Spirituality and Faith-Based Interventions: Pathways to Disaster Resilience for African American Hurricane Katrina Survivors
Abstract
Research has shown that spirituality and religion are important sources of resilience and coping in adversity such as disasters, particularly for African Americans. In addition, churches and faith-based service providers are key actors in disaster relief and recovery. After Hurricane Katrina, research on survivors has focused little on the role of spirituality and religion in their recovery. This case study illustrates that even without soliciting it, survivors who evacuated to a host city talked about the importance of spirituality and religion in their recovery process. Further, interviews and observations with local service providers illustrate that few practitioners utilized spirituality or religion as a resource and that coordination between faith-based and secular service providers was problematic. Our research highlights a neglected area of cultural competence for those providing services to Katrina survivors. We discuss the implications for social work policy and practice.
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Spiritual teachings and pastoral care were highlighted as a vital support for natural disaster survivors.
“Spiritual teachings and pastoral care were highlighted as a vital support for natural disaster survivors (Alawiyah et al., 2011).”
From The relationship between spirituality and resilience and well-being: a study of 529 care leavers from 11 nations. (2023) · cites this paper as Alawiyah et al., 2011
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“This interpretation is broadly consistent with prior evidence indicating that positive religious coping can be associated with lower depression and anxiety and improved well-being following natural disasters (56, 57).”
- Authors
- Alawiyah, T., Bell, H., Pyles, L., & Runnels, R. C.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- University at Albany, State University of New York (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2011-07
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 294-319
- ISSN
- 1542-6432 (ISSN-L)
- 1542-6440
- OpenAlex
- W2125962832
- Cited by
- 79
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 3.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Disaster Management and Resilience
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion, Society, and Development
- Keywords
- spirituality, disaster resilience, Hurricane Katrina, faith-based interventions, disaster recovery, cultural competence, social work practice, social work policy
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