Reflections on Hurricane Katrina and its impact: One psychologist's experience.

What has it been like to experience Hurricane Katrina as a resident of New Orleans and a pediatric psychologist practicing in the area? This article provides a glimpse of 1 psychologist's experience before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina. The author not only details the impact of this storm on her professional and personal life but also provides practical recommendations for other psychologists who may encounter hurricanes or other natural disasters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Crisis and disaster counseling: Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and other disasters.

Reviews the book, Crisis and disaster counseling: Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and other disasters edited by Priscilla Dass-Brailsford (see record 2010-00735-000). This book is an excellent text for clinicians who respond to and work with clients in crises resulting from disasters. The book consists of 15 chapters covering distinct, yet related, topics. Whereas some chapters deal exclusively with Hurricane Katrina, others have a broader focus, offering insight that will be helpful in responding to any crisis. Geared toward clinicians, the text is written in clear, easily comprehended, concise prose. Each chapter is structured in a similar fashion and contains chapter highlights as well as practical implications presented in bullet points for easy review. Readers of this book treating trauma and traumatic grief in children and adolescents will not be disappointed. The seasoned crisis worker will benefit from the unique information gained from those who responded to Hurricane Katrina, both immediately and long after the destruction. The novice clinician will begin to gain an understanding of the complexity of working with those in crisis and the challenges and implications of such work that need to be considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A tale of two studies of two disasters: Comparing psychosocial responses to disaster among Oklahoma City bombing survivors and Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

Purpose: An accumulation of disaster mental health research literature in the last few decades has contributed knowledge to direct disaster mental health interventions. However, no single set of principles can necessarily outline all anticipated mental health needs to be encountered in a particular disaster. Methods: To illustrate how different disaster scenarios may yield a divergence of mental health needs, this article compares mental health findings from two distinctly different studies of two very different populations affected by two very different disasters: directly exposed survivors the Oklahoma City bombing and sheltered evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. Results: Research on the two disasters reviewed illustrates many facets and complexities of postdisaster mental health needs in different populations in different settings after different types of disasters. The major findings of the Oklahoma City bombing study related to posttraumatic stress disorder and the main findings of the Hurricane Katrina study involved need for treatment of preexisting chronic mental health and substance abuse problems. Conclusion: The disaster studies in this review diverged in type of disaster, affected populations, setting, and timing of the study, and these studies yielded a divergence of findings. One disaster mental health model clearly cannot adequately describe all postdisaster scenarios. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health symptoms in youth affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, may cause severe psychological impairment in children and adolescents, which may persist in youth who have survived hurricanes, their effects, or both. To better understand the needs of youth in the community after Hurricane Katrina, officials in St. Bernard Parish, LA, commissioned a youth needs assessment survey. The survey assessed how youth were coping approximately 2 years after Hurricane Katrina. The goal was to explore the prevalence and severity of depressive, anxious, and posttraumatic symptoms reported by youth. Based on retrospective reports from 43 youth, the prevalence of children’s mental health symptoms was 44–104% higher in the 2 years after Hurricane Katrina compared to pre-Katrina. The majority of mental health symptoms reported by youth had an onset after the hurricane, for example, 79% reported new onset of mental heath symptoms in the year after Katrina. The vast majority of these children (56%) continued to experience mental health difficulties 2 years after the disaster. Implications regarding post-Katrina mental health needs, service delivery, public response, and collaboration efforts are summarized and directions for future research are proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The dirty dozen: Twelve failures of the Hurricane Katrina response and how psychology can help.

This comprehensive analysis addresses the United States' alarming lack of preparedness to respond effectively to a massive disaster as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina. First, a timeline of problematic response events during and after Hurricane Katrina orients readers to some of the specific problems encountered at different levels of government. Second, a list of the "Dirty Dozen"--12 major failures that have occurred in prior disasters, which also contributed to inadequate response during and after Hurricane Katrina--is presented. Third, this article encourages expanding psychology's role beyond the treatment of trauma to encompass disaster planning and mitigation efforts from a broader public health perspective. Finally, areas for important interdisciplinary research in human behavior that will influence our nation's overall preparedness for future catastrophes are identified, and ways psychologists can become personally involved beyond treating casualties are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pre-hurricane perceived social support protects against psychological distress: A longitudinal analysis of low-income mothers.

Objective: In this study, we examined the influence of pre-disaster perceived social support on post-disaster psychological distress among survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Method: Participants (N = 386) were low-income mothers between 18 and 34 years of age at baseline (M = 26.4, SD = 4.43). The majority (84.8%) was African American; 10.4% identified as Caucasian, 3.2% identified as Hispanic, and 1.8% identified as other. Participants were enrolled in an educational intervention study in 2004 and 2005. Those who had completed a 1-year follow-up assessment prior to Hurricane Katrina were reassessed approximately 1 year after the hurricane. Measures of perceived social support and psychological distress were included in pre- and post-disaster assessments. Using structural equation modeling and multiple mediator analysis, we tested a model wherein pre-disaster perceived social support predicted post-disaster psychological distress both directly and indirectly through its effects on pre-disaster psychological distress, exposure to hurricane-related stressors, and post-disaster perceived social support. We predicted that higher pre-disaster perceived social support would be predictive of lower pre-disaster psychological distress, lower hurricane-related stressors, and higher post-disaster perceived social support, and that these variables would, in turn, predict lower post-disaster psychologically distress. Results: Our analyses provide partial support for the hypothesized model. Although pre-disaster perceived social support did not exert a direct effect on post-disaster psychological distress, the indirect effects of all 3 proposed mediators were significant. Conclusions: Pre-disaster social support can decrease both exposure to natural disasters and the negative psychological effects of natural disaster exposure. These findings underscore the importance of bolstering the post-disaster social support networks of low-income mothers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hurricane Katrina: Experiences of psychologists and implications for future disaster response.

The landfall of Hurricane Katrina marked not only one of the most significant and destructive natural disasters for the United States in recent history, but also a new benchmark in challenges faced by psychologists providing services. The authors explain their roles following the hurricane, describing not only local activities for recovery but efforts conducted in the Gulf Coast as well. Experiences and perceptions of the first author, who was deployed to the Gulf Coast on numerous occasions, are highlighted. In addition, psychological assessments were carried out with a small number of displaced Katrina survivors who were relocated to the authors' local community. The authors document many of the challenges faced by psychologists and other mental health workers during relief efforts in the Gulf Coast, concluding with a set of recommendations for future disaster-relief initiatives regarding such issues as ways in which psychologists can participate in disaster-relief efforts, challenges faced when implementing interventions, cultural competency, community preparedness, and scientific research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Our Katrina experience: Providing mental health services in Concordia Parish, Louisiana.

Responding to the call for psychologists to serve Louisiana and the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, 2 school psychologists spent almost 2 weeks in central Louisiana in early September 2005. They were located in a rural area and provided mental health services to evacuees from Hurricane Katrina in a number of small shelters, an RV park, and the schools. This article describes their experiences as mental health volunteers and the impact those experiences had on their professional and personal lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Helping African American clergy and churches address minority disaster mental health disparities: Training needs, model, and example.

Using an action participatory research approach, the authors conducted qualitative interviews with 41 African American clergy 1 year after Hurricane Katrina in severely affected areas of south Mississippi. These interviews revealed how mental health professionals can work with African American clergy and their churches by providing training that targets minority disaster mental health disparities. A 3-tier training model for equipping African American clergy and churches to respond to disasters in hopes of reducing minority disaster mental health disparities is offered. Identified training needs and suggested training delivery formats are discussed. A sample outreach and educational training project designed to equip African American clergy and churches in their response to minority disaster mental health disparities is also highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Organizing chaos: Crisis management in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Applying the model of crisis management (D. Smith, 1990), this case study of the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New Orleans chronicles the organization's response to Hurricane Katrina and illustrates the unique aspects of this crisis, as well as the well-worn patterns this organization faced in the year following the storm. We describe the organizational challenges associated with various stages of crisis and identify the strengths that facilitated this organization's successes. Practical and theoretical suggestions are provided for how organizations and organizational psychologists can learn from the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe. Five lessons are summarized for helping organizations better prepare for future crises. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

After the storm: Recognition, recovery, and reconstruction.

On August 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina made landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi border, it exposed a large number of people to extraordinary loss and suffering. The enormous swath of physical devastation wreaked across the marshes of Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish to the urban communities of New Orleans and the coastal landscape of Mississippi and Alabama caused a notable change to the demographics of the Gulf Region, making it the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. This article describes a disaster responder's experiences of working with displaced survivors of Hurricane Katrina, providing crisis and mental health support in the acute phase of the disaster. This is followed by a discussion of the importance of a multicultural approach to helping survivors of a natural disaster; several guidelines to improve multicultural competence are proposed. In particular, the importance of attending to survivors' racial, socioeconomic, language, and religious differences is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

After the storm: Katrina's impact on psychological practice in New Orleans.

The impact of Hurricane Katrina on 4 senior New Orleans-based psychologists, both professionally and personally, is described. The authors are pediatric, adult, and family therapists and neuropsychologists; by employment, they are medical center academics, independent practitioners, administrators, and staff/consulting psychologists at medical and psychiatric hospitals. Their diverse experiences following Katrina are similar to the experiences of many individuals in the professional community of the Gulf Coast. In the face of the storm, they departed New Orleans and afterward returned at varying intervals. The homes of all of the 4 New Orleans authors were damaged or destroyed. All of their practice locations were closed for varying periods, and 2 were closed permanently. Of the 4 who returned to New Orleans, only 2 remained 18 months after the storm; the others had relocated to other states. This article reflects on their collective experience as mental health professionals living in New Orleans after Katrina and lessons learned from that experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Survey of Short- and Medium-Span Bridge Damage Induced by Hurricane Katrina

This paper reports on a survey effort of damaged bridges conducted by the writers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina of August 2005. As with Hurricane Ivan in 2004, low-lying coastal bridges suffered severe damage due to hydrodynamic forces caused by storm surge. Consequently, transportation networks in the affected areas were disrupted. Since coastal bridges are considered lifelines for the communities they serve, their loss resulted in hindering rescue and recovery efforts. The purpose of this paper is to present related data as observed by the writers. Data collection and documentation of perishable data after natural disasters and before recovery and reconstruction efforts is of great importance. In the case of coastal bridges, they can help in improving future designs and rehabilitating existing ones. The majority of the surveyed bridges collapsed due to unseating. Hydrodynamic forces due to wave impact and water current on the superstructure proved to exceed the capacity of common connections between the superstructure and the substructure for short- and medium-span bridges.     

New Orleans Levee System Performance during Hurricane Katrina: London Avenue and Orleans Canal South

Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. The effects of the hurricane were particularly devastating in the city of New Orleans. Most of the damage was due to the failure of the levee system that surrounds the city to protect it from flooding. This paper presents the results of centrifuge models conducted at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers simulating the behavior of the levees at London Avenue North and South that failed during Hurricane Katrina. Those levees failed without being overtopped by the storm surge. Also included are the results of a centrifuge model of one levee section at Orleans Canal South, which did not fail during the hurricane. The key factor of the failure mechanism of the London Avenue levees was the formation of a gap between the flooded side of the levee and the sheetpile. This gap triggered a reduction of the strength at the foundation of the protected side of the levee. The results are fully consistent with field observations.     

Psychologists and Hurricane Katrina: Natural disaster response through training, public education, and research.

The purpose of this article was to describe a model of clinical/disaster psychology and illustrate how one psychologist applied training in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The primary focus of the article relates to training graduate students of clinical psychology and assisting evacuees, public education and dissemination, and research. Psychologists may find themselves in similar positions when disasters occur in the future, and the linkage of research and theory with anecdotal accounts may provide mental health professionals with ideas regarding avenues of training to pursue and the various roles that may be served in times of disaster. Recommendations are offered to training programs with regard to infusing tenets of clinical/disaster psychology into their curriculum. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

School-based disaster mental health services: Clinical, policy, and community challenges.

The consequences of Hurricane Katrina have far-reaching implications for the mental health system in the Gulf Coast region, with some of the most vulnerable survivors being children and adolescents. School-based services have been proposed as an ideal way to provide care; however, significant challenges remain in providing trauma-informed services in schools postdisaster. The authors discuss the consultation and training activities of the Los Angeles Unified School District Trauma Services Adaptation Center for Schools and Communities following Hurricane Katrina. Issues related to the dissemination of evidence-based treatment in schools following a disaster are discussed, as are the particular needs of providers and school staff and the importance of community collaboration in identifying ways to adapt implementation strategies for specific communities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology in the Public Forum: Perspectives on Persons with Disabilities.

Jackman (1983) states that the predominant perspective in America on persons with disabilities is to view them as flawed individuals who need to be rehabilitated in order to be made as normal as possible. Because people with disabilities cannot do some of those things done by people without disabilities, they are seen as incompetent, helpless, unproductive, and dependent on others for care. If individuals with disabilities are to improve their status, it is necessary for them to rely on those who can help them accommodate to their disabilities. An alternative conception is to view individuals with disabilities as members of a minority group who lack power and are denied their civil rights. From this perspective, persons with disabilities face problems stemming from a society that stigmatizes and devalues those who are different. Many psychologists could be contributing to knowledge on and service to people with handicaps from both perspectives, but most view such activities as a narrow area of specialization outside the mainstream. The articles in this forum discuss the relationship among psychological knowledge, issues relating to those with disabilities, and public policy primarily from the civil rights perspective. It is hoped that the civil rights perspective can be added to the dominant rehabilitation viewpoint within psychology, attract a greater following within psychology, and produce a psychology of disability that can speak more forcefully to issues of disability and public policy. The six articles in this forum suggest that issues of disability need not remain narrowly segmented within psychology and nearly invisible to most of the discipline. Through greater attention by a broader segment of psychology and attention to the civil rights as well as the rehabilitation perspective, more enlightened public policies on issues of disability can emerge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)