Although exposure to the heinous nature of terrorism can result in psychological distress, fear, and horror, it may also bring positive change and psychological growth in individuals, communities, and society as a whole. A qualitative longitudinal case study at 2 and 7 years post exposure to the Bali Bombing of 2005 used interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore an individual's subjective 'lived' experiences. The overarching theme, vigilance and anger: growthful adaptation to terrorism reflected the positive use of vigilance and anger for redefining 'self' following a terrorist-related traumatic event. This included ongoing personal risk assessment that recognized the possibility of future terrorist attacks. Four subordinate themes: violent interruption, grief and disconnection, struggling for meaning, and growth through anger and vigilance, encapsulated a momentary and life changing violent personal catastrophe, and the relational and existential challenges that followed. Vigilance and anger, responses normally recognized as aspects of distress following trauma, appeared to be adaptive over time for the integration of distress and growth in a world where the threat of terrorism remains constant. The role of justifiable anger and ongoing vigilance in a new world order inclusive of terrorism and in the absence of other psychopathology, has implications for therapy. [Author Abstract] KEY WORDS: Bali bombings; complex trauma; interpretative phenomenological analysis; posttraumatic growth; terrorism

Experiencing terrorism is associated with high levels of psychological distress among survivors. The aim of the present study was to examine whether work environmental factors such as role clarity and predictability, role conflicts, and leader support may protect against elevated levels of psychological distress after a workplace terrorist attack. Data from approximately 1800 ministerial employees were collected ten months after the 2011 Oslo bombing attack which targeted the Norwegian ministries. The results show that after a traumatic event, lower role conflicts, higher role clarity, higher predictability, and higher leader support were independently associated with lower psychological distress. These findings suggest that the workplace environment may be a facilitator of employees' mental health after stressful events. [Author Abstract]

Following terrorist threats and events, some research has focused on the behavior, religious beliefs, and clothing of non-Western cultural groups and their intersection with Western cultures. Social workers, law enforcement, and other human service workers may be affected by their perceptions in their interactions with members of these groups. This exploratory study investigated beliefs about safety and religious and cultural diversity in light of age and gender ( N = 324). Respondents completed 30 items following 1 of 4 vignettes in which a younger or older male or female character in non-Western attire was boarding an airplane. When controlling for respondents' travel frequency, knowing someone who has been or is in military service and knowing someone affected or personally being affected by national or international acts of terrorism, a general linear model was significant ( F = 116.617, df = 30, p < .001). Differences centered on perceptions of safety, racial profiling, and attributing behaviors of people attired in non-Western clothing to the culture and religion of the vignette character. Female characters were perceived to be less dangerous than male characters. These perceptions may impact service delivery and professionals' willingness to interact with some religious/cultural groups. This area requires continued research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

A review of the efficacy and clinical utility (effectiveness) of the treatments for mental disorders in adult victims of terrorism is presented. A search in PsycINFO, PILOTS and MEDLINE found eight studies, all of them on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): seven on trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy and one on exposure therapy in combination with a selective inhibitor of serotonin reuptake, but none on other medications, other non-cognitive-behavioral psychological therapies or other mental disorders. The results of this review suggest that: (a) trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is not only efficacious and useful in clinical practice for the treatment of PTSD in victims of terrorism, but also currently the therapy of choice, and (b) future research should develop, adapt and test treatments for other mental disorders that victims of terrorism may suffer from (e.g., depressive and anxiety disorders, complicated grief) and for victims of non-developed, non-Western countries that are the countries that suffer most from terrorism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

The period of political terrorism named the 'Years of Lead' ( Anni di Piombo) started in Italy at the end of the 1960s and lasted until the late 1980s. The social wounds of this bloody time are still not healed, and there is a social debate about the opportunity to concede forgiveness to those responsible for those crimes. Drawing from the intergroup forgiveness literature, we tested a model explaining under which conditions forgiveness towards terrorists could be supported by Italian citizens. The model was tested in two generations: 331 Italian citizens who were adolescents or adults during the terrorism period and 208 Italian young adults born after the end of the Years of Lead. Findings showed that restorative justice beliefs and sociocognitive variables, like outgroup empathy and trust, were uniquely linked to forgiveness towards the terrorists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Terror attacks targeting civilians are becoming more frequent and affecting more places around the globe. Given the increasing intensity of terrorism and the threat of terrorism, consumer behavioral manifestations may occur. We conducted three studies with diverse methodologies and populations to explore how concerns with terrorism affect individuals' behavior. Two studies were conducted in Israel, a Western country that in the last decade experienced frequent terror attacks targeted at civilians. Results show that concerns with frequent terrorism increase people's desire for control and may lead to avoidant behaviors. The extent of the avoidance response depends on consumers' perceptions of whether they have some control over the odds of becoming a casualty should a terror attack occur. When individuals perceive their control to be low (but not high), they exhibit more avoidant behavior, changing their preferences and consumptions. We further find that individuals' general desire for control increases when they are primed with terrorist activities compared with general mortality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

The posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is conceptualised as a psychological reaction upon traumatic events of distinct threat. Especially after the terrorists´ attacks of September 11th 2001, the scientific evaluation of the impact of media coverage of war and terrorism on mental functions of healthy individuals and the question whether the exposure of previously traumatised individuals to media coverage of war and disasters may act as a trigger for a trauma re-activation has begun in the US. There are positive associations between media exposure and the presence of PTSD symptoms. The amount (length) of media consumption appears to be a crucial variable to consider. Psychotherapists are asked to broach the issue of a careful and self-protecting handling of media coverage during therapy. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is conceptualised as a psychological reaction upon traumatic events of distinct threat. Especially after the terrorists´ attacks of September 11th 2001, the scientific evaluation of the impact of media coverage of war and terrorism on mental functions of healthy individuals and the question whether the exposure of previously traumatised individuals to media coverage of war and disasters may act as a trigger for a trauma re-activation has begun in the US. There are positive associations between media exposure and the presence of PTSD symptoms. The amount (length) of media consumption appears to be a crucial variable to consider. Psychotherapists are asked to broach the issue of a careful and self-protecting handling of media coverage during therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Background and objectives: Terrorism can heighten fears and undermine the feeling of safety. Little is known, however, about the factors that influence threat and safety perception after terrorism. The aim of the present study was to explore how proximity to terror and posttraumatic stress reactions are associated with perceived threat and safety after a workplace terrorist attack. Design and methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was administered to employees in 14 of 17 Norwegian ministries 9'“10 months after the 2011 bombing of the government headquarters in Oslo (n = 3520). Results: About 198 of 1881 employees completing the survey were at work when the bomb exploded. Regression analysis showed that this high-exposed group had elevated perceived threat (β = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.19 to 0.53) and reduced perceived safety (β = −0.42; 95% CI = −0.62 to −0.23) compared to a reference group of employees not at work. After adjusting for posttraumatic stress reactions, however, proximity to the explosion no longer mattered, whereas posttraumatic stress was associated with both high perceived threat (β = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.48 to 0.63) and low perceived safety (β = −0.71; 95% CI, −0.80 to −0.63). Conclusion: Terror-exposed employees feel more threatened and less safe after a workplace terrorist attack, and this is closely linked to elevated levels of posttraumatic stress reactions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Reviews the book, Mental health in the war on terror: Culture, science, and statecraft by Neil Krishan Aggarwal (see record 2014-48860-000). This book should be considered required reading for psychiatrists and mental health professionals interested in the psychology of Islamist terrorism, especially those who will be involved with the evaluation and treatment of terrorists. It is an exemplar of the manner in which the lens of transcultural psychiatry can clarify our perspective as we try to understand the complexities of the manner in which ordinary people can be socialized to righteously pursue the path of political extremism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)