Addressing Psychosocial Challenges and Building The Resilience of Families in Disasters: Insights from a Longitudinal Qualitative Study
摘要
Disasters, whether natural or human-induced, affect the lives of individuals and families, having long-lasting impacts. Understanding the importance of this situation, this study primarily examines the immediate and long-term implications of disaster-induced stressors on family dynamics and their effects on the psychosocial well-being of family members. The current study, which is based on the author’s personal experiences and longitudinal observations from direct involvement with at least a hundred families in each disaster response initiative across India, adopts a qualitative approach to understand family dynamics and resilience in the context of disasters. Through an interdisciplinary lens, the chapter explores the interrelation of several factors that influence post-disaster outcomes for families. The needs and struggles of families in each disaster management phase, effective interventions with families in disaster situations, and major gaps identified in the current system and practice are identified and discussed. The study highlights the importance of family-centered guidelines and protocols, family-resilience-building initiatives, social support networks, inclusive and participatory approaches, and updated and timely interventions for facilitating recovery and promoting adaptive coping mechanisms. This study introduces a conceptual model of family dynamics in disaster situations, bridging the existing theoretical understanding with the identified challenges and solutions.