Posttraumatic Stress and Preventive Interventions in Journalists

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Post-traumatic Stress and Preventive
Interventions in Journalists

• Lars Weisæth, MD, Ph D
• Professor, Senior Research Supervisor
• Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic
  Stress Studies
• University of Oslo
• Journalism. The Global Investigative Conference
• Lillehammer, 14. September 2008

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Various approaches to prevention

• Selection of personnel
• Training / preparing
• Organizing
• Early interventions and appropriate and
  sufficient follow up.

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The role of experience
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The COPE study Coping and stressors in
Norwegian disaster response personnel mobilized
for the 2004 tsunami disaster

• Siri Thoresen, Arnfinn Tønnessen, Camilla Vibe
  Lindgaard, Anne Lie Andreassen Lars Weisæth

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The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake 26. December 2004
triggered a series of tsunamies - affecting most
of the landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean.
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The Tsunami disaster caused the death of more
than 230,000 people (CRED, 2006). Many of them
were children.
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The disaster caused the death of 2,448 tourists
from 37 different countries (WHO, 2008). 84
Norwegians died in the disaster
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• Authorities from several countries mobilized
  personnel for a support and rescue operation
• 3 large personnel groups mobilized for the
  Tsunami disaster
• Non-governmental organisations Police
  Journalists Others, including air force, health
  personnel, chaplains, Foreign Ministry personnel,
  travel agencies, and more.

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Aim of the COPE study

• To investigate risk factors and protective
  factors for stress reactions in Norwegian
  personnel mobilized for the tsunami disaster.

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Methods

• Cross-sectional
• Questionnaire study
• 9-10 months post Tsunami
• Web and postal

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Subjects

• Total Journalists
• Disaster area personnel 63
  63Response Rate (N 335) (N 56)
• Home base personnel 48 32Response
  Rate (N 246) (N 33)

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• Results(Disaster area only)

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1 Jour gt pol, plt0.05, 2 Jour gt hum, plt0.05
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1 Jour gt pol, plt0.05, 2 Jour gt hum, plt0.05
1 Jour gt pol, plt0.05
Note None of the groups were highly traumatized
the vast majority do well
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Summing up differences between groups
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• For All Disaster Area Personnel (N 335)
• A low level of stress reactions was associated
  with
• Low level of -
• Witnessing Being well preparedexperiences
  Possibilities to rest and time-out
• Personal contact with Not over
  achievingdisaster victims Low level of
  avoidant coping
• Having to reject disaster Low level of
  restlessness or victims sadness following
  mission High social support after mission

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Predictors for stress reactions in the three
groups

• PoliceSecondary stressorsAvoidanct
  copingRecognition for mission
• Social support after mission
• NGOsBeing well prepared for missionRejecting
  victims in need of help and witnessing
  experiencesPossiblities for necessary rest
  during missionRecognition for missionAvoidant
  coping
• Journalists Being well prepared for mission
  Support from superior during missionSocial
  support after missionAvoidant coping

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Take home Possible implications

• Journalists were less trained, more exposed, and
  had higher stress reactions than the other groups
• Possible interventions
• Specific preparation for the mission
• Preparations for exposure, and having to reject
  victims in need
• Organizing rests and time-outs
• Strengthen work structure and peer support/
  support from superior during mission
• First weeks after mission Important period
  (identify needs for follow-up)

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Limitations

• Cross-sectional
• Retrospective
• Self-report
• Lower response rate in home base personnel
  compared to disaster area personnel

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Principles of intervention

• A sense of safety
• Calming
• A sense of self- and community efficacy
• Connectedness
• Hope

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Textbook of Disaster PsychiatryCambridge
University Press 2007

• Edited by
• Robert J. Ursano
• Carol S. Fullerton
• Lars Weisaeth
• Beverley Raphael

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• Thank you for listening