Television Watching and Mental Health in the General Population of New York City After September 11

Abstract

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were watched on television by millions. Using data from a telephone survey of New York City residents in January 2002 (N = 2001), we examined the relations between television watching and probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the attacks. Among those who were directly affected by the attacks or had prior traumatic experiences, watching television was associated with probable PTSD. Experiencing a peri-event panic reaction accounted for some of the association between television watching and probable PTSD. Future research directions are suggested for better understanding the mechanisms behind observed associations between television watching and PTSD.