Factors Contributing to PTSD and Compassion Fatigue in Television News Workers
Gretchen Dworznik

Abstract
A great deal of research has been done on the psychological effects of news coverage on viewers. However, more recent research has shown that journalists, too, can suffer psychologically and emotionally from the stories that they cover. This study examined the specific aspects of a journalist’s job that contribute to these psychological conditions by surveying 280 television news workers for posttraumatic stress (PTSD) and compassion fatigue. Results showed that the type of stories covered was a significant predictor of PTSD, while job commitment, social support, perceived work pressure, and gender were significant predictors of compassion fatigue symptoms. Implications for these findings are discussed as well as possible applications in the training of new journalists and the broadcast industry itself.

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