A research group led by Visiting Professor Machiko Ueyama of the International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, has revealed that supporting the rescue and preservation of historical documents after a disaster can contribute to the psychological recovery of victims.
Historical and cultural heritage was once seen only as something that needed to be protected in the event of a disaster, but in recent years it has come to be seen as a basis for fostering the resilience of disaster victims (the ability to adapt to difficulties such as disasters).
In Japan, many historical and cultural materials (historical documents) are owned by individuals in local communities. This study focuses on people who received support from third parties to rescue and preserve their historical documents after they were damaged in the Great East Japan Earthquake, and analyzes the impact this support had on the emotional recovery of the document owners.
The results showed that many of those who received support within three months of the disaster tended to express the support, historical documents, and their experience of the disaster in positive terms, saying things like "I'm grateful," "I now understand why I'm here," and "The earthquake is part of history and I want to pass it on to the next generation," and some even used the rescued historical documents to work on the reconstruction of their local communities. On the other hand, those who received support more than three months after the disaster tended to view their experience in negative terms, saying things like "I don't care anymore," and "I wish the earthquake had never happened." The extent of the damage (whether their home was completely or partially destroyed) was not related to positive or negative impressions of the support for the rescue and preservation of historical documents.
In conclusion, statistical data analysis using a psychological approach supports the idea that post-disaster historical rescue and preservation support can contribute to the resilience of disaster victims. This study also provides valuable knowledge to those involved in psychosocial support after disasters.
Paper information:[Journal of Disaster Research] A Psychometric Evaluation of Preserving Cultural Heritage as a Form of Psychosocial Support
