Mar 20 2009
Sorting Out Psychological Response to Trauma
I absolutely loved encountering this science news headline:
Writing After Terrorist Attack Has Positive Medium Term Effects
“Medium Term Effects” — well done! Too often the effects a treatment brings are assumed to be permanent or long lasting. Frequently that isn’t the case. How frequently? We don’t know because the data isn’t there. Unfortunately, to keep monitoring subjects through the medium and into the long term takes more time, energy, and money.
Speaking of data, the study in question based its finding on this -
the comments recorded by 325 people living in the United States and 333 in Spain, the researcher and her team looked into how both groups put their feelings and thoughts into words.
Not the strongest data, in terms of quantity and quality. But it is something. I would, however, be sure to express my conclusions tentatively.
For example, because the researcher looked at the “expressive writing” of terrorism victims from both New York and Madrid the author felt justified in concluding that -
the results show that the feelings and thoughts experienced following this type of traumatic event are universal.
“Universal”? From a sampling of one large city each in two cultures? Perhaps a could be or even a probably should have been inserted before the universal.
The author’s overall conclusion, however, does include a crucial, three-letter word, in it. Can you spot it?
The study concludes that writing about a traumatic event can have positive effects over the medium term (from two months afterwards). Although the participants’ symptoms worsened over the short term (relating an event makes people relive it, and worsens their negative emotions), they felt better and paid less visits to the doctor over the medium and long term.
