The impact of terrorist attacks on mental well-being may be less significant than we are led to believe, researchers say.

A study published in The Lancet Psychiatry reviewed more than 400 research articles studying the association between acts of terrorism and mental health.

It concluded terrorism does not cause increases in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) more than would be expected from any other distressing events.

Commentary on the topic usually suggests an increase in terrorist attacks will have a negative impact on people’s psychological well-being.

Researchers from the University of Bath say this association is overstated due to a modern-day tendency to imagine the worst, particularly on mental health issues.

Professor Bill Durodie from the Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies at the University of Bath said: “After 9/11, there was an enormous push to uncover evidence of PTSD in people who said that they had been affected by those events either directly or indirectly through the media.

“Despite this, the reassuring conclusion of our work is that terrorism does not terrorise – at least not any more than being traumatised by any other challenging event.

“In that regard, our findings fly in the face of various announcements from politicians, officials, the media and even other academics that terrorist incidents impact our mental health and well-being adversely.”

He added: “This is not to say that people who experience traumatic events do not need psychological support but we believe that it is unhelpful to categorise more people than is true with PTSD.

“We are also saying that there were many other effects of 9/11 that were overlooked – primarily respiratory disorders, as well as economic and social ones, such as people losing their jobs.

“There is clear evidence of people’s resilience in the face of such events and so, for us, it is important for politicians, the media and commentators to take these findings on board and refocus attention more on this in the face of such terrible events.”

World Trade Center attack
A view of the World Trade Center on 9/11 (PA)

The team conducted an extensive review of research published both before and after the 9/11 attacks.

There was almost no focus on links between terrorism and mental health until shortly before 9/11, after which there was a spike in articles focused on the connection.

Researchers say this was encouraged by the recognition of PTSD and its redefinition by the American Psychological Association in 1994 in a cultural climate more attuned to emotional health.

Despite increasing attention on the subject, the team found no clear association between terror events and cases of PTSD.

Their findings suggest many studies expanded what was meant by the term, allowing for categories such as ‘pre-PTSD’ or ‘PTSD-symptom’ to be audited instead.

They say this confuses what is meant by PTSD and has the negative effect of ignoring other significant impacts tied to terror events, including social, economic and physical ones.

Expanding what constitutes PTSD may also lead to those who genuinely suffer from it being less able to access the support they need, the team argue.

Dr David Wainwright, senior lecturer at the University of Bath’s Department for Health, said: “Notably, our work also drew into question the presumption that people, particularly the young, can be traumatised merely through watching such events unfold on TV.

“Some researchers did rush to such conclusions but usually retracted them a few years later.

“Unfortunately, though, it is their earlier, impressionistic assumptions that continue to be cited in many instances, despite most noting that there is no conclusive evidence on this.”

He added: “Of course, young people should be protected from events and have these explained to them. They may need to have their television viewing limited, too.

“But this has more to do with the challenges of asserting parental authority today – a social factor – than media or medical effects that are deemed to be inevitable.

“The inordinate focus on children in the work we reviewed may also express an unstated desire to control adult responses through the auspices of protection.”

The team say policymakers should note how people usually cope by making use of their own networks and initiative.

Responses to terrorist incidents that highlight social bonds and resilience – rather than physical vulnerability – should also be encouraged, they added.