Attachment, Hope, and Post-traumatic Growth in the Face of Ongoing War

Abstract Attachment security, reflected in lower levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance, is widely recognized as a key facilitator of post-traumatic growth (PTG) following individual adversity. However, its ability to promote such growth in the context of collective trauma, where both the individual and their significant others are simultaneously affected, remains insufficiently understood. We explore this question by examining the role of key personal and interpersonal resources such as identity fusion, hope, and social acknowledgment as potential buffers against the harmful effects of a collective trauma and as determinants of post-traumatic growth. We surveyed 227 Jewish Israelis at two points in time during their ongoing exposure to the war with Hamas. We administered the initial survey six months after the outbreak of the October 7th war and a second wave, three months afterwards. Results did not reveal an association between changes in attachment anxiety and changes in post-traumatic growth. Of the three potential mediators examined, only hope emerged as a significant mediator and was therefore retained in the final model. Changes in attachment anxiety were significantly associated with changes in hope (a = -0.195, 95% CI [-0.313, -0.077]). In turn, changes in hope were significantly associated with changes in PTG (b = 0.200, 95% CI [0.055, 0.344]). Beyond their theoretical contribution to the post-traumatic growth literature, these findings may help practitioners working with individuals coping with collective trauma design trauma-related interventions, such as those focusing on hope and attachment behaviors.