Eugene Tartakovsky

Children of perestroika: the changing socioeconomic conditions in Russia and Ukraine and their effect on the psychological well-being of high-school adolescents

The present study investigates how the changing socioeconomic conditions in Russia and Ukraine affect the psychological well-being of high-school adolescents in these countries. Six indexes of psychological well-being, the adolescents’ perception of the economic conditions in their families, perceived parental practices (care and autonomy providing), and perceived social support were measured in 1999 and 2007. Macro-level socioeconomic conditions in Russia and Ukraine, as well as the adolescents’ perception of the economic conditions in their family, substantially improved from 1999 to 2007. However, the psychological well-being of the adolescents, as well as their perception of parental practices and the social support received from parents, peers, and teachers did not change. Russian adolescents consistently reported higher self-esteem and school competence than their Ukrainian peers, as well as higher parental care and autonomy providing, and higher social support received from peers. At the individual level, perceived parental care and autonomy providing, as well as perceived social support from parents, peers, and teachers were the major contributors to the adolescents’ psychological well-being. The obtained results are discussed in light of the conservation of resources and ecological systems theories.

Found in Transition: An Acculturation Narrative of Immigration from the Former Soviet Union to Israel

This article presents a personal narrative exemplifying acculturation processes and their theoretical analysis. The author describes the development of his Jewish identity in the Soviet Union, emigration, and adjustment to Israel. The author’s affiliations with his ethnic group, the country of origin, and the country of immigration are described and analyzed as an ever-changing process. The role of family and society in creating a multifaceted ethnic identity is discussed. The validity of the theories on ethnic identity development (Camilleri & Malewska-Peyre, 1997; Phinney, 1990), acculturation (Berry, 1997), and the theories of culture shock and cultural learning (Ward, Bochner, & Furnham, 2001) are tested in light of the acculturation narrative presented here. The author argues that acculturation is a multidimensional process, which relates to the ethnic group, the homeland, and the receiving country. Each of these dimensions has its own dynamic of change in the process of immigration, which depends on the circumstances of the immigrants’ adjustment first in the homeland and after that in the receiving country.

Testing a New Theoretical Model for Attitudes Toward Immigrants The Case of Social Workers’ Attitudes Toward Asylum Seekers in Israel

The present study proposes a new threat–benefit theoretical model explaining attitudes of local people toward immigrants. Based on the theory of human values and extending Integrative Threat Theory, the threat–benefit model suggests that the local population perceives immigrants as both threatening and beneficial for the receiving society. The model assumes that appraisal of an immigrant group as threatening or beneficial for the receiving society influences opinions regarding immigration policy related to the immigrant group. The study assessed the new model investigating attitudes toward asylum seekers in a representative sample of 283 social workers in Israel. Results of the study support a conceptualization of immigrant appraisal involving four types of threats (economic, physical, social cohesion, and modernity) and four types of benefits (economic, physical, cultural diversity, and humanitarian), which represent different types of realistic and symbolic threats and benefits. Findings showed that appraisal of asylum seekers as beneficial or threatening to the receiving society mediated the connections between personal preferences for values of universalism, power, social security, and tradition and support for immigration policy directed either at defending immigrants’ rights or defending the receiving society. Application of the model for understanding attitudes toward different minorities as well as for creation of value-based interventions and programs aimed at reducing negative attitudes toward various stigmatized groups in society are discussed.

Female Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence: A Comparison between Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in Israel and Israeli-Born Women

This study aimed to understand patterns of physical and psychological violence and the system of social support among female immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in Israel who are suffering from domestic violence. Immigrant women receiving help in Centers for the Treatment and Prevention of Domestic Violence and in shelters for battered women (n = 74) were compared with Israeli-born women receiving help in the same Centers and shelters (n = 107). Immigrant and Israeli-born women reported similar levels of physical and psychological violence, and the immigrants’ utilization of formal and informal systems of social support was similar to that among Israeli-born women. However, immigrant women were threatened more frequently with expulsion from Israel, and their partners were alcoholically intoxicated more often than the partners of Israeli-born women. Non-Jewish women were more frequently threatened with expulsion from Israel, and they reported a lower level of social support received from parents and friends.

Values in the bank: Value preferences of bank frontline workers and branch managers

The present study investigated the value preferences of frontline workers and branch managers working in a large bank in Israel. Value preferences of bank workers (n = 98) were compared with those of a matching sample drawn from the Israeli general population (n = 152). In addition, value preferences of bank frontline workers were compared with those of bank branch managers and deputy managers. Finally, the relationships between personal value preferences and the workers’ career motivation were examined. The results indicate that compared to the general population, bank workers have a higher preference for conformity, hedonism, and power values and a lower preference for benevolence, universalism, and self-direction values. Compared to the frontline workers, the bank branch managers and deputy managers reported a higher preference for achievement values and a lower preference for tradition values. Higher career motivation was associated with a higher preference for achievement and power values and a lower preference for benevolence values.

Between Two Worlds? Value Preferences of Immigrants Compared to Local-Born Populations in the Receiving Country and in the Country of Origin:

In the present study, we investigate value preferences of immigrants, comparing them with local-born populations in the receiving country and in the immigrants’ country of origin. In addition, we test the effect of time in the receiving country on the value preferences of immigrants. Three groups of respondents took part in the study: Israeli-born Jews (n = 1,082), immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in Israel (n = 237), and Jews living in Russia (n = 935). Differences in value preferences between the groups and their relationship with time in country in the immigrants’ value preferences were hypothesized on the basis of four psychological mechanisms: premigration formation of values and their preservation in the new country, self-selection of immigrants, acculturation (classical and paradoxical), and a reaction to the stress of adjustment in the new country. The results obtained demonstrated that the value system of immigrants in general was different from the value system of the nonimmigrant populations in both the country of origin and in the receiving country. When comparing immigrants and two other populations in each of the 19 basic values separately, it was found that immigrants reported higher levels of power dominance, power resources, and security social values, and lower levels of values of universalism tolerance, universalism concern, benevolence dependability, and self-direction thought than both the other groups. Results mainly corroborated what we have termed a Stress Reaction Value Constellation model. Adjustment difficulties encountered by immigrants in the receiving country and their survival needs may explain the specific pattern of value preferences found among immigrants.

Motivational goals, group identifications, and psychosocial adjustment of returning migrants: The case of Jews returning to Russia

The present study investigated the motivational goals, group identifications, and psychosocial adjustment of Jews who returned to Russia after emigrating from the republics of the Former Soviet Union to different countries (n = 151). To gain a deeper understanding of these returning migrants, their traits were compared with those of Jews living in Russia who did not emigrate (n = 935). Compared to locals, returnees reported a higher preference for the openness to change and self-enhancement values and a lower preference for the conservation values; there was no difference in the self-transcendence values. Returning migrants had a relatively weak affiliation with the home country: they had a weaker identification with the home country than with the country of emigration, their identification with Russians was weaker than that among Jews who did not emigrate from Russia, and their intention to emigrate (again) from Russia was greater than that among locals. However, the Jewish identification of returning migrants was similar to that of locals. The adjustment of returning migrants varied across different dimensions: their economic adjustment was better than that of locals; however, the interpersonal adjustment of returnees was less successful than among locals.

Value Preferences of Social Workers

The current study examines value preferences of social workers in Israel. Using a theoretical framework of person-environment fit paradigm and theory of values, the study compared social workers (N = 641, mean age = 37.7 years, 91 percent female) with a representative sample of Israeli Jews (N = 1,600, mean age = 44.2, 52 percent female). Questionnaires included personal value preferences and sociodemographic variables (gender, age, education, religiosity, and immigrant status). Multivariate analysis of covariance showed that value preferences of social workers differed significantly from those of the general population. Analyses of covariance showed that social workers reported a higher preference for self-transcendence and a lower preference for conservation and self-enhancement values. Results have significance for the selection, training, and supervision of social workers. They suggest that it is important to assess to what extent selection processes for social workers are primarily recruiting social workers with shared values, thus creating an overly homogenous population of social workers. An understanding of personal value motivations can help social workers in their own process of self-development and growth, and to understand how the profession can fulfill their basic motivations.

Therapeutic beliefs and practices of Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli social workers:

This study investigates social workers’ preferences regarding four main therapeutic orientations: psychodynamic therapy (PDT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), client-centered therapy (CCT), and eco-systemic therapy (EST). In total, 679 social workers (528 Jewish and 151 Palestinian) reported their beliefs regarding the efficacy of the four therapeutic orientations, and 343 additional social workers (193 Jewish and 150 Palestinian) reported how often they apply the therapeutic orientations in their practice. The present study revealed similarities, but also some incongruence when comparing the social workers’ beliefs in the efficacy of the different therapeutic orientations and the frequency of their actual use in practice. Socio-demographic characteristics of the social workers explained a significant albeit small proportion of the variance in the frequency of use of the different therapeutic orientations. Finally, the results obtained demonstrated that social workers tend to prefer different therapeutic interventions when working with clients belonging to different ethnic groups. Implications for therapist training and practice are discussed.

Personal values and immigrant group appraisal as predictors of voluntary contact with immigrants among majority students in Israel: VALUES, APPRAISAL AND IMMIGRANT CONTACT

What predicts whether young people will establish contacts with immigrants? Students are at a pivotal point in which the campus environment can enable substantial contact with immigrants, and where world views and behavioural patterns are formed which can follow through their adult lives. Through a value-attitude-behavior paradigm we examine a conceptual model in which appraisal of an immigrant group as a threat and/or benefit to the host society mediates the relationship between personal values and contact. Findings among 252 students in Israel showed that (1) threat/benefit appraisal of immigrants predicted voluntary contact; (2) personal values of self-direction and hedonism directly predicted voluntary contact; and (3) Threat/benefit appraisal mediated the relationship between self-direction and power and contact. Results suggest that increasing awareness of benefits of immigrants can promote positive inter-group relations.