Springer Positive Psychological Approaches to Disaster: Meaning, Resilience, and Posttraumatic Growth

Written by prominent proponents of disaster mental health and/or positive psychology, this comprehensive book examines disaster mental health and positive psychology in the context of natural and technological disasters. Chapters in the first section focus on applications of meaning and resilience in the area of disaster mental health, both serving as primary examples of applications of positive psychology and related frameworks. Later chapters focus more specifically on key aspects of disaster mental health, including the importance of preparedness, training, and special populations. Contributors consistently align their insights with positive psychological approaches, either by explicitly referencing their relevance or alluding less directly to themes in positive psychology. Among the topics discussed: The role of religion and spirituality in finding meaning after disasters Veterans and disaster response work Firefighters: an occupational case study of resilience Strategies for responding to adolescents following natural and technological disasters Effective crisis response for facilitating posttraumatic growth Positive Psychological Approaches to Disaster: Meaning, Resilience, and Posttraumatic Growth is a significant and timely collection of research, representing an effort of internationally respected scholars in positive psychology and disaster mental health. From the Back Cover Written by prominent proponents of disaster mental health and/or positive psychology, this comprehensive book examines disaster mental health and positive psychology in the context of natural and technological disasters. Chapters in the first section focus on applications of meaning and resilience in the area of disaster mental health, both serving as primary examples of applications of positive psychology and related frameworks. Later chapters focus more specifically on key aspects of disaster mental health, including the importance of preparedness, training, and special populations. Contributors consistently align their insights with positive psychological approaches, either by explicitly referencing their relevance or alluding less directly to themes in positive psychology. Among the topics discussed: The role of religion and spirituality in finding meaning after disasters Veterans and disaster response work Firefighters: an occupational case study of resilience Strategies for responding to adolescents following natural and technological disasters Effective crisis response for facilitating posttraumatic growth Positive Psychological Approaches to Disaster: Meaning, Resilience, and Posttraumatic Growth is a significant and timely collection of research, representing an effort of internationally respected scholars in positive psychology and disaster mental health. About the Author Stefan E. Schulenberg received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in Clinical-Disaster Psychology, from the University of South Dakota in 2001. He is a licensed psychologist in the state of Mississippi, a Professor in the University of Mississippi’s Psychology Department, and a Logotherapy Diplomate. Dr. Schulenberg is the Director of the University of Mississippi’s Clinical-Disaster Research Center (UM-CDRC), an integrated research, teaching, and training center with emphases in disaster mental health and positive psychology. He is also the Director of the University of Mississippi’s interdisciplinary minor in Disaster Sciences (DSci), a joint effort across the departments of psychology, criminal justice, social work, and sociology.  Dr. Schulenberg has authored/co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters in scholarly texts. He is the editor of Clarifying and Furthering Existential Psychotherapy (2016), the co-editor of Clinical Perspectives on Meaning: Positive and Existential Psychotherapy (2016), and part of the authorship team that produced Disasters that Shaped