| This thesis examines the relationship between the Exxon Valdez oil spill and mental health through the mediating concepts of personal economic gain and social trust. A conceptual framework organizing the relationships between disasters, communities, social capital, community resilience, and mental health informs the statistical analysis. Data collected in 2009, taken from a longitudinal study of Cordova, Alaska, provide indicators and measures for the analysis. The results reveal that signs of partial ecological and economic recovery were present in Cordova, as well as a partial psychological recovery. Ecological and economic recovery was also found to have a significant positive effect on psychological recovery. Further, social trust was found to have a significant positive effect on the psychological recovery via its effect on symptoms of depression, and former litigants consistently experienced more symptoms of depression than other residents. The thesis concludes with its implications, a discussion of its limitations, and recommendations for future research. |
