Mental distress and depression among Israeli young adults in the aftermath of October 7th: The role of resilience and coping.

The October 7, 2023, attack and the subsequent war in Israel constitute a collective trauma that has profoundly impacted young adults, a population vulnerable to mental health challenges. This study examined the impact of war-related risk factors on mental distress and depression among young adults exposed to prolonged threats. We further explored the role of resilience factors (personal resilience, social support, and community resilience) and coping strategies (behavioral and emotional) in mitigating these mental health outcomes. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from January to March 2024, with 1,121 participants aged 18-30. Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regressions. Findings indicated that financial war-related hardships, additional stressful life events, perceived threat, and loss of close ones significantly contributed to mental distress and depression. Personal resilience and social support emerged as protective factors. Behavioral coping strategies were associated with lower distress and depression, whereas emotional coping strategies correlated with higher levels of distress and depression. Resilience factors did not moderate the relationship between war-related risk factors and mental health outcomes. The findings emphasize the critical role of economic stability, personal resilience, and social support as well as behavioral coping strategies in protecting young adults' mental health in times of collective trauma. Interventions should promote adaptive coping strategies and decrease emotional ones to improve mental health outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).