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Li K, Li J, Li Y. The effects of social media usage on vicarious traumatization and the mediation role of recommendation systems usage and peer communication in China after the aircraft flight accident. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2024; 15:2337509. [PMID: 38626195 PMCID: PMC11022913 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2337509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Previous research has indicated that continuous exposure to disaster-related information through social media can lead to vicarious trauma. However, scholars have recognized the need for further in-depth research into the underlying mechanisms influencing this relationship.Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact mechanism of social media usage on vicarious traumatization in users and analyze the roles of recommendation systems and peer communication.Methods: This study was conducted with college students in China, focusing on the context of the MU5735 aircraft flight accident in China in which 123 passengers and 9 crew members died. Data were collected through an online questionnaire. The partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method was used to test the data and model.Results: This study obtained valid responses from 1317 participants. The study findings revealed a significant positive correlation between social media usage(β = 0.180,P < .001), recommendation systems usage (β = 0.172, P < .001), peer communication (β = 0.303, P < .001), and the development of vicarious traumatization. Recommendation systems usage (specific indirect effect = 0.063, P < .001) and peer communication (specific indirect effect = 0.138, P < .001) mediated the relationship between social media use and vicarious trauma. Additionally, the impact of peer communication on vicarious trauma was found to be higher compared to the effects of continuous social media use and recommendation system use.Conclusion: The study found that the use of social media to obtain information about accidents, the frequent pushing of accident information by recommender systems, and the frequent discussion of accidents among peers during unexpected accidents contribute to vicarious traumatization. The study suggests that users' reduced retrieval of accident information via social media, as well as reduced peer-to-peer discussions about accidents, and social media platforms' adjustment of recommender system algorithm rules to reduce accident information pushes, may help reduce the likelihood of users experiencing vicarious traumatization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Li
- School of Journalism and Communication, Guangxi University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Li
- School of Journalism and Communication, Guangxi University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yujuan Li
- School of Journalism and Communication, Guangxi University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
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2
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Wazir V, Hanif R, Malik JA. Impact of Trauma Exposure on Psychosocial Functioning of Media Professionals: Sense of Coherence as Moderator. JOURNAL OF LOSS & TRAUMA 2023; 28:715-726. [DOI: 10.1080/15325024.2023.2217039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Verona Wazir
- National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Rubina Hanif
- National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Jamil A. Malik
- National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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3
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Takarangi MKT, Bridgland VME, Simister ET. A nervous wait: Instagram's sensitive-content screens cause anticipatory anxiety but do not mitigate reactions to negative content. Cogn Emot 2023:1-15. [PMID: 37743724 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2023.2258574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Online platforms like Instagram cover potentially distressing imagery with a sensitive-content screen (blurred imagery plus a content warning). Previous research suggests people typically choose to "uncover" and view screened content. In three studies, we investigated whether the presence of screens mitigates the negative emotional impact of viewing content. In Study 1, participants viewed positive and neutral images, and screens (with an option to view the negative images beneath) for a 5-minute period. In Study 2, half the participants saw a grey mask in place of the typical sensitive-content screen. In addition, each image appeared for a fixed period (5 s) and participants had no option to uncover it. Study 3 was like Study 2 except half the participants saw negative images preceded by a sensitive-content screen and half saw negative images without screens. Overall, participants reported a significant increase in state anxiety and negative affect from pre-to post task when they were exposed to sensitive-content screens, whether or not they were also exposed to the negative imagery beneath. Our data suggest sensitive-content screens cause negative responses - state anxiety and negative affect - that do not translate to an emotional benefit when people view negative content.
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4
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Pate BS, Bouknight SJ, Harrington EN, Mott SE, Augenblick LM, Smiley CE, Morgan CG, Calatayud BM, Martínez-Muñiz GA, Thayer JF, Wood SK. Site-Specific knockdown of microglia in the locus coeruleus regulates hypervigilant responses to social stress in female rats. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 109:190-203. [PMID: 36682513 PMCID: PMC11195023 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women are at increased risk for psychosocial stress-related anxiety disorders, yet mechanisms regulating this risk are unknown. Psychosocial stressors activate microglia, and the resulting neuroimmune responses that females exhibit heightened sensitivity to may serve as an etiological factor in their elevated risk. However, studies examining the role of microglia during stress in females are lacking. METHODS Microglia were manipulated in the stress-sensitive locus coeruleus (LC) of female rats in the context of social stress in two ways. First, intra-LC lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0 or 3 μg/side, n = 5-6/group), a potent TLR4 agonist and microglial activator, was administered. One hour later, rats were exposed to control or an aggressive social defeat encounter between two males (WS, 15-min). In a separate study, females were treated with intra-LC or intra-central amygdala mannosylated liposomes containing clodronate (m-CLD; 0 or 25 μg/side, n = 13-14/group), a compound toxic to microglia. WS-evoked burying, cardiovascular responses, and sucrose preference were measured. Brain and plasma cytokines were quantified, and cardiovascular telemetry assessed autonomic balance. RESULTS Intra-LC LPS augmented the WS-induced burying response and increased plasma corticosterone and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Further, the efficacy and selectivity of microinjected m-CLD was fully characterized. In the context of WS, intra-LC m-CLD attenuated the hypervigilant burying response during WS as well as the accumulation of intra-LC IL-1β. Intra-central amygdala m-CLD had no effect on WS-evoked behavior. CONCLUSIONS These studies highlight an innovative method for depleting microglia in a brain region specific manner and indicate that microglia in the LC differentially regulate hypervigilant WS-evoked behavioral and autonomic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany S Pate
- Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Samantha J Bouknight
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Evelynn N Harrington
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Sarah E Mott
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Lee M Augenblick
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Cora E Smiley
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA; WJB Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Christopher G Morgan
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Brittney M Calatayud
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Gustavo A Martínez-Muñiz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Julian F Thayer
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Susan K Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA; WJB Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, SC, USA.
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5
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Birze A, Regehr K, Regehr C. Workplace Trauma in a Digital Age: The Impact of Video Evidence of Violent Crime on Criminal Justice Professionals. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:NP1654-NP1689. [PMID: 35483029 PMCID: PMC9709553 DOI: 10.1177/08862605221090571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
High-quality video and audio recordings of violent crimes, captured using now ubiquitous digital technologies, play an increasingly important role in the administration of justice. However, the effects of exposure to gruesome material presented in this form on criminal justice professionals who analyze, evaluate, and use this potentially traumatic content in the context of their work, are largely unknown. Using long interviews and constructivist grounded theory, this qualitative study sought to explore experiences of exposure to video evidence of violent crime among Canadian criminal justice professionals. Sixteen individuals including police, lawyers, judges, psychiatrists, law clerks, and court reporters volunteered to participate in qualitative long interviews asking about workplace exposures to violent videos. Themes identified address the ubiquity of video evidence of violent crime; proximity to violence through video; being blindsided through lack of preparedness for violent content; repeated exposures through multiple and protracted viewings; insufficient customary methods for self-protection; and the enduring impact of exposure to videoed violence. We determine that criminal justice professionals are increasingly and repeatedly presented with deeply disturbing imagery that was once imperceptible or unknowable and thus previously held at a greater distance. Elements of what is newly visible and audible in video evidence of violent crime create a new emotional proximity to violence that potentially increases the risks of secondary trauma and underscores the need for improved safety measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arija Birze
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social
Work, University
of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Cheryl Regehr
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social
Work and Faculty of Law, University of
Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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6
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MacDonald JB, Hodgins G, Saliba AJ, Metcalf DA. Journalists and Depressive Symptoms: A Systematic Literature Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:86-96. [PMID: 33998329 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211016022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mental health research focusing on journalists has largely tended to give precedence to trauma exposure and subsequent symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. However, there are several occupational factors that may be associated with the development of depressive symptoms in journalists. This systematic literature review aims to provide a concise, comprehensive, and systematic review of the quantitative literature relating to journalists' experiences of depressive symptoms. The systematic literature review method adopted was based on that prescribed by Fink and contains three main elements: sampling the literature, screening the literature, and extracting data. Key terms were developed and used to source appropriate studies from several electronic databases, a hand search of reference lists was conducted, and authors were contacted to suggest examples of their own work not yet sampled. The sample included 13 quantitative studies reported in English language. Journalists most at risk of experiencing depressive symptoms had (1) greater exposure to work-related and personal trauma, (2) experienced threats to themselves or their family, and (3) reduced levels of family and peer support, social acknowledgment, and education. An area for further investigation is the prevalence and experiences of specific depressive disorders within the journalist population. There are a number of theoretical and methodological issues that can be addressed in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine B MacDonald
- Discipline of Psychology, 5376RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Psychology, 1109Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gene Hodgins
- School of Psychology, 1109Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Anthony J Saliba
- School of Psychology, 1109Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Debra Ann Metcalf
- School of Psychology, 1109Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
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7
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Thunström AO, Sarajlic Vukovic I, Ali L, Larson T, Steingrimsson S. Prevalence of virtual reality (VR) games found through mental health categories on STEAM: a first look at VR on commercial platforms as tools for therapy. Nord J Psychiatry 2022; 76:474-485. [PMID: 34851240 DOI: 10.1080/08039488.2021.2003859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immersive virtual reality (VR) games are increasingly becoming part of everyday life. Several studies support immersive VR technology as a treatment method for mental health problems. There is however little insight into the prevalence of commercially available VR games for treatment of mental health problems on commercial platforms such as STEAM, and to what extent they can be used as tools for treatment or add-on treatment of mental health problems. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to take a first look at the prevalence and overview of content of commercially available games. The games were found using search words related to psychiatric diagnosis or care. METHODS We performed a search for keywords related to symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment strategies of mental health problems. The search was performed November 2020 on STEAM. A scheme was created for elimination and inclusion of games, eliminating those games which were irrelevant to mental health or had triggering elements such as violence, excessive movement which could trigger nausea, horror and pornographic imagery. RESULTS In total, 735 hits were found, 565 unique games. After the games were reviewed for content via trailers, descriptions and screenshots, 32%, i.e. 182 games passed the inclusion criteria. Majority of the games which were excluded were either not connected to mental health, contained violence, adult content or were in other ways irrelevant or inappropriate. CONCLUSIONS Commercial platforms are only at the beginning of the development towards therapeutic content. Currently the quality and usability for therapeutic use is scarce but holds great potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almira Osmanovic Thunström
- Region Västra Götaland, Psykiatri Affektiva, Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Iris Sarajlic Vukovic
- Region Västra Götaland, Psykiatri Affektiva, Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lilas Ali
- Region Västra Götaland, Psykiatri Affektiva, Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tomas Larson
- Region Västra Götaland, Psykiatri Affektiva, Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Steinn Steingrimsson
- Region Västra Götaland, Psykiatri Affektiva, Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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8
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Liu N, Ma Z. Psychiatric reactions among the non-exposed population who viewed disaster-related short videos: Evidence from the 2021 Henan floods. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 150:21-33. [PMID: 35344924 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Media-triggered mental disorders are common when people experience traumatic events. However, few studies have examined the underlying mechanism of how viewing disaster-related short videos triggers psychiatric reactions among non-exposed populations in the context of today's media ecology. Moreover, limited studies have employed psychological network analysis to comprehensively disentangle the associations between diverse forms of media exposure and psychological symptoms. To fill these research gaps, we conducted a survey on a non-exposed population (N = 516) during the 2021 Henan floods to test the effects of short video exposure on its mental status. Short video exposure behaviors were measured under 12 different scenarios, and the participants' mental status (i.e., depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) was measured using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale, and PTSD Check List-Civilian version (PCL-C). We employed both correlation and psychological network analyses to make estimations. The descriptive results revealed that short video exposure behaviors among almost all scenarios were positively associated with the scores of PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PCL-C. The network analysis revealed that both depression and anxiety were associated with the "Support (SVP)" scenario, whereas PTSD was directly linked to the "Help Seeking (SVP)" scenario. Among the three networks, "Help Seeking (SVP)" was the most central among the 12 scenarios of short video exposure. The central symptoms for depression, anxiety, and PTSD were "Concentration," "Relax," and "Reliving Trauma," respectively. The shortest paths between the central short video exposure item and central symptom among the three networks consisted of only two or three steps. This study's findings could assist researchers and policymakers in undertaking novel disaster-related practical activities worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Liu
- Institute of Communication Studies, Communication University of China, Beijing, 100024, China
| | - Zhihao Ma
- Computational Communication Collaboratory, School of Journalism and Communication, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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9
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Carneiro de Oliveira PE, Carmona IM, Casarotto M, Silveira LM, Oliveira ACB, Canto-de-Souza A. Mice Cohabiting With Familiar Conspecific in Chronic Stress Condition Exhibit Methamphetamine-Induced Locomotor Sensitization and Augmented Consolation Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:835717. [PMID: 35517576 PMCID: PMC9062221 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.835717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recognizing and sharing emotions are essential for species survival, but in some cases, living with a conspecific in distress condition may induce negative emotional states through empathy-like processes. Studies have reported that stressors promote psychiatric disorders in both, those who suffer directly and who witness these aversive episodes, principally whether social proximity is involved. However, the mechanisms underlying the harmful outcomes of emotional contagion need more studies, mainly in the drug addiction-related behaviors. Here, we investigated the relevance of familiarity and the effects of cohabitation with a partner submitted to chronic stress in the anxiety-like, locomotor sensitization, and consolation behaviors. Male Swiss mice were housed in pairs during different periods to test the establishment of familiarity and the stress-induced anxiety behavior in the elevated plus maze. Another cohort was housed with a conspecific subjected to repeated restraint stress (1 h/day) for 14 days. During chronic restraint the allogrooming was measured and after the stress period mice were tested in the open field for evaluation of anxiety and locomotor cross-sensitization induced by methamphetamine. We found that familiarity was established after 14 days of cohabitation and the anxiogenic behavior appeared after 14 days of stress. Repeated restraint stress also increased anxiety in the open field test and induced locomotor cross-sensitization in the stressed mice and their cagemates. Cagemates also exhibited an increase in the consolation behavior after stress sessions when compared to control mice. These results indicate that changes in drug abuse-related, consolation, and affective behaviors may be precipitated through emotional contagion in familiar conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabela Miranda Carmona
- Psychobiology Group/Department of Psychology/CECH - Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.,Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences UFSCar/UNESP, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Mariana Casarotto
- Psychobiology Group/Department of Psychology/CECH - Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Lara Maria Silveira
- Psychobiology Group/Department of Psychology/CECH - Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Psychology, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Anna Cecília Bezerra Oliveira
- Psychobiology Group/Department of Psychology/CECH - Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.,Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences UFSCar/UNESP, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Azair Canto-de-Souza
- Psychobiology Group/Department of Psychology/CECH - Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.,Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences UFSCar/UNESP, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Psychology, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.,Neuroscience and Behavioral Institute, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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10
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Koster SM, Koot HM, Malik JA, Sijbrandij M. Associations among traumatic experiences, threat exposure, and mental health in Pakistani journalists. J Trauma Stress 2022; 35:581-592. [PMID: 34989035 PMCID: PMC9305125 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Pakistan is considered to be relatively unsafe for journalists; however, little is known about how working in situations that involve a high risk of trauma exposure and personal threat impacts journalists' mental health. The present study aimed to examine the associations among reporting on topics that carry a high risk of trauma exposure; work-related personal threat exposure; and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of Pakistani journalists. Participants completed online assessments to report the extent of their exposure to trauma and threat in the last 6 months with regard to reporting on militancy, crime, bomb blasts, and natural disasters and exposure to electronic, verbal, and physical threats; stalking; kidnapping; and detention. Further, we assessed symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and stress using self-report instruments. Of the 296 participants, 34.1% showed clinically significant levels of PTSD, moderately elevated levels of depression, and severely elevated levels of anxiety. Linear regression analyses demonstrated an association between PTSD symptoms and a higher frequency of reporting on natural disasters, β = 2.40, p = .004, whereas symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress were associated with a lower frequency of reporting on bomb and suicide blasts, βs = -.93 - 1.61, p = <.001 - .047. Ideally, these findings will raise awareness about their situation, inform prevention and intervention efforts dedicated to journalists' mental health, and promote future research to elucidate the causal factors implicated in mental health symptoms in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanna M. Koster
- Department of ClinicalNeuro‐ and Developmental PsychologyAmsterdam Public Health Research InstituteVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Hans M. Koot
- Department of ClinicalNeuro‐ and Developmental PsychologyAmsterdam Public Health Research InstituteVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jamil A. Malik
- National Institute of PsychologyQuaid‐i‐Azam UniversityIslamabadPakistan
| | - Marit Sijbrandij
- Department of ClinicalNeuro‐ and Developmental PsychologyAmsterdam Public Health Research InstituteVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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11
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Flannery RB. News Journalists and Postruamatic Stress Disorder: a Review of Literature, 2011-2020. Psychiatr Q 2022; 93:151-159. [PMID: 33837501 PMCID: PMC8035056 DOI: 10.1007/s11126-021-09920-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Research has demonstrated that first responders may develop psychological trauma/ posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the performance of their duties. Often overlooked in these studies of police, firefighters, and paramedics is an additional group of providers who also respond to these same events: news journalists and photo journalists. Although limited in scope, the research literature from 1980 to 2010 assessed an association between PTSD and some news journalists. The strength of these findings are limited due to serious methodological limitations. The present paper reviewed the journalist/PTSD literature from 2011 to 2020. There were 4558 subjects in 23 studies, which were world-wide in scope. There were 2633 male reporters (58%) and 1925 female journalists (42%). The average age of subjects was 34.37 years and the average length of experience was 10.68 years. Many reported either PTSD, PTSD symptoms, depression, and/or substance use. A detailed methodological critique is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond B Flannery
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- University of Massachsetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, 1493 Cambridge street, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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12
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Osmann J, Selva M, Feinstein A. How have journalists been affected psychologically by their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic? A descriptive study of two international news organisations. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e045675. [PMID: 34253664 PMCID: PMC8277489 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented healthcare challenges. Journalists covering the pandemic at close quarters are working in ways akin to first responders, but nothing to date is known of the psychological distress this is potentially causing them. This study aims to determine whether journalists reporting on the COVID-19 crisis have been affected emotionally, and if so to assess the severity of their distress. It also investigates potential demographic and work-related predictors and whether news organisations had provided counselling to their journalists. PARTICIPANTS A total of 111 journalists working for two international news organisations were approached of which 73 (66%) participated in the study. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Symptoms of anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7)), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)), overall psychological distress (12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12)), and treatment. RESULTS The percentages of journalists exceeding threshold scores for clinically significant anxiety, depression, PTSD and psychological distress were: GAD-7, 26%; PHQ-9, 20.5%; PCL-5, 9.6%; GHQ-12, 82.2%. Journalists assigned to cover the pandemic (n=54 (74%)) were significantly more anxious (p<0.05). Journalists who received counselling (n=38 (52%)) following the onset of the pandemic reported significantly fewer symptoms of anxiety (p<0.01), depression (p<0.01) and overall psychological distress (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Journalists covering the COVID-19 pandemic are experiencing levels of anxiety and depression similar to those seen in first responders. Psychological therapy provided in a timely manner can significantly alleviate emotional distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Osmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Meera Selva
- Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anthony Feinstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Williams S, Cartwright T. Post-traumatic stress, personal risk and post-traumatic growth among UK journalists. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2021; 12:1881727. [PMID: 34025922 PMCID: PMC8128116 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1881727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Journalists covering traumatic news events can develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, they may also experience perceived post-traumatic growth (PTG). The outcome may be affected by whether work-related traumatic stress has a degree of personal risk. Objective: To investigate the relationship between PTSD symptoms and PTG among journalists who experienced work-related trauma and to examine whether positive associations would exist between exposure to personal risk and PTG. Method: A web-based survey measuring post-traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic growth was completed by print and broadcast journalists (N = 69) working for UK-based media organizations. An open-ended question asked participants how media organizations can help to promote growth after work-related trauma. Results: The findings show a significant relationship between PTSD symptoms and PTG (p = 0.04). Journalists working in war-zones had significantly more PTSD symptoms (p < .001) and PTG scores (p < .001) than those who did not. Journalists who described their worst, work-related trauma as having a degree of personal, life-threatening risk, also reported higher levels of PTG than those who did not (p < .001). This was consistent across all PTG subscales. Conclusions: This study, the first to examine PTSD symptoms, personal risk and post-traumatic growth within journalists, suggests those working in conflict areas experience significantly higher levels of post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth, than those who do not. Those who experience personal risk also had high PTG levels. Media companies can help develop PTG by recognizing when personal risk plays a role in covering demanding assignments. Participants suggested organizations also needed to allow sufficient time for reflection and meaning-making for all those working in hostile environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sian Williams
- Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK
| | - Tina Cartwright
- Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK
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14
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Denk-Florea CB, Gancz B, Gomoiu A, Ingram M, Moreton R, Pollick F. Understanding and supporting law enforcement professionals working with distressing material: Findings from a qualitative study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242808. [PMID: 33237979 PMCID: PMC7688122 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to extend previous research on the experiences and factors that impact law enforcement personnel when working with distressing materials such as child sexual abuse content. A sample of 22 law enforcement personnel working within one law enforcement organisation in England, United Kingdom participated in anonymous semi-structured interviews. Results were explored thematically and organised in the following headings: "Responses to the material", "Impact of working with distressing evidence", "Personal coping strategies" and "Risks and mitigating factors". Law enforcement professionals experienced heightened affective responses to personally relevant material, depictions of violence, victims' displays of emotions, norm violations and to various mediums. These responses dampened over time due to desensitisation. The stress experienced from exposure to the material sometimes led to psychological symptoms associated with Secondary Traumatic Stress. Job satisfaction, self-care activities, the coping strategies used when viewing evidence, detachment from work outside working hours, social support and reducing exposure to the material were found to mediate law enforcement professionals' resilience. Exposure to distressing material and the risks associated with this exposure were also influenced by specific organisational procedures implemented as a function of the funding available and workload. Recommendations for individual and organisational practices to foster resilience emerged from this research. These recommendations are relevant to all organisations where employees are required to view distressing content.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amalia Gomoiu
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Ingram
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Reuben Moreton
- Qumodo, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Pollick
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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15
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Abstract
Abstract
Predation fear is a unifying theme across vertebrate taxa. Here, we explored how the frequency and duration of predation risk affects postrisk fear behavior in Trinidadian guppies. We first exposed individuals to visual cues of potential predators for 3 days, either frequently (6×/day) or infrequently (1×/day). Each exposure lasted for either a relatively brief (5 min) or long (30 min) duration, whereas a control group consisted of no risk exposures. One day later, we quantified guppy behavior. All background risk treatments induced a fear response toward a novel odor (i.e., neophobia), and individuals previously exposed to frequent bouts of brief risk showed elevated baseline fear. Although neophobic responses were initially similar across risk treatments (1 day later), retention of this response differed. After 8 days, only individuals previously exposed to brief bouts of risk (both frequent and infrequent) maintained neophobic responses, whereas their initially higher level of baseline fear remained elevated but was no longer significantly different from the control. These results increase our understanding of temporal factors that affect the intensity and retention of fear that persists after risk exposure, which may have applications across vertebrates in relation to problems with fearful phenotypes.
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16
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Finnell JE, Moffitt CM, Hesser LA, Harrington E, Melson MN, Wood CS, Wood SK. The contribution of the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system in the emergence of defeat-induced inflammatory priming. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 79:102-113. [PMID: 30707932 PMCID: PMC6591045 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to psychosocial stress is known to precipitate the emergence of stress related psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. While mechanisms by which this occurs remain largely unclear, recent evidence points towards a causative role for inflammation. Neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine (NE), are capable of regulating expression of proinflammatory cytokines and thus may contribute to the emergence of stress-related disorders. The locus coeruleus (LC) is the major source of norepinephrine (NE) to the brain and therefore the current study utilized N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4), an LC selective noradrenergic neurotoxin, to determine the discrete involvement of the LC-NE system in social defeat-induced inflammation in LC projection regions including the central amygdala (CeA), dorsal raphe (DR) and plasma. In the current study, rats were exposed to brief social defeat or control manipulations on 5 consecutive days. To determine whether a history of social defeat enhanced or "primed" the inflammatory response to a subsequent defeat exposure, all rats regardless of stress history were exposed to an acute social defeat challenge immediately preceeding tissue collection. As anticipated, prior history of social defeat primed inflammatory responses in the plasma and CeA while neuroinflammation in the DR was markedly reduced. Notably, DSP-4 treatment suppressed stress-induced circulating inflammatory cytokines independent of prior stress history. In contrast, neuroinflammation in the CeA and DR were greatly augmented selectively in DSP-4 treated rats with a history of social defeat. Together these data highlight the dichotomous nature of NE in stress-induced inflammatory priming in the periphery and the brain and directly implicate the LC-NE system in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E Finnell
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Casey M Moffitt
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - L Ande Hesser
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Evelynn Harrington
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Michael N Melson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Christopher S Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Susan K Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States.
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17
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Bhatia-Lin A, Boon-Dooley A, Roberts MK, Pronai C, Fisher D, Parker L, Engstrom A, Ingraham L, Darnell D. Ethical and Regulatory Considerations for Using Social Media Platforms to Locate and Track Research Participants. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2019; 19:47-61. [PMID: 31135323 PMCID: PMC7183769 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2019.1602176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
As social media becomes increasingly popular, human subjects researchers are able to use these platforms to locate, track, and communicate with study participants, thereby increasing participant retention and the generalizability and validity of research. The use of social media; however, raises novel ethical and regulatory issues that have received limited attention in the literature and federal regulations. We review research ethics and regulations and outline the implications for maintaining participant privacy, respecting participant autonomy, and promoting researcher transparency when using social media to locate and track participants. We offer a rubric that can be used in future studies to determine ethical and regulation-consistent use of social media platforms and illustrate the rubric using our study team's experience with Facebook. We also offer recommendations for both researchers and institutional review boards that emphasize the importance of well-described procedures for social media use as part of informed consent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Lea Parker
- a University of Washington School of Medicine
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18
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Finnell JE, Muniz BL, Padi AR, Lombard CM, Moffitt CM, Wood CS, Wilson LB, Reagan LP, Wilson MA, Wood SK. Essential Role of Ovarian Hormones in Susceptibility to the Consequences of Witnessing Social Defeat in Female Rats. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:372-382. [PMID: 29544773 PMCID: PMC6067999 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women are at greater risk than men of developing depression and comorbid disorders such as cardiovascular disease. This enhanced risk begins at puberty and ends following menopause, suggesting a role for ovarian hormones in this sensitivity. Here we used a model of psychosocial witness stress in female rats to determine the stress-induced neurobiological adaptations that underlie stress susceptibility in an ovarian hormone-dependent manner. METHODS Intact or ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were exposed to five daily 15-minute witness-stress exposures. Witness-stress-evoked burying, behavioral despair, and anhedonia were measured. Cardiovascular telemetry was combined with plasma measurements of inflammation, epinephrine, and corticosterone as indices of cardiovascular dysfunction. Finally, levels of interleukin-1β and corticotropin-releasing factor were assessed in the central amygdala. RESULTS Witness stress produced anxiety-like burying, depressive-like anhedonia, and behavioral despair selectively in intact female rats, which was associated with enhanced sympathetic responses during stress, including increased blood pressure, heart rate, and arrhythmias. Moreover, intact female rats exhibited increases in 12-hour resting systolic pressure and heart rate and reductions in heart rate variability. Notably, OVX female rats remained resilient. Moreover, intact, but not OVX, female rats exposed to witness stress exhibited a sensitized cytokine and epinephrine response to stress and distinct increases in levels of corticotropin-releasing factor and interleukin-1β in the central amygdala. CONCLUSIONS Together these data suggest that ovarian hormones play a critical role in the behavioral, inflammatory, and cardiovascular susceptibility to social stress in female rats and reveal putative systems that are sensitized to stress in an ovarian hormone-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E. Finnell
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Brandon L. Muniz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Akhila R. Padi
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Calliandra M. Lombard
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Casey M. Moffitt
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Christopher S. Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - L. Britt Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Lawrence P. Reagan
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Marlene A. Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Susan K. Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
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Feinstein A, Pavisian B, Storm H. Journalists covering the refugee and migration crisis are affected by moral injury not PTSD. JRSM Open 2018; 9:2054270418759010. [PMID: 29552347 PMCID: PMC5846940 DOI: 10.1177/2054270418759010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the emotional health of journalists covering the migrations of refugees across Europe. Design Descriptive. A secure website was established and participants were given their unique identifying number and password to access the site. Setting Newsrooms and in the field. Participants Responses were received from 80 (70.2%) of 114 journalists from nine news organisations. Main outcome measures Symptoms of PTSD (Impact of Events Scale-revised), depression (Beck Depression Inventory-Revised) and moral injury (Moral Injury Events Scale-revised). Results Symptoms of PTSD were not prominent, but those pertaining to moral injury and guilt were. Moral injury was associated with being a parent (p = .031), working alone (p = .02), a recent increase in workload (p = .017), a belief that organisational support is lacking (p = .046) and poor control over resources needed to report the story (p = .027). A significant association was found between guilt and moral injury (p = .01) with guilt more likely to occur in journalists who reported covering the migrant story close to home (p = .011) and who divulged stepping outside their role as a journalist to assist migrants (p = .014). Effect sizes (d) ranged from .47 to .71. Conclusions On one level, the relatively low scores on conventional psychometric measures of PTSD and depression are reassuring. However, our data confirm that moral injury is a different construct from DSM-defined trauma response syndromes, one that potentially comes with its own set of long-term maladaptive behaviours and adjustment problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bennis Pavisian
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Hannah Storm
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
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20
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Finnell JE, Lombard CM, Padi AR, Moffitt CM, Wilson LB, Wood CS, Wood SK. Physical versus psychological social stress in male rats reveals distinct cardiovascular, inflammatory and behavioral consequences. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172868. [PMID: 28241050 PMCID: PMC5328366 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeated exposure to social stress can precipitate the development of psychosocial disorders including depression and comorbid cardiovascular disease. While a major component of social stress often encompasses physical interactions, purely psychological stressors (i.e. witnessing a traumatic event) also fall under the scope of social stress. The current study determined whether the acute stress response and susceptibility to stress-related consequences differed based on whether the stressor consisted of physical versus purely psychological social stress. Using a modified resident-intruder paradigm, male rats were either directly exposed to repeated social defeat stress (intruder) or witnessed a male rat being defeated. Cardiovascular parameters, behavioral anhedonia, and inflammatory cytokines in plasma and the stress-sensitive locus coeruleus were compared between intruder, witness, and control rats. Surprisingly intruders and witnesses exhibited nearly identical increases in mean arterial pressure and heart rate during acute and repeated stress exposures, yet only intruders exhibited stress-induced arrhythmias. Furthermore, re-exposure to the stress environment in the absence of the resident produced robust pressor and tachycardic responses in both stress conditions indicating the robust and enduring nature of social stress. In contrast, the long-term consequences of these stressors were distinct. Intruders were characterized by enhanced inflammatory sensitivity in plasma, while witnesses were characterized by the emergence of depressive-like anhedonia, transient increases in systolic blood pressure and plasma levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase. The current study highlights that while the acute cardiovascular responses to stress were identical between intruders and witnesses, these stressors produced distinct differences in the enduring consequences to stress, suggesting that witness stress may be more likely to produce long-term cardiovascular dysfunction and comorbid behavioral anhedonia while exposure to physical stressors may bias the system towards sensitivity to inflammatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E Finnell
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Calliandra M Lombard
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Akhila R Padi
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Casey M Moffitt
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - L Britt Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Christopher S Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Susan K Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
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21
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Monteiro S, Marques Pinto A, Roberto MS. Job demands, coping, and impacts of occupational stress among journalists: a systematic review. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WORK AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/1359432x.2015.1114470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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22
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Bodas M, Siman-Tov M, Peleg K, Solomon Z. Anxiety-Inducing Media: The Effect of Constant News Broadcasting on the Well-Being of Israeli Television Viewers. Psychiatry 2015; 78:265-76. [PMID: 26391834 DOI: 10.1080/00332747.2015.1069658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The effects of televised trauma on the emotional well-being of television viewers has received some scientific attention in recent years, suggesting that the general public is placed at risk of developing distress and possibly posttraumatic psychopathology as a result of secondary exposure via mass media. At the break of a recent war in Gaza, we assessed the psychological effects of the extensive news broadcasting. METHOD An omnibus survey was performed two weeks into Operation Protective Edge with a sample of 500 participants representing the adult (> 18) Jewish population of Israel. RESULTS The results suggest that a vast majority (87.2%) of the population tuned in to the newscasts and the majority (76.7%) of viewers increased their news consumption compared to normal. Increased frequency of viewing newscasts was associated with reported anxiety reflected in uncontrolled fear, physiological hyperarousal, sleeping difficulties, and fearful thoughts. A regression model revealed that viewers watching the constant newscasts more than usual are 1.6 times more likely to report at least one anxiety symptom compared to those watching at the same frequency or less, standardized to gender and age. CONCLUSIONS Increased viewing patterns of televised traumatic content, as well as negative perception of such broadcasts, are associated with the report of anxiety symptoms or psychopathology. The public health implications of the findings are discussed.
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