TY - JOUR
T1 - Acute Stress Symptoms–Adult Scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale (NSESSS)
T2 - Assessing the Immediate Aftermath of the October 7 Attacks on an Internally Displaced Population
AU - Gilbar, Ohad
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 American Psychological Association
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Objective: The Adult Scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale (NSESSS) is an emerging brief screening measure for the severity of Acute Stress Symptoms based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision of acute stress disorder (ASD). Scant information is known about the NSESSS’s psychometric properties among different cultures or populations exposed to an ongoing trauma and displacement. Therefore, the present study aimed to (a) assess for the first time the psychometric properties and construct validity of the Hebrew version of NSESSS in an internally displaced population following the massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023; and (b) assess the possible risk and protective predictors of ASD according to sociodemographic characteristics, types of trauma exposure, absence of basic needs, and social support. Method: Participants were 480 Israelis, internally displaced from a southern city of Israel near the Gaza border, following the October 7 attacks. Data were collected using NSESSS, the Hebrew version. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–ASD, model fit. Based on multiple regression predicting ASD, risk factors found for ASD included direct exposure and the exposure of family members to the ongoing trauma of the October 7 events (β =.27 and β =.21, respectively, p <.001) and women were at higher risk for ASD (β =.15, p <.01). Regarding protective factors, education and social support negatively predicted the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–ASD (β = −.15, p <.01 and β = −.18, respectively, p <.01). Conclusions: The present study supports the cross-cultural validity of NSESSS. The study bears clinical implications for clinicians and policymakers. This highlights the need to strengthen social support after mass trauma and displacement.
AB - Objective: The Adult Scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale (NSESSS) is an emerging brief screening measure for the severity of Acute Stress Symptoms based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision of acute stress disorder (ASD). Scant information is known about the NSESSS’s psychometric properties among different cultures or populations exposed to an ongoing trauma and displacement. Therefore, the present study aimed to (a) assess for the first time the psychometric properties and construct validity of the Hebrew version of NSESSS in an internally displaced population following the massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023; and (b) assess the possible risk and protective predictors of ASD according to sociodemographic characteristics, types of trauma exposure, absence of basic needs, and social support. Method: Participants were 480 Israelis, internally displaced from a southern city of Israel near the Gaza border, following the October 7 attacks. Data were collected using NSESSS, the Hebrew version. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–ASD, model fit. Based on multiple regression predicting ASD, risk factors found for ASD included direct exposure and the exposure of family members to the ongoing trauma of the October 7 events (β =.27 and β =.21, respectively, p <.001) and women were at higher risk for ASD (β =.15, p <.01). Regarding protective factors, education and social support negatively predicted the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–ASD (β = −.15, p <.01 and β = −.18, respectively, p <.01). Conclusions: The present study supports the cross-cultural validity of NSESSS. The study bears clinical implications for clinicians and policymakers. This highlights the need to strengthen social support after mass trauma and displacement.
KW - acute stress disorder
KW - Adult Scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale
KW - internally displaced population
KW - National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale
KW - October 7 attacks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85215673618&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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C2 - 39786859
AN - SCOPUS:85215673618
SN - 1942-9681
JO - Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
JF - Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
ER -