- Disasters, terror and stress management
The terror attack: Experience and reactions among Utøya survivorsThe project manager for this project is Dr. Grete Dyb (PI) and Dr. Synne Stensland is the co- Principle Investigator (PI).
22 July 2011: politically engaged young people and youth leaders on Utøya became victims of the most serious terrorist attack in Norway in peacetime. Based on the horrifying stories told by the young people who were there, the number of those killed and injured, victims’ young ages, and the fact that the youths were targeted for attack, these events are considered to constitute stresses of extremely serious character.
Contact the research group
Kate Louise Porcheret
Monica Baumann-Larsen
Andrea Barsnes Undset
Santhia Selvasri
Facts about the project
Period
2011-2029
Project description
The Utøya massacre is considered a severe trauma due to the scope of injuries and fatalities, the young age of those affected, and the fact that they were designated targets. How individuals cope after extreme stress depends on a number of factors and will vary over time. The study will provide new and important knowledge about the impact of terrorism on young survivors and their families, as well as the course of the trauma and risk factors. This knowledge is essential for planning early interventions and treatment after disasters and other traumatic events.
The overall aim of this study is to identify factors associated with long-term health development and everyday functioning in adolescent and young adult victims of a terrorist attack. The study will also provide knowledge about how young people and their next of kin experienced their encounter with the support system, and how they were met in local communities and schools.
The Utøya study started a few months after the terror attack at Utøya Island on July 22nd 2011. The study has since then become a reputable study which has produced a large number of publications.
The study is a prospective, longitudinal interview study, in which data collection has been conducted at four points: 4-5 months, 14-15 months, 30-31 months and 8,9 years after the terror attack. All survivors of the mass-shootings on the Utøya island have been invited to participate in the study. Additionally, the survivors’ parents were invited to participate. Survivors, as well as parents of youth 20 years or younger, were interviewed face-to-face separately. Parents of older survivors received a questionnaire.
Through four rounds of data collection, the research project has had a participation of 79 percent (398 survivors), with approximately equal numbers of girls/women (194; 49%) and boys/men. Participation counts by wave were T1: 332, T2: 291, T3: 266, T4: 289. We had good participation from parents (T1: 463, T2: 435, T3: 377, T4: 318).
In addition to interview and questionnaire data, the study has access to other data sources (e.g., hospital records, information from police interviews) and national registries (e.g., the Education Registry, KUHR, the Norwegian Patient Registry, the Prescription Database, FD Trygd). These administrative data sources have provided very valuable information about what support measures were provided and how education was affected.
The study is funded by the Norwegian Directorate of Health, the Research Council of Norway, ExtraStiftelsen and the University of Oslo, and is carried out by the Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS).
After each data-collection wave, reports summarizing the results have been sent to participants. See summaries from Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV of the study.
The study has a highly valuable and close collaboration with the July 22 Support Group (Støttegruppen 22. juli — 22juli.info). The support group has provided input to the design and conduct of the study, and we have a mutual exchange of information and initiatives that concern our informants.
The study was approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics in Norway.
Dr. Grete Dyb is the PI and Dr. Synne Stensland is the co-PI for Utøya 4.