The Disaster Framing of the Stress Process: A Test of an Expanded Model *

Abstract

Studies of the negative mental health consequences of natural disasters form an important interface between environmental sociology and medical sociology. Building upon recent developments in both fields, we develop an expanded model of the disaster framing of the stress process and test its main effects and buffer specifications with data on the preparation and short-term recovery phases of Hurricane Andrew. We found that instrumental forms of social support ameliorated psychological distress, but we found only weak support for the buffer model. Our results suggest that expanding the range of environmental changes that is included in conceptualizations of stress and exploring contextual effects at the personal network and local community levels would improve our understanding of the stress process inside and outside the disaster context. They also highlight the importance of paying close attention to the types and timing of support transactions following life-threatening events.