In the eye of the storm or the bullseye of the media: Social media use during Hurricane Sandy as a predictor of post-traumatic stress

摘要

Social media use during Hurricane Sandy as a predictor of post-traumatic stress.The category 1 storm "Hurricane Sandy", which affected the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic and North East United States, struck the New York Metropolitan Area on October 29. The hurricane led to large property damage and more than 100 casualties in the U.S. alone. Unsurprisingly the hurricane attracted extensive media coverage, providing the main headlines for most leading national journals (The New York Times 2012).Recent debates have questioned the extent to which such media coverage helps 'amplify' anxieties, maintaining or contributing to post traumatic stress (Bonanno et al., 2010; Marshall et al., 2007). Following the 9/11 terrorist incidents in the US PTSD was higher amongst those who watched more anniversary television a year after the attacks (Bernstein et al., 2007). Media amplification can help explain how those away from the 'bulls eye' of a disaster, with little personal direct exposure to traumatic events, may exhibit high rates of traumatic symptoms (Marshall et al., 2007).