Positive Psychology Research in Israel: Current Reality and Future Vision

The Middle East has been exposed to armed conflict, war, invasion, and terrorism for many years, and therefore has been considered to be a natural research field for studying the impact of political violence on well-being and mental health. For most of the last two decades, since the positive psychology movement began, the study of positive psychology in the Middle East lagged behind that of war-related psychopathology in both volume and complexity. However, multiple political and cultural transitions in the region in recent years have led to a growing interest in research and practice on positive psychology. Much of the research has been conducted in Israel, especially in the educational realm. The present chapter reviews pioneering studies of positive psychology in the Middle East, describes the positive-education revolution in the educational system of Israel, and discusses the school as the optimal setting for strengthening the mental health and wellbeing of children in war-torn areas.