The Predictive Capacity of Responsibility Bearing and National Affiliation for Psychological Security Among Palestinian Security Force Members: A Proposed Developmental Strategy

Abstract

This study aims to examine the predictive capacity of responsibility bearing and national affiliation in enhancing psychological security among members of the Palestinian security forces. It also proposes a developmental strategy informed by the study’s findings. A mixed-methods approach is employed: the quantitative component involved a random sample of 381 security personnel from the West Bank, while the qualitative component included semi-structured interviews with 32 participants from the same population. The quantitative results indicate high levels of responsibility, national affiliation, and psychological security among the participants. Significant positive correlations are found between these variables. Furthermore, both responsibility and national affiliation were statistically significant predictors of psychological security. Mediation analysis also reveals that national affiliation partially mediated the relationship between responsibility and psychological security. The qualitative findings enrich the understanding of these relationships by highlighting the emotional and moral dimensions of responsibility and national affiliation. Participants expressed a strong sense of collective duty and readiness to sacrifice for the public good, despite institutional, political, and financial challenges. Themes such as ethical commitment, institutional trust, and value-based leadership emerged as central to fostering psychological security. In light of these results, the study recommends the adoption of a developmental strategy that promotes institutional values, enhances psychological and social support programs, and cultivates an enabling environment to strengthen the mental well-being and professional performance of security personnel.