Jennifer M First
Biographic Data
| ID | 1245140 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jennifer M First |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jennifer M |
| FAMILY NAME | First |
| SIGNATURE | FIRST J M |
| AFFILIATIONS | Knoxville College |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7060-4753 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 49 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 20 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2015 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Flood exposure, health outcomes, and recovery needs following Hurricane Helene in Southern Appalachia
The current study examines Hurricane Helene’s inland flooding in Southern Appalachia to generate understanding into flood exposure, health outcomes, and long-term recovery needs. Using a mixed-methods case study design that combined county-level geospatial analysis with a community survey (N = 700), the objectives were threefold: (1) to map flood exposure and vulnerability across rural and urban areas in the region, (2) identify the physical and …
Examining Intraethnic Disparities in Tornado Hazard Understanding, Reception, and Response in Latinx/e Communities in the Southeast United States
The Southeast region in the United States has a high risk for tornadoes and tornado-related losses (e.g., fatalities, injuries, damages). For the public in tornado-vulnerable areas, receiving warning information is essential for seeking protective action during a tornado event. However, for Latinx/e households in the Southeast, social, cultural, and political factors pertaining to language barriers, cultural differences, and trust in public offic…
Post-traumatic stress and depression following disaster
The current study used structural equation modeling to examine the role of disaster resilience as a mediator between disaster exposure and post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms among a sample of 625 U.S. adults who experienced a disaster event. Results found that disaster resilience mediated the relationship between disaster exposure as a predictor and depression and post-traumatic stress as dependent variables. These findings have import…
When Black and Latinx Nashville Residents Became Aware of a Nocturnal Tornado Threat in Middle Tennessee
Tornadoes are more deadly when they occur at night, in part due to lapses in risk communication. Meteorologists encourage having multiple ways to receive a nocturnal warning, requiring individuals to expect and prepare for overnight warnings. We examined when and how 221 Black and Latinx adults learned of a tornado threat during an overnight event in middle Tennessee, in relation to their perceived information barriers and protective actions take…
Persons Experiencing Homelessness during Extreme Temperatures
Climate change and increasing extreme temperatures present unique challenges to persons experiencing homelessness (PEH), including heightened physical and psychological harm. While green and urban infrastructure has emerged as one possible mitigation strategy, homeless populations are rarely included in municipal disaster planning or infrastructure research. This study used in-depth interviews with PEH ( N = 42) during the summers of 2022 and 202…
Examining tornado exposure, post-tornado distress, and gender following the March 2020 tornado in Nashville, Tennessee
The Climatology, Vulnerability, and Public Perceptions Associated with Overlapping Tornado and Flash Flood Warnings in a Portion of the Southeast United States
Simultaneous and overlapping tornadoes and flash floods are a meteorological hazard with complex societal implications as, when issued at the same time, tornado and flash flood warnings provide conflicting public safety advice. This work assessed potential tornado and flash flood (TORFF) events in a portion of the Southeast from an interdisciplinary perspective with a focus on the climatology, vulnerability, and public perceptions surrounding the…
Intended Response to Tornado Watches among Tennessee Residents
Tornado watches are issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for tornado formation. Individuals’ responses to a tornado watch may affect their ability to seek shelter before a tornado strikes. Here, survey data of Tennessee residents were used to determine common patterns in intended responses to two tornado watch scenarios: one during daytime, and the other at nighttime. Three common patterns were identified for a day…
Double trouble
Effects of Covid-19, Discrimination, and Social Support on Latinx Adult Mental Health
Mental Health Impacts of Hurricane Harvey
Prior research has found that the prevalence and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) increase in communities experiencing a disaster. Less studied are the associations between IPV, disaster exposure, and mental health outcomes following disaster events. In the current study, authors examined the prevalence of IPV before and after Hurricane Harvey and the direct and indirect effects of risk (i.e., disaster exposure, IPV) and resilience on …
Policy stress and social support
Identifying Risk and Resilience Factors Impacting Mental Health among Black and Latinx Adults following Nocturnal Tornadoes in the U.S. Southeast
Prior research has found that Black and Latinx communities in the U.S. face significant disparities that impact both preparedness for severe weather events and the support received after a disaster has occurred. In the current study, we examined key risk and protective factors that impacted mental health among 221 Black and Latinx adult respondents exposed to the 2-3 March 2020 nocturnal tornado outbreak in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Key factor…
Gender Differences in Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms After a Disaster
Objective: Although research indicates that women are more likely than men to report posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following exposure to a disaster event, few studies have assessed whether these gender differences are due to bias in PTSD measures. Using item response theory, we conducted a differential item functioning (DIF) analysis of the widely used Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) to evaluate whether the instrument demons…
Covid-19 protective model
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected 55 million people and caused more than 1, 333, 742 deaths globally in eight months since its first outbreak. People are increasingly engaging with information using interpersonal communication, traditional and social media to understand the novel virus. The deluge of information can be detrimental in containing this illness that primarily depends on human behavior for transmission. In this envi…
The Disaster Adaptation and Resilience Scale
Given the increasing threat of disasters in the United States and elsewhere around the world, well-tested assessment tools that operationalise specific protective factors associated with adaptation and resilience to such events are needed. Consequently, the authors proposed, developed, and validated the Disaster Adaptation and Resilience Scale (DARS) to measure five domains found to support adaptive responses in individuals exposed to disasters: …
Covid-19, Intimate Partner Violence, and Communication Ecologies
The purpose of this research is to identify important predictors, related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, of intimate partner violence (IPV) and to provide insight into communication ecologies that can address IPV in disaster contexts. This study uses a cross-sectional design, with purposive snowball sampling, for primary survey data collected over 10 weeks starting the first week in April 2020. A total of 374 adults participated in the study. …
Posttraumatic Stress Related to the Killing of Michael Brown and Resulting Civil Unrest in Ferguson, Missouri
Objective: A significant body of research has examined the psychological harm of exposure to collective traumas such as disasters (e.g., tornados, hurricanes, mass violence). Less well studied are the mental health effects of exposure to macro-level race-related traumas, such as instances of police violence toward African Americans and subsequent civil unrest that are widely covered by traditional and social media. Method: This study examined pos…
Intimate Partner Violence and Disasters
Disasters, both natural and human-caused, can generate significant stressors for individuals, families, and communities, and research has documented an increase in the prevalence and severity of violence against women following these events. This article reviews research documenting the prevalence and severity of violence against women in disaster settings and provides a framework for intimate partner violence professionals to cultivate resources…
The Centrality of Communication and Media in Fostering Community Resilience
A community is resilient if it is able to "bounce forward" after an adverse event. Community resilience is generally considered a process that is indicated by community adaptation following a disaster or crisis. In this article, we employ media and communication perspectives (communication ecology, public relations, and strategic communication) to review the community resilience literature and propose a revised community resilience model. Our pro…
Intimate Partner Violence and Disasters
Disasters, both natural and human-caused, can generate significant stressors for individuals, families, and communities, and research has documented an increase in the prevalence and severity of violence against women following these events. This article reviews research documenting the prevalence and severity of violence against women in disaster settings and provides a framework for intimate partner violence professionals to cultivate resources…
The Centrality of Communication and Media in Fostering Community Resilience
A community is resilient if it is able to "bounce forward" after an adverse event. Community resilience is generally considered a process that is indicated by community adaptation following a disaster or crisis. In this article, we employ media and communication perspectives (communication ecology, public relations, and strategic communication) to review the community resilience literature and propose a revised community resilience model. Our pro…
Policy stress and social support
Covid-19 protective model
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected 55 million people and caused more than 1, 333, 742 deaths globally in eight months since its first outbreak. People are increasingly engaging with information using interpersonal communication, traditional and social media to understand the novel virus. The deluge of information can be detrimental in containing this illness that primarily depends on human behavior for transmission. In this envi…
The Disaster Adaptation and Resilience Scale
Given the increasing threat of disasters in the United States and elsewhere around the world, well-tested assessment tools that operationalise specific protective factors associated with adaptation and resilience to such events are needed. Consequently, the authors proposed, developed, and validated the Disaster Adaptation and Resilience Scale (DARS) to measure five domains found to support adaptive responses in individuals exposed to disasters: …
Posttraumatic Stress Related to the Killing of Michael Brown and Resulting Civil Unrest in Ferguson, Missouri
Objective: A significant body of research has examined the psychological harm of exposure to collective traumas such as disasters (e.g., tornados, hurricanes, mass violence). Less well studied are the mental health effects of exposure to macro-level race-related traumas, such as instances of police violence toward African Americans and subsequent civil unrest that are widely covered by traditional and social media. Method: This study examined pos…
Covid-19, Intimate Partner Violence, and Communication Ecologies
The purpose of this research is to identify important predictors, related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, of intimate partner violence (IPV) and to provide insight into communication ecologies that can address IPV in disaster contexts. This study uses a cross-sectional design, with purposive snowball sampling, for primary survey data collected over 10 weeks starting the first week in April 2020. A total of 374 adults participated in the study. …
The Centrality of Communication and Media in Fostering Community Resilience
A community is resilient if it is able to "bounce forward" after an adverse event. Community resilience is generally considered a process that is indicated by community adaptation following a disaster or crisis. In this article, we employ media and communication perspectives (communication ecology, public relations, and strategic communication) to review the community resilience literature and propose a revised community resilience model. Our pro…
Intimate Partner Violence and Disasters
Disasters, both natural and human-caused, can generate significant stressors for individuals, families, and communities, and research has documented an increase in the prevalence and severity of violence against women following these events. This article reviews research documenting the prevalence and severity of violence against women in disaster settings and provides a framework for intimate partner violence professionals to cultivate resources…
Posttraumatic Stress Related to the Killing of Michael Brown and Resulting Civil Unrest in Ferguson, Missouri
Objective: A significant body of research has examined the psychological harm of exposure to collective traumas such as disasters (e.g., tornados, hurricanes, mass violence). Less well studied are the mental health effects of exposure to macro-level race-related traumas, such as instances of police violence toward African Americans and subsequent civil unrest that are widely covered by traditional and social media. Method: This study examined pos…
Identifying Risk and Resilience Factors Impacting Mental Health among Black and Latinx Adults following Nocturnal Tornadoes in the U.S. Southeast
Prior research has found that Black and Latinx communities in the U.S. face significant disparities that impact both preparedness for severe weather events and the support received after a disaster has occurred. In the current study, we examined key risk and protective factors that impacted mental health among 221 Black and Latinx adult respondents exposed to the 2-3 March 2020 nocturnal tornado outbreak in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Key factor…
Gender Differences in Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms After a Disaster
Objective: Although research indicates that women are more likely than men to report posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following exposure to a disaster event, few studies have assessed whether these gender differences are due to bias in PTSD measures. Using item response theory, we conducted a differential item functioning (DIF) analysis of the widely used Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) to evaluate whether the instrument demons…
Covid-19 protective model
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected 55 million people and caused more than 1, 333, 742 deaths globally in eight months since its first outbreak. People are increasingly engaging with information using interpersonal communication, traditional and social media to understand the novel virus. The deluge of information can be detrimental in containing this illness that primarily depends on human behavior for transmission. In this envi…
The Disaster Adaptation and Resilience Scale
Given the increasing threat of disasters in the United States and elsewhere around the world, well-tested assessment tools that operationalise specific protective factors associated with adaptation and resilience to such events are needed. Consequently, the authors proposed, developed, and validated the Disaster Adaptation and Resilience Scale (DARS) to measure five domains found to support adaptive responses in individuals exposed to disasters: …
Covid-19, Intimate Partner Violence, and Communication Ecologies
The purpose of this research is to identify important predictors, related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, of intimate partner violence (IPV) and to provide insight into communication ecologies that can address IPV in disaster contexts. This study uses a cross-sectional design, with purposive snowball sampling, for primary survey data collected over 10 weeks starting the first week in April 2020. A total of 374 adults participated in the study. …
Double trouble
Effects of Covid-19, Discrimination, and Social Support on Latinx Adult Mental Health
Mental Health Impacts of Hurricane Harvey
Prior research has found that the prevalence and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) increase in communities experiencing a disaster. Less studied are the associations between IPV, disaster exposure, and mental health outcomes following disaster events. In the current study, authors examined the prevalence of IPV before and after Hurricane Harvey and the direct and indirect effects of risk (i.e., disaster exposure, IPV) and resilience on …
Policy stress and social support
The Climatology, Vulnerability, and Public Perceptions Associated with Overlapping Tornado and Flash Flood Warnings in a Portion of the Southeast United States
Simultaneous and overlapping tornadoes and flash floods are a meteorological hazard with complex societal implications as, when issued at the same time, tornado and flash flood warnings provide conflicting public safety advice. This work assessed potential tornado and flash flood (TORFF) events in a portion of the Southeast from an interdisciplinary perspective with a focus on the climatology, vulnerability, and public perceptions surrounding the…
Intended Response to Tornado Watches among Tennessee Residents
Tornado watches are issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for tornado formation. Individuals’ responses to a tornado watch may affect their ability to seek shelter before a tornado strikes. Here, survey data of Tennessee residents were used to determine common patterns in intended responses to two tornado watch scenarios: one during daytime, and the other at nighttime. Three common patterns were identified for a day…
Post-traumatic stress and depression following disaster
The current study used structural equation modeling to examine the role of disaster resilience as a mediator between disaster exposure and post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms among a sample of 625 U.S. adults who experienced a disaster event. Results found that disaster resilience mediated the relationship between disaster exposure as a predictor and depression and post-traumatic stress as dependent variables. These findings have import…
When Black and Latinx Nashville Residents Became Aware of a Nocturnal Tornado Threat in Middle Tennessee
Tornadoes are more deadly when they occur at night, in part due to lapses in risk communication. Meteorologists encourage having multiple ways to receive a nocturnal warning, requiring individuals to expect and prepare for overnight warnings. We examined when and how 221 Black and Latinx adults learned of a tornado threat during an overnight event in middle Tennessee, in relation to their perceived information barriers and protective actions take…
Persons Experiencing Homelessness during Extreme Temperatures
Climate change and increasing extreme temperatures present unique challenges to persons experiencing homelessness (PEH), including heightened physical and psychological harm. While green and urban infrastructure has emerged as one possible mitigation strategy, homeless populations are rarely included in municipal disaster planning or infrastructure research. This study used in-depth interviews with PEH ( N = 42) during the summers of 2022 and 202…
Examining tornado exposure, post-tornado distress, and gender following the March 2020 tornado in Nashville, Tennessee
Examining Intraethnic Disparities in Tornado Hazard Understanding, Reception, and Response in Latinx/e Communities in the Southeast United States
The Southeast region in the United States has a high risk for tornadoes and tornado-related losses (e.g., fatalities, injuries, damages). For the public in tornado-vulnerable areas, receiving warning information is essential for seeking protective action during a tornado event. However, for Latinx/e households in the Southeast, social, cultural, and political factors pertaining to language barriers, cultural differences, and trust in public offic…
Flood exposure, health outcomes, and recovery needs following Hurricane Helene in Southern Appalachia
The current study examines Hurricane Helene’s inland flooding in Southern Appalachia to generate understanding into flood exposure, health outcomes, and long-term recovery needs. Using a mixed-methods case study design that combined county-level geospatial analysis with a community survey (N = 700), the objectives were threefold: (1) to map flood exposure and vulnerability across rural and urban areas in the region, (2) identify the physical and …
Psychology (15 works) · Medicine (12 works) · Geography (9 works) · Disaster Management and Resilience (8 works) · Environmental health (8 works) · Meteorology (7 works) · Psychiatry (7 works) · Social Psychology (7 works) · Tornado (7 works) · Mental health (6 works)