A case study of children’s lived experience and meaning of a natural disaster

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to document how children described their experiences of an unanticipated natural disaster in the form of a flood which followed a hurricane, focusing on strategies that helped them cope with the event. Four participants engaged in a qualitative study, which was conducted 6 years after the disaster. A qualitative analysis of the data was conducted. The overarching theme that emerged from the analysis was coping with the experience during the following time frames: (a) during the disaster, (b) immediately after the disaster, and (c) continued long-term effects post-disaster. Findings provide insight into children’s post-disaster experiences and clinical implications for recreational therapy.