Coping strategies used by adult survivors in the process of recovery from disaster trauma: A narrative review

Abstract

CONTEXT: The catastrophic stress of disasters and the associated secondary traumas lead to negative mental health outcomes in a great proportion of survivors. A range of coping strategies are used, which may have possible preventive and therapeutic effects related to posttraumatic stress-related manifestation. AIMS: It is essential to learn about the coping strategies employed by the survivors following disasters to reflect about their usability as possible intervention methods. This review intended to explore the literature about coping mechanisms used by adult survivors of the disasters. METHODS: Comprehensive literature search and review. RESULTS: It was observed that various coping strategies have been reported, along with posttraumatic mental health conditions. Many of the coping strategies differ in different cultures and other demographic groups. Some articles have made reference to the effectiveness of the coping strategies. It has been observed that the ways coping can be facilitated at different levels. These observations may help in designing culture-specific, pre- and post-disaster management programs for effective and holistic recovery of the survivors. CONCLUSION: There is a need to understand the coping mechanisms in different cultures and the factors associated with the resilience in the face of the massive trauma of disasters. It is probable that these could be instrumental in recovery process and expected to help in supporting disaster survivors.