for the state to deal with the problem of poverty? Methods: The convenient sample consisted of 218 Arab and Jewish families, with three self-report questionnaires per family for the three generations. Results: findings indicated that the majority of participants, in all three generations, considered the socio-structural factor to be the most significant cause of poverty. Similarly, most participants in this study also reported that they preferred that the state expand its welfare program and increase the budgets in order to assist the population in need and thus address the poverty problem.

European Psychiatry, 2012

Background While the effects of war on individuals, age groups, and communities have been thoroug... more Background While the effects of war on individuals, age groups, and communities have been thoroughly studied, there has been relatively little mention in the literature regarding its differential effects on adult children and their parents and their elderly grandparents. Methods 509 participants, 167 elderly parents, 171 adult offspring and 171 adult grandchildren living in the northern and southern regions of Israel were interview after the Second Lebanon War (2006) and the Cast Lead Operation (2008). The participants were sampled by a cluster sampling. Findings Elderly parents experiences higher levels of PTSD symptoms than their adult children or their adult grandchildren do. Women experience higher levels PTSD symptoms than men and Israeli Arabs and Druze more then Israeli Jews in all three generations. Conclusions A policy should be enacted among the local authorities and the governmental offices that would ensure accessibility to and the ability to provide proper care especially for the elderly population during times of war or terror events. In addition, it is important to setup local teams in every local community, to deal with the level of mental and emotional preparedness of the home front and its inhabitants, in case the latter should again become part of the human casualties of the wars and terrorist events that occur in Israel.

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2007

Objective The aim of the research was to examine if and, how the attitudes and perceptions were c... more Objective The aim of the research was to examine if and, how the attitudes and perceptions were changing during the aging process. The research sample included three hundred and eighty-eight elderly people between the ages of 65-92 who were sampled for the purpose of analyzing and comparing their attitudes and perceptions of old age and aging, in the present, to their attitudes and perceptions of these two concepts in the past. Method The research tool was composed of two parts: (A) a short demographic questionnaire which examined the following variables: gender, age, origin, family status and subjective health definition. (B) the second part was essentially qualitative in which subjects were asked via an 'interviewer' to reply to an identical question relating to two different periods in their lives: in their youth (when you were a young man/woman) and today. The data received from the questionnaires was processed in two main methods: quantitatively-statistically and qualitatively-content analysis. Results The subjects' attitudes were categorized into six different typologies which were identified on a continuum: elderly people whose attitude towards old age and aging was negative both in the present and in the past were positioned at one end of the continuum. Subjects with a positive attitude towards old age, both in their youth and in the present were positioned at the opposite end of the continuum. Negative attitudes were more prominently described by powerful adjectives than positive attitudes were described by the subjects. For instance: 'Fear', 'Disgust'. In the description of the positive attitude only one powerful adjective was used 'Splendor and glory'. Conclusions A significant correlation was found between subjects whose attitudes towards old age in the present were negative and those who subjectively defined their health as bad.

In this study we explored the subjective experience and the meaning attached to it by Israeli soc... more In this study we explored the subjective experience and the meaning attached to it by Israeli social workers who pro-vide help to direct and indirect victims of national terror attacks. A qualitative methodology, based on grounded theory tradition, was used to conduct and analyze interviews with 29 social workers from three types of agencies (municipal social services, general hospitals, and the National Insurance Institute) from various parts of the country. Based on the data, three main themes were constructed: (a) professional and personal functioning during interven-tion, (b) the immediate and long-term impact of intervening with terror attacks, and (c) the meaning attached to the social worker’s role in intervening with victims. Overall, the findings show that the social workers experienced symp-toms similar to those of secondary traumatic stress disorder (STSD) for a few days only, but in the long-term, they perceived their experience of helping victims of terror attacks as le...

Illness, Crisis & Loss

Between 1989 and 1995, more than a half million immigrants arrived in Israel from the former Sovi... more Between 1989 and 1995, more than a half million immigrants arrived in Israel from the former Soviet Union (FSU). Data show that elderly persons (65 and older) composed 14 percent of this immigration wave. The process of immigration from the FSU is a process of change extending to all areas of life, including environmental changes (climatic conditions, household arrangements); problems of language, culture, mentality, and social norms; and the personal and emotional changes accompanying such a process. Each of these transitions requires a process of personal adjustment to new situations of life that may negatively affect the immigrants' personal well-being, as individuals and as a group. Elderly immigrants are at risk as far as their capacity to adjust to changes. This study is an attempt to examine the main difficulties facing elderly immigrants from the FSU and the effect these problems have on their well-being during their acculturation in Israel.

International Journal of Social Science Studies, 2015

Advances in Aging Research, 2015

The current study adds to the pool of findings regarding experiences of female Philippine work im... more The current study adds to the pool of findings regarding experiences of female Philippine work immigrants employed in elderly caregiving in Israel, as they cope with their role as caregivers. Based on an analysis of the qualitative interviews with 27 Philippine women, three themes emerged. The first is the manner in which these caregivers perceive the treatment and care they give their elderly employers, taking into account the initial stage of the professional relationship, the various types of support, and the employer-employee interactions. The second theme deals with the manner in which these caregivers perceive their role once the relationship with the elderly care recipient is established and the employer's needs and preferences become familiar; that is, once there is a clear caregiver-client relationship. The third theme deals with the manner in which the caregivers perceive their relationship with their elderly employers and with the employers' family members, and the way they believe their employer and family perceive their role as caregivers. This stage of the relationship they define as "family of choice". The combination of the three themes presents a comprehensive picture of positive change in terms of the caregivers perception of their role, and a shift in the manner in which they perceive their employers: from a "source of income" to "parent".

The Journal of Adult Protection, 2000

This research paper from Israel examines damaging family reactions to later‐life remarriage. It d... more This research paper from Israel examines damaging family reactions to later‐life remarriage. It describes a study based on qualitative data from interviews with 17 children of elderly parents who had remarried and later reported their adult children to the social service agencies as abusers. An analysis of the interviews shows that the main cause of the abuse was financial and involved matters of inheritance, wills and the distribution of assets. The dynamics which lay behind this pattern of family behaviour are explored.

Drug and Alcohol Review, 2015

The aim of this study was to examine illicit psychoactive substance use rates among adult Arabs i... more The aim of this study was to examine illicit psychoactive substance use rates among adult Arabs in Israel. Cross-sectional survey of 1200 Arab adults recruited nationwide via cluster sampling and interviewed using a structured questionnaire was conducted. Fourteen percent of respondents reporting illegal substance use with increased odds of use among males and those who were secular/not religious. These findings show for the first time the extent of illegal substance use among Arab adults in Israel and suggest the possibility for targeted interventions in certain population groups. [Lawental M, Shoham M, Ron P, Azaiza F. Prevalence of illicit substance use among Arab adults in Israel: Findings from a national survey. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015].

Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 1999

Data for the present research was derived from a pilot study on elder abuse by family members. Th... more Data for the present research was derived from a pilot study on elder abuse by family members. The pilot study, conducted between 1996–98, is the first of its kind in Israel. From a population of 270 elders, who were identified by welfare and health professionals as victims of abuse by family members, 12 persons who had remarried after the death

International Psychogeriatrics, 2007

Implementation of the Long-term Care Insurance Law of 1988 in Israel has made it possible to prov... more Implementation of the Long-term Care Insurance Law of 1988 in Israel has made it possible to provide services to frail elderly people in the community. This study compares two specific services that are offered to elderly people as part of the law: (1) help offered to elderly people by homecare workers, and (2) help offered in day-care centers. The study sought to analyze the impact of the two social service approaches on the self-esteem of the care seekers, and included 300 elderly women (150 of whom received services at home and 150 at day-care centers). The findings showed that the self-esteem of elderly women receiving services in a day-care center was higher than that of elderly women receiving the same services at home. The study shows that the provision of services in a social context is important in giving elderly people proper attention which increases their self-esteem, self-evaluation and sense of mastery.

Advances in Aging Research

The aim of the current study was to compare between three generations groups of Arab and Jewish m... more The aim of the current study was to compare between three generations groups of Arab and Jewish male's attitudes towards filial responsibility. 121 university students, their fathers (116) and their grandfathers (114), answered a self-report questionnaire, which measured filial responsibility attitudes, type of attachment; self-esteem; sense of mastery and, family support. Results revealed ethnicity and religiosity differences as well as between-generations differences regarding filial responsibility. An additional finding brought to light the cross-generational differences in the relationship between the attachment style in adulthood and the attitudes regarding filial responsibility. The most important finding shows that the Arab male, especially in the youngest generation, finds himself in a socio-psychological-internal conflict between tradition and modernization regarding the family norms. Arab society, in attitudes towards filial responsibility, is still traditional in terms of its approach to the institutions of clan and, the men status within the family. Thus, mostly among the elderly Arab Muslims.

Clinical interventions in aging, 2015

A majority of work immigrants from the Philippines came to Israel to fill positions involving per... more A majority of work immigrants from the Philippines came to Israel to fill positions involving personal and nursing care. Most of them were in Israel during the Second Lebanon War, the Cast Lead operation, and the Protective Edge Operation. These migrant care workers experienced these events no differently than did the Israeli population. The goal of this study was to examine the connections between the Philippine migrant care workers' exposure to the military operations and the levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), death anxiety, and burnout among them. A random sample of 147 Philippine migrant care workers was recruited through four agencies that employ migrant care workers. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire. Philippine migrant care workers reported high levels of PTSD, high levels of death anxiety, and low levels of burnout. Levels of exposure were positively associated with levels of PTSD, death anxiety, and negatively with burnout. A significant i...

Qualitative Health Research - QUAL HEALTH RES, 2008

Over the last four decades, the Western world has engaged in the process of privatizing various h... more Over the last four decades, the Western world has engaged in the process of privatizing various health and human services, such as incarceration, foster care, hospital services, and services intended for the older population, such as home-based nursing care. The rationale for undertaking this initiative was to relieve the heavy burden that the provision of such services imposes on governments and local authorities, as well as the sincere desire to improve the quality of services through free-market competition. As the process unfolded, the advantages and disadvantages of privatization became apparent, not only in theory but in practice. An especially crucial question that arose was regarding the role of the welfare state and its obligations toward the various population groups that comprise it (as well as differences in the level of commitment among various welfare states). Addressing this question raises a series of dilemmas: the political dilemma (e.g., allocating responsibility f...

Between the state of Israel independent declaration in 1948, until this very days, wars, military... more Between the state of Israel independent declaration in 1948, until this very days, wars, military operations and on-going national terror had been its daily routine to cope with. Th e main goal of this study was to review published studies on the impact of those extreme negative life events on the well-being and mental health of various groups of Arab and Jewish civilians in Israel. In addition, this study emphasizes well-known PTSD risk factors related to terrorism, military operations and war in Israel, as well as dissociative symptoms, ASD symptoms, and Death anxiety. Th e study also deals with some of the background characteristics, the internal and the external resources of the individual, in three age groups, which can take the role of mediator variables between those negative events and the populations’ well-being. Th e literature published in Israel from the beginning of studding those subjects, available up to January 2017, was systematically reviewed. About thirteen studie...

European Psychiatry, 2016

Introduction Wars are a part of the Israelis' population daily experience along the years. Th... more Introduction Wars are a part of the Israelis' population daily experience along the years. The immediate victims of such events, the general population, as well as the work immigrants, are at high risk of suffering distress, acute stress disorder etc. as a reaction to the traumatic events. Objective There would be a relationship between internal resources, social support, and reduction of the participants' PTS and death anxiety levels. The tendency to use problem-focused coping strategies would reduce the participants' PTS, and the death anxiety levels. Aims To examine the relationship between internal resources, social support, coping strategies and the PTS and death anxiety of Philippine immigrants in comparison to those of local workers taking care for the elderly after the Gaza War. Methods A self-reported questioner of 147 immigrants' workers and 126 Israeli' local workers was collected. The study participants agreed to undergo assessments of their PTS and d...

Gerontechnology, 2014

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to investigate possible differences in the attitudes... more Purpose The purpose of the current study was to investigate possible differences in the attitudes towards filial responsibility and perceptions of self-efficacy among members of three generations of Arab families living in Israel. Method Participants were seventy-four (74) Arab students, their parents and their grandparents. Research instruments consisted of a self-report questionnaire, which revealed demographic information, a questionnaire on attitudes regarding filial responsibility, and a questionnaire assessing self-efficacy, self-esteem and sense of mastery. The subjects were asked to answer the question: "What are the best three things a son or a daughter can do for their elderly parent?" Only members from the youngest generation included advance technology/instrumental tools in their answers (long distance relations using Skype program, mobile phones etc.). Results & Discussion The attitudes towards and perceptions of filial responsibility were the most positive among the youngest generation (undergraduate students, p<0.001). t Tests demonstrated that women’s attitudes towards and perceptions of filial responsibility were more positive than those of men. Members of the middle (sandwich) generation reported higher scores of levels of sense of mastery (p<0.05) than did members of the other generations. A significant and strong positive correlation was found between positive attitudes towards filial responsibility and participants’ degree of religiosity, and a significant correlation of medium strength was found between perception of self-efficacy and participants’ report of subjective health. Moreover, technology is one of the useful ways to keep the intergenerational relations on line and on a regular daily use. Attitudes towards filial responsibility may have significant impact on the motivation of purchase and use of gerontechnology products and services.