Victims on 11th March: Follow-up study by the SUMMA 112 Psychological Attention Unit

The Special Unit of Psychological Attention at SUMMA 112 carried out a medium-term follow-up survey with a 185-victims sample three months after the terrorist attacks on 11th March 2004 in Madrid. The results are presented in this paper. A protocol designed ad hoc by the Unit and TOP-8 scale were administered by telephone. During the follow-up 54 percent of the sample (64 percent women) showed probable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. 34 percent of victims received mental assistance one week after the terrorist attacks. A high number of respondents (83 percent) indicated a reduction of their initial symptoms during the survey, those which urged them to call SUMMA 112 emergency numbers in the first moments after the attacks. These results show the consequences on victims of a traumatic event and the relevance of immediate and close assistance in psychological crisis intervention in order to diminish the negative effects.