Japan's 2011 disaster: A grounded theory study of resilience in vicariously exposed Japanese citizens

Disasters are stressors and Post-disaster psychological interventions (PDIs) are designed to promote resiliency in affected populations; there is no supportive evidence that such interventions are effective in reducing or preventing clinical symptoms of PSTD. The purpose of this study was to explore how vicariously exposed Japanese citizens living in the UK responded to Japan's 2011 disaster, and how their responses may support the aims of PDIs and resiliency. A qualitative design using a snowball sampling method and semi-structured interview was conducted and analysed using grounded theory. Participants (n=18; m = 3, f = 15), who had lived in the UK for an average of 13.3 years, attended face to face interviews. They reflected on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours from first hearing of the disaster. A preliminary grounded theory revealed the psychological process of appraisal and identification as drivers of establishing safety, helping responses and the development of a disaster narrative. The resultant theory supported the aims of PDIs, but highlighted the potential of disaster ‘victims’ utilising existing skills in the disaster to create a personal narrative of self-efficacy (resilience) in overcome feeling of helplessness in the disaster context. William James noted this phenomena during his experience of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.