Exploring the Psychological Impact of Disasters and Emergency Events

Submission Deadline: 28 February 2026 View: 318 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Dr. Lu-Yen Anny Chen

Email: annychen@nycu.edu.tw

Affiliation: Institute of Clinical Nursing, College of Nursing, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan

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Research Interests: Disaster Nursing; Ai in Healthcare; Psychological Distress

Dr. Lissette Aviles

Email: laviles@ed.ac.uk

Affiliation: Lecturer in Nursing Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, United Kingdom

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Research Interests: disaster prepardness; qualitative methods; grounded theory; social sciences; nursing theory; ethical consideration conducting research

Dr. Hsiao-Wei Joy Tsai

Email: hsiaoweitsai@tea.ntue.edu.tw

Affiliation: Department of Special Education, National Taipei University of Education, Taipei, 10671, Taiwan

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Research Interests: family adjustment to childhood developmental disability; psychopathology; cross-cultural psychology

Dr. Arcellia Farosyah Putri

Email: arcel_farosy@yahoo.com

Affiliation: Department of Nursing, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Central Jakarta, 10430, Indonesia

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Research Interests: disaster and emergency care; posttraumatic growth; psychological first aid

Summary

Disasters and emergency events, whether natural, technological, or human-induced, pose significant psychological challenges for individuals, communities, and healthcare systems. The mental health consequences of such events, including acute stress reactions, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and long-term psychosocial distress, are increasingly recognized as critical public health concerns. As global crises such as climate change, pandemics, and large-scale accidents become more frequent, understanding and mitigating the psychological impact of these events has never been more important.

This Special Issue aims to explore the multifaceted psychological consequences of disasters and emergencies, emphasizing evidence-based responses, community resilience, and culturally competent interventions. It invites interdisciplinary research and practice-based insights from nursing, psychology, public health, emergency medicine, and disaster management fields.

Suggested themes include:
· Psychological first aid and early mental health interventions
· Long-term mental health outcomes among survivors and responders
· Culturally adapted mental health strategies in disaster response
· The role of nurses and frontline workers in mental health recovery
· Technology-based psychological support during and after disasters
· Trauma-informed care models for displaced or marginalized populations
· Policy and ethical considerations in psychological disaster response

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