Trauma Exposure across the News Cycle and the Case for Biotypes of PTSD in War Journalists

Author

  • Sheeva Azma

Full text (open access)

Abstract

  • This study examines the pervasive nature of trauma exposure in journalism and its impact across all stages of the news reporting cycle. Drawing from a comprehensive literature review, we highlight the significant gap in research on the neuroscience of journalism and journalist PTSD, despite the high prevalence of PTSD among war correspondents and photojournalists. We present a conceptual framework illustrating how primary and secondary trauma exposures occur during news gathering, reporting, and consumption phases. The study also reviews empirical findings on PTSD's effects on brain structure and function, identifying symptom subclusters and their associated brain regions. This knowledge informs the development of biotypes for more personalized and effective treatment strategies for journalists with PTSD while also emphasizing an urgent need for comprehensive support systems for journalists. This interdisciplinary approach uniting research in journalism, neuroscience, psychology, and organizational management, also advances the understanding of trauma in journalism and its broader implications for news consumption and societal trust in media institutions. Interventions that can support journalists’ mental well-being can also enhance the quality of news reporting and contribute to a more resilient and informed society.

Date

  • October, 2024

Citation

Areas

  • Biology, Psychology

Biography

  • Sheeva Azma is a neuroscientist and journalist and founder of science communications company, Fancy Comma, LLC. She earned her BS in Brain and Cognitive Science from MIT and MS in Neuroscience from Georgetown University. As a graduate student, she studied the effect of alcohol use disorder risk on the adolescent brain and examined PTSD symptoms' differential effects on brain structure. Sheeva's bylines as a journalist include The Motley Fool, The Xylom, and The Georgetown Voice, among others.

Donations

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