The Role of Religious Leaders in the Restoration of Hope Following Natural Disasters

Bibliographic Data

ID3561640
AuthorsTatsushi Hirono (0000-0002-0813-6725, Austin Peay State University, corresponding author), Michelle Emery Blake, Michelle Blake (0000-0002-3647-9848, Austin Peay State University)
Year2017
Volume7
Issue2
Publication date2017-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/2158244017707003
OpenAlexW2615826175
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited34

For mental health professionals who are social workers and counselors, the role of clergy is sometimes a missing link. Both the United States and Japan have suffered multiple natural disasters since the 21st century began: Hurricanes Sandy (2012) and Katrina (2005) in the United States and an 8.9 magnitude earthquake (2011) occurred in Japan. Immediately after these devastating natural disasters, victims needed shelter, water, food, and blankets. However, 2 to 3 weeks after the disasters, they needed mental health support more than material supplies as they cope with the after effects of trauma. Hope might be important for natural disaster relief in the long term. A lack of support might contribute to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The investigators hypothesized that religious belief would reduce the natural disaster victims' PTSD symptoms. In May and June 2013, they sent 500 mailing surveys to Christian and Buddhist clergy in the New Orleans, New York, Tokyo, and Fukushima areas. They asked what these areas did for natural disaster relief. They found cultural differences between the two religious communities: (a) More American Christian clergies thought natural disaster relief efforts are their obligation. (b) American clergies focus more on "comfort," "reducing pain," and "hope," whereas Japanese clergies focus more on "listening" and "praying" when they talk with family members who lost their loved ones

Emergency management · Focus group · Geography · Medical emergency · Mental health · Natural disaster · Political science · Psychiatry · Relief Work · Sociology · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · History · Law · Medicine · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health

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