From Threat to Volunteering: Psychological Distress as a Mediating Mechanism During the Iron Swords War
Abstract
The Iron Swords War induced severe psychological distress in the Israeli population. This study examined the relationship between perceived threat, psychological distress, and the volunteering behavior of Israeli citizens at the start of the war. We hypothesized a positive correlation between perceived threat and volunteering, with psychological distress playing a mediating role. We found that higher perceived threat was associated with increased psychological distress, which predicted greater volunteering activity. These findings suggest that volunteering in wartime may serve as a coping mechanism for psychological distress stemming from perceived threat. The results contribute to understanding prosocial behavior in times of national crises.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering
Leadership
Courage
and Heroism Studies
Resilience and Mental Health
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1399–1412
- Publication date
- 9 March 2026
- Language
- EN