Prevention Strategies and Promoting Psychological Resilience to Bioterrorism through Communication (original) (raw)
2007, In M.S. Green, J. Zenilman and D. Cohen (Eds.), Risk assessment risk and communication strategies in bioterrorism preparedness.
This paper examines the challenges that governments and civil society faces in preparing for bioterrorist attacks – the challenges of reporting bioterrorism in the media, the psychological responses that are likely and how to deal with them, how terrorism may disrupt the political processes and how to respond to the needs of the population for calming and accurate information while minimizing fear states and maximizing compliance with government instructions. It examines the psychological dimensions of mass bioterrorist attacks on the civil population and government responses, working first from the normal government expectation of panic to a more modulated recognition that even when panic does occur, so too do increased attachment, cohesive, and supportive societal behaviors in response to disaster situations. Likewise, this paper addresses medical, psychiatric, psycho-social and informational needs that are likely to be encountered in the face of “invisible” threats and makes suggestions for designing risk communication strategies to address psychological contagion, acute and posttraumatic responses and to maximize resilience in the face of the increased bio-terror threats of today’s world. Today’s terrorists are skillful in their manipulation of mass media to amplify the effects of their attacks. In response governments must be equally prepared and ready to remain calm and truthful in their communication in times of crisis and they must not compromise the core values of democracy in taking up the defense against terrorism.
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