Mental models of attachment, social strain, and distress following a collective loss: A structural modeling analysis

Individuals who were exposed to the terrorist attacks of September 11th through the media but suffered no personal bereavement may have experienced a "collective loss." College students (314 total, 219 females, 95 males) completed questionnaires between 20 and 42 days after the attacks. Structural equation modeling was used to examine theoretically derived hypotheses. As expected, individuals with negative self-views reported greater social strain and general distress, while those with more positive views of others reported lower social strain and general distress. Furthermore, in the early weeks after the attacks, social strain only partially mediated the relationship between mental models of attachment and general distress reactions.