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Lay Attributions about Distress after a Natural Disaster

Lehman College-City University of New York

This research explores how people's beliefs about problems can serve as barriers to help seeking for emotional distress. Of particular interest is the extent to which attributions about the problem (e.g., its severity and origins) are mediated by the context in which the request for help is made. Subjects read descriptions of a disaster victim. Subject perceptions as a function of the amount of property damage sustained (major vs. minor) and the victim's coping strategy (formal vs. informal vs. no help sought) were assessed. Analyses indicate that distressed victims who suffered minor damage in a flash flood were described negatively on a variety of interpersonal dimensions. Further observers attributed the victims' distress to internal causes rather than the flood. An interaction was found between coping style and damage: It is considered improper for victims who suffer minor damage to seek professional help. These findings shed light on why victims suffering from survivor guilt or distress due to intangible losses may be reluctant to acknowledge their feelings or seek help.

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