Trauma in the newsroom: social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terror
Background: Journalists who cover traumatic events are at risk of developing long-term impairment, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The exposure may also result in perceived positive outcomes, conceptualised as post-traumatic growth (PTG). Social support (SS) at work is one factor that...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2019-12-01
|
| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2019.1620085 |
| _version_ | 1797954525857841152 |
|---|---|
| author | Trond Idås K. Backholm J. Korhonen |
| author_facet | Trond Idås K. Backholm J. Korhonen |
| author_sort | Trond Idås |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Journalists who cover traumatic events are at risk of developing long-term impairment, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The exposure may also result in perceived positive outcomes, conceptualised as post-traumatic growth (PTG). Social support (SS) at work is one factor that might affect the outcome. Objective: To investigate the relationship between three subtypes of workplace SS (perceived support, received support, received recognition), and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and between SS and PTG in journalists who have covered a large terror attack. Furthermore, to examine the relationship between ethical dilemmas (ED) experienced while covering the incident, PTSS and PTG. Method: The study was performed as a web-based survey sent out eight to nine months after the incident to Norwegian journalists (N = 375) who covered the terror attack in Norway in 2011. Results: Journalists who received more support also reported a higher level of PTSS (r = .168, p = .044). Recognition and perceived support showed no significant association with PTSS. Journalists who received more recognition also experienced more PTG (r = .542, p < .001). Neither perceived nor received support were significantly associated with PTG. More ED was positively associated with both PTSS (r = .469, p < .001) and PTG (r = .402, p < .001). Conclusions: Journalists with more PTSS may have participated more in organised support such as debriefing activities in the aftermath of the coverage. Some journalists may have experienced stress related to a fear of causing additional harm to first-hand victims (ED). Others may have experienced PTG related to reflections and discussions about their ED in the aftermath of a coverage. Media companies may promote PTG among their journalists by developing a culture for recognition of employees’ contributions during demanding missions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:20:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8e1eea933c0342faa423992b1f454748 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:20:00Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-8e1eea933c0342faa423992b1f4547482023-01-12T15:31:31ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662019-12-0110110.1080/20008198.2019.16200851620085Trauma in the newsroom: social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terrorTrond Idås0K. Backholm1J. Korhonen2Norwegian Union of JournalistsÅbo Akademi UniversityÅbo Akademi UniversityBackground: Journalists who cover traumatic events are at risk of developing long-term impairment, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The exposure may also result in perceived positive outcomes, conceptualised as post-traumatic growth (PTG). Social support (SS) at work is one factor that might affect the outcome. Objective: To investigate the relationship between three subtypes of workplace SS (perceived support, received support, received recognition), and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and between SS and PTG in journalists who have covered a large terror attack. Furthermore, to examine the relationship between ethical dilemmas (ED) experienced while covering the incident, PTSS and PTG. Method: The study was performed as a web-based survey sent out eight to nine months after the incident to Norwegian journalists (N = 375) who covered the terror attack in Norway in 2011. Results: Journalists who received more support also reported a higher level of PTSS (r = .168, p = .044). Recognition and perceived support showed no significant association with PTSS. Journalists who received more recognition also experienced more PTG (r = .542, p < .001). Neither perceived nor received support were significantly associated with PTG. More ED was positively associated with both PTSS (r = .469, p < .001) and PTG (r = .402, p < .001). Conclusions: Journalists with more PTSS may have participated more in organised support such as debriefing activities in the aftermath of the coverage. Some journalists may have experienced stress related to a fear of causing additional harm to first-hand victims (ED). Others may have experienced PTG related to reflections and discussions about their ED in the aftermath of a coverage. Media companies may promote PTG among their journalists by developing a culture for recognition of employees’ contributions during demanding missions.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2019.1620085journalistssocial supportpost-traumatic stresspost-traumatic growthethical dilemmas |
| spellingShingle | Trond Idås K. Backholm J. Korhonen Trauma in the newsroom: social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terror European Journal of Psychotraumatology journalists social support post-traumatic stress post-traumatic growth ethical dilemmas |
| title | Trauma in the newsroom: social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terror |
| title_full | Trauma in the newsroom: social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terror |
| title_fullStr | Trauma in the newsroom: social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terror |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trauma in the newsroom: social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terror |
| title_short | Trauma in the newsroom: social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terror |
| title_sort | trauma in the newsroom social support post traumatic stress and post traumatic growth among journalists working with terror |
| topic | journalists social support post-traumatic stress post-traumatic growth ethical dilemmas |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2019.1620085 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT trondidas traumainthenewsroomsocialsupportposttraumaticstressandposttraumaticgrowthamongjournalistsworkingwithterror AT kbackholm traumainthenewsroomsocialsupportposttraumaticstressandposttraumaticgrowthamongjournalistsworkingwithterror AT jkorhonen traumainthenewsroomsocialsupportposttraumaticstressandposttraumaticgrowthamongjournalistsworkingwithterror |