Jewish German students experience greater psychological strain than non-Jewish peers, study shows
“The study suggests that psychosocial counseling centers at universities should be sensitized to identity-related stress as well as subtle forms of antisemitism,” said study lead Dr. Irina Jarvers.
Jewish German students face greater psychological strain than their non-Jewish counterparts, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Regensburg and Sigmund Freud Private University Berlin. Between June and September 2024, the researchers surveyed 320 students across Germany, with 151 identifying as Jewish. The study assessed stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, perceived antisemitism, sense of safety, Jewish identification, and connection to Israel.
The findings revealed that Jewish students reported significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress compared to their non-Jewish peers. The most substantial difference was observed in anxiety levels. Notably, even after accounting for factors such as age, gender, income, political orientation, and psychiatric history, Jewish identity emerged as an independent predictor of all three measures of psychological strain.
Within the Jewish student group, perceived antisemitism was identified as the strongest factor associated with psychological strain. The more strongly students perceived antisemitism in society, Israel, and academic settings, the higher their reported levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, a stronger connection to Israel was linked to increased stress levels.
A significant portion of the Jewish students surveyed, 54.3%, expressed that they did not feel safe as Jews in Germany. Furthermore, 86.8% attributed the perceived rise in antisemitism to the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and subsequent social and political developments.
Interestingly, the study also found that Jewish identification increased among students who perceived higher levels of antisemitism, suggesting that the experience of discrimination strengthened their self-identified Jewish identity.
Dr. Irina Jarvers, the lead researcher from the University of Regensburg, emphasized the need for university psychosocial counseling centers to address identity-related stress and subtle forms of antisemitism. She recommended personal resource strengthening programs to help mitigate psychological strain, as well as explicit anti-discrimination strategies and promotion of respectful discourse in university diversity initiatives and politically charged debates.
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