Academic Journal
Perceived antisemitism and the mental health of Jewish university students in Germany: a quantitative comparative study.
| Τίτλος: | Perceived antisemitism and the mental health of Jewish university students in Germany: a quantitative comparative study. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Josef Tamir T; Sigmund Freud Privat University- Berlin, Berlin, Germany., Jarvers I; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. irina.jarvers@ukr.de. |
| Πηγή: | BMC public health [BMC Public Health] 2026 May 22; Vol. 26 (1). Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 May 22. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Comparative Study |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 100968562 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1471-2458 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 14712458 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Public Health Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, [2001- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Students*/psychology , Students*/statistics & numerical data , Jews*/psychology , Jews*/statistics & numerical data , Mental Health*/ethnology, Germany/epidemiology ; Stress, Psychological/epidemiology ; Anxiety/epidemiology ; Depression/epidemiology ; Humans ; Female ; Male ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Universities ; Young Adult ; Self Concept ; Adult ; Adolescent ; Surveys and Questionnaires |
| Περίληψη: | Background: Antisemitism has increased in Germany in recent years, raising concerns about its impact on the mental health of Jewish university students. However, empirical research on mental health outcomes among Jewish students in Germany remains limited. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a quantitative comparative design to examine stress, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem among Jewish and non-Jewish university students. An online survey was completed by 320 students, including 151 who identified as Jewish. Measures assessed perceived antisemitism, Jewish identification, self-esteem, and connection to Israel. Group differences were analyzed, and predictors of mental health outcomes were examined within the Jewish subsample. Results: Jewish students reported significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than their non-Jewish peers, while no significant differences were observed in self-esteem. Within the Jewish subsample, perceived antisemitism emerged as the strongest predictor of psychological distress, whereas self-esteem functioned as a protective factor. Stronger connection to Israel was associated with elevated stress. Conclusions: The findings indicate that perceived antisemitism represents a significant mental health risk factor for Jewish university students in Germany. Addressing minority stress and strengthening protective resources within higher education settings may help reduce psychological distress and promote student well-being. (© 2026. The Author(s).) |
| Competing Interests: | Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the Ethics Commission of the Faculty for Psychotherapy Science, Psychology, and Law of Sigmund Freud Private University, Vienna, and was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and applicable national regulations. All participants provided informed consent prior to participation. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Antisemitism; Jewish students; Mental health; University students; Minority stress |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260523 Date Completed: 20260717 Latest Revision: 20260717 |
| Update Code: | 20260718 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13200457 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12889-026-27714-5 |
| PMID: | 42174515 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1471-2458 |
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| DOI: | 10.1186/s12889-026-27714-5 |