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Psychometric Properties of Disaster Event Reaction Items From the Crisis Counseling Individual/Family Encounter Log

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 August 2016

Kazuaki Uekawa*
Affiliation:
ICF International, Fairfax, Virginia
William Bryan Higgins
Affiliation:
ICF International, Fairfax, Virginia
Samuel Golenbock
Affiliation:
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
Amy R. Mack
Affiliation:
American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC
Nikki D. Bellamy*
Affiliation:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, Maryland.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Nikki D. Bellamy, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, 14E05D, Rockville, MD 20857 (e-mail: nikki.bellamy@samhsa.hhs.gov). The primary author may be contacted by sending correspondence to Kazuaki Uekawa, PhD, c/o ICF International, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031 (e-mail: kuekawa@icfi.com).
Correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Nikki D. Bellamy, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, 14E05D, Rockville, MD 20857 (e-mail: nikki.bellamy@samhsa.hhs.gov). The primary author may be contacted by sending correspondence to Kazuaki Uekawa, PhD, c/o ICF International, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031 (e-mail: kuekawa@icfi.com).
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Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this article was to examine the psychometric properties of the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) data collection instrument, the Individual/Family Encounter Log (IFEL). Data collected from disaster survivors included how they reacted to events in emotional, behavioral, physical, and cognitive domains. These domains are based on conceptual categorization of event reactions and allow CCP staff to provide survivors with referrals to appropriate behavioral health support resources, if warranted.

Methods

This study explored the factor structure of these survey items to determine how best to use the available information as a screen of disaster-related behavioral health indicators. Specifically, our first research question explored and confirmed the optimal factor structure of the event reaction items, and our second question examined whether the new factor structure was similar across disaster types: hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires. Using a factor analytic technique, we tested whether our event reaction outcomes achieved consistent and reliable measurement across different disaster situations. Finally, we assessed how the new subscales were correlated with the type of risk to which CCP disaster survivors were exposed.

Results

Our analyses revealed 3 factors: (1) depressive-like, (2) anxiety-like, and (3) somatic. In addition, we found that these factors were coherent for hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, although the basic factor structure was not equivalent for tornadoes.

Conclusion

Implications for use of the IFEL in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery are discussed. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:822–831)

Information

Type
Original Research
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 
Figure 0

Table 1 Event Reactions on the Individual/Family Encounter Form

Figure 1

Table 2 Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Programs by Disaster Typea

Figure 2

Table 3 Items Removed During the Exploratory Factor Analysis Iterated Process

Figure 3

Table 4 Unstandardized and Standardized Factor Loadings and Intra-Factor Covariances and Correlations

Figure 4

Table 5 Unstandardized and Standardized Regression Weights for Regressing Reaction Factors on Specific Disaster Risk Eventsa

Figure 5

Table 6 Unstandardized and Standardized Factor Loadings and Intra-Factor Covariances and Correlations by Disaster Type

Figure 6

Table A1 Descriptive Statistics for Event Reaction Items and Subtotal Scoresa

Figure 7

Table A2 Demographic Variablesa