Dart in the American Psychological Association Spotlight

A new feature story in the American Psychological Association’s Monitor spotlights the interdisciplinary nature of the Dart Center’s work. Headquartered at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, the Dart Center has a satellite research office headed by Elana Newman, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Tulsa. Newman, a past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, spearheads research both on the public’s response to trauma coverage as well as the personal health of journalists who experience trauma on the job.

When the Dart Center was founded in 1999 at the University of Washington, there was little talk among journalists about psychological trauma. "It just wasn't on the radar," Bruce Shapiro, Dart's executive director told Anna Miller for the story in the Monitor’s February 2014 issue.

Miller describes how world events shaped Dart’s future. “Then came the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan….The Dart Center…was poised to help. It set up a temporary site at ground zero in New York City in response to 9/11, established permanent outposts in Europe and Australia, and has since held programs in 25 nations. In 2009, the center moved to Columbia University.”

The Dart Center now occupies a unique position in the rapidly change world of journalism: an organization that applies science and research directly to professional practice and educational preparation. "We can help journalists report more effectively on veterans because we can read the scientific papers on vets and know what they mean. We can help news organizations make better decisions when covering a crisis like Newtown because we understand the impact of traumatic events on children and families," Shapiro said. "News choices become informed by research, and that's an extraordinary thing."

To read the full story, click here.