Title

After 9/11: Goal Disruption, Emotional Support, and Psychological Health in a Lower Exposure Sample

Authors

Erina L. MacGeorge, Purdue University
Wendy Samter, Bryant UniversityFollow
Bo Feng, University of California - Davis
Seth J. Gillihan, University of PennsylvaniaFollow
Angela R. Graves, Oral Roberts University

Document Type

Article

Comments

Published by Taylor and Francis in Health Communication Volume 21, Issue 1, pages 11-22.

Bryant University users may access this article here.

Keywords

September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001;Social Support

Publisher

Taylor and Francis

Publication Source

Health Communication

Abstract

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 were traumatic even for Americans who were not directly victimized or in the geographic vicinity. This study examined whether emotional support received through interaction with others buffered the association between terrorism-related stress and psychological health (depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms) for individuals with lower exposure to the attacks. Five hundred eleven college students from an eastern university completed measures of goal disruption (stress) from terrorism, received emotional support, and psychological health in the first 2 weeks of December 2001.