This study was the first to explore associations between 9/11 exposure and latent dimensions of psychopathology. We found that in a sample who endorsed no psychiatric history prior to 9/11, indirect exposure (i.e. media, friends/family) was related to both INT and EXT dimensions of psychopathology, whereas direct exposure was associated with the INT dimension only. The associations between 9/11 and these outcomes went beyond the effects of two indicators of childhood adversity, childhood maltreatment and parental history of mental illness, and for individuals who had experienced these forms of childhood adversity, the risk for INT and EXT dimensions associated with 9/11 was exacerbated. Taken together, these findings indicate the broad psychological impact of 9/11 on the US general population, and provide further evidence that early adversity increases the psychological risk associated with later trauma exposure. These results highlight the need for mental health clinicians to incorporate assessments of childhood maltreatment and parental history of psychopathology into assessments of mental health service users, in order to provide suitable, evidence-based treatment to individuals who report such experiences. In addition, clinicians treating patients
