disaster psychology
the specialized domain of training, research, and service provision applied to individuals, communities, and nations exposed to a disaster. A key goal is to reduce initial distress and foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning following a disaster. Within this domain, disaster mental health is the term most widely used in the United States to describe the psychological component in overall disaster response. Psychosocial support is the term adopted by the international community and the World Health Organization to refer to the development and implementation of culturally appropriate mental health training and services for communities devastated by a disaster. Disaster mental health specialists may serve as consultants, researchers, and educators in the field. See also crisis intervention; disaster counseling.