Perceived benefits after terrorist attacks: The role of positive and negative emotions

Abstract

Terrorist attacks have been related to the onset of several mental disorders. These events may also trigger positive psychological consequences in some individuals. In this research, we collected data several weeks after the 11 March 2004 Madrid terrorist attacks. We evaluated perceived benefits as well as a broad range of positive and negative emotions. All positive emotion factors (Strength, Excitement, Pride, and Joy) were positively associated with perceived benefits. Of negative emotion factors (Distress, Hate, and Shame), only Hate was related, negatively, to perceived benefits. These results highlight the important role of positive emotions in the research of perceived benefits as well as the wide array of positive and negative emotions that can be elicited after a terrorist attack.

Keywords:

• positive emotions
• benefit finding
• posttraumatic growth
• terrorism
• trauma

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Pau Pérez-Sales, Crystal Park, and Joseph Cohen for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper. We also thank Barbara Fredrickson for allowing us permission to use some of her scales and two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments to previous versions of this paper.