Abstract
M.A.
This study, regarding the long-term effects of the Westdene bus-disaster, which was
undertaken after a period of seven years, has the following objectives:
A survey of the literature regarding disasters and posttraumatic stress.
An investigation of the long-term effects of the trauma on the secondary victims of
the trauma, namely the family systems of the primary victims.
The role and function of the family in the primary victims' coping and recovery
from the trauma.
The effect the trauma has on the family system after a period of seven years.
A survey to establish the long-term effects of the therapeutic inputs regarding the
secondary victims after the trauma.
The first part of the study explores the theory regarding posttraumatic stress. The study
comes to the conclusion that stress and trauma cannot only be viewed as a linear matter,
but that psychological and contextual factors play an important role in the extent to which
an event is experienced as stressful or not.
It seems clear that the trauma does not only affect the individual victim, but the family
system of which the individual forms a part of, is also affected by the stressful events.
The study therefore examines the family of the primary victim with a systems theory
approach. Therefore: How the family encounters and copes with stress, and how the
family affects/influences the coping strategies of the primary victim. The study
differentiates between normative and non-normative stressors and family adjustment. The study was conducted from a qualitative perspective. A certain amount of stress is
already present in the family of the adolescent. This is the result of the adolescents'
development towards independence and the forming is disrupted by the occurrence of a
stressful non-normative event.
The primary victim can therefore not be studied in isolation, but other mediating factors
should be included in the investigation. One of these factors is the family of the victim,
who plays an important part in the coping with the stressful event.
With regard to psychological therapy and the long-term effects of such interventions, the
researcher comes to the conclusion that developmental processes in interaction with a
supportive psychological climate contributes to the realistic coping and acceptance of the
trauma.
The following points of criticism against the study can be raised:
Other factors, such as divorce, "empty-nest-syndrome" and the death of a family
member can have an effect on the current functioning of the family system.
The family of the primary victim has experienced normative adjustment and
changes during the seven year that has lapsed since the disaster.
The families that have experienced the most trauma as a result of the disaster, did
not partake in this study.
The study made the following recommendations:
That intensive studies, on the short-term and the long-term, should be undertaken
of the families of disaster victims;
that research and literature regarding posttraumatic stress should place more
emphasis on the role, function and effect of the trauma on the family systems of
the disaster victims;
the establishing of a natural institute, which includes the extended family, for the
minimising of the long-term effects of a trauma. Although trauma is defined in a linear perspective, it should be seen within a bigger
ecosystemic content, which includes the systems of the disaster victims. This view would
probably result in more positive coping strategies regarding traumatic events.