INTERVIEW ANALYSIS

Interview Analysis

Interview Analysis

One of the first studies of the long-term impact of the 2001 terrorist incidents on ordinary Americans who were not direct victims has found that the majority of the survey's participants (73 percent) felt that the 9/11 events had changed them or their outlook on life. The most common responses were that they felt more vulnerable, were shocked by the attacks, and experienced a change in how they want to live their lives with a focus on living life to the fullest.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, Suzanne Thompson, professor of Psychology at Pomona College in Claremont CA, and her research assistants interviewed 501 people, who were not direct victims, in the second year following the attacks (September 2002 to July 2003) and focused on feelings of distress (anxiety, loss of control, personal vulnerability) and fear of flying.

According to Thompson, "Most participants felt more distress (65 percent) and a stronger fear of flying (55 percent) immediately after the event than they did before the attacks. Anxiety is at a lower level now, but is still significantly higher than pre-attack levels. In fact, the current levels of distress and concern about flying remain surprisingly high even in this one- to two-year period following the incident." Of those whose distress increased immediately after the attacks, almost one-half are currently still experiencing heightened anxiety, loss of control, and vulnerability. Fear of flying and reluctance to fly also remain elevated for a substantial number of people (31 percent).

The study also examined the actions and coping strategies that were associated with experiencing distress. According to cognitive adaptation theory, actively processing threatening material, finding understanding and meaning, and keeping a sense of control should lead to successful coping with a traumatic experience

Because feeling that the attacks were understandable and judging that one's risk was low were both important correlates of good coping, participants' perceptions about these two topics were examined in further detail. Participants identified a wide variety of reasons why the attacks occurred ranging from US foreign relations policy to the actions of zealots and crazy people. Three reasons were most strongly associated with feeling a sense of understanding and meaning: Believing that the attacks were due to misguided U.S. foreign policy, economic disparity between the U.S. and other countries, and the actions of crazy people. Although these are very different explanations, a belief in any one of them seemed to satisfy the ...