[Psychotraumatological Defence Mechanisms in the Print Media Coverage of 'September 11']

Media have a significant influence on the perception of mental disorders in society. Especially in the case of traumatizations, the indirect confrontation with a traumatic event will lead to the application of psychotraumatological defence mechanisms aiming at retaining an illusory sense of security. Experts assume that journalists are also making use of psychotraumatological defence when reporting on disasters in print media. This, in turn, will influence the reception of traumatic events in the public in general and in the construction of victim and perpetrator in particular.

Is there evidence of the employment of psychotraumatological defence mechanisms on the part of the journalists to be found in the German and American print media coverage of 'September 11'?

All the articles (N=260) published about the 'September 11' (11 Sep-11 Oct 2001) in 3 German and American newspapers were evaluated by content analyses.

In 195 of the N=260 articles analysed, the occurrence of psychotraumatological defence mechanisms could be confirmed (in 74% of the German and 76% of the American articles). The comparison between tabloid and quality print media showed that tabloid journalism tends to make more use of defence strategies (evident in 84% of the German and 86% of the American tabloid press articles).

On the basis of these findings a guideline for the compilation of an "optimal article" has been developed with the purpose of preventing the use of psychotraumatological defence.