ERIC ED323047: Social Disruption and Psychological Stress pdf

ERIC ED323047: Social Disruption and Psychological Stress

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Technological accidents such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 create man-made disaster situations that threaten community survival and the well-being and quality of life of community residents. This paper focuses on the social and psychological impact of the 1989 oil spill on Cordova, an isolated Alaskan community with high economic dependence on commercial fishing and a native Alaskan cultural heritage of subsistence practices. Random samples of 118 households and 32 Native Alaskans in Cordova and a matched control community were surveyed 5 months after the spill to assess patterns of social disruption and post-traumatic stress. Data analysis revealed that Cordova experienced significantly more social disruption than the control community, particularly in the areas of work activities and future plans. Cordova residents also displayed significantly higher post-traumatic stress on 15 of 16 indicators; they had more intrusive recollections of the spill, more behaviors reflecting avoidance of stimuli associated with the spill, and a general diminished responsiveness or “numbness” to activities associated with the spill.

Post-traumatic stress was most acute for persons experiencing disruption of family cohesion and uncertainty about future plans. This report contains 41 references and includes tabulations of responses to survey questions. (SV

• Creator/s: ERIC
• Date: 3/23/1990
• Year: 1990
• Book Topics/Themes: ERIC Archive, Alaska Natives, Community Psychology, Community Surveys, Psychological Patterns, Rural Areas, Social Science Research, Well Being

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