Psychosocial Effects on US Government Personnel of Exposure to the 1998 Terrorist Attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi

Raitt, Josh M.; Thielman, Samuel B.; Pfefferbaum, Betty; Narayanan, Pushpa; North, Carol S.

doi:10.1080/00332747.2021.1907931

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two studies explored post-traumatic reactions after a terrorist bombing in Kenya [ 18 , 19 ]. One-fifth (of n = 179) developed PTSD after the bombing [ 19 ]; US government employees had a significantly lower prevalence of bombing-related PTSD than civilians [ 19 ] or Red Cross staff [ 18 ] although this association did not remain significant in regression analysis [ 18 ]. Two studies reported on interviews with American diplomats, military and civilian personnel posted in Brussels having recently watched from afar the coverage of the September 11th attacks in the USA [ 20 , 21 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mental health of diplomatic personnel: scoping review

Brooks

Patel

Greenberg

2023

Occupational Medicine

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Background Diplomatic personnel frequently relocate as part of their roles, requiring them to adapt to various cultural and political conditions; many are also at risk of experiencing trauma from being deployed to high-threat postings. With diplomatic personnel having to balance the usual pressures of their work with the uncertainties of COVID-19 in recent years, it is particularly important now to understand how to protect their mental health. Aims To synthesize existing literature on the well-being of diplomatic personnel to improve understanding of how to protect their mental health. Methods A scoping review was carried out to explore what is already known about the well-being of staff working in diplomatic roles. Four databases were searched and reference lists, as well as one key journal, were hand-searched. Results Fifteen relevant publications were included. There was little consensus as to how the psychological well-being of diplomatic personnel compares to other populations or which factors predict well-being. Diplomats’ psychological responses to traumatic experiences appeared similar to those of other trauma-exposed occupational groups. Conclusions Further research is needed to better understand the well-being of diplomatic personnel, particularly those not deployed to high-threat posts.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health of diplomatic personnel: scoping review

Brooks

Patel

Greenberg

2023

Occupational Medicine

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“…Terrorism is a continuing worldwide problem (Raitt et al, 2021). Terrorism survivors collectively constitute a substantial population whose trajectories through the rest of their lives may be shaped by a single terrorist incident.…”

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confidence: 99%

A qualitative longitudinal study of feelings, coping, and making meaning as recounted by Oklahoma City bombing survivors after nearly a quarter century.

North,

Surís,

McDonald

et al. 2023

Traumatology

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Introduction: Virtually nothing is known about how thoughts and feelings, coping, and processing of terrorism by survivors of terrorism evolve as decades pass. Qualitative longitudinal studies conducted in future decades of the lives of terrorism survivors through detailed individual narratives can deliver new knowledge about cognitive and emotional recovery and the development of new meaning in the experience of surviving a terrorist attack. Method: This longitudinal qualitative study of directly exposed survivors of a terrorist bombing attack on the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building was conducted using open-ended interviews nearly a quarter century after the disaster. Results: Survivors processed their early bombing experience and completed the trajectory of their recovery over subsequent decades. They detailed strategies that helped them cope, including mental health care, social support from others, religion, talking about the bombing, memorialization, and meaning established over their long journey across time since the bombing. The meaning was expressed in both philosophical terms describing new perspectives toward life and important effects on religious and spiritual beliefs. Conclusions: Clinicians can appreciate that these survivors’ expressed cognitions and emotions and efforts to process and make meaning of their bombing experience may reflect normative journeys toward resolving their experiences in the evolving course of their lives, rather than simply manifestations of psychopathology and unhealthy responses to their highly abnormal experience of terrorism. Clinical restraint may be indicated in passing judgment on the progress of survivors toward processing their experience. This material may provide avenues for clinical exploration.

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“…Terrorist incidents continue to occur worldwide, 14 and workplaces are common targets for terrorism 4 . Survivors of such events therefore represent a substantial population whose personal relationships and future with the workplace may be shaped by a single terrorist incident.…”

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confidence: 99%

A Qualitative Longitudinal Study of Workplace Issues, Authorities and Media, and Relationships Recounted by Oklahoma City Bombing Survivors After Nearly a Quarter Century

North

Surís

McDonald

et al. 2022

J Occup Environ Med

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The aim of the study is to examine the long-term course of disaster-related experience among survivors of a terrorist bombing and the long-term recollection of initial workplace effects across nearly a quarter century. Methods: From an initial randomly selected sample of highly trauma-exposed survivors of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, 103 participated in qualitative open-ended interviews about their bombing experience approximately 23 years after disaster. Results: The survivors described their bombing experience clearly with extensive detail and expression of persistent strong emotion. Their discussions reflected findings from earlier assessments and also continued over the course of the next decades to complete their stories of the course of their occupational and interpersonal postdisaster journeys. Conclusions: Long-term psychosocial ramifications in these survivors' lives continue to warrant psychosocial interventions, such as occupational and interpersonal counseling.

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Psychosocial Effects on US Government Personnel of Exposure to the 1998 Terrorist Attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi

Cited by 4 publications

References 33 publications

Mental health of diplomatic personnel: scoping review

Mental health of diplomatic personnel: scoping review

A qualitative longitudinal study of feelings, coping, and making meaning as recounted by Oklahoma City bombing survivors after nearly a quarter century.

A Qualitative Longitudinal Study of Workplace Issues, Authorities and Media, and Relationships Recounted by Oklahoma City Bombing Survivors After Nearly a Quarter Century

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