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Marín-Sanchiz, Cristian-Ramón and Miguel Carvajal & José-Luis González-Esteban"Survival Strategies in Freelance Journalism: An Empowering Toolkit to Improve Professionals’ Working Conditions"Freelance journalism has become a key employment alternative in the
current media landscape, with news organizations often relying on
these independent professionals to reduce organizational budgets.
Although extant research reveals a high degree of job satisfaction
among professionals in different markets, such as the United States
or Norway, freelancing is a position shaped by the tension between
precarity and autonomy and is often related to economic insecurity.
To deepen our understanding of this complex reality in Spain, this
study explores freelance journalists’ perceptions of the craft through
30 semi-structured interviews. Based on these results, this study
proposes the existence of a “freelancers’ shelter architecture”—a
group of variables that define personal working conditions and
levels of job satisfaction. This study makes a practical contribution to
the field insofar as it provides a freelancing empowering toolkit for
enhancing the professional situation of freelance journalists.Journalism Practice2021Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)NANANANAAdd
Miller, Kaitlin and Seth C Lewis"Journalists, harassment, and emotional labor: The case of women in on-air roles at US local television stations"At a time of growing threats to the press worldwide, including in supposedly ‘safe’
developed democracies, this article explores the nature of harassment perpetrated
by strangers, one-time sources, and viewers against women broadcast journalists
working at US local television stations. The study investigates the emotional labor –
the work of managing one’s emotions to keep others happy – that is required for
journalists negotiating such harassment. Through qualitative interviews, our research
shows that women in such roles face four main types of harassment: (1) disruptive
in-person harassment, (2) physical and abrasive in-person harassment, (3) online
harassment as unwanted sexual advances, and (4) online harassment as threats and
criticisms. We find that women perform a significant degree of emotional labor
as they regularly deal with harassment and simultaneously attempt to mitigate or
prevent further harassment.Journalism2020Sage p. 1–19.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalOtherAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)TelevisionNANANAAdd
Sarikakis, Katharine and Bruktawit Ejigu Kassa, Natascha Fenz, Sarah Goldschmitt, Julia Kasser & Laura Nowotarski"“My haters and I ”: personal and political responses to hate speech against female journalists in Austria"Journalists are consistent targets of hate speech, which aims at
silencing critical voices; yet female journalists encounter forms of
hate speech that are unique to their gender. Hate speech against
female journalists can have far-reaching implications on journalism
practice and society as a whole. This study investigates the macro
and micro dimensions of countering hate speech as a matter of
policy and as a matter of personal resistance. Its first part analyses
the legal and institutional means to counter hate speech in Austria
while the second part juxtaposes the micro level of experiencing
hate speech and forms of resistance through in-depth interviews
with nine female journalists in Austria. The findings indicate that
female journalists received more hate speech when they spoke
about stereotypically male-dominated topics. They noted that
receiving hate speech could have a severe impact on one’s personal
life or work. As measures of countering those effects, female journalists responded by making the hate comments public, while
others withdrew themselves from public altogether. Deterred
from seeking support from the authorities, as they did not feel
taken seriously, women turned to other women who showed solidarity. The paper concludes with suggestions of practical action
deriving from both sets of information.Feminist Media Studies2021Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalOtherAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)NANANANAAdd
Miller, Kaitlin"Harassment’s Toll on Democracy: The Effects of Harassment Towards US Journalists"Journalists in democratically “free” countries have faced
harassment from those external to the newsroom for decades,
though that has recently increased in the United States by many
accounts. To assess the effects of such harassment in the United
States, 32 journalists were interviewed and more than 500
surveyed about their experiences with harassment, and how it
has affected their professional work. Journalists’ emotions,
gender, and the frequency at which they experience harassment
were predictors of affect-driven work behaviors such as avoiding
interviewing someone, being less active on social media, and
even considering leaving journalism. Younger journalists were
also more likely to engage in affect-driven work behaviors.
Harassment also affected journalists’ work attitude of job
satisfaction—specifically incivility and disruptive harassment. This
type of harassment is likely to decrease job satisfaction while
supervisor support and larger organizational size are likely to
increase satisfaction. In sum, harassment from viewers, readers,
and strangers affects how journalists act and think about their
work. This research adds to literature on Affective Events Theory
by highlighting harassment from organizational outsiders
(readers, viewers, and strangers) as an affective event with
significant affect-driven behaviors and attitudes. Furthermore,
there are practical implications for practitioners discussed at the
end of this paper.Journalism Practice2021Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalOtherAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)PrintTelevisionRadio broadcastNANANAAdd
Chinweobo-Onuoha, Blessing and Elif Asude Tunca, Felix Olajide Talabi, Ayodeji Boluwatife Aiyesimoju, Victor Oluwole Adefemi & Verlumun Celestine Gever"Modelling journalists’ coping strategies for occupational hazards in their coverage of protests against police brutality (ENDSARS protests) in Nigeria"Although journalism practice exposes media workers to different levels of occupational hazards,
research on the coping strategies is limited. This study made an effort to extend literature in this direction by providing a model that explains the coping strategies of Nigerian journalists who covered the
2020 ENDSARS protests in Nigeria. The researchers surveyed a total of 470 journalists who were sampled through a respondent-driven chain referral sampling technique. It was found that journalists who
covered the protests faced occupational hazards such as physical attacks, disgrace, threats, trauma,
anxiety as well as fear. The coping strategies were found to include seeking social support, selective
appearance, self-censorship as well as self-motivation. It was further found that perceived behavioural
control significantly moderates the implementation of coping strategies. The researchers explored the
implications of these results on theory, practice and scholarship.International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics2021Taylor & Francis Group.Quasi-experimental researchOther journalAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)NANANANAAdd
González de Bustamante, Celeste and Jeannine E. Relly"Women on the Frontline in Ciudad Juárez: An excerpt from Surviving Mexico shows how journalists have organized to resist hostile conditions and build resilient newsrooms and communities amid deadly violence."NACLA Report on the AmericasVol. 532021Routledge Taylor & Francis Groupp. 421-427.OtherOther journalMass violenceNAOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)NANANANAAdd
Hughes, Sallie and Yulia Vorobyeva"Explaining the killing of journalists in the contemporary era: The importance of hybrid regimes and subnational variations"Explanations for an increase in the killing of journalists worldwide over the last quarter
century include the dangers of war coverage and unsafe conditions in formally democratic
countries. Analyzing 1812 killings of journalists from 1992 to 2016, we find that countries
with hybrid political regimes mixing liberal and illiberal elements create by far the most
dangerous context for journalists, while a particular spatial configuration within those
countries, subnational authoritarianism, clarifies the logic of the killings. In short, the study
finds that most journalists died in countries where formal democratic norms and practices
at the national level encourage investigative reporting in local arenas where powerholders
have incentives to violently suppress critical press coverage. On a theoretical level, the
synthesis of spatial analysis, comparative politics and journalism studies opens a fruitful
path for theorizing anti-press violence and journalist safety. In terms of policy, international
action should increase costs to national governments that overlook local misbehavior
in return for political support. Discourse spotlighting local journalists’ contributions to
human rights and democratic accountability may also be helpful.Journalism2019Sagep. 1–19.Content AnalysisJournalism specific journalOtherNAOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)NANANANAAdd
Jukes, Stephen and Karen Fowler-Watt & Gavin Rees"Reporting the Covid-19 Pandemic: Trauma on Our Own Doorstep"The political and media rhetoric of the pandemic is that of conflict and a call to arms in face of a hidden enemy. But this is not a distant war where journalists are parachuted in to report on the action for a few weeks and then fly home. It is on our own doorstep. Many of those covering the global crisis do not correspond to the popular image of hardened conflict reporters and may have little experience in dealing with distressing stories of death, grief and mourning. How are journalists coping with the everyday diet of trauma when the corona frontline may be affecting their families, friends and colleagues? this article explores these issues through narrative interviews with UK-based journalists covering the pandemic for broadcast, print and digital media. It seeks to capture their “emotional labour” and explore possible differences in their practice and the coping strategies they employ. The paper locates this discussion within the context of an industry that has paid relatively little heed to these issues and considers what longterm implications the coronavirus may have for the next generation of digital journalists.Digital Journalism2021Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalOtherAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)PrintRadio broadcastInternet newsNANANAAdd
Lakhdar Chadli and Farooq Muhammad Haq, Ahmed Okasha and Rafik Attou"Post-traumatic Mental and Physical Consequences of Frontline Reporting in the MENA Region"Background: A current need in journalistic frontline work is to understand the potential psychological and physical traumatic consequences that may result from on-duty appointments. Journalists are active in frontline zones to report on conflicts, crises, and natural disasters. In the Middle East and North
Africa (MENA) region, reporters are not equipped or trained mentally or emotionally to handle stressful events. Most journalists suffer from
certain degrees of post-traumatic mental and physical disorders associated with their frontline duties.
Objective: The objective of this exploratory study is to provide comprehensive insights into challenges faced by journalists reporting in conflict zones in the MENA region.
Methods: This research study is based on a qualitative research approach where data was collected by directly interviewing eight journalists who have covered frontline conflicts and disasters in the MENA region. The collected qualitative data was analysed by conducting a thematic analysis to appreciate emerging categories. The ontology of critical realism was adopted to recognise the real feelings and experiences of the responding
journalists.
Results: This original study presents six themes emerging from the data and researcher triangulation. The health and social issues in MENA are found to be most critical for high-risk reporting.
Conclusion: Amidst the psychological and physical problems, all journalists did not give up their jobs or ask for privileges. Media houses could consider a more robust training plan based on health and safety to prepare these journalists.The Open Public Health JournalVol. 152022.Quasi-experimental researchGeneral psychology journalWarAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)Posttraumatic stress symptoms (subthreshold)Tips for coping with traumaNANAAdd
Anthony Feinstein and Jonas Osmann"Predictors of Psychological Distress in Frontline Journalists: Common Denominators Across Three Decades of Conflicts"Objective: To determine risk factors for symptoms of PTSD and depression in frontline journalists that traverse type of conflict, degree of exposure to stressors, language, and culture. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 1,103 frontline journalists from 12 datasets (Balkans, 9/11 attacks, Iraq, Mexico, Israel, Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Kenya, refugee crisis, user-generated content [visually traumatic images], and moral injury project) accumulated between 2000 and 2022. Symptoms of PTSD were assessed, in the first language of participants, with validated versions of the Revised Impact of Event Scale (? = .96) and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (? = .96) and symptoms of depression with validated versions of the Beck Depression Inventory-Revised (? = .92). Data were analyzed using linear mixed models to take into account inherent between-study differences. Results: Mean age and work duration were 39.12 (SD= 9.58) and 14.64 (SD= 9.13) years, respectively. Most journalists were male (66.27%), university educated (82.23%), and in a relationship (56.12%). While symptom severity scores varied considerably across studies, three variables were found that predicted symptoms of PTSD and depression in all studies, namely being female, single, and having a past history of psychiatric difficulties. Conclusions: News organizations have a moral obligation to care for journalists sent into harm’s way. The identification of risk factors for symptoms of PTSD and depression common to journalists irrespective of the nature of the conflict covered, degree of exposure to conflict, and differences in language and culture is an important step in promoting this duty
of care.
Traumatology2023March 27, 2023.Content AnalysisGeneral psychology journalWarMass violenceTerrorismtorture/human rightsAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)PTSDNANANAAdd
Jasmine B. MacDonald and Gene Hodgins and Anthony J. Saliba"Trauma Exposure in Journalists: A systematic literature review"Journalists frequently cover stories relating to fatal car accidents, crime, murder, suicide, natural disasters, and various other forms of violence and tragedy within society. The present systematic literature review aims to provide a concise, comprehensive, and systematic review of the quantitative literature relating to journalists’ exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs). Such a review has not been conducted in this area before. The systematic review method adopted is that prescribed by Fink (2010), which contains three main elements: Sampling the literature, screening the literature, and extracting data. The range of PTEs journalists are exposed to are elucidated and discussed. This includes consideration of both work-related and personal exposure to trauma. The findings are beneficial to academics and professionals, in both psychology and journalism. Understanding the kinds of PTEs journalists are exposed to is the first step in developing procedures and support structures to safeguard individuals against adverse trauma reactions. Such findings can also be used to inform practice and policy within international journalism settings. This review raises a number of methodological and theoretical issues to be explored and addressed in future research. This study was developed from within the framework of psychological theory and research regarding journalists’ trauma exposure. Therefore, this article is structured according to psychological standards for research reports.FusionVol. 112017.Meta-AnalysisOther journalMass disasterAccidentshate crimesNon-specific/generalNAOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)PTSDNANANAAdd
Jasmine B. MacDonald and Gene Hodgins, Anthony J. Saliba, and Debra Ann Metcal"Journalists and Depressive Symptoms: A Systematic Literature Review"Mental health research focusing on journalists has largely tended to give precedence to trauma exposure and subsequent symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. However, there are several occupational factors that may be associated with the development of depressive symptoms in journalists. This systematic literature review aims to provide a concise, comprehensive, and systematic review of the quantitative literature relating to journalists’ experiences of depressive symptoms. The systematic literature review method adopted was based on that prescribed by Fink and contains three main elements: sampling the literature, screening the literature, and extracting data. Key terms were developed and used to source appropriate studies from several electronic databases, a hand search of reference lists was conducted, and authors were contacted to suggest examples of their own work not yet sampled. The sample included 13 quantitative studies reported in English language. Journalists most at risk of experiencing depressive symptoms had (1) greater exposure to work-related and personal trauma, (2) experienced threats to themselves or their family, and (3) reduced levels of family and peer support, social acknowledgment, and education. An area for further investigation is the prevalence and experiences of specific depressive disorders within the journalist population. There are a number of theoretical and methodological issues that can be addressed in future research.TRAUMA, VIOLENCE, & ABUSEVol. 12021.Meta-AnalysisTrauma specific journalWarMass violenceTerrorismNon-specific/generalNAOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)DepressionNANANAAdd
Jasmine B. MacDonald and Eugenie Dale, Debra A. Metcalf, Gene Hodgins, and Anthony J. Saliba"Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Journalist Samples: A Systematic Literature Review"This systematic literature review serves as the first consolidation and synthesis of the quantitative literature concerning posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in journalist samples. The systematic literature review method adopted was based on that prescribed by Fink (2010) and contains 3 main elements: sampling the literature, screening the literature, and extracting data. A total of 33 cross-sectional studies have engaged journalists from over 16 different countries and across a broad range of media outlets over the last 25 years, employing diverse samples with respect to trauma exposure, role of journalists, as well as medium and assignment of focus. The findings highlight a number of variables that may be associated with increased risk of experiencing PTSD symptoms, including personal and work-related demographics, trauma exposure, depressive symptoms, substance use, social support, personality and cognitive characteristics, organizational stressors, and coping styles. Some future directions in terms of methodology and theory include the following: (a) comparison of journalist samples to other professions, clinical samples, or the general population, (b) inclusion of diagnostic interviewing to establish diagnosis levels, and (c) comparisons based on variables shown to influence PTSD in other populations. There is also a need to explore other trauma- and stressor-related disorders and anxiety disorders in journalist samples; the predominant focus on PTSD symptoms is problematic because it (a) underestimates the potential clinical outcomes experienced by journalists, (b) does not adequately account for the impact of comorbidity, and (c) focuses identification, intervention, and treatment on PTSD rather than a wider range of disorders.TraumatologyVol. 282021p. 415-430.Meta-AnalysisTrauma specific journalWarMass violencetorture/human rightsOtherNAOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)PTSDNANANAAdd
José Francisco Tornero?Aguilera and José Juan Robles?Pérez, Vicente Javier Clemente?Suárez"Could Combat Stress Affect Journalists’ News Reporting? A Psychophysiological Response"Covering war conflicts may compromise the psychological and physical health of journalists because chronic exposure to these environments has been related to depression, memory dissociative processes, and post-traumatic stress disorder; however, acute effects have not been studied yet. Thus, a combat simulation was carried out replicating actual warfare scenarios, including personnel and equipment. Psychophysiological response, memory, and information-processing were analysed of 40 professional soldiers (21 males and 19 females) and 19 journalists (12 males and 7 females) with international experience in current conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo, in relation to their experience of a combat intervention. A significant increase (p < 0.05) in metabolic, muscular, cardiovascular, and cortical and psychological anxiety response, as well as a decrease in memory accuracy directly after and 24 h and 72 h post-combat were found; these modifications were modulated by the nature of the stimulus. Journalists presented higher cognitive and memory impairment than soldiers, resulting in a press reporting of real events accuracy of only 27%.Applied Psychophysiology and BiofeedbackVol. 45202011 June 2020p. 231-239.Experimental researchGeneral psychology journalWarAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)AnxietyNANANAAdd
Taylor Arrey and Chelsea Reynolds"“I Definitely Would Appreciate a Little More Validation”: Toward an Ethics of Care in College Newsrooms and Journalism Education"Drawing on interviews with 10 U.S. student journalists, we introduce an ethics-ofcare approach for trauma-informed journalism pedagogy. We express grave concern for mental health in journalism programs, offering an empirical snapshot of students’ traumas and coping strategies. We confirm that student journalists, like working reporters, are traumatized by professional norms, high demands, poor boundaries, safety concerns, and ethical-professional responsibilities. Participants coped through emotional distancing, saving face, and relying on peers. We offer interventions based on student support needs and changing news values, including faculty affirmation, financial support, counselor support, diversity training, newsroom debriefings, emotional leadership, and reporting protocols.Journalism & Mass Communication EducatorVol. 782023p. 140-164.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalNon-specific/generalOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)NATips for coping with traumaAdvice on training journalistsHow to teach students to cover traumaAdd
KodwoJonasAnsonBoateng and RedeemerBuatsi"Face- to Face with COVID-19:Experiences of Ghanaian Frontline Journalists Infected with the Virus"Health Crises and Media Discourses in Sub-Saharan Africa2022.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)Acute stress disorderNANANAAdd
Mathew Charles"Re-thinking trauma: Local journalism, peace-building and continuous traumatic stress (CTS) on the violent margins of Colombia"The study of trauma in journalism tends to assume that trauma exposure (whether it has been a single event or a series of cumulative episodes) is past and finite. However, this article argues that the notion of trauma exposure as temporally located in the past fails to adequately capture the experiences of local, indigenous journalists living and working in contexts of protracted conflict or violence. There is a growing, if contested, acknowledgement that existing conceptualizations of traumatic stress, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), have limited utility in conditions of ongoing violence and danger. In contrast, and based on a participant observation study conducted over three years, this article proposes a spectrum of continuous traumatic stressors and charts the continuous traumatic stress (CTS) of four local reporters in Colombia, living and working in a context of intractable conflict. In this setting, where local journalists have become agents for peace, CTS conjoins the mental wellbeing of individual reporters with their capacity for peace-building.Media, War, and ConflictVol. 152022.OtherJournalism specific journalWarAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)Posttraumatic stress symptoms (subthreshold)NANANAAdd
Zena Dadouch and Michelle M. Lilly"Post-Trauma Psychopathology in Journalists: The Influence of Institutional Betrayal and World Assumptions"Journalists are often exposed to potentially traumatic content through their profession. High levels of exposure have been found to predict high levels of psychopathology among journalists, including posttraumatic stress, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms. Predictors of such outcomes have not been extensively investigated. The current study assessed the roles of world views, institutional betrayal, and work-related trauma exposure on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use, and depression. One hundred and fifteen journalists completed the online study and a portion subsequently completed a phone clinical interview. Greater exposure to work-related trauma was positively correlated with PTSD. Regression analyzes revealed that experiences of institutional betrayal moderated the relationship between shattered world assumptions and PTSD and alcohol use, but not depression. Specifically, among individuals who reported greater institutional betrayal, the relationship between benevolence of the world and PTSD and alcohol use was stronger. Results highlight the role of organizational factors in exacerbating symptoms of pathology. Implications include conducting research on micro- and macro-level factors that contribute to pathology in this group. Recommendations include destigmatizing disclosure of psychological needs to editors and news agencies, introducing more trainings for journalists and editorial staff focused on trauma, mental health, and how to improve and maintain psychological
well-being.JOURNALISM PRACTICEVol. 152021p. 955-973.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)PTSDNANANAAdd
Zena Dadouch and Michelle M. Lilly"Post-Trauma Psychopathology in Journalists: The Influence of Institutional Betrayal and World Assumptions"Journalists are often exposed to potentially traumatic content through their profession. High levels of exposure have been found to predict high levels of psychopathology among journalists, including posttraumatic stress, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms. Predictors of such outcomes have not been extensively investigated. The current study assessed the roles of world views, institutional betrayal, and work-related trauma exposure on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use, and depression. One hundred and fifteen journalists completed the online study and a portion subsequently completed a phone clinical interview. Greater exposure to work-related trauma was positively correlated with PTSD. Regression analyzes revealed that experiences of institutional betrayal moderated the relationship between shattered world assumptions and PTSD and alcohol use, but not depression. Specifically, among individuals who reported greater institutional betrayal, the relationship between benevolence of the world and PTSD and alcohol use was stronger. Results highlight the role of organizational factors in exacerbating symptoms of pathology. Implications include conducting research on micro- and macro-level factors that contribute to pathology in this group. Recommendations include destigmatizing disclosure of psychological needs to editors and news agencies, introducing more trainings for journalists and editorial staff focused on trauma, mental health, and how to improve and maintain psychological
well-being.JOURNALISM PRACTICEVol. 152021p. 955-973.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)PTSDNANANAAdd
Danielle Deavours"Nonverbal Neutrality Norm: How Experiencing Trauma Affects Journalists’ Willingness to Display Emotion"The neutrality norm, journalists’ ability to remove their opinions and emotions from coverage, is typically studied linguistically, not nonverbal communication, how something is said. More understanding is needed on how journalists maintain professional nonverbal neutrality norms during crises. Utilizing qualitative interviews with journalists analyzed through the lens of the needs of meaning framework, this study shows journalists are continually negotiating nonverbal neutrality boundaries. Results suggest journalists are not fully aware of nonverbal behaviors’ impact on overall neutrality, trained in controlling nonverbal behaviors, nor receiving coping support. Suggestions for individual and organizational practices are provided.JOURNAL OF BROADCASTING & ELECTRONIC MEDIAVol. 672023p. 112-134.Quasi-experimental researchJournalism specific journalAdultOccupational health of journalists (negative consequences of reporting trauma)NANANANAAdd