Psychology Of Disaster

Examine the psychological phases of disaster response and how these are uniquely experienced by affected individuals and communities. Through the course materials, we have learned that psychologically processing disaster events generally follows a predictable set of phases. Although this is not always the case, these phases are the norm versus the exception in disaster behavioral responses.

• For this assignment, briefly explain the five commonly accepted psychological phases of disaster responses. As a reminder, these include

(1) the pre-disaster phase

(2) the hero phase

(3) the honeymoon phase

(4) the disillusionment phase

(5) the reconstruction phase.

• After providing a review of the phases noted above, examine individual and community responses to a disaster event of your choice, provide a summary of the psychological phases of disaster response displayed in the example.
• Explain, with detail, how the selected phase(s) is appropriate to describe the observed behavior(s) from the example.
• Close your work with a discussion of the role of cultural competence during any of the phases of psychological disaster response and how such awareness might affect the actions of behavioral health professionals as psychological first aid (PFA) is implemented.