Community-level social support responses in a slow-motion technological disaster: the case of Libby, Montana.
Social support is an important resource for communities experiencing disasters. However, a disaster's nature (rapid- versus slow-onset, natural versus technological) may influence community-level responses. Disaster research on social support focuses primarily on rapid-onset natural disasters and, to a lesser extent, rapid-onset technological disasters. Little research has addressed slow-onset disasters. This study explores social support processes in Libby, MT, a community experiencing a "slow-motion technological disaster" due to widespread amphibole asbestos exposure. A comprehensive social support coding system was applied to focus-group and in-depth-interview transcripts. Results reveal that, although the community has a history of normative supportiveness during community and individual crises, that norm has been violated in the asbestos disaster context. Results are interpreted as a failure to achieve an "emergent altruistic community." Specifically, community-level conflict appears to interfere with previously established social support patterns. The observed phenomenon can be understood as the deterioration of a previously supportive community.
School of Communication Studies, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA. rcline14@kent.edu
Rebecca J W
RJ
Cline
Heather
H
Orom
Lisa
L
Berry-Bobovski
Tanis
T
Hernandez
C Brad
CB
Black
Ann G
AG
Schwartz
John C
JC
Ruckdeschel
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000533:Altruism; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole / Q000506:poisoning*; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003256:Community Participation / Q000523:psychology; D004190:Disasters; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D009009:Montana / Q000453:epidemiology; D012944:Social Support; D012947:Social Work
D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole