Lessons from Joplin: personal growth often coexists with post-traumatic stress following natural disasters, MU researchers find
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri, was one of the most destructive in U.S. history—killing 161 people, injuring 1,150 and destroying approximately one-third of the city’s homes. Individuals who experience such disasters can exhibit a range of mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress. Now, researchers from the Disaster and Community Crisis Center at the University of Missouri have found that survivors of natural disasters have the potential to experience positive changes or growth in addition to the stress they experience. Researchers say this finding can help those working in communities after a disaster. (more…)