New Queensland University of Technology (QUT) research has found it's the giving and receiving of emotional support rather than gifts or donations that has provided the greatest boost to personal wellbeing for residents impacted by the Brisbane flood.
The early findings of the research, released as the six-month anniversary of the Brisbane flood approaches, show that those flood-affected residents and members of the 'mud army' of volunteers who gave and received emotional support, were less likely to have experienced depression, anxiety and stress.
The data was collected from over 300 people by Dr Jane Shakespeare-Finch and Julie Green from QUT's School of Psychology and Counselling.
Flood-impacted residents told QUT researchers that the emotional support made them feel valued and cared for, and that there was someone they could trust when they were feeling down.
"Physical support like cleaning up or the act of bringing around a gift or donation wasn't as important to wellbeing as the emotional support people felt," said Dr Shakespeare-Finch.
The research has also found that those who gave and received emotional support had a higher level of perceived personal growth.
"These findings show that for personal growth to occur, the trauma which precedes it has to be substantial. For these flood victims, their view of the world as something benevolent and as a safe place which they could control was completely shattered," Dr Shakespeare-Finch said.
"Essentially, these findings also demonstrate that you won't see a silver lining without having experienced the clouds. But of course for a minority of flood victims, the trauma of this has been enormous and the effects will be with them for a long time."
Further research findings will be released later this year.
Media Contact:
-Katrina Blowers, QUT Media Officer, 07 3138 2999 or katrina.blowers@qut.edu.au
-Ian Eckersley, QUT Media Manager, 07 3138 2361/ 0432 754 897 or ian.eckersley@qut.edu.au
