Habercilik Alanında Çalışanların Travmatik Yaşantılara Maruziyetleriyle Oluşabilecek Sonuçlar ve Baş Etme Yöntemleri

Year 2025, Volume: 18 Issue: 3, 638 - 651

Mübeccel Yeniada Kırseven , Eren Karakaya

https://doi.org/10.17218/hititsbd.1625531

Abstract

Habercilik alanında çalışanlar, mesleğin doğası gereği ruhsal açıdan zorlayıcı olaylarla karşılaşma riski altındadır. Bu olaylar, sahada görev yapan muhabirlerin doğrudan maruziyeti ile ortaya çıkabileceği gibi, haber merkezlerinde rahatsız edici görüntü ve içeriklerle çalışanların dolaylı maruziyeti şeklinde de yaşanabilmektedir. Travmatik olaylara maruz kalma sonrasında travma sonrası stres belirtileri, depresif ve somatik belirtiler, yoğun kaygı ve tükenmişlik görülebilmektedir. Ayrıca dolaylı travmatik maruziyetin ikincil travma belirtilerine veya daha kalıcı değişimlere işaret eden üstlenilmiş travmaya yol açabildiği bilinmektedir. Bu psikolojik sonuçlar bireysel risk faktörlerinin yanı sıra, haberciliğe özgü bazı koşullardan da etkilenmektedir. Etik ikilemler, travma sonrasında olumsuz etkilerin görünür kılınmasını baskılayan, zorlayıcı görevleri teşvik eden ve ruh sağlığı taramalarına yeterli önem vermeyen kurumsal yapılar bu bağlamda kritik rol oynamaktadır. Literatürde sağlık ve acil müdahale alanlarında travmaya ilişkin kapsamlı çalışmalar bulunmasına karşın, habercilikteki araştırmalar sınırlı ve dağınık kalmıştır. Bu boşluktan hareketle mevcut çalışmada, habercilerin travmatik deneyimlerine, bu deneyimlerle ilişkili psikolojik zorluklara ve baş etme önerilerine, alana özgü koşullar ve kurumsal stres faktörleri çerçevesinde yer verilmiştir. Çalışmanın amacı, habercilerin travma sonrası yaşantılarına bütüncül bir bakış sunarak hem teorik hem de pratik düzeyde literatüre katkı sağlamaktır. Elde edilen sonuçlar, kurum kültürünün travmaya duyarlı biçimde yeniden yapılandırılmasının ve sistematik ruh sağlığı desteğinin sağlanmasının önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

Travma Sonrası Stres Bozukluğu , İkincil Travma , Tükenmişlik , Habercilik , Baş Etme

The Potential Consequences of Journalists' Exposure to Traumatic Experiences and Coping Strategies

Abstract

Individuals working in the field of journalism are at risk of encountering psychologically distressing events due to the inherent nature of their profession. Such exposures may occur directly, as in the case of field reporters witnessing traumatic incidents, or indirectly, for those working behind the scenes who are confronted with disturbing and uncensored images. Following exposure to these events, symptoms such as post-traumatic stress, depression, somatic complaints, heightened anxiety, and burnout may emerge. In addition, indirect exposure can lead to secondary traumatic symptoms or the more enduring phenomenon of vicarious trauma. These psychological consequences are shaped not only by individual vulnerability factors but also by journalism-specific conditions. Ethical dilemmas, organizational structures that suppress the expression of trauma-related difficulties, encourage participation in demanding assignments, and fail to provide sufficient mental health screenings play a significant role in this regard. Although the literature on trauma has expanded in fields such as healthcare and emergency response, research on journalism remains limited and fragmented. Building on this gap, the present review examines the traumatic experiences of journalists, the psychological challenges associated with these experiences, and coping strategies, within the framework of profession-specific and institutional stress factors. The study aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on journalists’ post-traumatic experiences and to contribute to the literature at both theoretical and practical levels. The findings underscore the importance of developing trauma-sensitive organizational cultures and ensuring systematic mental health support within journalism.

Keywords

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder , Secondary Trauma , Burnout , Journalism , Coping

References

• Aoki, Y., Malcolm, E., Yamaguchi, S., Thornicroft, G., & Henderson, C. (2013). Mental illness among journalists: A systematic review. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 59(4), 377-390. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764012437678
• American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., Text rev.). American Psychiatric Association. Retrieved from: https://doi/book/10.1176/appi.books.9780890420249.dsm-iv-tr
• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
• Benjet, C., Bromet, E., Karam, E. G., Kessler, R. C., McLaughlin, K. A., Ruscio, A. M., et al. (2016). The epidemiology of traumatic event exposure worldwide: Results from the World Mental Health Survey Consortium. Psychological Medicine, 46(2), 327-343. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291715001981
• Breslau, N., & Davis, G. C. (1987). Posttraumatic stress disorder: The etiologic specificity of wartime stressors. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144(5), 578-583. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.144.5.578
• Briere, J., Agee, E., & Dietrich, A. (2016). Cumulative trauma and current posttraumatic stress disorder status in general population and inmate samples. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 8(4), 439-446. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000107
• Browne, T., Evangeli, M., & Greenberg, N. (2012). Trauma-related guilt and posttraumatic stress among journalists. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 25(2), 207-210. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.21679
• Buchanan, M., & Keats, P. (2011). Coping with traumatic stress in journalism: A critical ethnographic study. International Journal of Psychology, 46(2), 127-135. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207594.2010.532799
• Charles, M. (2022). Re-thinking trauma: Local journalism, peace-building and continuous traumatic stress (CTS) on the violent margins of Colombia. Media, War & Conflict, 15(2), 202-220. https://doi.org/10.1177/17506352211026547
• Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310-357. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310
• Çevik, A. C. (2019). Türkiye’de gazetecilik pratikleri ve dolaylı travma deneyimleri, (Master's thesis), Ankara University, Ankara.
• Dadouch, Z., & Lilly, M. M. (2021). Post-trauma psychopathology in journalists: The influence of institutional betrayal and world assumptions. Journalism Practice, 15(7), 955-973. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2020.1851012
• Deutscher, M. (2007). Thinking trauma. In M. Sharpe, M. Noonan, & J. Freddi (Eds.), Trauma, history, philosophy (pp. 10-24). Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Ehlers, A., & Clark, D. M. (2000). A cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38(4), 319-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(99)00123-0
• Feinstein, A. (2012). Mexican journalists: An investigation of their emotional health. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 25(4), 480-483. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.21729
• Feinstein, A. (2013). Mexican journalists and journalists covering war: A comparison of psychological wellbeing. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, 5(2), 77-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/17596591311313672
• Feinstein, A., Audet, B., & Waknine, E. (2014). Witnessing images of extreme violence: A psychological study of journalists in the newsroom. JRSM Open, 5(8), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2054270414533323
• Feinstein, A., & Osmann, J. (2023). Predictors of psychological distress in frontline journalists: Common denominators across three decades of conflicts. Traumatology. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000445
• Feinstein, A., Owen, J., & Blair, N. (2002). A hazardous profession: War, journalists, and psychopathology. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(9), 1570-1575. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.159.9.1570
• Figley, C. R. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Toward a new understanding of the costs of caring. In B. H. Stamm (Ed.), Secondary traumatic stress: Self-care issues for clinicians, researchers, and educators (pp. 3-28). The Sidran Press.
• Hughes, S., Iesue, L., De Ortega Bárcenas, H. F., Sandoval, J. C., & Lozano, J. C. (2021). Coping with occupational stress in journalism: Professional identities and advocacy as resources. Journalism Studies, 22(7), 971-991. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2020.1868108
• Idås, T., Backholm, K., & Korhonen, J. (2019). Trauma in the newsroom: Social support, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among journalists working with terror. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 10(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2019.1601985
• Janoff-Bulman, R. (1989). Assumptive worlds and the stress of traumatic events: Applications of the schema construct. Social Cognition, 7(2), 113-136. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.1989.7.2.113
• Keats, P. A., & Buchanan, M. J. (2013). Covering trauma in Canadian journalism: Exploring the challenges. Traumatology, 19(3), 210-222. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534765613476089
• Koster, S. M., Koot, H. M., Malik, J. A., & Sijbrandij, M. (2022). Associations among traumatic experiences, threat exposure, and mental health in Pakistani journalists. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 35(2), 581-592. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22772
• Lee, M., Ha, E. H., & Pae, J. K. (2018). The exposure to traumatic events and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder among Korean journalists. Journalism, 19(9-10), 1308-1325. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884917707596
• Löfgren Nilsson, M., & Örnebring, H. (2016). Journalism under threat: Intimidation and harassment of Swedish journalists. Journalism Practice, 10(7), 880-890. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2016.1164614
• Luszczynska, A., Benight, C. C., & Cieslak, R. (2009). Self-efficacy and health-related outcomes of collective trauma: A systematic review. European Psychologist, 14(1), 51-62. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040.14.1.51
• MacDonald, J. B., Hodgins, G., & Saliba, A. J. (2017). Trauma exposure in journalists: A systematic literature review. Fusion Journal, (11), 34-44. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.051520184155375
• Malik, S. F., Malik, J. A., & Hanif, R. (2022). Gender as a risk factor in relationship between trauma exposure and mental health symptoms among journalists. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 23(3), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.54615/2231-7805.47330
• Maslach, C. (2001). What have we learned about burnout and health? Psychology & Health, 16(5), 607-611. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440108405530
• Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2(2), 99-113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205
• Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52(1), 397-422. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397
• Maxson, J. (2000). Training journalism students to deal with trauma: Observing reporters behave like "creeps". Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 55(4), 79-86. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769580005500406
• McCann, I. L., & Pearlman, L. A. (1990). Vicarious traumatization: A framework for understanding the psychological effects of working with victims. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 3(1), 131-149. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00975140
• McMahon, C. (2001). Covering disaster: A pilot study into secondary trauma for print media journalists reporting on disaster. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 16(2), 52-56. Retrieved from: https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/ielapa.378230090783367
• Newman, E., Simpson, R., & Handschuh, D. (2003). Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder among photojournalists. Visual Communication Quarterly, 10(1), 4-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/15551390309363428
• Obermaier, M., Wiedicke, A., Steindl, N., & Hanitzsch, T. (2023). Reporting trauma: Conflict journalists’ exposure to potentially traumatizing events, short-and long-term consequences, and coping behavior. Journalism Studies, 24(11), 1398-1417. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2023.2216808
• Olajide Talabi, F., Okunade, J. K., Talabi, J. M., Lamidi, I. K., Bello, S. A., & Chinweobo-Onoha, B. (2024). Effectiveness of art therapy in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and the propensity to quit journalism among journalists covering banditry activities in Nigeria. Media, War & Conflict, 17(4), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/17506352231225344
• Osmann, J., Dvorkin, J., Inbar, Y., Page-Gould, E., & Feinstein, A. (2021). The emotional well-being of journalists exposed to traumatic events: A mapping review. Media, War & Conflict, 14(4), 476-502. https://doi.org/10.1177/1750635220947989
• Pearlman, L. A., & Saakvitne, K. W. (1995). Trauma and the therapist: Countertransference and vicarious traumatization in psychotherapy with incest survivors. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Perez, L. M., Jones, J., Englert, D. R., & Sachau, D. (2010). Secondary traumatic stress and burnout among law enforcement investigators exposed to disturbing media images. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 25(2), 113-124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-010-9066-7
• Pinchevski, A. (2016). Screen trauma: Visual media and post-traumatic stress disorder. Theory, Culture & Society, 33(4), 51-75. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263276415590235
• Pyevich, C. M., Newman, E., & Daleiden, E. (2003). The relationship among cognitive schemas, job-related traumatic exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder in journalists. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 16(4), 325-328. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024407715409
• Saari, S., & Silver, A. (2005). A bolt from the blue: Coping with disasters and acute traumas. Londra: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
• Seely, N. (2019). Journalists and mental health: The psychological toll of covering everyday trauma. Newspaper Research Journal, 40(3), 239-259. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739532919856162
• Shah, S. F. A., Jan, F., Ginossar, T., McGrail, J. P., Baber, D., & Ullah, R. (2022). Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder among regional journalists in Pakistan. Journalism, 23(2), 391-408. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884920965783
• Shah, S. F. A., Ullah, Z., Murphy, B., & Slaughter, A. (2024). Trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress, and coping with psychological distress among local journalists. Southwestern Mass Communication Journal, 40(2). https://doi.org/10.58997/yqm75009
• Siddiqua, A., & Iqbal, M. Z. (2024). Journalists and Exposure to Trauma: Exploring Perceptions of PTSD and Resilience among Pakistan’s Conflict Reporters. Journalism Practice, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2024.2317827
• Smith, R. J., Drevo, S., & Newman, E. (2018). Covering traumatic news stories: Factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder among journalists. Stress and Health, 34(2), 218-226. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2773
• Stevenson, J. (2007). Welfare considerations for supervisors managing child sexual abuse online units, [Doctoral dissertation], Middlesex University, USA.
• Şafak, A. (2023). Gazetecilik ve travma: Sakarya’daki yerel gazetecilerin 1999 Marmara depremi deneyimleri {Master's thesis}, Sakarya University, Sakarya.
• Thomas, E. A., Owens, G. P., & Keller, E. M. (2021). Relationships among non-interpersonal and interpersonal trauma types, posttraumatic stress, and posttraumatic growth. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 77(11), 2592-2608. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23279
• Xiong, Y., & Liao, S. (2024). Thriving after trauma in emotional livelihood journalism in China: Vicarious exposure to trauma and vicarious post-traumatic growth among journalists. Journalism, 25(6), 1401-1421. https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849231183513
• Weidmann, A., Fehm, L., & Fydrich, T. (2008). Covering the tsunami disaster: Subsequent post-traumatic and depressive symptoms and associated social factors. Stress and Health, 24(2), 129-135. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smi.1168
• Weidmann, A., & Papsdorf, J. (2010). Witnessing trauma in the newsroom: Posttraumatic symptoms in television journalists exposed to violent news clips. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 198(4), 264–271. Retrieved from: https://journals.lww.com/jonmd/abstract/2010/04000/witnessing_trauma_in_the_newsroomposttraumatic.4.aspx
• Williams, S., & Cartwright, T. (2021). Post-traumatic stress, personal risk and post-traumatic growth among UK journalists. European journal of psychotraumatology, 12(1), 1881727. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1881727