Minority Mental Health In War Zone: Perceived Discrimination, Trauma History, and Resource Loss Among Young Adult Arabs In Israel

Background: Ongoing war and political conflicts have detrimental effects on the mental health of youth and young adults. This vulnerability is further compounded for those who belong to ethnic minority groups, as they already endure disadvantaged positions and social exclusion across multiple domains of life. However, research on the mental health outcomes of Arab young adults as a minority group in Israel during times of war remains limited. The social determinants of mental health perspective posits that individuals’ social, economic, and environmental conditions influence their mental health across the lifespan. Furthermore, this perspective argues that people with fewer resources and/or those from disadvantaged groups are more likely to experience greater or cumulative stress. Grounded in the social determinants of mental health framework, the present study aimed to examine the impact of key risk factors - namely trauma history, perceived discrimination, and resource loss, on mental health outcomes (e.g., depression and anxiety) of young adult Arabs during the ongoing war in Israel following the October 7, 2023 attack.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Israel with 932 Arab young adults aged 18–35 (M = 24.54, SD = 4.59), recruited through a convenience sample via a survey institute and social media platforms. Participants completed validated Arabic questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, trauma history, perceived discrimination, and resource loss. The analysis included chi-square tests, t-tests, bivariate analyses (Pearson and point-biserial correlations), and structural equation modeling (SEM).

Results: Participants reported high levels of depression and anxiety (i.e., mental health problems; M = 2.22, SD = 0.72, and M = 2.33, SD = 0.70, respectively). Additionally, they reported levels of perceived discrimination that were well above the scale average (M = 3.43, SD = 0.71). Resource loss was directly and significantly associated with higher levels of mental health problems (β = 0.77, p < 0.001). Both perceived discrimination and trauma history were indirectly associated with higher levels of mental health problems (β = 0.23 and β = 0.14, respectively, p < 0.001), with these effects fully mediated by resource loss. Specifically, higher levels of perceived discrimination and trauma history were associated with greater resource loss (β = 0.30 and β = 0.19, respectively, p < 0.001), which in turn predicted higher levels of mental health problems.

Implications: The results highlight the heightened vulnerability of young adults from ethnic minority groups during wartime, particularly with regard to their mental health and experiences of discrimination related to their minority status. Moreover, the findings underscore the central role of resource loss in mediating the relationship between social determinants and mental health problems, emphasizing its impact in times of conflict. Professional interventions should account for the increased vulnerability of young adults during war and focus on strengthening resource acquisition and access in order to mitigate the adverse effects on the mental health of ethnic minority populations during periods of political conflict.