E. Alison Holman
Professor of Nursing UC Irvine
- Irvine CA
E. Alison Holman studies the early post-event predictors of co-morbid trauma-related mental and physical health problems.
Media
Biography
Areas of Expertise
Education
U.C. Irvine
PhD
Health Psychology
1996
University of California, Santa Cruz
BA
Psychology
1989
San Francisco State University
BS
Nursing
1981
Affiliations
- International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
- Association for Psychological Science
- American Psychological Association, Divisions of Health Psychology and Trauma Psychology
- California Association for Nurse Practitioners
Links
Media Appearances
After Charlie Kirk shooting, social media videos prompt concerns from parents
KHQ online
2025-09-11
"People have access and it's unfiltered access," Alison Holman, Professor of Nursing and Psychology at UC Irvine. Holman highlighted the risks associated with consuming violent and graphic images via "doomscrolling" or excessive scrolling on social media. "When they do that, they are at greater risk for experiencing what are called acute stress symptoms, which are early post traumatic stress symptoms," Holman said.
Dealing with psychological weight of economic uncertainty
KTVU online
2025-04-08
Alison Holman, health psychologist at the Bill & Sue Gross School of Nursing at UC Irvine gives insight on mental health, dealing with economic uncertainty and the current political climate. “One of the more important things people can do in situations like this to not get stuck feeling they’re alone in dealing with this. To be able to find and stay connected with family, friends and people who are there to support you. Getting support from your groups is a really important step to deal with this stress,” said Holman.
UTA study finds potential link between parental divorce and stroke later in life
The Dallas Morning News online
2025-02-27
While there’s no question childhood trauma can leave lasting scars that contribute to poor health outcomes later in life, the study has limitations to bear in mind, said E. Alison Holman, a professor of nursing at the University of California, Irvine, who was not involved in the study. Holman’s research looks into how psychological trauma, especially early in life, impacts subsequent mental and physical health. … “It’s very possible that there’s a lot of stress in between that may have been the real trigger of the stroke.”
Why communities only seem to come together during a crisis, according to science
Fast Company online
2025-02-12
Another expert, Alison Holman, a professor at the UC Irvine School of Nursing … has extensive experience researching the effects of individual and collective traumas, including Southern California wildfires. Like USC’s [John] Brekke, she believes identity is a key factor that drives empathy and altruism during crisis moments. “What may be happening is that people identify, to some extent, with the people, the victims,” she says. “We have found in our work that identifying with victims is really something that helps to encourage people to engage in pro-social behavior.
Collective trauma: the psychological fallout of the LA fires
LAist - AirTalk online
2025-01-29
The LA fires have destroyed whole communities and displaced thousands of families. The psychological effect of such natural disasters is called collective trauma, a stress response felt by an entire community rather than a sole individual. Collective trauma can have physical effects as well. Today on AirTalk we talk about what collective trauma is and how communities are affected in the long term. We’re joined by E. Alison Holman, professor of nursing and psychology at UC Irvine.
Coping with traumatic events like wildfires
KTVU online
2025-01-23
E. Alison Holman, professor at the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing shares how to cope with traumatic events like the California wildfires and the threat of deportation under the Trump Administration. “What we’ve found with our research is that the more people are exposed to seeing images of the destruction and death, or very violent images, those can be more distressing even than the amount of media the person is exposed to. … It’s really important that people are able to find ways they can connect with other people, so they can feel a sense of safety in the aftermath of such events to help them cope.”
Research Grants
Genetic variation, stress, and functional outcomes after stroke rehabilitation
National Institute of Nursing Research
7/1/2015-6/30/2020
A national longitudinal study of community trauma exposure
National Science Foundation
1/1/2015-12/31/2017
RAPID: Responding to Terror of a Different Kind: A National Study of the Ebola Epidemic
National Science Foundation
12/1/14 - 11/30/15
Susceptibility to Acute Stress and Cardiovascular Ailments: A Gene-Environment Analysis
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar Grant
2010-2013
Articles
Media Exposure to Collective Trauma, Mental Health, and Functioning: Does It Matter What You See?
Clinical Psychological ScienceE. Alison Holman, Dana Rose Garfin, Pauline Lubens, Roxane Cohen Silver
2019
Media exposure to collective trauma is associated with acute stress (AS) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Qualities of media exposure (e.g., amount, graphic features) contributing to this distress are poorly understood. A representative national sample (with New York and Boston oversamples; N = 4,675) completed anonymous, online surveys 2 to 4 weeks after the Boston Marathon bombings (BMB; Wave 1, or W1) and again 6 months later (Wave 2, or W2; N = 3,598).
Exposure to prior negative life events and responses to the Boston marathon bombings.
Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and PolicyGarfin, Dana Rose; Holman, E. Alison; Silver, Roxane Cohen
2020
Objective: The objective of the study was to explore how type and timing of prior negative life experiences (NLEs) may be linked to responses to subsequent collective trauma, such as a terrorist attack. Method: Using a longitudinal design, we examined relationships between prior NLEs and responses to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings (BMB).
Associations between exposure to childhood bullying and abuse and adulthood outcomes in a representative national U.S. sample
Child Abuse & NeglectJosiah A Sweeting, Dana Rose Garfin, E Alison Holman, Roxane Cohen Silver
2020
Negative childhood experiences are associated with poor health and psychosocial outcomes throughout one’s lifespan.
The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-2019) Outbreak: Amplification of Public Health Consequences by Media Exposure
Health PsychologyDana Rose Garfin, Roxane Cohen Silver, E. Alison Holman
2020
The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-2019) has led to a serious outbreak of often severe respiratory disease, which originated in China and has quickly become a global pandemic, with far-reaching consequences that are unprecedented in the modern era. As public health officials seek to contain the virus and mitigate the deleterious effects on worldwide population health, a related threat has emerged: global media exposure to the crisis.
Reported Worst Life Events and Media Exposure to Terrorism in a Nationally Representative U.S. Sample
Journal of Traumatic StressRebecca R. Thompson, E. Alison Holman, Roxane Cohen Silver
2020
Indirectly experienced negative life events are not considered Criterion A traumatic events per DSM‐5 posttraumatic stress disorder diagnostic criteria, yet individuals indirectly exposed to trauma via the media may report these events as peak traumatic experiences. We studied which events people considered to be the “worst” in their lifetimes to gain a better understanding of the types of events individuals consider to be distressing.
