Psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: insight from in-depth interviews with mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina
Background: Weather-related disasters, including hurricanes, are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. Vulnerable populations, such as people with low income and racial and ethnic minorities, are particularly prone to increased levels of physical harm and psychiatric adversity fro...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-11-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2211355 |
| _version_ | 1797794283086938112 |
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| author | Sahra Tekin Kate Burrows Jo Billings Mary Waters Sarah R. Lowe |
| author_facet | Sahra Tekin Kate Burrows Jo Billings Mary Waters Sarah R. Lowe |
| author_sort | Sahra Tekin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Weather-related disasters, including hurricanes, are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. Vulnerable populations, such as people with low income and racial and ethnic minorities, are particularly prone to increased levels of physical harm and psychiatric adversity from weather-related events. Objectives: We aimed to explore psychosocial resources and coping of survivors with three different posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) trajectories (High-Decreasing, Moderate-Decreasing, and High-Stable), after Hurricane Katrina across two different time points: F1 (1-year post-disaster) and F3 (12 years post-disaster). Method: Participants in this multi-method study were part of a larger cohort of the Resilience in Survivors of Katrina (RISK) project. Transcripts of interviews completed at the two time points were analysed using two qualitative methods, combining thematic analysis and narrative analysis, and providing both breadth of perspectives with the depth of specific case studies. Results: Sixteen survivors completed interviews at both F1 and F3. From our in-depth analysis of the data, we derived five inductive themes: ‘Hope,’ ‘Adaptive vs maladaptive avoidance,’ ‘Emotional delay,’ ‘Acceptance, Finding Meaning and Being in the Moment,’ and ‘Coping strategies.’ Survivors with High-Decreasing and Moderate-Decreasing PTSS trajectories experienced hope for future, accepted the hurricane and its results, and found efficient ways to cope with their situation. Survivors with High-Stable PTSS trajectories tended to express a lack of hope for future and struggled to be mindful and accept the hurricane and its harm. Unlike survivors with High-Decreasing and Moderate-Decreasing PTSS trajectories, survivors with High-Stable PTSS trajectories also reported less social and family support and faced more discrimination and racism. Conclusion: There are factors beyond individual-level psychosocial resources that may shape post-disaster resilience. When supporting survivors after a weather-related disaster, it is essential to provide ongoing psychological, financial, and physical assistance to bolster these resources. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:59:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-52441a2c8c5d4ccbbb2e20d8fc39a87c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:59:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-52441a2c8c5d4ccbbb2e20d8fc39a87c2023-06-27T14:52:25ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662023-11-0114210.1080/20008066.2023.22113552211355Psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: insight from in-depth interviews with mothers who survived Hurricane KatrinaSahra Tekin0Kate Burrows1Jo Billings2Mary Waters3Sarah R. Lowe4University College LondonInstitute at Brown University for Environment and SocietyUniversity College LondonHarvard UniversityYale School of Public HealthBackground: Weather-related disasters, including hurricanes, are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. Vulnerable populations, such as people with low income and racial and ethnic minorities, are particularly prone to increased levels of physical harm and psychiatric adversity from weather-related events. Objectives: We aimed to explore psychosocial resources and coping of survivors with three different posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) trajectories (High-Decreasing, Moderate-Decreasing, and High-Stable), after Hurricane Katrina across two different time points: F1 (1-year post-disaster) and F3 (12 years post-disaster). Method: Participants in this multi-method study were part of a larger cohort of the Resilience in Survivors of Katrina (RISK) project. Transcripts of interviews completed at the two time points were analysed using two qualitative methods, combining thematic analysis and narrative analysis, and providing both breadth of perspectives with the depth of specific case studies. Results: Sixteen survivors completed interviews at both F1 and F3. From our in-depth analysis of the data, we derived five inductive themes: ‘Hope,’ ‘Adaptive vs maladaptive avoidance,’ ‘Emotional delay,’ ‘Acceptance, Finding Meaning and Being in the Moment,’ and ‘Coping strategies.’ Survivors with High-Decreasing and Moderate-Decreasing PTSS trajectories experienced hope for future, accepted the hurricane and its results, and found efficient ways to cope with their situation. Survivors with High-Stable PTSS trajectories tended to express a lack of hope for future and struggled to be mindful and accept the hurricane and its harm. Unlike survivors with High-Decreasing and Moderate-Decreasing PTSS trajectories, survivors with High-Stable PTSS trajectories also reported less social and family support and faced more discrimination and racism. Conclusion: There are factors beyond individual-level psychosocial resources that may shape post-disaster resilience. When supporting survivors after a weather-related disaster, it is essential to provide ongoing psychological, financial, and physical assistance to bolster these resources.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2211355weather-related disasterssurvivors’ mental healthqualitative studyptss trajectoriesmixed methods |
| spellingShingle | Sahra Tekin Kate Burrows Jo Billings Mary Waters Sarah R. Lowe Psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: insight from in-depth interviews with mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina European Journal of Psychotraumatology weather-related disasters survivors’ mental health qualitative study ptss trajectories mixed methods |
| title | Psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: insight from in-depth interviews with mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina |
| title_full | Psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: insight from in-depth interviews with mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina |
| title_fullStr | Psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: insight from in-depth interviews with mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: insight from in-depth interviews with mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina |
| title_short | Psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: insight from in-depth interviews with mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina |
| title_sort | psychosocial resources underlying disaster survivors posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories insight from in depth interviews with mothers who survived hurricane katrina |
| topic | weather-related disasters survivors’ mental health qualitative study ptss trajectories mixed methods |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2211355 |
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