The effects of perceived availability of social support on psychological symptomatology following a natural disaster were studied in a sample of victims of a major flood in Roanoke, Virginia. Ninety‐six subjects were administered questionnaires that measured self‐reported levels of depression, anxiety, and somatization 1 week after the disaster and four additional times within 6 months after the disaster. A questionnaire mailed 3 months after the disaster assessed perceived availability of social support. Results indicated that subjects experienced severe distress immediately following the disaster, that this distress decreased sharply 6 weeks after the flood, and decreased more gradually in the following months. Perceived availability of social support was not related to distress immediately following the disaster nor 5 months afterwards. Social support and symptomatology were significantly correlated during the intermediate period.
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Cook et al. (1990) studied this question.
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