Rivka Yahav (University of Haifa) – Welfare and Social Work

Rivka Yahav is an Associate Prof. Specialist at the Faculty’s School of Social Work at the University of Haifa, Head of Post Graduate Psychotherapy Studies and the Head of The Interdisciplinary Clinical Center (ICC) which provides an important bridge between academic research and evidence-based health care practice and training

 She is an experienced clinical social worker and psychotherapist.     Prof. Yahav was head of the Board of Directors of the Israeli Psychotherapy Association. 

She was awarded the prestigious 2012 Prime Minister's Prize for Initiative and Innovation and the 2009 Recanati-Chais-Rashi Award (for Outstanding Social Worker) for her work in developing an innovative system to the early discovery and treatment of environmental and developmental difficulties in children.

She initiated unique community intervention projects for at- risk and needy populations.  These programs include:

• The ICC maintains telephone hotlines in times of crisis and offers individual and family psychotherapy for those who find themselves in emotional distress following a crisis.
• The ICC develops emergency programs for individuals in times of crisis, including natural disasters and treatment programs for victims of terror and war.
• Emotional therapy for Haifa's children during the Second Lebanon War including therapy for children of Ethiopian descent with emotional difficulties.
• An interdisciplinary program providing developmental supervision for at-risk children from before birth to kindergarten age.
• Therapy groups dealing with loss and bereavement and more.

 Area of research: Children, adolescence and adult reaction to terror, war and crisis.
Psychosocial intervention during crisis and disaster.

Relevant Publications:

¨            Note: This is a sample of selected publications.

Sharlin, S., Moin, V., & Yahav, R. (2006). When disaster becomes commonplace:
     Reaction of children and adolescents to prolonged terrorist attacks in Israel. Social
     Work in Health Care, 43(213), 95-114. (IF=0.785, Rank=21/140 in Social Work
     (Q3))

Yahav, R., & Cohen, M. (2007). Symptoms of acute stress in Jewish
and Arab Israeli citizens during the Second Lebanon War. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 42, 830-836. (IF=2.537, Rank=60/140 in Psychiatry (Q2)).

 Moin, V., Sharlin, A. S., & Yahav, R. (2007). Multifaceted fears: Reactions of
      children and adolescents to terrorist attacks in Israel. The College of Judea and
      Samaria Press.  (206 pp.)

Sharlin, S., Moin, V., & Yahav, R. (2008). Living in fear: Ariel students in
     the shadow of prolonged terror. Judea and Samaria College Publications,
     229-238. (Hebrew).

Cohen, M., & Yahav, R. (2008). Acute stress reactions to the second
     Lebanon war in Israelis living in areas subject and not subject to
     attack.  Journal of Traumatic Stress, 21, 118-121. (IF=2.360,
     Rank=35/119 in Psychology, Clinical (Q2))

Yahav, R. (2011).  Exposure of children to war and terrorism: An integrative review.
     Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 4(2), 90-108.