The first aim of the study was to examine the relationships between acute stress reactions and post-traumatic reactions following exposure to a terrorist attack. The second was to examine whether exposure to a terrorist attack increases the perceived threat and fear of renewed Iraqi missile attacks. Data were collected at two points in time: during the first month after the exposure to a terrorist attack (N = 54), and four months later (N = 44). 24% of the exposed group had acute stress disorder (ASD), and a similar percentage had PTSD. Among participants who had ASD, the chances of developing PTSD were three times greater than among those who had never experienced ASD. Among participants who had been exposed to a terrorist attack and developed PTSD, the perceived threat of an Iraqi missile attack was greater than among those who had been exposed to a terrorist attack but did not develop PTSD, or among the participants in the control group. The discussion deals with the findings in light of the current controversy regarding ASD and the current situation in Israel. [Author Abstract] KEY WORDS: terror; ASD; PTSD; follow-up; perceived threat

School counselors experience unique challenges as they struggle to provide students with coping skills geared to the outside world including acts of terrorism. School-aged students in the United States are one of the most vulnerable populations in the event of a terrorist act. This article offers a review of the current and most relevant literature on the topic of helping students cope in an age of terrorism. The authors provide an overview of a six-step strategic model for school counselors to help prepare students to live and cope in an age of terrorism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

This study examines the effects of prolonged exposure to terrorism in 600 religious and non-religious Jewish adolescents living in Jerusalem, particularly post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, depressive symptoms, alcohol use, coping strategies, and social support. The youth in Jerusalem reported high exposure to terrorist acts. This exposure was associated with high PTS, depressive symptoms, and alcohol use. Despite an apparently greater exposure to terrorism, religious adolescents reported lower levels of PTS and alcohol consumption, but similar levels of depressive symptoms to non-religious adolescents. Problem-solving coping predicted higher depressive symptoms for religious adolescents exposed to terrorism but not for similarly exposed non-religious adolescents. In contrast, emotion-focused coping predicted more alcohol consumption among highly exposed non-religious adolescents, while emotion-focused coping predicted more alcohol consumption among religious adolescents with low exposure. The overall findings suggest that religiosity may buffer the negative consequences of exposure in other ways than through coping or support. [Author Abstract] KEY WORDS: terrorism; religiosity; adolescents; alcohol use; substance use; PTSD; depression; Israel

Objective: Maternal stress during pregnancy has been reported to have an adverse influence on fetal growth. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on the United States have provoked feelings of insecurity and stress worldwide. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that maternal exposure to these acts of terrorism via the media had an unfavorable influence on mean birth weight in the Netherlands. Methods: We compared birth weights of 1885 Dutch neonates who were in utero during the attacks with those of 1258 neonates who were in utero exactly 1 year later. Results: In the exposed group, birth weight was lower than in the nonexposed group (difference, 48 g; 95% confidence interval = 13.6, 82.9; P = .006). The difference in birth weight could not be explained by tobacco use, maternal age, parity, or other potential confounders or by shorter pregnancy durations. Conclusion: These results provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that exposure of Dutch pregnant women to the 9/11 events via the media has had an adverse effect on the birth weight of their offspring. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Bombing is the preferred method of terrorist attack. Unfortunately, the frequency and prevalence of this form of terrorism/criminal act/means of extortion are increasing in the United States. These attacks result in specific physical and psychiatric trauma, and produce both acute and long-term psychiatric sequelae. It will become increasingly important for trauma surgeons, emergency physicians, and psychiatrists to be familiar with the special needs and treatment of these patients. This paper reviews the physical and psychiatric consequences of high explosive and radiological (dirty) bombs, and makes recommendations for the psychiatric management of bombing victims. [Author Abstract] KEY WORDS: casualties; bombs; terrorist; psychiatric triage; PTSD; radiological bombs; somatization disorder

Reports an error in "Medical and psychiatric casualties caused by conventional and radiological (dirty) bombs" by Ryan C. W. Hall, Richard C. W. Hall and Marcia J. Chapman ( General Hospital Psychiatry, 2006[May'“Jun], Vol 28[3], 242-248). In section 5, "Psychiatric Consequences of Radiological (Dirty) Bombs", there was an editing error in the last paragraph on page 245: The sentence as printed read "nuclear radiation can be used as an ideal terror weapon due to its invisible nature, difficulty of detection, easy containment without the need for special equipment." The sentence should have read "As the Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Goiania data illustrates, nuclear radiation can be used as an ideal terror weapon due to its invisible nature, difficulty in being detected or contained without special equipment, and ability to generate public anxiety." (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2006-05814-010.) Bombing is the preferred method of terrorist attack. Unfortunately, the frequency and prevalence of this form of terrorism/criminal act/means of extortion are increasing in the United States. These attacks result in specific physical and psychiatric trauma, and produce both acute and long-term psychiatric sequelae. It will become increasingly important for trauma surgeons, emergency physicians and psychiatrists to be familiar with the special needs and treatment of these patients. This paper reviews the physical and psychiatric consequences of high explosive and radiological (dirty) bombs, and makes recommendations for the psychiatric management of bombing victims. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Israeli citizens have been exposed to intense and ongoing terrorism since September 2000. We previously studied the mental health impact of terrorism on the Israeli population (Bleich et al., 2002), however the long-term impact of ongoing terrorism has not yet been examined. The present study evaluated the psychological sequelae of 44 months of terrorism in Israel, and sought to identify factors that may contribute to vulnerability and resilience. This was a telephone survey using strata sampling of 828 households, which reached a representative sample of 702 adult Israeli residents (84.8% contact rate). In total, 501 people (60.5%) agreed to participate. The methodology was similar to that of our previous study. Exposure to terrorism and other traumatic events, number of traumatic stress-related symptoms (TSRS), percentage of respondents with symptom criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic stress (TS) resiliency and feelings of depression, anxiety, optimism, sense of safety, and help-seeking were the main outcome measures. In total, 56 participants (11.2%) were directly exposed to a terrorist incident, and 101 (20.2%) had family members or friends exposed. Respondents reported a mean +/- SD of 5.0 +/- 4.5 TSRS; 45 (9%) met symptom criteria for PTSD; and 72 (14.4%) were TS-resilient. There were 147 participants (29.5%) who felt depressed, 50 (10.4%) felt anxious, and almost half (235; 47%) felt life-threatening danger; 48 (9.7%) felt the need for professional help. Women and people of Arab ethnicity had more TSRS, more PTSD, and less TS resiliency. Injury following a life-threatening experience, a major stressful life event, and a major loss of income were associated with PTSD. Immigrant status, lower education, low sense of safety, low sense of social support, high societal distress, and injury following life-threatening experiences were associated with TSRS. TSRS did not increase with exposure severity. This study revealed less depression and

The literature on terrorism and disaster has generally emphasized immediate response. After awhile, however, the people who come to help go home, and savings, insurance, and favors are used up. This article addresses this later period, the long-term effects of trauma, and the roles of outreach and other interventions, at least as they have been experienced in Oklahoma City since the terrorist bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in April 1995. It emphasizes the roles of permission and protection, the co-creation of meanings, individual and cultural scripts, and the transcendence of drama triangle roles and their relatives. The article also addresses the possibility of posttraumatic growth as people grieve for a lost sense of personhood and construct a new one. Finally, it considers the concepts of increasingly complex psychosocial and neurological integration (neuroconstructivism). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

The effects of modern day terrorism on mental health are not well understood. Described here is a 51-year-old male with no pre-existing mental illness who developed paranoid delusions related to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks shortly after they occurred. After about two years of treatment with quetiapine the patient was no longer delusional about terrorism but experienced extensive paranoid delusions about commonly encountered persons, requiring treatment which continues to the current time. Clinicians should be aware of the possible impact of terrorist activities on the mental health of vulnerable individuals. [Author Abstract] KEY WORDS: terrorism; mental health; psychosis; delusional disorder

24 female partners of firefighters participating in recovery efforts associated with the 1995 terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City were assessed 43 to 44 months later. Disaster experiences, psychiatric diagnoses, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and autonomic reactivity in response to an interview about the bombing were examined. Most of the participants with postbombing disorders suffered from pre-existing conditions. The majority found the bombing a "terrible" or "shocking" experience. One participant met all DSM-III-R symptom group criteria for bombing-related PTSD, and 40% met both B (intrusive re-experiencing) and D (hyperarousal) criteria. More than one half of the sample exhibited autonomic reactivity on at least one measurement. Those who met symptom group criterion D evidenced greater autonomic reactivity than those who did not, suggesting a link between self-reported PTSD symptoms of arousal and biological manifestations. Thus, it may be important to assess partners of disaster recovery workers for mental health and physiological consequences related to their indirect exposure as these may persist years after the event, even in the absence of a diagnosable mental disorder. [Author Abstract] KEY WORDS: firefighter; rescue worker; PTSD; psychophysiology; terrorism; trauma