ASSESSING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, RESILIENCY, AND COPING OF VICTIMS OF FLOOD IN SAN PABLO, ISABELA

Abstract

Floods caused widespread devastation, affecting both individuals and the environment, resulting in fatalities, property damage, and mental health issues. Using a mixed-methods research approach, the study aimed to assess the psychological distress, resilience, and coping of victims of flood in San Pablo, Isabela. Quantitative techniques measured psychological distress, resilience, and coping levels, whereas qualitative methods investigated respondents' lived experiences and coping mechanisms following flooding. The study included 298 flood victims aged 35 and above from San Pablo, Isabela, and collected data through survey questionnaires and focus group interviews. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis were used to investigate the link between psychological distress, resilience, and coping. The study showed a high level of psychological distress among the respondents. The uncertainty of experiencing floods, such as displacement, lack of necessities, and disrupted routines, can significantly impact mental well-being. Despite that, the respondents displayed a high resilience in terms of stressful events that happened in their lives, particularly during calamities. Respondents experience fatigue, stress and fear during and after floods. Their ways of coping to flood includes praying, being optimistic and courageous as well as having a strong support system. These findings contribute to understanding community resilience and coping amidst and post-floods, offering insights for intervention and support systems.