New study deepens understanding of effects of media exposure to collective trauma

According to a new UCI-led study, it's not just how much media exposure an individual has to collective trauma, but also the graphic quality of what one sees, that may make them more vulnerable to trauma-related mental and physical health problems over time. Published online in the current issue of the journal Clinical Psychological Science, the study suggests that greater frequency of viewing bloody images in the week following the bombings is associated with higher acute stress, post-traumatic stress, and other mental health issues linked to impaired functioning six months later.