Social support and psychological symptomatology following a natural disaster Article

Cook, JD, Bickman, L. (1990). Social support and psychological symptomatology following a natural disaster . JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, 3(4), 541-556. 10.1007/BF02039587

cited authors

  • Cook, JD; Bickman, L

authors

abstract

  • The effects of perceived availability of social support on psychological symptomatology following a natural disaster were studied in a sample of victims of a major flood in Roanoke, Virginia. Ninety-six subjects were administered questionnaires that measured self-reported levels of depression, anxiety, and somatization 1 week after the disaster and four additional times within 6 months after the disaster. A questionnaire mailed 3 months after the disaster assessed perceived availability of social support. Results indicated that subjects experienced severe distress immediately following the disaster, that this distress decreased sharply 6 weeks after the flood, and decreased more gradually in the following months. Perceived availability of social support was not related to distress immediately following the disaster nor 5 months afterwards. Social support and symptomatology were significantly correlated during the intermediate period. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

publication date

  • October 1, 1990

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 541

end page

  • 556

volume

  • 3

issue

  • 4