Traumatic research: Interviewing survivors of 9/11

This article describes the experiences of people who escaped from the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York on 11 September 2001. The authors were part of a team of researchers conducting face-to-face interviews with a sample of WTC survivors. In some instances, being exposed to their stories resulted in the authors' becoming vicariously traumatized. The authors think it is important to raise this as an issue for a wide range of psychologists, to suggest possible signs and ways of coping. 9/11 was a day that changed the world, and the survivors of that event have a unique story to tell. The authors suggest that a wider discussion of the psychological consequences of working with trauma survivors should include researchers. The survivor's stories revealed some positive aspects about human nature and the heroism of ordinary people. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)