The value of peer-support after the 22 July 2011 terrorattack: a follow-up focus-group study of gatherings for survivors from Utøya in Tromsø, Norway

Background This article addresses the significance of group-based follow-up for a group of young survivors ( n = 20) from Tromsø after the 22 July 2011 terror attack on Utøya in Norway, where 69 people were killed. The group was started at the request of the survivors and took place for two hours every other week, totaling 64 gatherings, during the period 2011–2014. It was led by two experienced psychiatric nurses and consisted of one part where the leaders introduced psychoeducational topics and another part with free reflection focusing on the emotional challenges the participants wanted to discuss. Materials and methods The informants (13) were gathered for focus group interviews in 2023, 12 years after the terror event. The interviews were recorded on video, transcribed, and the analysis was conducted as an interpretive, thematic qualitative analysis, inspired by principles from Grounded Theory. All the informants were given the option to review the draft of this text. Results The participants expressed that they greatly benefited from the group sessions and that the sense of community within the group was the most important aspect, still representing a central belonging in their lives. They emphasized that knowing others who understood the traumatic events and experiences made it possible, over time, to endure and process memories well enough to move forward in life in a positive way. A clear finding was the importance of starting early and maintaining a “watchful waiting” approach for as long as required for the traumatic experiences to be processed. At the time of the follow-up study, this process was still ongoing for all participants, even though the greatest need for help had passed when the groups were discontinued after three years in 2014. Discussion The participants were generally very positive to the group sessions. They experienced that the group fostered a sense of community and belonging. It was a crucial element of these gatherings that professionals took responsibility for establishing and leading the group, while also emphasizing factors such as psychoeducation, normalization, humor, activity, and solidarity. Over time, it is important to work towards survivors generating a sense of belonging and agency that can help them face future challenges.