BSDP-586
Preparing for Disasters - Resilience and Stress Response

While many private and public agencies have some sort of disaster response plan, few take into account the mental and emotional ramifications of disaster upon general and vulnerable populations.  This course will investigate the use of resiliency and stress inoculation before disaster to lesson disaster impact and encourage effective and prompt recovery.

Course Number: BSDP-586
Classification: Elective
Credits Earned: 3
Term Available:Summer 2010; course then moves to Spring only.
Faculty: Rachel Schwartz

Course Description:
This course will examine various theories of resilience and what makes certain populations more vulnerable to the negative effects of disasters, both man-made and naturally occurring. Students will research a variety of ways to inoculate populations against the psychological effects of such disasters. Through assigned readings, lectures, discussion questions and written assignments, students will learn to recognize stressors and resilience in the individual, family groups, communities, as well as among the elderly, children, war veterans and others. Lessons will be drawn from events like 9/11, the Blitz, pandemics, countries at war etc. Students will learn what can be done ahead of time to minimize the effects of such events; how to recognize a vulnerable population; how to develop mitigation and preparedness strategies for these populations.

Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course students will be able to:
• Define the concept of resilience as used by multiple sources
• Explain the disagreements between these sources regarding the resilience construct
• Describe their own opinion regarding the use of resilience as a construct and explain their reasons.
• Apply the concept to a variety of stress/disaster situations
• Discuss the effects of manmade vs. natural disasters on victims
• Identify individuals, communities and institutions most vulnerable to trauma/disaster
• Develop and apply appropriate resilience programs to populations
• Explain the difficulties in creating and applying resilience programs
• Describe the standard Stress Inoculation applications
• Explain difficulties in tailoring these models

Course Format:
Written assignments, threaded discussions, readings and
lectures.