The majority of the US population was exposed to 9/11 indirectly, through media outlets such as news programs, and through family and friends. Thus, examining the health consequences of mass traumatic events experienced through media and technology outlets is increasingly important. Consistent with previous findings (Breslau et al., 2010; McLaughlin et al., 2010b), the current study found that those who directly experienced 9/11 had an increased risk of subsequent INT disorders, an effect that was largely driven by PTSD. However, those who experienced 9/11 through the media, family or friends had increased risk on both the INT and EXT dimensions, which may indicate that these individuals had a broader range of psychological consequences following 9/11. It is important to consider however, that the non-significant EXT effects observed for those with direct exposure may be due to the smaller sample size (and related lack of power to detect an effect), rather than 9/11 direct exposure being less impactful than 9/11 indirect exposure.
