What happens with stress, if there's distraction before a story reaches it's end?
When stress is chronic it could provoke bad effects:


High blood pressure
Impaired cognition (maybe it explains the distraction) 
Lowered immune system


In my opinion, the distraction could be the effect of the increased level of cortisol... I wish my intervention will be useful.

REFERENCES
Michael S. Gazzaniga, Richard B. Ivry, George R. Mangun (2013),  "Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biology of the Mind: 4th Edition"