The Harvey Experience: Healing through Community and Creativity

Transcription

1 The Harvey Experience: Healing through Community and Creativity Subject-index Term: 17 (Creativity) Submission: Division 32 Society for Humanistic Psychology Alternate Submission: Division 17 Society for Counseling Psychology Preference: Poster presentation Principal Author: Lei Sun Highest Educational Degree: Master of Education in Higher Education (M.Ed.) and Master of Science in Education in Marriage and Family Therapy (M.S.Ed.) Mailing Address: 9423 SW 76 st, APT W23, Miami, FL Cell Phone: (786) Institution: Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, School of Education and Human Development, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL Membership Status: APAGS Coauthors: Michael A. J. Murgo Highest Educational Degree: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Mailing Address: 6851 SW 44th Street, Apt 308, Miami, FL Cell phone: (609) Institution: Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, School of Education, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL Membership Status: APAGS Debbiesiu L. Lee Highest Educational Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Institution: Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, School of Education and Human Development, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL Amy Harkins Highest Educational Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Institution: Easter Seals of Greater Houston, Mental Health Program, Houston, TX

2 The Harvey Experience: Healing through Community and Creativity Statement of the Problem Natural disasters negatively impact people physically, mentally and financially. Survivors are extremely susceptible to PTSD symptoms and comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety, after natural disasters (Neria et al., 2008; Sprang & Lajoie, 2009). Unlike other types of trauma, natural disasters are overwhelmingly powerful and can detrimentally affect entire communities and their well-being. Previous researchers have investigated the epidemiology of PTSD and indicated an approximate prevalence of 16% after natural disasters (Bonanno & Mancini, 2008; Norris et al., 2009; Santiago et al., 2013). Further, there is evidence to suggest that those who suffer from PTSD following a natural disaster may continue to experience these affects long term. For example, in one study, approximately 60% of the people who lived within a close epicenter of a tornado in North Carolina were still affected by PTSD one year after the event (Madakasira & O Brien, 1987). Research also suggests a specific natural course for PTSD after natural disasters. Santiago et al. (2013) indicated that after a month, PTSD related to non-intentional trauma, such as natural disasters, had a higher median prevalence than that of intentional trauma. Neria and colleagues (2008) conducted a meta-analysis on PTSD symptoms after natural disasters (n=116) and reported a 30%-40% prevalence of consistent PTSD one year after the events. Delayed onset, prolonged course, and even increased prevalence are also possible due to the catastrophic impact of natural disasters on broad communities (Önder, 2006; McFarlane, 1988; Norris et al., 1999). Thus, without post-disaster interventions, PTSD symptoms were less likely to remit over time. The lower dosage of exposure (Neria et al., 2008, p. 473) per capita of natural disasters may imply the effectiveness of community-based interventions that would benefit a larger

3 population. Basic needs for such interventions include continuous mental health care in the community, developing support systems and a sense of cohesion after disasters, and fostering positive meaning-making and individual resilience (Roudini et al., 2017; Tuason et al., 2012). More research investigating community interventions to cope with natural disasters are needed. Current Study One natural disaster that occurred recently was Hurricane Harvey, which struck the Houston, Texas area in August 2017 and led to severe emotional pain and mental health challenges among its survivors. The Harvey Experience One Year Later was a strength-based community intervention that was opened to Harvey survivors of all ages in the Fort Bend area, which houses approximately 600,000 residences. The goal of the event was to encourage community members to participate in the sharing of their experiences with Hurricane Harvey through creative expression. Creative expression has been found to help those dealing with PTSD (Smilan, 2009; Thomson & Jaque, 2016; Galvin & Montgomery, 2017) and has been encouraged in the therapeutic process by humanistic and positive psychologists, including Rogers (1957, 1963) and Csikszentmihaly (1996). The purpose of this study was to better understand participants experiences of Hurricane Harvey through the creative expression pieces they submitted to the Harvey Experience One Year Later event. The goal was to understand how their creative expression pieces may reveal aspects of their experiences and healing process. The hope was to also provide recommendations for developing strength-based interventions that will benefit the larger society after natural disasters. Method

4 Participants of the Harvey Experience One Year Later created and submitted creative expression pieces, including paintings, poetry, photographs, jewelry, and more. In addition to the creative expression pieces, participants also submitted written description of their piece, including the following information: (1) the title of the piece, (2) a description of their piece, and (3) a description of what inspired their piece. This thematic analysis examined the written description of the participants creative pieces for themes. Included participants consented to allow their creative expression pieces and descriptions to be used for research or other purposes. Following Braun and Clarke s (2006) six-step procedure, the researchers conducted a thematic analysis on participants responses to identify key themes in their creative healing processes. First, the researchers began by familiarizing themselves with the data. They then generated initial codes, which featured aspects of the data that help understand the target phenomenon. In this case, the researchers identified codes relevant to participants experiences during and after Harvey. Next, the researchers sorted the codes into potential over-arching themes and reviewed them to ensure that each theme was clear and identifiably distinct. The researchers then defined and named themes. Lastly, the researchers produced the report. Preliminary Results Fifty-one individuals submitted creative pieces and their descriptions of these pieces. The major themes that arose from this thematic analysis included: (1) concern/ fear for family, (2) concern/ fear for pets, (3) challenges with evacuation, (4) destruction by water, (5) loss, and (6) hope. The results of these themes will be discussed and used to formulate recommendations for practice, research, and policy regarding the treatment from natural disasters. References

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