September 11th

The events of September 11th, 2001 struck terror into the hearts of all Americans, even those living far from home. Expatriate Americans witnessed the horrific attacks by television, either in nearly live time or in the repeated television coverage. Of those working for the military, State Department or for New York City based businesses the attacks were taken quite personally, especially among those familiar with the offices in the Pentagon or New York city, who had colleagues there, or who likely would have been victims had they been posted stateside at that time. In addition to the attacks themselves, their aftermath created new fears for Americans living abroad with heightened awareness of the possibility of being included as future terrorist targets. Suddenly personnel found their sense of security and worldviews assaulted.

Security was abruptly heightened around the world, particularly at U.S. embassies, military and other installations. Overnight, many Americans found that they were suddenly confronted with armed guards, barbwire and truck-bomb barriers surrounding their work places. For months after the attacks they received security circulars on how to increase their own personal and familial security and how to detect and deal with mail bombs and anthrax filled letters and other forms of bio-terrorism.[1]

The bombing and collapse of the Twin Trade towers, and partial collapse of the Pentagon with the resulting three thousand plus deaths, could easily be expected to cause acute and posttraumatic stress disorder in those close to ground zero. Indeed, traditional theories of posttraumatic stress disorder view proximity to disaster as a risk factor for development of either disorder, a finding that has also been born out in numerous studies (Hanson, et al, 1995; Pynoos et al, 1995; Hodgins et al, 2001; Schwarzwald, 1993; Fehon, Grilo & Lipschitz, 2001; Shalev, 2001). But what about those who witnessed the events from afar as did American personnel living abroad? What level of exposure, through television, media and personal contact, would be expected and how should psychologists expect this population to fare?