45 International Journal of Mental Health, vol. 35, no. 1, Spring 2006, pp. 45–60. © 2006 M.E. Sharpe, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 0020–7411/2006 $9.50 + 0.00. DOI 10.2753/IMH0020–7411350105 ALEAN AL-KRENAWI, JOHN R. GRAHAM, AND SIVAN BEN-SHIMOL-JAKBSON Attitudes Toward and Reasons for Polygamy Differentiated by Gender and Age Among the Bedouin-Arab of the Negev ABSTRACT: A three-part closed questionnaire was distributed to a convenience sampling of 202 men and women, high school students, and older respondents in a Bedouin-Arab town in the Negev, Israel. Those in monogamous families had more positive attitudes toward polygamy than those from polygamous families. The same was true of men versus women, and youth versus older respondents. Perceived reasons for po- lygamous family structures likewise varied by age and gender. Previous exposure to or experience with the practice may be significant to per- ceived attitudes and reasons. This study is the first to consider a practising community’s differences in attitudes toward and reasons for polygamy, as analyzed by gender and age. Outcomes concur with earlier literature that women were less Alean Al-Krenawi, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer in the Spitzer Department of Social Work at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. He is also the direc- tor of the Bedouin Center for Studies and Development. John R. Graham, Ph.D., RSW, is a member of the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. Sivan Ben-Shimol-Jakbson is a Ph.D. candidate in the Spitzer Department of So- cial Work at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. <<AU: Please review bio statements.>>