Klas Backholm

My research areas include the psychological well-being of journalists after work-related crisis exposure or harassment, and best practices for crisis journalism and communication in the digital media landscape. I have studied PTSD and related risk and protective factors after crisis-related journalistic work assignments such as the Finnish Jokela and Kauahjoki school shootings 2007-08, the terror incident in Norway 2011, and the truck rampage attack in Sweden 2017. I have also studied journalists’ psychological well-being in relation to other types of potentially traumatic exposure, such as sexual harassment and the COVID-19 pandemic and published on for instance how crisis communicators should understand and plan for social media presence.

Definition of journalists' safety

Broadly speaking, all the aspects that may affect an individual journalist's safety. This includes individual, organizational, and societal factors, and ranges from psychological well-being to organizational readiness and societal preparedness to handle varying forms of risks and crises.

Future plans for research on journalists' safety

To continue building on the knowledge base about journalists' psychological safety.