Building Spiritual Fortitude and Resilience Following Disaster: Synthesizing the Contributions of Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality

Abstract

This chapter examines the intersections of positive psychology and religion/spirituality in the context of disasters. We review the salience of religious/spiritual (R/S) processes in coping with mass trauma and summarize several strength-based disaster recovery theories that contribute to a holistic understanding of survivors’ and communities’ adaptation processes. Building on this review, we propose and describe the systemic model of Disaster Spiritual Fortitude and Resilience (DSFR). This is the first spiritually integrated disaster recovery model that (a) captures both strengths and vulnerabilities across holistic domains of human experience while also (b) considering across-time interactional effects between the individual and their multilevel socioecological context (at interpersonal, community, and larger societal levels). Implications for practitioners and community leaders working in disaster and humanitarian contexts are provided, along with recommendations for guiding science, practice, and policymaking.