A Michael Middleton PresentationA Michael Middleton Presentation

Environmental Psychology:Environmental Psychology:How Environmental Disasters Affect How Environmental Disasters Affect

the Psychethe Psyche

Environmental Psychology Defined:Environmental Psychology Defined:

A broad and interdisciplinary field of study A broad and interdisciplinary field of study concentrating on the relationship between concentrating on the relationship between humans and their environment.humans and their environment.

Sustainability issues have pushed the Sustainability issues have pushed the boundaries of this field of study. It now more boundaries of this field of study. It now more fully incorporates the affects of humans on fully incorporates the affects of humans on their environment as well as the environment their environment as well as the environment on them. Technology and societal issues on them. Technology and societal issues factor heavily in this field of psychology.factor heavily in this field of psychology.

““...an encounter between a hazard (forces of ...an encounter between a hazard (forces of harm) and a human population in harm's way, harm) and a human population in harm's way, influenced by the ecological context, creating influenced by the ecological context, creating demands that exceed the coping capacity of demands that exceed the coping capacity of

the affected community” the affected community” (Ursano, 69).(Ursano, 69).

A Definition of Disaster.A Definition of Disaster.

Consider the implications of that definition.Consider the implications of that definition.

Two Types of DisastersTwo Types of Disasters

NaturalNatural EarthquakesEarthquakes TornadoesTornadoes FloodsFloods HurricanesHurricanes FiresFires TsunamiTsunami AvalancheAvalanche

Human-MadeHuman-Made TerrorismTerrorism Oil SpillsOil Spills Chemical leaksChemical leaks NuclearNuclear MiningMining WarWar TechnologicalTechnological

Two Types of DisastersTwo Types of Disasters

NaturalNatural EarthquakesEarthquakes TornadoesTornadoes FloodsFloods HurricanesHurricanes FiresFires TsunamiTsunami AvalancheAvalanche

Human-MadeHuman-Made TerrorismTerrorism Oil SpillsOil Spills Chemical leaksChemical leaks NuclearNuclear MiningMining WarWar TechnologicalTechnological

Disasters Overlap as Technology Disasters Overlap as Technology Advances.Advances.

Ask yourself how many of the examples given in Ask yourself how many of the examples given in the previous slide occurred during the the previous slide occurred during the

Fukushima Earthquake in Japan? Are there Fukushima Earthquake in Japan? Are there more examples that aren't listed?more examples that aren't listed?

External Events That Can Help induce External Events That Can Help induce Trauma in Disaster VictimsTrauma in Disaster Victims

““destruction of their dwelling, substantial property loss, loss of destruction of their dwelling, substantial property loss, loss of job, exposure to traumatic stimuli, familiarity and job, exposure to traumatic stimuli, familiarity and

identification with victims, worry about safety of significant identification with victims, worry about safety of significant others, stress reactions of significant others, preexisting others, stress reactions of significant others, preexisting

stress, major trauma or loss especially within the last stress, major trauma or loss especially within the last year, lack of social support, lack of material support, and year, lack of social support, lack of material support, and

poor coping skills poor coping skills based on past experiences” (Myers, 42).based on past experiences” (Myers, 42).

External Events That Can Help induce External Events That Can Help induce Trauma in Victims dealing with violent Trauma in Victims dealing with violent

Disasters.Disasters.

““Lack of warning, lack of familiarity, weapons that can't be Lack of warning, lack of familiarity, weapons that can't be easily seen or identified, a wide spread perception that easily seen or identified, a wide spread perception that

government response systems are government response systems are not prepared, serious not prepared, serious threat to personal safety, a sudden change in scene and threat to personal safety, a sudden change in scene and realityreality (such as a building being there one moment and (such as a building being there one moment and

destroyed the next), the scope of destruction, the amount destroyed the next), the scope of destruction, the amount of fatalities, exposure to of fatalities, exposure to gruesome or grotesque gruesome or grotesque situations, intentional human causality, intensity of situations, intentional human causality, intensity of

emotions and psychological reactions, high degree of emotions and psychological reactions, high degree of uncertainty, lack of uncertainty, lack of personal control or accurate personal control or accurate

information, immediate or long term health information, immediate or long term health problems”problems” (Myers, 239-246).(Myers, 239-246).

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Criterion according to the DSM Criterion according to the DSM

Criterion A: StressorCriterion A: Stressor

The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following have been present:of the following have been present:

The person has experienced, witnessed, or been confronted The person has experienced, witnessed, or been confronted with an event or events that involve actual or threatened death with an event or events that involve actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of oneself or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others.or others.

The person's response involved intense fear,helplessness, or The person's response involved intense fear,helplessness, or horror. Note: in children, it may be expressed instead by horror. Note: in children, it may be expressed instead by disorganized or agitated behavior.disorganized or agitated behavior.

What disaster events might cause someone to What disaster events might cause someone to experience symptoms of Criterion (A) ? experience symptoms of Criterion (A) ?

Criterion B: Intrusive RecollectionCriterion B: Intrusive Recollection

The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in at least one of the The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in at least one of the following ways:following ways:

Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions. Note: in young children, repetitive play images, thoughts, or perceptions. Note: in young children, repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed.may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed.

Recurrent distressing dreams of the event. Note: in children, there may be Recurrent distressing dreams of the event. Note: in children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable contentfrightening dreams without recognizable content

Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes,including those that occur upon awakening or when flashback episodes,including those that occur upon awakening or when intoxicated). Note: in children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur.intoxicated). Note: in children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur.

Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.

Physiologic reactivity upon exposure to internal or external cues that Physiologic reactivity upon exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic eventsymbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event

What events might cause these symptoms outside of a war What events might cause these symptoms outside of a war environment?environment?

Criterion C: avoidant/numbingCriterion C: avoidant/numbingPersistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of

general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by at general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by at least three of the following:least three of the following:

Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the traumatrauma

Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the traumatrauma

Inability to recall an important aspect of the traumaInability to recall an important aspect of the trauma

Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activitiesMarkedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities

Feeling of detachment or estrangement from othersFeeling of detachment or estrangement from others

Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings)Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings)

Sense of foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career, Sense of foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a normal life span)marriage, children, or a normal life span)

Have you experienced one of these symptoms? Have you experienced one of these symptoms? How might it feel to experience three of them How might it feel to experience three of them

simultaneously?simultaneously?

Criterion D: hyper-arousalCriterion D: hyper-arousal

Persistent symptoms of increasing arousal (not present before the Persistent symptoms of increasing arousal (not present before the trauma), indicated by at least two of the following:trauma), indicated by at least two of the following:

Difficulty falling or staying asleepDifficulty falling or staying asleep

Irritability or outbursts of angerIrritability or outbursts of anger

Difficulty concentratingDifficulty concentrating

Hyper-vigilanceHyper-vigilance

Exaggerated startle responseExaggerated startle response

Though rape may not be immediately thought of Though rape may not be immediately thought of as part of enviromental psychology,these as part of enviromental psychology,these symptoms are especially prevalent in rape symptoms are especially prevalent in rape

victims.victims.

In a meta-analysis of 160 samples of disaster victims over 20 In a meta-analysis of 160 samples of disaster victims over 20

years, it was found that in 94% of the samples, females were years, it was found that in 94% of the samples, females were

“more adversely impacted irrespective of if they were children, “more adversely impacted irrespective of if they were children,

adolescents, or adults...”adolescents, or adults...” (Myers, 58).(Myers, 58).

Criterion E: durationCriterion E: duration

Duration of the disturbance (symptoms in B, C, and D) is more than Duration of the disturbance (symptoms in B, C, and D) is more than one monthone month.

Often soldiers will fake normalcy in order to Often soldiers will fake normalcy in order to continue with their duties making this criteria continue with their duties making this criteria

difficult to ascertain in their situationdifficult to ascertain in their situation.

Criterion F: functional significanceCriterion F: functional significance

The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Specify if:Specify if:

Acute: if duration of symptoms is less than three monthsAcute: if duration of symptoms is less than three months

Chronic: if duration of symptoms is three months or moreChronic: if duration of symptoms is three months or more

Specify if:Specify if:

With or Without delay onset: Onset of symptoms at least six months With or Without delay onset: Onset of symptoms at least six months after the stressorafter the stressor

Keep in mind that trauma can have varying effect Keep in mind that trauma can have varying effect on different socioeconomic groups as well as age on different socioeconomic groups as well as age groups. Traumatic experiences do not necessarily groups. Traumatic experiences do not necessarily indicate a person will suffer from PTSD, but there indicate a person will suffer from PTSD, but there

is a strong correlation between disaster events is a strong correlation between disaster events and this particular disorder.and this particular disorder.

Questions to consider.Questions to consider.

How might you react to an environmental How might you react to an environmental disaster and how might that differ from other disaster and how might that differ from other traumatic events?traumatic events?

How are natural environmental disasters How are natural environmental disasters different from other disaster events such as different from other disaster events such as terrorism?terrorism?

Works CitedWorks Cited

Fullerton, Carol, and Robert Ursano. Fullerton, Carol, and Robert Ursano. Textbook of Disaster PsychiatryTextbook of Disaster Psychiatry. New York: Cambridge . New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print.University Press, 2007. Print.

Myers, Diane. Myers, Diane. Disaster Mental Health ServicesDisaster Mental Health Services. New York: Routledge Taylor& Francis Group, . New York: Routledge Taylor& Francis Group,

2005. Print.2005. Print.

"PTSD Screening Instruments.""PTSD Screening Instruments."United States Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs. US Department of . US Department of

Veterans Affairs, 02 Nov 2012. Web. 4 Apr 2013.Veterans Affairs, 02 Nov 2012. Web. 4 Apr 2013.