Factors influencing stress response avoidance behaviors following technological disasters: A case study of the 2008 TVA coal ash spill

ABSTRACT Building upon the growing body of empirical social science research examining psychosocial stress following natural, technological, and human-caused disasters, this article presents new research findings specifically regarding stress response avoidance behaviours. In this article, we present a conceptual model of factors contributing to such avoidance behaviours as measured by the Impact of Event Scale (IES) Avoidance subscale. We empirically test the model using data collected in the aftermath of the 2008 Tennessee Valley Authority coal ash spill in Roane County, Tennessee. Conceptually, the findings support some of what is known about how gender, age, socioeconomic status, event experience, risk perceptions, being a claimant, personal relationship disruption, and various types of resource loss influence psychosocial stress. In contrast to previous studies, however, our findings reveal that in the case of the TVA spill, community involvement is associated with higher levels of IES Avoidance behaviours. These findings have potential to inform community mental health needs following technological disasters. In particular, mental health professionals should be aware of the counter-intuitive findings related to community involvement and chronic stress response avoidance behaviours and seek ways to reconcile this issue.