Do freelancers suffer more from war reporting?

According to the recently produced results of Dr. Anthony Feinstein's PTSD research project , the answer would seem to be - yes. Last year, many of you participated in this University of Toronto study on how journalists are affected psychologically by their work in war zones. Dr. Feinstein's findings with regard to freelancers make interesting reading.

As part of a wide ranging study looking at psychological difficulties in war journalists, a subgroup analysis was completed, exploring whether freelancers differed from stringers (non-freelance) when it came to conditions such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and substance abuse. Of the 140 war journalists assessed, 30 were freelance and their responses on a series of questionnaires were compared to those from the 110 stringers. The results showed that freelancers tended to be slightly younger and therefore to have worked for less time in war zones. However, the group we studied were still very experienced with over 13 years spent covering conflicts (the stringers had been in conflict zones for 16+ years). There were no differences between the two groups when it came to factors such as level of education or marital status. However, statistically significant differences emerged when the data from the psychological assessment were analyzed. Freelancers had more depression and were more likely to endorse symptoms of social dysfunction, that is an inability to function as they formerly had in social situations. They were also more likely to use cannabis. On the other hand, freelancers were not more likely to display symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

These results suggest that freelance war journalists lacking the support, be it logistic or emotional, available to their colleagues in the large news organisations, are more vulnerable when it comes to developing depression. Depression per se may be the single most important factor leading to social difficulties amongst freelancers.

Dr. Anthony Feinstein MPhil.PhD.FRCPC

Issue 9
June 2001

• From the Chairman
• The Rory Peck Awards
• Do freelancers suffer more from war reporting?
• News World Asia
• Year 2 of the Rory Peck Training Fund

• Issue 13
• Issue 12
• Issue 11
• Issue 10
• Issue 9
• Issue 8
• Issue 7
• Issue 6
• Issue 5
• Issue 4
• Issue 3
• Issue 2
• Issue 1

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