Exploring Psychological Recovery of Victims who Lost Family Members in the Natural Disaster in Aceh Province, Indonesia

Abstract

　　This study attempted to identify factors that trigger the mental recovery of natural disaster victims who have lost family members.　A field study was conducted in Aceh, Indonesia where many people lost their lives during the Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami in 2004.　One hundred nine bereaved family members were interviewed, in the form of semi-structured interviews.　When asked what helped them recover from the bereavement, the most common answers were the existence of and comfort from family, followed by friends and people in the local community, and Islamic teachings.　However, concerning the direct event or catalyst for the mental recovery, most people answered that it involved a third party, especially a friend.　These results suggest that social support from friends and other third parties other than family members play a more important role as a turning point in bringing about positive internal change in bereaved families.　Therefore, it is necessary to give special consideration to individuals in vulnerable positions, such as people who have lost their entire family, children who have little contact with society and are too young to express their feelings, and people such as some women in Aceh, who are expected to refrain from social advancement due to social customs or religious values.　When reconstruction policies are planned and conducted, efforts need to be made to ensure that vulnerable people in disaster situations have as much contact as possible with those around them in the community, including NGOs and support groups.　In addition, the case of Aceh emphasizes the need to understand and take into consideration local customs and cultural values when social support is provided to disaster-stricken areas.

JEL Classification:C93, I31