Exploring Family Resilience and Community Strength amidst Disasters and Crisis Situations

The increase in the number, frequency and impacts of disasters and crisis situations around the world with the impact of climate change is emphasized among global challenges. The increasing social and economic impacts of disasters at the global level is an obstacle to preserving development gains and achieving sustainable development goals. In recent years, the concept of resilience has come to the fore in academic and policy-based disaster management efforts and has expanded contextually from the individual to the family and community levels.

Family resilience is considered as maintaining or re-establishing the family's balance between demands/stresses and resources/coping strategies in the face of a challenging situation. From a systems perspective, family fragility and resilience are considered within the framework of multi-level recurrent interactions in coping with stressful experiences and social contexts. The resilience of families varies depending on several factors such as existing stressors, the level of pre-existing stress, family bonds, family’s social support, coping skills, family functioning, family belief sytems, organizational structures, communication patterns and the resources provided by family members and other community resources.

In response to the increasing trend of global disasters and crises, strategies should be developed to address barriers to community resilience and incorporate emergency management into preparedness, response, and recovery phases. Resilience strategies should be taken proactive steps, buffering disruptions, reducing the risk of dysfunctioning, and supporting positive adaptation and offering resources in overcoming challenges. More inclusive community-based interventions should be used to respond to disasters, such as community engagement, public education, supportive mentors, volunteering, social funding, social trust, community connections, safe neighborhoods, informed organizations and professionals, quality schools, and access to quality child care and quality healthcare. Governments and community actors such as non-governmental organisations, professionals and volunteers should undertake coordinated efforts to strengthen families and communities against crisis situations and increase resilience.