1. Threat appraisals, distress and the development of positive life changes after September 11th in a Canadian sample
- Author
-
Christopher G. Davis and Stephanie L. Macdonald
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Social Values ,Helping behavior ,Poison control ,Suicide prevention ,Occupational safety and health ,Life Change Events ,Interpersonal relationship ,Injury prevention ,Adaptation, Psychological ,Medicine ,Humans ,Interpersonal Relations ,Ontario ,business.industry ,Human factors and ergonomics ,Helping Behavior ,United States ,Clinical Psychology ,Distress ,Logistic Models ,Female ,Terrorism ,business ,Social psychology ,Stress, Psychological ,Clinical psychology ,Follow-Up Studies - Abstract
Several surveys have reported the negative psychological impact on the general public of the terrorist attacks in the USA of September 11th, 2001. Yet the attacks also led many people to make positive changes in their relationships, values and priorities. A survey of 80 adults in Ottawa, Canada demonstrated that greater perceived threat and greater initial distress reactions significantly predicted the extent to which people reported positive changes in their lives (e.g. closer to family, refocused priorities). Initial distress and greater perceived threat also correlated positively with whether people provided help after the disaster. Follow-up data on 40 of these participants 11 months later revealed significant stability over time for the extent of positive life changes reported, and demonstrated that degree of initial distress and perceived threat continued to correlate positively with life change reports at this later point in time. The data are consistent with the argument that the perception of growth may develop out of one's personal experience of emotional pain.
- Published
- 2004