Media-Induced Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Case of the Kahramanmaras Earthquake in Turkey

Introduction: Trauma manifests in a variety of ways and disrupts the lives of individuals. This is particularly the case in an age when communication technologies are permeating everyday practices, and mass media is an essential means of communication. A review of the international literature on di...

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Main Authors: Selin Kiraz Demir, Nur İnci Namli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Semmelweis University Institute of Mental Health 2024-10-01
Series:European Journal of Mental Health
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Online Access:https://ejmh.semmelweis.hu/index.php/ejmh/article/view/291
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author Selin Kiraz Demir
Nur İnci Namli
author_facet Selin Kiraz Demir
Nur İnci Namli
author_sort Selin Kiraz Demir
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Trauma manifests in a variety of ways and disrupts the lives of individuals. This is particularly the case in an age when communication technologies are permeating everyday practices, and mass media is an essential means of communication. A review of the international literature on disasters reveals that the measurement tools used in the research on the association between Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and the media are limited. Aims: The main aim of this study is to measure the STS levels in the audience of the media content regarding the Kahramanmaras-centered earthquake and to examine the factors associated with it. Methods: First, a measurement tool on the subject was developed, and then its psychometric properties were investigated. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, validity, and reliability analyses were conducted throughout the studies (N = 30 for Study I; N = 265 for Study II; N = 283 for Study III). Results: A 17-item, four-factor (intrusion, anxiety, media distrust, and avoidance), valid and reliable scale was created. Moreover, depression was found to have a partial mediating effect on the significant relationship between media exposure related STS and psychological well-being (β = –.22, SE = .027, 95% CI [–.25, –.19]). Conclusions: The results revealed the multi-dimensional impact of STS on people indirectly exposed to trauma as well as the uniqueness of the scale.
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spelling doaj-art-81ee1cce96224190a26dfd82239641892025-08-20T02:44:29ZengSemmelweis University Institute of Mental HealthEuropean Journal of Mental Health1788-71192024-10-011910.5708/EJMH.19.2024.0028Media-Induced Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Case of the Kahramanmaras Earthquake in TurkeySelin Kiraz Demir0Nur İnci Namli1Amasya University, Department of Journalism and Reporting, Merzifon Vocational School, Amasya, TurkeyDoğuş University, Faculty of Science and Letters, Department of Psychology, Istanbul, Turkey Introduction: Trauma manifests in a variety of ways and disrupts the lives of individuals. This is particularly the case in an age when communication technologies are permeating everyday practices, and mass media is an essential means of communication. A review of the international literature on disasters reveals that the measurement tools used in the research on the association between Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and the media are limited. Aims: The main aim of this study is to measure the STS levels in the audience of the media content regarding the Kahramanmaras-centered earthquake and to examine the factors associated with it. Methods: First, a measurement tool on the subject was developed, and then its psychometric properties were investigated. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, validity, and reliability analyses were conducted throughout the studies (N = 30 for Study I; N = 265 for Study II; N = 283 for Study III). Results: A 17-item, four-factor (intrusion, anxiety, media distrust, and avoidance), valid and reliable scale was created. Moreover, depression was found to have a partial mediating effect on the significant relationship between media exposure related STS and psychological well-being (β = –.22, SE = .027, 95% CI [–.25, –.19]). Conclusions: The results revealed the multi-dimensional impact of STS on people indirectly exposed to trauma as well as the uniqueness of the scale. https://ejmh.semmelweis.hu/index.php/ejmh/article/view/291secondary traumatic stressmediaearthquakeinterdisciplinaritymedia psychology
spellingShingle Selin Kiraz Demir
Nur İnci Namli
Media-Induced Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Case of the Kahramanmaras Earthquake in Turkey
European Journal of Mental Health
secondary traumatic stress
media
earthquake
interdisciplinarity
media psychology
title Media-Induced Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Case of the Kahramanmaras Earthquake in Turkey
title_full Media-Induced Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Case of the Kahramanmaras Earthquake in Turkey
title_fullStr Media-Induced Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Case of the Kahramanmaras Earthquake in Turkey
title_full_unstemmed Media-Induced Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Case of the Kahramanmaras Earthquake in Turkey
title_short Media-Induced Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Case of the Kahramanmaras Earthquake in Turkey
title_sort media induced secondary traumatic stress the case of the kahramanmaras earthquake in turkey
topic secondary traumatic stress
media
earthquake
interdisciplinarity
media psychology
url https://ejmh.semmelweis.hu/index.php/ejmh/article/view/291
work_keys_str_mv AT selinkirazdemir mediainducedsecondarytraumaticstressthecaseofthekahramanmarasearthquakeinturkey
AT nurincinamli mediainducedsecondarytraumaticstressthecaseofthekahramanmarasearthquakeinturkey