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Post-disaster Mental Health and the Structure of Personal Networks
by
Laura Krueger
UNC-Greensboro
Coauthors: Eric C Jones (UNCG), Arthur D Murphy (UNCG), Elena Paez-Fernandez (Unaffiliated), Linda J Jencson (Appalachian State University)
Social support, ranging from emotional to informational to material, can be an important factor in post-disaster mental health. However, it is largely unknown whether the structure of that social support plays a role in mitigating psychological problems. We collected data on personal networks and symptoms of psychological problems experienced by 20 people affected by hurricanes and floods in both mountain and coastal North Carolina. Network structure was measured in terms of network constraint. Higher levels of network constraint appear to be associated with a greater degree of negative mental health symptoms.
Date received: August 15, 2007
Copyright © 2007 by the author(s). The author(s) of this document and the organizers of the conference have granted their consent to include this abstract in Atlas Conferences Inc. Document # cavm-28.