Research In Progress

DrKalayjian@Meaningfulworld.com www.meaningfulworld.com www.Drkalayjian.com When one helps another BOTH become stronger While the media was obsessively warning people about the importance of getting ready for Hurricane Sandy, I observed mixed behaviors around me. This was going to be a category 1 hurricane, a 300-mile-long swath of devastation packing 90 mph winds starting from Virginia and stretching all the way to New England. In the wake of the destruction, Sandy claimed the lives of many in New York and Long Island, destroyed significant properties such as houses and cars, resulted in power outages afecting millions, left debris and devastation galore, and portions of our infrastructure and many businesses are crippled. Recovery will be a slow, arduous process. Meaningfulworld had scheduled an autumn-foliage hot air balloon ride for Sunday morning, and we rescheduled it to Saturday instead. In spite of all the concerns, fears, and threats of inclement weather, we were able to fly and had a great time. Even then our discussions turned to subjects such as how the youth will be able to cope with no electricity for a week to 10 days. Would they able to converse, play cards, read a book, or just tell stories around candlelight?? Many have told us that they could not imagine life without the Internet, let alone without electricity. Examples of destruction in our area, and people waiting on lines for 5-10 hours for gasoline. The Hurricane did strike as strongly as they expected in the South Jersey area. In Northern New Jersey we received a hard hit with high winds, but not as much rain as forecasters expected. We had actually placed empty containers in our garden to collect the rainwater for flushing toilets, but there was only about 2 inches of rain. Mostly we experienced high winds, lots of trees falling, electrical poles down, trash cans flying, as well as the foliage swirling and piling up all around. I am grateful for what we had, as I am not sure we are able to cope with any catastrophes in our area. First, we have no evacuation plan nor evacuation route; second, we do not conduct any emergencyevacuation drills, and third, we are not ready emotionally, as well as practically. It was so interesting to observe people’s reactions to the preparation phase of the Hurricane. People were in these three categories: A. Those who obsessively over-bought everything they needed or did not even need – Such as a trunk full of batteries, even for sizes that they had no need of like AAA. They bought groceries and blankets and left the shelves at the supermarket totally bare. B. Those who did absolutely nothing, reassuring themselves that in fact we had never had a category 1 hurricane, and that it would be a light storm and nothing to worry about. They reasoned along the lines that we had never had a hurricane except the past year’s Hurricane Irene, which was not so bad, and we still had electricity in our area. C. Those who put all their kids in their vehicles and drove away, some to Florida, some to Arkansas, others to the Catskills or wherever they could run away to and still have electricity and daily comfort. Destruction in my gratitude garden… Group B then began panicking after Monday night, when in fact the hurricane hit so hard, from Cape May, Sandy Hook, all the way up north to Connecticut, that it flooded coastal areas, ripping electrical posts as well as 100-year-old trees from their roots, killing some people in their own bedroom while they were watching TV, as others were washed out along the shore. Pieces of beach boardwalks were found 10 blocks inland, and hospitals by the Hudson and East Rivers had to be evacuated both in New York and New Jersey. This group embarked on a search spree for a generator, gasoline, batteries, and candles, now paying double prices for all. The lines for to buy generators comprised more than 100 people; they were punctuated by fights erupting here and there, and the waiting list was up to 500 people in the Home Depot in Paramus. In other stores they promised that they would have generators, asked for pre-payment, and told buyers to return the next morning at 5 A.M. after waiting on the queue for over four hours. The next morning they walk up at 5 A.M. and wait on long lines again, only to be told to return in the afternoon, and in the afternoon they were told the truck was held up in the hurricane aftermath in Virginia. While some of them were waiting for generators, other family members were waiting for gas, since the generator won’t run without gasoline. Gas stations were closed from Bergen County all the way down south in Hudson County. Even at my friend’s gas station, although it had gasoline, the police had placed barricades and told us that the remaining gasoline was for the police and emergencies. Then they received word that there was some gas in North Bergen so everyone rushed over there, only to find 50 people on line and another 50 cars as well wrapped around four city blocks. In this panic, Group B was driving recklessly, cursing their luck, and wishing that they had paid attention and gotten ready BEFORE the hurricane. Those few who were fortunate enough to still have electricity were diligently sending text messages and inviting their friends to come and have a hot shower, charge their phones and laptops, and drink some hot tea. This invitation was so appreciated. Without communication it is difcult to know how your loved ones are doing, if they need help, etc. I was so happy when my friend texted me with an invitation, I hustled over to Ridgefield to charge my phone and four other phones. When I got there she was glued to the news, and I got sucked into watching it as the TV were a magnet. I saw eyewitnesses from Seaside Heights crying while describing

Abstract This study will examine meaning, resiliency, coping and post traumatic stress symptomatology among first and second generation Greek genocide survivors of Asia Minor and Pontus of the Ottoman Empire.   Although historical research documents the genocide of the Greeks in the Ottoman Empire, there are no scientific research studies pertaining to the psychosocial and spiritual impact of this tragedy on the Greek populations. This project is truly a deep service to our ancestors, who in fact through these present day efforts, channel a message to the world community to aid in understanding the affects of war, genocide and the prevention of world division.  This study will replicate a previous study conducted by Dr. Kalayjian et al on the coping, resilience, and meaning of Armenian survivors of the Ottoman Turkish Genocide. In a groundbreaking move, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) has voted overwhelmingly to recognize as genocides the massacres of Assyrians and Greek populations of the Ottoman Empire between 1914 and 1923.  The Resolution declares the “It is he conviction of the International Association of Genocide Scholars that the Ottoman campaign against Christian minorities of the Empire between 1914 and 1923 constituted a genocide against Armenians, Assyrians, and Pontian and Anatolian Greeks.”  It “calls upon the government of Turkey to acknowledge the genocides against these populations, to issue a formal apology, and to take prompt and meaningful steps toward restitution.”  The resolution also states “the denial of genocide is widely recognized as the final stage of genocide, enshrining impunity for the perpetrators of genocide, and demonstrable pacing the way for future genocides.” www.genocidetext.net/iags_resolution_supporting_documentation.htm.  For other information kindly visit: http://www.greek-genocide.org/press.html and http://www.greek-genocide.org/books.html and http://www.greek-genocide.org/documents.html  and http://www.greek-genocide.org/bibliography.html. About 100 first and second generation survivors of the Greek genocide will be recruited for this study. First the study will look into selected cases of survivors (born before 1923) who had witnessed the Ottoman Turkish Genocide.  Once this population is exhausted then the study will focus on the decedents.  The theoretical framework of this study will be the meaning theory, resiliency, denial, anger and PTSD in relation to Greek Genocide survivors. The hypotheses are: 1.   Survivors with low scores in the measure of meaning will score high in PTSD. 2.   Survivors with low scores in the measure of meaning will score high in anger as measured by the Anger State Trait Inventory. 3.   Survivors with high scores in the measure of meaning will score low in anger. 4.   Survivors with high scores in the measure of meaning with score high in resiliency as measured with the resiliency scale. The demographic section of the study will collect data on age, gender, migration status (year of entry in US or Greece), religious affiliation as well as instruments re meaning, altruism, resiliency, anger and PTSD. Social and clinical implications as well as limitations of the study will be discussed and further directions will be given for future research on genocide survivors. The research team includes: Drs. Kalayjian, Pipinelli, Ms. Galanis, and Ms. Thasites.

Exploration with Survivors of Ottoman Turkish of Armenians: Examining relationships of long-term mass trauma, PTSD, physical symptoms and meaning in life. This research is in data analysis phase.

A. Six-month follow up to the tsunami in Sri Lanka:  Community resiliency and meaning recovery. B. Staying Afloat: The case of volunteers of the Mental Health Project C. Impact of the hurricanes Katrina and Rita:  Coping with post disaster recovery. D. Hurricane Andrew in Florida, one year follow-up. This is in the data analysis phase. E. Post Pakistan Mental Health Outreach: Three months after earthquake of October 8, 2005

The importance of spirituality receives overwhelming public affirmation as to its importance but it has historically neglected in education, nursing, and psychotherapy. The importance of Emotional Intelligence or EQ has been long established; spiritual needs have not been systematically examined and studied. In this study, 200 participants from north eastern US were surveyed to examine their attitudes, beliefs and understanding of spirituality. Participants responded to the 25-item SQ Questionnaire, designed by Kalayjian, which explores meaning of spirituality in people’s lives and its impact. Almost half of all respondents considered themselves to be spiritual. The participants consisted of 66 males and 132 females. When asked of how participants define spirituality, 20.5% stated “a higher power,” 17% stated “spiritual/soul,” and 15% said “inner being.” Twenty-three percent of participants believed that one achieves spirituality through self-awareness and meditation, while 13.5% believed it came via experience and 12.5% other (creative energy, meaning in life, loving self & others, education & knowledge). Twenty-six percent of the participants believed one gains knowledge of spirituality through education, teaching, & knowledge, while 14% believed it was acquired through experience, and 10.5% believed it came from self-awareness. The majority of the participants believed that spiritual role models were important, but many did not have one. The overwhelming majority (73%) believed that there are benefits of being spiritual. Study findings elicit that spiritual growth is a completely personal experience; it is independent and unique for each individual, and it is not necessarily connected to religion. Further research is recommended to examine SQ on a larger scale. Also recommended is to replicate this research in hospitals interviewing nurses, physicians, and patients. Spirituality Quotient Questionnaire

Harold Takooshian, PhD Fordham University Ani Sanentz Kalayjian, PhD Fairleigh Dickinson University Few nations so early and fully recognized the legal equality of a women and men as did the U.S.S. R in 1917. Still, the voluminous research on soviet women shows a mixed picture. Despite de jure egalitarianism, soviet women increasingly bemoan their de facto inequality with me. What is the current status of women in the USSR? Although the picture given is of a Soviet society that is a sort of pioneer in the world movement towards feminism, it is probably an error to equate so easily the Soviet economy’s need for female labor with the ideological liberation of women. In this presentation, the four-fold aim is to offer: (1) The official view of soviet women. (2) The unofficial view, expressed n recent writings by and about Soviet women. (3) An analysis of the subtle cultural evolution contributing to this large gap between the official and unofficial views. (4) A prognosis of the likely future of soviet feminism as a change agent within the soviet system, based partly on quantitative and qualitative data in the USSR separately collected by the presenters in Soviet Armenia between 1987-1990. The official view of women is shown statistically. Soviet women reportedly have unusually long life expectancy (75 years), high participation in the labor force (71%) with 49% of all soviet workers being women; low fertility (2.4 births); remarkably high adult literacy (98%); exactly 1:1 ration of women to men enrolled in higher education. There is, however, a look of facilities for child care and housing. Women are paid less for the same jobs, and are discriminated in selections and promotions. In addition, there are no women representatives in the executive branch of government. A standardized Feminism Survey is used to compare the responses of 102 “nonethnic” New York women, with 115 women in Erevan, the capital of Soviet Armenia. Women in Soviet Armenian score significantly lower than the American women on the Feminism Survey. Feminism Opinion Survey