Internalizing Trauma: Distance Helps People Cope

Making sense of tragedy can be impossible. As problems often come out of the blue, they can hit unsuspecting residents, taking citizens by storm.

Despite the fact that it can be hard to turn away from detailed news reports regarding horrific events, researchers from the University of Texas at Austin note that the best way to make sense of a tragedy is to turn away from the media and personally internalize the situations.

"Certainty about what causes tragic events not only helps people feel better, but also gives them a sense of direction for action," Namkoong said, via a press release. "People launching petitions for government actions, constituents voting for policies, or even consumers boycotting against products that malfunction are all motivated by their certainty of the causes behind negative events."

Researchers analyzed data from 196 participants with information about the Sandy Hook shooting and altered their sense of time frame regarding the incident. For example, the study notes the following: "the shooting appears to be much more recent when compared with the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001. But in comparison with a similar incident that occurred just two weeks prior, the Sandy Hook shooting seems much farther away."

Results showed that as more time passed, participants perceived the shooting to be farther away.

"As time passes, people naturally gain more certainty about events," said Marlone, Henderson, assistant professor of psychology and co-author of the study, via the release. "If you're trying to give yourself a feeling of meaning, you can distance yourself from the incident with time and space. And this also applies to personal problems, such as troubles at work, a broken appliance, or even a bad breakup."

The results suggest important implications regarding mental health and what processing difficult situations can mean.

 "It's in the media's interest to keep coming up with new reasons because these things are novel and exciting," Henderson said, via the release. "But reporters could actually help bring people comfort by incorporating a sense of distance in their reports."

More information regarding the findings can be seen in Social Psychological and Personality Science.