Document details

Covering the Tsunami disaster: Subsequent post-traumatic and depressive symptoms and associated social factors

Stress and Health, volume 24, issue 2 (2007), pp. 129-135

Institution of author: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

"Journalists frequently report on disasters. There is a growing evidence that they are subsequently at higher risk of post-traumatic and depressive symptoms. We conducted an internet-based study with 61 journalists who had covered the tsunami disaster in December 2004 from the affected region. The extent of trauma exposure, symptoms and social variables were assessed. About 8 months after the event, indications of post-traumatic stress disorder were found in 6.6 per cent of the sample. Post-traumatic and depressive symptoms were related to the extent of traumatic exposure and to several social variables, most importantly, a low degree of social acknowledgment by supervisor and colleagues." (Abstract)