A Qualitative Study of Immediate and Evolving Reactions of Directly-Exposed Survivors of the Oklahoma City Bombing

Abstract

This study's purpose was to learn about survivors' raw personal experiences of the Oklahoma City bombing in terms of reported actions, thoughts, and feelings, and to examine the evolution of their feelings with the passage of time, post-disaster. A randomly selected sample of 182 directly-exposed survivors of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing were interviewed approximately six months after the disaster and asked four open-ended questions about reactions to the bombing and to reminders of it. Responses to questions were conceptually divided, providing structure for a subsequent qualitative content analysis. Initial thoughts and actions at the time of the bomb blast included efforts to make sense of what was happening and helping themselves and others to safety. Feelings evolved in type and intensity, with varied time courses. Based on these findings, responders, clinicians, and health authorities can anticipate different emotional responses over time, allowing tailoring of mental health interventions to needs.