9/11”s enduring impacts on America

Now, 10 years later, the tragic 9/11 terror attacks continue to have social, political and psychological impacts on the Americans, studies have found.

Americans still respond to the 9/11 attacks with negative social reactions, such as increased prejudice, as well as positive social reactions, including charitable donations and civic engagement.

They support a strong government response to terrorism when they perceive a high risk of future terrorism and feel angry with terrorists.

While Americans who were personally affected by the attacks were more likely to feel anxious about terrorism, they were less supportive of overseas military action.

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 have brought a substantial and enduring burden of posttraumatic stress disorder on those people who lost loved ones, as well as on firefighters and recovery workers.

For most children, the psychological consequences of 9/11 were relatively transient, particularly for those who only watched the events unfold on TV.

However, 9/11 may have affected American youth in other ways, in terms of their sociopolitical attitudes and their general beliefs about the world.
The study has been published in American Psychologist.