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Individuals’ Religiosity and Emotional Coping in Response to Disasters

Abstract:

Providing information to help individuals cope physically and psychologically with a disaster is critical in crisis communication. However, how individuals cope is relatively understudied. In particular, researchers have examined how people emotionally cope during different types of crises, but not in a natural disaster context and not religiosity. Yet, religiosity can be important during disasters, given that about 89% of adults in the United States believe in God (Pew Research Center, 2014). Through ten focus groups (N = 77) and a survey (N = 1,484), this study examines how residents of the Southeast United States cope in response to tornadoes. Findings indicate that participants experience anxiety and fear during a tornado, but fear and hope trigger physical action taking (e.g., sheltering in place or collecting supplies). Prayer during a tornado does not significantly predict action taking. Religiosity significantly predicts physical action taking.

Publication Information

Full Citation:

Lim, Jungkyu Rhys, Brooke Fisher Liu, Michael Egnoto, and Holly A. Roberts. 2019. "Individuals’ Religiosity and Emotional Coping in Response to Disasters." Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management (April). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1468-5973.12263