War stories: War reporters and the pursuit of treatment for PTSD (2009)

Undergraduate: Meghan Cooke

Faculty Advisor: Jane Brown
Department: Journalism & Mass Communication

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Often risking their lives to report on conflict, war correspondents also face the risk of psychological trauma as a result of the violence they witness. This research is an exploratory study into war reporters' susceptibility to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and their willingness -- or unwillingness -- to seek treatment despite evidence that suggests they are at significant psychological risk. By examining the culture of war reporting and the explanations provided by war journalists that reveal reasons why they do or do not seek treatment, the researcher hoped to identify perceived barriers to treatment and to create a journalist-specific model of debriefing, a form of post-trauma intervention. Twenty-two war correspondents were interviewed, and each completed the PTSD Checklist, a self-report measure of PTSD symptoms. An analysis of the checklist scores showed that most of the journalists experienced symptoms of PTSD, but only two admitted to seeking help. An analysis of interviews revealed several common themes in discussions of treatment for PTSD, including evidence of a newsroom culture that might promote a reluctance to discuss problems after conflict coverage. Journalists often compared themselves to soldiers, claiming that they do not face the same level of risk for PTSD. The implications of this study are important for news organizations, and this research suggests that policies should be adopted to require post-trauma interventions for reporters sent to war.