Flooding disaster: The effect on the adolescents at Angoda Rahula College, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Different categories of human beings have been affected due to a range of disasters in Sri Lanka. The effects of such disasters vary according to these categories, in particular, the effect on adolescents’ reports as vital. However, there is a dearth of research with regard to this in Sri Lanka. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the flood disaster at Rahula College in May 2016 on adolescents in terms of physical, educational, economical and interpersonal relations and mental aspects. The randomly selected sample considered of flood disaster affected students of grade 10-11; 25 males and 25 females. The quantitative data was collected using a survey questionnaire. The survey data was triangulated with semi- structured interviews with teachers (10) and students (6) and analyzed using SPSS. Fact findings revealed that the effect in terms of physical, mental, educational, economical and interpersonal relations on both girls and boys was at considerable amount. The majority have been affected by post trauma stress disorder (PTSD), whilst the effect of social problems was high among females than males. The support received from friends, school teachers, social workers and Media recorded as powerful in resolving most of the problems encountered by adolescents due to flood disaster. This study is offered insights of professional counselors, about how to design counseling programs on coping skills for disaster affected adolescents.