Psüühiliste kriisireaktsioonide ilmnemine meediakajastuses kolme traumaatilise sündmuse näitel: Pala, Kurkse, Ussisoo

Date

2009

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Tartu Ulikool

Abstract

Description

The occurrence of psychic crisis reactions in media coverage, based on three traumatic events: Pala, Kurkse, Ussisoo. In my Bachelor‘s thesis I examined the media coverage of three traumatic events in order to find psychic crisis reactions in the statements of information sources. In case of Pala accident, a truck rammed a school bus on 11th October 1996. Five girls and three boys at the age of 10 – 14 died, many were injured. In case of Kurkse accident, 22 Estonian peacekeepers tried to cross the Kurkse Strait on foot as part of the survival exercise „Tough life“. Fourteen soldiers at the age of 20 –27 years drowned on 11th September 1997. In case of Ussisoo accident on 25th January 2009 a Peugeot coming from Tartu collided with a Renault Laguna coming from Tallinn. Four people at the age of 13-20 years died. The theoretical part of my Bachelor’s thesis pointed out the guidelines, basis and principles proceeding from which journalists compile the news. It also explained the influence that accidents, crises and catastrophes may have on those people who are to a smaller or greater extent connected to the event. The theoretical part described and explained the course of the crisis and the different reaction phases (shock phase, early reaction phase, late reaction phase, post-traumatic stress disorder), the reactive psychosis and the distinctive features of children’s crisis reactions. In order to find the psychic crisis reactions in the media coverage of Pala, Kurkse and Ussisoo accidents, I studied the media coverage of each accident within the period of two weeks after the date of the accident. As a result of examining the newspapers (excluding the online-media) I gathered my empirical data that consisted of 65 articles. Empirical data was analyzed based on 13 categories and by using a quantitative method as well as qualitative method. Quantitative method enabled to analyze the appearing of different speakers in the articles, variations in the different psychic crisis reactions that emerged in the articles etc. The qualitative method enabled me to illustrate the aspects pointed out in the theoretical part with examples from the texts and to emphasise the results of the quantitative analyses. Based on my Bachelor’s thesis it was proven that accidents, crisis and catastrophes have an impact not only on the people who were closely connected to the event but also on the people that reflect the events. For a truthful media coverage it is important that the journalists would know and feel how reflecting accidents, crises and catastrophes may affect their mental state, thinking and feelings. They should have the knowledge of how to take into account the possibility that the information sources may be suffering from different psychic crisis reactions and how to analyze how these reactions may affect their statements.

Keywords

H Social Sciences (General)

Citation