Worst Life Events and Media Exposure to Terrorism in a Nationally Representative U.S. Sample

Indirectly experienced negative life events are not considered Criterion A traumatic events per DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder diagnostic criteria, yet individuals indirectly exposed to trauma via the media may report these events as peak traumatic experiences. We studied which events people considered to be the "worst" in their lifetimes to gain a better understanding of the types of events individuals consider to be distressing. This longitudinal study included a nationally representative sample of U.S. residents living outside New York (N = 1,606) who were exposed to the September 11th, 2001 (9/11) terror attacks exclusively via the media. Bereavement was the most frequently cited "worst" life event (42.0%); violent events were cited by 11.4% of the sample. However, 22.0% of respondents reported 9/11 as their worst life event even though they did not directly experience the attacks. More lifetime exposure to violent events and bereavement, odds ratios (ORs) = 0.79 and 0.72, respectively, and a college education, OR = 0.61, were associated with decreased odds of naming 9/11 as one's worst life event. Watching 4 or more hours of 9/11-related television coverage in the week after the attacks, OR = 1.67, and identifying as African American, OR = 2.01, were associated with increased odds of naming 9/11 as one's worst life event 1 year after the attacks. Events experienced indirectly through the media may be considered the worst of people's lives, with important implications for assessing stressful life event history and understanding indirect exposure to negative life events.