The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 inflicted distress beyond those directly exposed, thereby providing an opportunity to examine the contributions of a range of factors (cognitive, emotional, social support, coping) to psychological resilience for those indirectly exposed. In an Internet convenience sample of 1281, indices of resilience (higher wellbeing, lower distress) at baseline (2.5'“12 weeks post-attack) were each associated with less emotional suppression, denial and self-blame, and fewer negative worldview changes. After controlling for initial outcomes, baseline negative worldview changes and aspects of social support and coping all remained significant predictors of 6-month outcomes, with worldview changes bearing the strongest relationship to each. These findings highlight the role of emotional, coping, social support, and particularly, cognitive variables in adjustment after terrorism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

The objective of the present study was to explore different aspects of individual response to terrorism in Canada and develop a descriptive model of the processes involved. A qualitative analysis was performed on transcripts of individual and group interviews held across Canada ( N = 73) wherein concerns and decisions surrounding terrorism were discussed. This analysis revealed 16 emerging concepts, which were organised into six overarching themes (Threat, Uncertainty, Control, Context Issues, Psychological Response, and Behavioural Response). Psychological and behavioural responses appeared to be related, in that they shared a number of cognitive determinants. Results also pointed to the involvement of contextual factors such as timing relative to an event, type of terrorism scenario, and opinions regarding the regulation of terrorism. Behavioural responses to terrorism were discussed less frequently than psychological responses. These primarily entailed actions aimed at avoiding terrorist events, although more positive responses such as individual preparedness were also mentioned. Implications of findings for research on individual preparedness for terrorism are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

This exploratory study aims at investigating the effects of terrorism on children's ability to recognize emotions. A sample of 101 exposed and 102 nonexposed children (mean age = 11 years), balanced for age and gender, were assessed 20 months after a terrorist attack in Beslan, Russia. Two trials controlled for children's ability to match a facial emotional stimulus with an emotional label and their ability to match an emotional label with an emotional context. The experimental trial evaluated the relation between exposure to terrorism and children's free labeling of mixed emotion facial stimuli created by morphing between 2 prototypical emotions. Repeated measures analyses of covariance revealed that exposed children correctly recognized pure emotions. Four log-linear models were performed to explore the association between exposure group and category of answer given in response to different mixed emotion facial stimuli. Model parameters indicated that, compared with nonexposed children, exposed children (a) labeled facial expressions containing anger and sadness significantly more often than expected as anger, and (b) produced fewer correct answers in response to stimuli containing sadness as a target emotion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Terrorist attacks in the United States and in Western Europe have been rare, and public awareness of the terrorist menace has largely been molded by a few horrific events. In contrast, other countries have experienced chronic terrorism, with attacks on buses, restaurants, coffee shops, and retail establishments. In this review, we assess the impact of terrorism on civilian society in the United States, Northern Ireland, and Israel. We examine the psychological effects, the adaptations made by individuals to enhance their safety, and the consequent adjustments made by institutional actors and by commercial establishments to ensure continued economic viability. We review the various theories of societal adjustments to exogenous shocks and point out that a very different formulation is required for the case of chronic terrorism than for the societal experience of a one-time attack. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Objectives: The advent of the War on Terrorism raises the question of the short-term impacts on public opinion of terrorist attacks with respect to the idea of universal military service in the United States. Previous studies indicate that international crises tend to produce a polarizing effect on public opinion with respect to military service. Methods: Multinomial logistic regression analysis is used here to analyze an archival data set featuring survey data collected among 18,000+ citizens in 18 major U.S. metropolitan areas in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Results and Conclusions: This article offers further support for previous analyses into the principal sources of support for military service. However, the analysis also indicates that the initial impact of the War on Terrorism may have been to produce a decline in support for mandatory military service and a mild unifying effect on the distribution of attitudes rather than the expected polarization. Attitudes toward military service were more polarized in 2000 and 2001 than in the post-9/11 2002 studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Aim: To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the conflicting evidence on substance use and misuse following mass traumas such as terrorist incidents. Methods: We reviewed and synthesized evidence from 31 population-based studies using Bayesian meta-analysis and meta-regression. Results: The majority of the studied were conducted in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. Controlling for exposure, type of incident and time since the event occurred, 7.3% [95% credible interval (CrI) 1.1'“32.5%] of a population can be expected to report increased alcohol consumption in the first 2 years following a terrorist event. There is, however, a 20% probability that the prevalence will be as high as 14%.The unadjusted prevalence of increased cigarette smoking following a terrorist event is 6.8% (95% Cr I 2.6'“16.5%). Unadjusted reports of mixed drug use (including narcotics and prescription medications) was 16.3% (95% Cr I 1.3'“72.5%). Conclusions: These results underscore the potentially pervasive behavioral health effects of mass terrorism, and suggest that public health interventions may usefully consider substance use as an area of focus after such events. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)(journal abstract)

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be especially severe and long lasting when the stressor is man made. Terrorism is a type of warfare designed to have maximum psychological impact on a population. Terrorist attacks are associated with high rates of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. Estimates of the prevalence of PTSD after terrorist attacks range from 7.5% to 50% in the year after the event depending on the degree of victimization. Studies of risk factors for PTSD have consistently implicated female gender, minority ethnicity, lack of education, and to a lesser extent, younger age, history of psychiatric treatment and traumatic events. Studies have explored various factors linked with the risk of terrorism-related symptoms and diagnosis of PTSD. Although studies that explore psychologic reactivity in victims of terrorism are lacking, partly because of the difficulty of gaining access to sufficient numbers of survivors who were exposed to the events, some clinical psychiatric studies have provided descriptions of the mental and psychological consequences of terrorism. Yet, little is known about the prevalence of the long-term physical and psychological consequences of terrorist attacks on survivors. Although Turkey is a country that has experienced terrorist attacks in its recent past and Turkey is at risk of experiencing similar attacks in the future due to her specific conditions, studies assessing the psychological effects of these attacks are lacking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

This mail survey measured post-traumatic stress symptoms, spiritual and non-spiritual coping strategies, and positive spiritual outcomes following the tragedies of 9/11/01 in a national, random sample of 1,056 Presbyterians. Respondents reported mild to moderate degrees of re-experiencing and hyper-arousal symptoms of post-traumatic stress, unrelated to location or knowing someone involved. People experiencing high stress used greater frequency and variety of both spiritual and non-spiritual types of coping strategies. Positive spiritual outcomes were remarkably related to positive spiritual coping strategies, in contrast to no association with negative coping. This study illustrates the significant degree of post-traumatic stress experienced with vicarious exposure and a wide spectrum of coping strategies used following the major terrorist attacks. [Author Abstract] KEY WORDS: post-traumatic stress; terrorism; coping; spirituality

This study examines stress and coping in relation to mental health and spiritual outcomes following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In November 2001, a survey was mailed to a stratified, randomized sample of registered voters from six communities in Massachusetts (n = 231) and New York City (n = 58). The Short PTSD Rating Interview (SPRINT) posttraumatic stress scale, positive and negative spiritual coping, spiritual outcomes, the Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey Mental Health subscale, and measures of prayer, church attendance, and seeking social support comprised the questionnaire. Residents averaged between partial to full levels of posttraumatic stress, highest in New York City residents, but unrelated to knowing someone injured/killed in the tragedy. Seeking time with family and friends, positive spiritual coping attitudes, prayer, and attending a religious service were strongly related to positive spiritual outcomes. A decreased mental health score correlated with high stress score and negative spiritual coping. The study supported the observation of widespread secondary stress response to terrorist attacks, turning toward faith to cope with this tragedy, and the negative association of both stress and negative spiritual coping attitudes on mental health. [Author Abstract] KEY WORDS: terrorism; posttraumatic stress; mental health; spiritual coping; spiritual outcomes

Objectives: We sought to determine whether groups traditionally most vulnerable to disasters would be more likely than would be others to perceive population level risk as high (as measured by the estimated color-coded alert level) would worry more about terrorism, and would avoid activities because of terrorism concerns. Methods: We conducted a random digit dial survey of the Los Angeles County population October 2004 through January 2005 in 6 languages. We asked respondents what color alert level the country was under, how often they worry about terrorist attacks, and how often they avoid activities because of terrorism. Multivariate regression modeled correlates of worry and avoidance, including mental illness, disability, demographic factors, and estimated color-coded alert level. Results: Persons who are mentally ill, those who are disabled, African Americans, Latinos, Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, and non-US citizens were more likely to perceive population-level risk as high, as measured by the estimated color-coded alert level. These groups also reported more worry and avoidance behaviors because of concerns about terrorism. Conclusions: Vulnerable populations experience a disproportionate burden of the psychosocial impact of terrorism threats and our national response. Further studies should investigate the specific behaviors affected and further elucidate disparities in the disaster burden associated with terrorism and terrorism policies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)