MEDIA-INDUCED SECONDARY TRAUMATISATION OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATION IN A WAR ZONE: THE COGNITIVE ASPECT

The full-scale war in Ukraine has significantly altered the psychological experience of the civilian population. Alongside the immediate experience of danger, the loss of loved ones, forced displacement or the disruption of their normal way of life, the constant exposure to traumatic media content has become a significant factor in psychological trauma. The modern information landscape provides round-the-clock access to news, photos and videos from combat zones, reports of casualties, destruction and other war-related events. As a result, the media are increasingly viewed not only as a means of informing the public, but also as a factor in secondary psychological trauma.

In psychological science, secondary traumatisation has traditionally been associated with the professional activities of those in the helping professions—psychologists, doctors, social workers and journalists—who are constantly exposed to other people’s traumatic experiences. However, recent research shows that such reactions can also occur in individuals who are not direct participants in traumatic events but who systematically engage with traumatic media content [5]. In this context, the concept of media-induced secondary traumatisation has emerged, defined as a psychological reaction to indirect exposure to traumatic events through media communication []6.

The issue becomes particularly pressing in the context of prolonged military information warfare. Constant exposure to negative news creates a chronic state of tension and psychological exhaustion. Holman, Garfin and Silver [3] note that excessive media consumption following traumatic events can cause acute stress reactions that are even more pronounced than in those who witnessed the event directly. This effect is explained by the high emotional intensity of contemporary media content, the repetition of traumatic stories, and the constant updating of the news feed.

Cognitive manifestations play a particularly significant role in the structure of media-induced secondary traumatisation. Prolonged exposure to traumatic media content can alter patterns of attention, memory, thinking and future forecasting. One of the most characteristic manifestations is hypervigilance, which manifests itself through constant focus on potential threats and obsessive monitoring of the news. Individuals may exhibit a compulsive need to check the news and social media, even whilst being aware of the negative impact of such behaviour on their emotional state.

Intrusive thoughts and obsessive images related to media content viewed are also an important cognitive component. Emotionally charged photographs and videos can linger in a person’s cognitive field for a long time, disrupting concentration and daily functioning. Goodwin et al. [2] emphasise that active consumption of negative content on social media is associated with increased levels of post-traumatic symptoms and emotional distress.

Researchers are paying particular attention to the phenomenon of ‘doomscrolling’—the compulsive consumption of negative news, which exacerbates stress, rumination and cognitive overload. Constant immersion in a traumatic information environment contributes to the development of catastrophising and negative predictions about the future. People begin to perceive the surrounding reality through the prism of danger, instability and uncertainty. Such cognitive changes are accompanied by emotional exhaustion, increased anxiety and reduced psychological resilience [4].

Furthermore, media-induced secondary traumatic stress has a negative impact on an individual’s social functioning and psychological well-being. Comstock and Platania [1] point out that systematic exposure to traumatic media content can reduce the level of subjective perception of social support, exacerbate symptoms of anxiety and contribute to the development of emotional exhaustion.

Thus, media-induced secondary traumatisation is an important psychological phenomenon in the contemporary military information environment. Its cognitive aspect manifests itself through hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, catastrophising, rumination, impaired concentration, and negative predictions about the future. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for developing psychoprophylactic programmes, fostering safe media consumption skills, and supporting the mental health of the civilian population under conditions of prolonged wartime stress.

References

1. Comstock C., Platania J. The role of media-induced secondary traumatic stress on perceptions of distress. American International Journal of Social Science. 2017. Vol. 6, № 1. P. 16–25.
2. Goodwin R., Palgi Y., Hamama-Raz Y., Ben-Ezra M. In the eye of the storm or the bullseye of the media: social media use during Hurricane Sandy as a predictor of post-traumatic stress. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 2013. Vol. 47, № 8. P. 1099–1100.
3. Holman E. A., Garfin D. R., Silver R. C. Media’s role in broadcasting acute stress following the Boston Marathon bombings. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2014. Vol. 111, № 1. P. 93–98.
4. Pe’er A. Media exposure to armed conflict and psychological distress. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2022. Vol. 13. Art. 976473.
5. Pfefferbaum B., Nitiéma P., Newman E. et al. Is viewing mass trauma television coverage associated with trauma reactions in adults and youth? A meta-analytic review. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 2019. Vol. 32, № 2. P. 179–191.
6. Su Z., McDonnell D., Cheshmehzangi A. et al. Media-induced war trauma amid conflicts in Ukraine. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2022. Vol. 74. Art. 103228.