Cited by 230Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchPublic Relations and Crisis CommunicationDisaster Management and Resilience

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Disaster Media Coverage and Psychological Outcomes: Descriptive Findings in the Extant Research

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Pfefferbaum, Betty, Newman, Elana, Nelson, Summer D., Nitiéma, Pascal, Pfefferbaum, Rose L., Rahman, Ambreen·2014·Current Psychiatry Reports

DOI 10.1007/s11920-014-0464-xPMC PMC4144190

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Abstract

This review of the literature on disaster media coverage describes the events, samples, and forms of media coverage (television, newspapers, radio, internet) studied and examines the association between media consumption and psychological outcomes. A total of 36 studies representing both man-made and natural events met criteria for review in this analysis. Most studies examined disaster television viewing in the context of terrorism and explored a range of outcomes including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caseness and posttraumatic stress (PTS), depression, anxiety, stress reactions, and substance use. There is good evidence establishing a relationship between disaster television viewing and various psychological outcomes, especially PTSD caseness and PTS, but studies are too few to draw definitive conclusions about the other forms of media coverage that have been examined. As media technology continues to advance, future research is needed to investigate these additional media forms especially newer forms such as social media.

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HNS, A. B. M. M. O. (2020) · doi:10.22541/au.158938644.47706104 · Cited by 21
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“…is not new: Earlier research has shown that the negative focus, which is prevalent in news reporting (Lengauer et al., 2012; Niven, 2001), can cause fear, stress, and depression in the audience (Pfefferbaum et al., 2014) and can be detrimental for people’s well-being (Boukes & Vliegenhart, 2017).”
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Background
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“Thus, consistent with a recent review of disaster media coverage, no definitive conclusions can be reached about the association between contact with coverage through these other two media forms and psychological outcomes [35].”
BackgroundSelf-citation
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“Several others have examined how news coverage might lead to negative mental health outcomes among those directly (and indirectly) experiencing the event (e.g., McLeish and Del Ben, 2008; Ben-Zur et al., 2012; Goodwin et al., 2013; Pfefferbaum et al., 2014); yet, many such studies focused on 9/11 and other terrorist i…”
Background
Climate change and extreme weather disasters: evacuation stress is associated with youths’ somatic complaints
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“In particular, it would be extremely valuable to expand existing materials to include “stress management” strategies for both youth and parents, such as limiting media exposure (Pfefferbaum et al., 2014) during the days leading up to a storm and encouraging family activities to promote relaxation (e.”
Background
Update on neurobiological mechanisms of fear: illuminating the direction of mechanism exploration and treatment development of trauma and fear-related disorders
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“Negative emotions (such as fear) are triggered not only when people experience fearful (or traumatizing) events but simply by seeing images or videos about the disasters (Pfefferbaum et al., 2014).”
Background
Doomscrolling: Prospective associations between daily COVID news exposure, internalizing symptoms, and substance use among sexual and gender minority individuals assigned female at birth.
Dyar, C., Crosby, S. T., Newcomb, M. E., Mustanski, B. S., & Kaysen, D. L. (2022) · Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity · doi:10.1037/sgd0000585 · Cited by 15
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Media Exposure and Substance Use Increase during COVID-19
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“Many studies have shown the association between television news use and negative emotional reactions [12,13].”
Background
Social media use, uncertainty, and negative affect in times of pandemic crisis
Wu, Y., An, Z., Lin, Y., Zhang, J., Jing, B., & Peng, K. (2023) · Digital Health · doi:10.1177/20552076231181227 · Cited by 13
“Given that different approaches in assessing media use may affect the results regarding the associations between SMU and wellbeing in critical situations, 35 it is necessary to use diversifying methods to examine whether these ﬁ ndings could be replicated.”
Background
Online mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic
Guedes, A. D. C., Kantorski, L. P., Willrich, J. Q., Coimbra, V. C. C., Wünsch, C. G., Sperb, L. C. S. D. O., & Sperb, C. B. (2021) · Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem · doi:10.1590/0034-7167-2021-0554 · Cited by 15
“The conclusion was that exposure to stressful media coverage of major disasters is associated with an increase in psychological anxiety and can trigger cases of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, stress, stress reactions, and substance (22) .”
Psychological Effects of Dominant Responses to Early Warning Alerts
Huggins, T. J., Yang, L., Zhang, J., Tan, M. L., & Prasanna, R. (2021) · International Journal of Ambient Computing and Intelligence · doi:10.4018/ijaci.2021070101 · Cited by 10
Gender-Specific Related Factors for Suicidal Ideation During COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown Among 5,175 Chinese Adolescents
Zhu, J. L., Bao-hua, L., Hao, F., Luo, L., Yue, S., Zhai, J., Chen, M., Liu, Y., Liu, D., & Wang, J. (2022) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.810101 · Cited by 10
Mídia e desastres: panorama da produção científica internacional de 1996 a 2016
Reis, C., Mattedi, M. A., & Barrios, Y. M. R. (2017) · Intercom Revista Brasileira de Ciências da Comunicação · doi:10.1590/1809-5844201725 · Cited by 10
“Os autores com maior número de citações foram: Betty Pfefferbaum (1999, 2001, 2013); Brian Walker (2002, 2004, 2006, 2011); Lance H. Gunderson (2002, 2006, 2010, 2011); Anabela Carvalho”
Amplifying the Need for Trauma-Informed Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for At-Risk Adolescents During Times of Social and Political Complexity
Wycoff, K., & Matone, M. (2019) · Journal of Adolescent Health · doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.05.010 · Cited by 10
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RELAXATION AND DISTRACTION TECHNIQUES ON ADOLESCENTS EXPERIENCING ANXIETY IN EARTHQUAKE PRONE AREAS
Hardayati, Y. A., & Mustikasari, M. (2019) · International Journal of Nursing and Health Services (IJNHS) · doi:10.35654/ijnhs.v2i3.105 · Cited by 10

Authors: Pfefferbaum, B., Newman, E., Nelson, S. D., Nitiéma, P., Pfefferbaum, R. L., & Rahman, A.
Affiliations: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (US)
University of Tulsa (US)
Phoenix College (US)
Corresponding author: Pfefferbaum, Betty
ORCID: Pfefferbaum, Betty
Newman, Elana
Nitiéma, Pascal
Pfefferbaum, Rose L.
Venue: Current Psychiatry Reports
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2014-07-27
Volume: 16
Issue: 9
Pages: 464-464
ISSN: 1523-3812 (ISSN-L)
1535-1645
DOI: 10.1007/s11920-014-0464-x
PMC: PMC4144190
OpenAlex: W2148450146
Cited by: 230
References: 27
Citations by year: 2026: 12 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 43 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1
FWCI: 20.91
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Licence: www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations: Current Psychiatry Reports (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders: University of Oklahoma
National Institute of Mental Health (R25MH070569)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Social Sciences › Communication › Public Relations and Crisis Communication
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Disaster Management and Resilience
Keywords: post-traumatic stress disorder, post-traumatic stress, psychological outcomes, terrorism, media use, depression, anxiety, substance use, natural disasters, man-made disasters, social media
MeSH terms: Anxiety, Mental Disorders, Disasters, Fear, Humans, Mass Media, Stress, Psychological

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