Conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disaster

The increasing prevalence of mental health issues among the public poses a threat comparable to, and potentially more pervasive and far-reaching than, that of physical disasters. Conceptually and academically, defining psychological problems as individual "disasters" offers a novel multidi...

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Main Authors: Dan ZHOU, Liang ZHOU, Zhongmin LIU, Hui WANG
Format: Article
Language:zho
Published: Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Public Health 2025-03-01
Series:Zhongguo gonggong weisheng
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.zgggws.com/article/doi/10.11847/zgggws1146137
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author Dan ZHOU
Liang ZHOU
Zhongmin LIU
Hui WANG
author_facet Dan ZHOU
Liang ZHOU
Zhongmin LIU
Hui WANG
author_sort Dan ZHOU
collection DOAJ
description The increasing prevalence of mental health issues among the public poses a threat comparable to, and potentially more pervasive and far-reaching than, that of physical disasters. Conceptually and academically, defining psychological problems as individual "disasters" offers a novel multidisciplinary perspective on mental health research and revitalizes the field. The introduction of the"psychological disaster"concept encourages attention to common psychological distress and trauma experienced in daily life, as evidenced by its relevance, breadth, concreteness, and practicality. This study explores a theoretical framework for a psychological disaster life cycle, characterizing it as a non-linear, dynamic, and malleable process. Five key points–onset, development, mitigation/exacerbation, stabilization, and potential recurrence–demarcate five stages: incubation, prodromal, acute, remission/deterioration, and final adaptation. This framework provides guidance for future research on preventative measures during the incubation period, assessment and mitigation during the prodromal phase, intervention and treatment during the acute phase, rehabilitation management during the recovery phase, and follow-up during the adaptation phase. This model paves the way for analyzing the mechanisms and predicting the evolution of psychological disasters.
format Article
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publisher Editorial Office of Chinese Journal of Public Health
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series Zhongguo gonggong weisheng
spelling doaj-art-e668f92bb770472a8a558df789fd6f492025-08-20T02:28:46ZzhoEditorial Office of Chinese Journal of Public HealthZhongguo gonggong weisheng1001-05802025-03-0141338038410.11847/zgggws11461371146137Conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disasterDan ZHOU0Liang ZHOU1Zhongmin LIU2Hui WANG3School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, ChinaInstitute of Disaster Medicine Engineering of Tongji University, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, ChinaThe increasing prevalence of mental health issues among the public poses a threat comparable to, and potentially more pervasive and far-reaching than, that of physical disasters. Conceptually and academically, defining psychological problems as individual "disasters" offers a novel multidisciplinary perspective on mental health research and revitalizes the field. The introduction of the"psychological disaster"concept encourages attention to common psychological distress and trauma experienced in daily life, as evidenced by its relevance, breadth, concreteness, and practicality. This study explores a theoretical framework for a psychological disaster life cycle, characterizing it as a non-linear, dynamic, and malleable process. Five key points–onset, development, mitigation/exacerbation, stabilization, and potential recurrence–demarcate five stages: incubation, prodromal, acute, remission/deterioration, and final adaptation. This framework provides guidance for future research on preventative measures during the incubation period, assessment and mitigation during the prodromal phase, intervention and treatment during the acute phase, rehabilitation management during the recovery phase, and follow-up during the adaptation phase. This model paves the way for analyzing the mechanisms and predicting the evolution of psychological disasters.https://www.zgggws.com/article/doi/10.11847/zgggws1146137mental healthpsychological disasterconcept proposaltheory constructionwhole life cycle
spellingShingle Dan ZHOU
Liang ZHOU
Zhongmin LIU
Hui WANG
Conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disaster
Zhongguo gonggong weisheng
mental health
psychological disaster
concept proposal
theory construction
whole life cycle
title Conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disaster
title_full Conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disaster
title_fullStr Conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disaster
title_full_unstemmed Conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disaster
title_short Conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disaster
title_sort conceptualization and theoretical construction of psychological disaster
topic mental health
psychological disaster
concept proposal
theory construction
whole life cycle
url https://www.zgggws.com/article/doi/10.11847/zgggws1146137
work_keys_str_mv AT danzhou conceptualizationandtheoreticalconstructionofpsychologicaldisaster
AT liangzhou conceptualizationandtheoreticalconstructionofpsychologicaldisaster
AT zhongminliu conceptualizationandtheoreticalconstructionofpsychologicaldisaster
AT huiwang conceptualizationandtheoreticalconstructionofpsychologicaldisaster