- Israel
rachel dekel
Bar-Ilan University, School of Social Work, Faculty Member
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
IntroductionProviding informal care to one’s romantic partner who is ill may become a highly distressing and demanding task. Based on the innovative dyadic coping model, several support interventions have been developed to alleviate... more
IntroductionProviding informal care to one’s romantic partner who is ill may become a highly distressing and demanding task. Based on the innovative dyadic coping model, several support interventions have been developed to alleviate informal caregivers’ burden, including both caregivers’ and care receivers’ needs. Considering the unique challenges characterising the caregiving phenomenon, such as geographical barriers and time restrictions, digital solutions should be considered. However, there is a lack of research examining the effectiveness of dyadic digital solutions. Thus, this review aims to examine the existing literature on the efficacy of dyadic digital psychological interventions designed for caregivers and their care-receivers couples within the illness context.Methods and analysisRandomised controlled trials targeting caregivers’ burden among dyads of informal caregivers and care receivers will be identified via an electronic search of the following databases: PubMed, Em...
Research Interests:
Objective Adjusting to a military environment is a complex process, with unique demands and various stressors placed on conscripts. In this study, we examined the unique and combined contribution of the independent variables that... more
Objective Adjusting to a military environment is a complex process, with unique demands and various stressors placed on conscripts. In this study, we examined the unique and combined contribution of the independent variables that constitute an individual soldier’s personal resources—the meaningfulness of the military role and the match between expectations and the job itself; cognitive flexibility; social support; and seeking help from a mental health officer (MHO)—to the adaptation (dependent variable) of noncombat soldiers to military service. Method The study group comprised 200 Israel Defense Forces noncombat soldiers aged 18-23 years (Meanage = 20.046 years, SD = 0.951). Of them, 107 (53.3%) had consulted a MHO. The remaining soldiers who had not consulted an MHO (n = 93, 46.5%) served as the comparison group. Research tools included the work and meaning questionnaire, the Cognitive Flexibility Scale, the Medical Outcomes Study (social support) questionnaire, and adaptation to ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This autobiographical essay focuses on my life in Israel as a daughter of a Holocaust survivor and a mother whose children serve or will serve in the army. The 1st part of the article addresses 2 questions—who I am and what I do—and... more
This autobiographical essay focuses on my life in Israel as a daughter of a Holocaust survivor and a mother whose children serve or will serve in the army. The 1st part of the article addresses 2 questions—who I am and what I do—and describes my life in Israel on the basis of my personal family history and the threatened Israeli context. The 2nd part of the article offers 3 top truisms about trauma resilience: (a) at the individual level, maintaining self-differentiation and retaining emotional boundaries; (b) at the couple level, making meaning out of the shared traumatic experience; and (c) at the community level, strengthening the sense of belonging to the community. Finally, I highlight theory and research implications regarding trauma resilience: (a) the need to continue identification of unrecognized populations that have experienced traumatic events, (b) the need to adopt an ecological perspective for assessment and intervention, (c) the need to educate students in the field ...
OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are comorbid consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV), and models explain this comorbidity via an intrinsic relationship between them. The current study posits that... more
OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are comorbid consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV), and models explain this comorbidity via an intrinsic relationship between them. The current study posits that changes in both disorders may provide a clearer picture regarding the interrelations between them. We examined mutual contributions of changes in PTSD and depression to each other. The comorbidity was examined through known risk and protective factors related to both disorders among IPV survivors: perception of danger, helplessness, and peer support. METHOD Sample included 146 female IPV survivors residing in 12 shelters in Israel between September 2009 and April 2014. Self-report questionnaires were completed upon entrance to the shelter and before departure. Analysis included 2 regressions, in which the change-score dependent variable of the first appeared as a regressor in the second and vice versa. RESULTS The regression designed to explore the contribution of changes in depression to PTSD-change explained 48% of the variance, while the regression designed to explore the contribution of changes in PTSD explained 67% of the variance. Changes in both PTSD (β = .14, p = .014) and depression (β = .014, p = .05) contributed similarly to changes in each other, suggesting covariance within IPV-related variables. In addition, the contribution of Arab ethnicity to changes in PTSD was significant. CONCLUSIONS The current study's contribution is in identifying covariance between PTSD and depression along time within the context of variables related to IPV. Clinical implications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The aim of the current study was to address a gap in the literature by determining prevalence, specific types of violence, and risk factors of intimate partner violence (IPV) among Israeli born Arab women compared with Israeli born Jewish... more
The aim of the current study was to address a gap in the literature by determining prevalence, specific types of violence, and risk factors of intimate partner violence (IPV) among Israeli born Arab women compared with Israeli born Jewish women. The following measures were compared: demographic and socioeconomic measures; measures relating to the characteristics of the violence, that is, the three types of violence (physical, emotional, and verbally threatening), sense of danger, and history of violence in childhood; family support levels; and perpetrator characteristics. The sample consisted of 154 Israeli born Arab women and 149 Israeli born Jewish women who were staying in shelters for victims of domestic violence in Israel. A comparison of the two groups revealed that the Arab women were exposed to more physical violence and received less family support than did their Jewish counterparts. The proportion of Arab perpetrators with access to weapons was higher than that of Jewish p...
Research Interests:
Background and Purpose: Civilian populations experiencing recurrent terror attacks may demonstrate different outcomes in comparisons to victims of acute exposure. A consistent finding in previous studies is that subjective perception of... more
Background and Purpose: Civilian populations experiencing recurrent terror attacks may demonstrate different outcomes in comparisons to victims of acute exposure. A consistent finding in previous studies is that subjective perception of exposure (PTSD criteria A1, as defined by the DSM-IV-TR) has a greater impact on emotional symptoms than the actual exposure to events. Yet, little is known about the relationship between exposure to ongoing terror and positive outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to examine the emotional impact of continuous terrorism among young Israeli adults (18-40) living in areas highly exposed to continuous terror. The study aimed at identifying the contribution of objective and subjective exposure to terror, to distress and to post-traumatic growth (PTG). The hypotheses of this study were that continuous exposure to terror is related not only to higher levels of distress (post-traumatic symptoms and general health), but also to higher levels of PTG....
Research Interests:
This chapter reviews the extant literature on the interpersonal aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with a focus on couple and family models of PTSD. Topics include the association of PTSD with a variety of family... more
This chapter reviews the extant literature on the interpersonal aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with a focus on couple and family models of PTSD. Topics include the association of PTSD with a variety of family relationship problems in a range of traumatized populations. The role of relevant interpersonal constructs in the development and maintenance of PTSD (e.g., social support, attachment) and the psychological effects of PTSD symptoms on family members and their relations are discussed. In addition, models that take into account a range of relationship variables and the likely bi-directional association between individual and family functioning in PTSD are presented. Future directions for theory and research, as well as the clinical implications of this work are outlined.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The existing literature has shown that war veterans' posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are associated with high levels of distress in their female partners. According to the literature, spouses' empathy for their spouses can be... more
The existing literature has shown that war veterans' posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are associated with high levels of distress in their female partners. According to the literature, spouses' empathy for their spouses can be a risk factor for their own mental health. However, this subject has not been examined among veteran couples. The current study therefore investigated both the direct and moderating contribution of females' cognitive and affective empathy to their own PTSS and depression symptoms, above and beyond the preexisting traumatic events of the women's own lives and the veterans' PTSS. Participants were 300 Israeli men who had served in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War and their female partners, all of whom completed survey questionnaires. Results revealed that although cognitive empathy can play a positive role for the female in the aftermath of a traumatic event, affective empathy can potentially make a negative contribution to her distress. Women...
Research Interests:
Background and Aims: The ICD-11 has been proposed to include Complex PTSD as unique diagnostic entity that is comprised of core PTSD symptoms and symptoms that reflect 'disturbances in self-organization' (DSO). Several conceptual... more
Background and Aims: The ICD-11 has been proposed to include Complex PTSD as unique diagnostic entity that is comprised of core PTSD symptoms and symptoms that reflect 'disturbances in self-organization' (DSO). Several conceptual questions were formulated: First, to assess the validity of the CPTSD construct in a unique population of male-perpetrators of intimate partner violence. Second, to assess whether DSO would be associated with more frequency and greater severity of risk factors. Third, whether exposure to traumatic events would predict different outcomes, namely PTSD or DSO. Fourth, if the rate of CPTSD assessed with 2 or 3 Re-experiencing items would be the same. Methods: Two hundred and twenty-three males drawn randomly from a sample of 2,600 men receiving treatment at 30 clinical centers for domestic violence in Israel participated. Results: Findings revealed that the CPTSD theoretical concept was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. High reports of exposure...
Research Interests:
OBJECTIVE There is a relatively wide consensus that veterans' posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) may lead to the development of secondary traumatization (ST) among their spouses. However, there is limited knowledge about the way the... more
OBJECTIVE There is a relatively wide consensus that veterans' posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) may lead to the development of secondary traumatization (ST) among their spouses. However, there is limited knowledge about the way the ST develops over time, as well as its predictors. The current longitudinal study examined ST trajectories among spouses of Israeli war veterans with PTSS, as well as the contribution of veterans' PTSS and wives' assessment of veterans' PTSS to these trajectories. METHOD Data were collected from both spouses at 3 time points, 30, 35-37, and 42 years after the 1973 Yom Kippur War (2003, 2008-2010, and 2015, respectively). RESULTS Using multiple-group Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA), we identified 4 distinct ST trajectories. The majority of wives (68%) were in the resilient group, 12% were in the recovery group, approximately 10% were in the chronic PTSS group and another 10% were in the delayed-onset group. Multinomial regressions revealed that veterans' PTSS predicted the 4 different trajectories among their wives. In addition, wives in the recovery and chronic groups who perceived their veteran husbands' PTSS to be higher also reported higher ST. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the complexity of the development of ST trajectories over time. Findings supports the idea of PTSS contagion, and reveals the contributing role of both objective and perceived levels of veterans' PTSS in ST. Therefore, implementing interventions aimed at alleviating both individual and couple-level distress may be warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Research Interests:
Background: Parents of children following a traumatic medical event (TME) are known to be at high risk for developing severe post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Findings on the negative impact of TMEs on parents’ PTSS have been... more
Background: Parents of children following a traumatic medical event (TME) are known to be at high risk for developing severe post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Findings on the negative impact of TMEs on parents’ PTSS have been described in different cultures and societies worldwide. However, in some cases, a specific ethnic group may also be a minority within a given region or a country, contributing to increased risk for parental PTSS following a child’s TME.Objectives: The current study aimed to examine differences in PTSS between Israeli-Arab and Israeli-Jewish mothers, following a child’s TME. More specifically, we aimed to examine the risk and protective factors affecting mother’s PTSS from a biopsychosocial approach.Methods: Data were collected from medical files of children following TMEs, hospitalized in a pediatric rehabilitation department, during the period 2008–2018. The sample included 47 Israeli-Arab mothers and 47 Israeli-Jewish mothers. Mothers completed the psyc...
Research Interests:
Objectives This study examined the contribution of pretrauma psychosocial factors (child emotional functioning, family resources, family functioning, and social support) and environmental factors (mother’s posttraumatic stress symptoms... more
Objectives This study examined the contribution of pretrauma psychosocial factors (child emotional functioning, family resources, family functioning, and social support) and environmental factors (mother’s posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSSs], medical team support [MTS]) to PTSSs of injured or seriously ill children within a pediatric rehabilitation setting. It was hypothesized that psychosocial variables would be strongly associated with child’s PTSS; that mother’s PTSS and MTS would mediate the association between psychosocial factors and child’s PTSS; that mother’s report on child’s PTSS would mediate the association between mother’s PTSS and child’s PTSS. Methods Participants were 196 children hospitalized following an injury/illness and assessed M = 47.7 days postevent. Children completed measures of PTSS, mothers completed measures of their own PTSS, child’s PTSS, and pretrauma psychosocial factors. Family’s therapist completed a MTS measure. Structural equation modeling was ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Background Public safety occupations are well-recognized to be dangerous and stressful. Despite recent attention on post-traumatic stress injuries among public safety personnel, there has been considerably less attention paid to the... more
Background Public safety occupations are well-recognized to be dangerous and stressful. Despite recent attention on post-traumatic stress injuries among public safety personnel, there has been considerably less attention paid to the ongoing ways in which the risks and requirements associated with those occupations shape family life, and how families respond and adapt to those lifestyle dimensions. This systematic review aims to understand how day-to-day family life is affected and shaped when a family member works in a public safety sector, such as fire, police, paramedic, corrections, and emergency communications. Methods Qualitative studies that examine the experiences of families or family members of public safety personnel will be included in this review, with no date or language restrictions. An initial search of Embase and CINAHL will be conducted, followed by an analysis of text words contained in the title and abstract, and of the index terms used to describe the articles. D...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The study used the ecological model of trauma and recovery (Harvey, 1996) to examine the rates of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among female victims of domestic violence. Five hundred and five participants completed... more
The study used the ecological model of trauma and recovery (Harvey, 1996) to examine the rates of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among female victims of domestic violence. Five hundred and five participants completed questionnaires upon entering shelters in Israel. Analysis showed that 61% of the participants reported probable PTSD. Childhood exposure to violence, violence severity, and feeling helpless were all associated with high PTSD levels. By contrast, Ethiopian ethnicity, social support, and a stronger sense of control were associated with lower PTSD levels. However, the interaction between social support and violence duration showed that social support did not moderate PTSD when exposure to violence endured. The study emphasizes that resources deteriorate, and that policy-augmenting prevention programs would increase treatment potential to strengthen survivors' coping capacities.
Research Interests:
The International Classification of Diseases 11th Version (ICD-11) will include Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) as a unique diagnostic entity comprising core PTSD and DSO (disturbances in self-organization) symptoms. The... more
The International Classification of Diseases 11th Version (ICD-11) will include Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) as a unique diagnostic entity comprising core PTSD and DSO (disturbances in self-organization) symptoms. The current study had three aims: (1) assessing the validity of CPTSD in a unique population of male perpetrators of intimate partner violence; (2) examining whether exposure to different types of traumatic events would be associated with the two proposed CPTSD factors, namely PTSD or DSO; and (3) assessing the differential association of various sociodemographic and symptom characteristics with each factor. Participants were 234 males drawn randomly from a sample of 2600 men receiving treatment at 66 domestic violence centers in Israel. Data were collected using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) - Hebrew version. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of ICD-11 CPTSD. Cumulative lifetime trauma and physical childhood negl...
Research Interests:
While psychopathology in general is linked to poorer marital and parental satisfaction, there is a paucity of data regarding these interactions in parents with Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current study addresses this issue... more
While psychopathology in general is linked to poorer marital and parental satisfaction, there is a paucity of data regarding these interactions in parents with Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current study addresses this issue among a civilian population. Two hundred trauma-exposed parents, mean age of 37.2, 62% mothers, were assessed using self-report questionnaires, for background variables, PTSD symptoms using the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), depression symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI), marital satisfaction (Dyadic Adjustment Scale, DAS-7), parenting behavior (Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, APQ-9), and parenting satisfaction (Parenting Satisfaction Questionnaire). We hypothesized that positive parenting behavior and parenting satisfaction would be negatively correlated with PTSD symptom levels, and that this relationship would be mediated by marital satisfaction; the independent effects of depression on marital and parenting functioning were a...
Research Interests:
Self-report questionnaires assessing mental health, purpose in life (PIL) and mastery were administered to 61 female veterans with disabilities (FVWD) and compared 72 demographically matched women in control group without disabilities to... more
Self-report questionnaires assessing mental health, purpose in life (PIL) and mastery were administered to 61 female veterans with disabilities (FVWD) and compared 72 demographically matched women in control group without disabilities to learn about use of personal resources in promoting well-being and resilience. Age range was 20-82, average age was 48.87. Data were collected in Israel. FVWD reported significantly lower levels of mental health, PIL, and mastery than the comparison group. Group affiliation moderated association between mastery and mental health, and between mastery and PIL. For FVWD, higher mastery was associated with lower mental health and PIL.
Research Interests:
This study had two aims: 1. To examine whether soldiers who participated in Early Group Intervention (EGI) would show less distress and better functioning and physical health than soldiers who did not participate in EGI, and 2. To examine... more
This study had two aims: 1. To examine whether soldiers who participated in Early Group Intervention (EGI) would show less distress and better functioning and physical health than soldiers who did not participate in EGI, and 2. To examine the contribution of the intervention to participants with repressive coping style. The sample comprised 166 male reserve soldiers who fought in the Second Lebanon War. The intervention was conducted three months after the traumatic event, was based on military protocol, and took place over the course of one day. Data were collected at two points in time (four months apart). The findings indicated that after EGI, the intervention group experienced less post-traumatic distress than did the control group. In addition, four months after the intervention, the functioning and physical health of the intervention group was significantly better than that of the control group. Notably, the intensity of post-traumatic distress before the intervention was lowe...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Objectives: This study explored the behavioral and emotional adjustment of Israeli school-age children who are exposed to political violence. Based on Bronfenbrenner's (1986) ecological model and ecological model of psychosocial... more
Objectives: This study explored the behavioral and emotional adjustment of Israeli school-age children who are exposed to political violence. Based on Bronfenbrenner's (1986) ecological model and ecological model of psychosocial trauma (Harvey, 2007), we examined the direct contribution of exposure, gender, maternal characteristics (mother's posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS], maternal care and maternal control), and community type (development town vs. kibbutz), to school-age children's adjustment. In addition, we examined whether maternal characteristics and community type moderated the association between exposure and adjustment. Method: There were 121 mother-child dyads from the development town of Sderot (n = 62) and from the surrounding kibbutzim (n = 58) participated. Results: Revealed that being a boy, living in Sderot, and mothers' higher PTSS, contributed directly to children's total difficulties (i.e., externalizing and internalizing problems), and t...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The current chapter reviews the existing research on three aspects of parenting and the military in Israel: parenting of young soldiers; career military service and its effects on parenting; and the effects of PTSD on parenting, taking... more
The current chapter reviews the existing research on three aspects of parenting and the military in Israel: parenting of young soldiers; career military service and its effects on parenting; and the effects of PTSD on parenting, taking into account the unique cultural, social and political characteristics of Israel. The chapter’s first section sheds light on parents of soldiers in compulsory service, and highlights the adjustment and contribution of both parent and child to this transition. The second section, which addresses career military service and its effects on parenting, explores the ways in which separation factors, contextual factors and the adaptation of families during temporary parental absences manifest themselves in the Israeli context. The chapter’s third section explores the path by which PTSD symptom clusters may impact aspects of the parent-child relationship, with a focus on the Israeli context. Discussion: Common aspects of the three situations and differences that exist between the Israeli context and mainly the American context are discussed in an attempt to guide future directions for research.
Research Interests:
In the present study, ecological theory was used as a basis for predicting depression among women who survive intimate partner violence (IPV). The predictors examined in the study derived from three ecological systems: the microsystem... more
In the present study, ecological theory was used as a basis for predicting depression among women who survive intimate partner violence (IPV). The predictors examined in the study derived from three ecological systems: the microsystem (background variables and frequency of the violence), the ontogenic system (personal resources), and the mesosystem (support resources). One hundred twenty-five women who immigrated from the Former Soviet Union and 149 Israeli-born Jewish women filled in questionnaires when they entered shelters for victims of IPV. The research findings indicate that background variables, including immigration, did not contribute significantly to the women's depression. Frequency of violence contributed slightly to depression, whereas the women's sense of mastery and social support contributed most significantly. The results highlight the need to strengthen these resources when women are in shelters, and to conduct further research to determine whether these re...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Nursing, Research Methodology, Cancer Epidemiology, Breast Cancer, Cancer Research, and 15 moreMedicine, Israel, Holocaust survivors, Holocaust, Humans, Biomedical Research, Survivors, Female, Cancer and Psychology, Jews, Aged, Gerontological Nursing, Case Control Studies, Breast Neoplasms, and Patient selection
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The vast numbers of studies regarding caloric restriction (CR) and breast cancer risk are based on war-related extreme situations. Studying the impact of CR in Jews during World War II (WW II) is challenging due to its variance and... more
The vast numbers of studies regarding caloric restriction (CR) and breast cancer risk are based on war-related extreme situations. Studying the impact of CR in Jews during World War II (WW II) is challenging due to its variance and duration. To develop novel research tools in order to assess CR exposure in Jews that occurred more than 60 years ago during WW II. A pilot study based on Israeli women born in Europe in 1926-45, who lived there during WWII. Primary incident breast cancer patients and population-based controls were interviewed using a detailed questionnaire referring to demographic, obstetric factors and WW II experiences. Exposure to WWII-related CR was assessed by several proxy variables based on this information. The individual hunger score was higher in the exposed cases [mean score 141.06 vs. 130.07 in the controls). The same trend was observed for self perceived hunger score (mean score 2.75 in cases vs. 2.40 in controls) and hunger symptoms score (4.89 vs. 3.56, re...
Research Interests:
Israeli veterans who claim for recognition of their mental disability and compensation undergo multi-professional assessments including a detailed psychosocial evaluation. To conduct a systematic evaluation of the social disabilities of... more
Israeli veterans who claim for recognition of their mental disability and compensation undergo multi-professional assessments including a detailed psychosocial evaluation. To conduct a systematic evaluation of the social disabilities of veterans with PTSD; to examine the relationships between the various aspects of their social disability and their PTSD symptom severity, on the one hand, and the ratings they receive from psychiatrists determining their overall disability, on the other hand. The study was conducted on 120 veterans with PTSD, all filing for compensation. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews that were carried out by social workers in ajoint meeting with the veterans and their spouses and that covered marital, parental and social functioning; from the self-report PTSD questionnaire that the veterans filled out; and from the final disability ratings in the veterans' files. Findings showed a disturbing picture of impaired marital, parental and soc...
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychology, Perception, Focus Groups, Medicine, Israel, and 15 moreMarriage, Narration, Humans, Female, Male, Focus Group, Qualitative Study, Prisoners, Questionnaires, Captivity, Adult, Public health systems and services research, Military Personnel, Life Change Events, and Paediatrics and reproductive medicine
This study examined how staff members in shelters for abused women perceive the women’s mothering and the challenges when working with these mothers. Data were collected through focus group interviews with 30 workers at Israeli shelters... more
This study examined how staff members in shelters for abused women perceive the women’s mothering and the challenges when working with these mothers. Data were collected through focus group interviews with 30 workers at Israeli shelters for abused women. Findings revealed that workers typically held a “deficit perspective” when describing the residents’ mothering skills. Most seemed committed to the notion of empowerment as a guiding framework for intervention with the women and made an effort to facilitate the women’s choices and autonomy in spite of the obstacles. The study examined workers’ perceptions from personal, professional, and sociocultural perspectives.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Client satisfaction surveys give clients a voice in the planning and management of services. While their use is quite widespread, they have hardly at all been used in the evaluation of shelters for homeless youths. In this article, the... more
Client satisfaction surveys give clients a voice in the planning and management of services. While their use is quite widespread, they have hardly at all been used in the evaluation of shelters for homeless youths. In this article, the authors present findings of a client satisfaction survey conducted among residents of a shelter for homeless youths in Tel Aviv, Israel, shortly after their departure from the shelter. Satisfaction was affected mainly by three aspects of life in the shelter—the staff, the food, and the other residents. Satisfaction was related to adjustment to the shelter but not to outcomes. The survey highlights the potential and limitations of client satisfaction surveys with young persons in distress.