Who can best support us through cumulative trauma exposure in the media

Bibliographic Data

ID9405495
AuthorsShir Porat-Butman (0009-0007-2132-0205, Bar-Ilan University), Sarit Agam (Bar-Ilan University), Savannah Glazer (Bar-Ilan University), Shiran Glazer, Eden Hakimi-Pour (Bar-Ilan University), Hanna Levenberg (Bar-Ilan University), Zohar Nimni (Bar-Ilan University), Maya Nissenhaus-Apel (Bar-Ilan University), Selin Simrooglu (Bar-Ilan University), Yael Shahar (Bar-Ilan University), Ariel Reuveni (Bar-Ilan University), Nof Vaknin (Bar-Ilan University), Einat Levy‐Gigi (0000-0001-5759-6480, Bar-Ilan University, corresponding author), Einat Levy-Gigi
Year2025
Volume262
Pages105921-105921
Publication date2025-11-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueActa Psychologica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105921
PMID41319417
OpenAlexW4416791097
LanguageEN
References cited89

In the digital age, exposure to media-related trauma is increasing, triggering clinical symptoms, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), even in those without direct trauma exposure. This effect is especially pronounced during wartime, when civilians are not only inundated with images and stories from the battlefield but also experience a heightened sense of personal involvement as the suffering affects their own communities, acquaintances, or even loved ones. Social support may alleviate clinical symptoms, but its effectiveness varies by source. Whereas previous studies have primarily focused on professionals in high-risk roles, the current study aims to test for the first time whether and how different sources of social support affect the tendency to develop PTSD symptoms following cumulative trauma exposure during an ongoing war. Two hundred and five Israeli civilians were assessed for media-related trauma exposure, social support, and PTSD symptom severity during the first year of the Israel-Hamas war. The results revealed that, in general, greater social support was associated with decreased symptom severity. However, only support from friends moderated the relationship between cumulative media-related trauma exposure and the tendency to develop symptoms. Hence, individuals with low friend support showed increased PTSD symptoms as trauma exposure accumulated. Conversely, those with high friend support maintained low levels of symptoms regardless of their exposure level. These findings remained significant when controlling for general trauma exposure. The findings highlight the need to develop interventions that strengthen friend support as a protective factor against cumulative media-related trauma exposure

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