The Final Essay Exam is due for submission by 11:59 pm ET Sunday of WEEK 8 of the course to the Week 8 Assignment Link accessed through the Assignments Link on the left of the main course screen. The school Late Policy applies to all course assignments and can be found in the course syllabus. 

Each response must be a minimum of 200 words, include APA formatted, in-text citations, and a full reference list at the end of each response. For assistance and resources on APA formatting style, please see the APUS Writing Center at [email protected] 

The total possible points for the Essay Exam is 200; each short essay response is worth 50 points. Please see the assignment rubric for complete point breakdown and contact your professor with additional questions or concerns. 

1. The psychological phases of disaster response provide a useful framework for behavioral health providers and other agency professionals and community members to understand the psychological and emotional transitions throughout the disaster recovery process.

• Below, identify and explain, with detail, a disaster response phase.
• Select a disaster, either historic or modern day, and describe the selected psychological phase of disaster response exemplified in the chosen disaster.

2.Individuals present with physical complaints more in the case of chemical or biological events, these are often seen secondary to any psychological symptoms that may be present.

• Discuss the phenomenon that is described above and how effective disaster behavioral health methods can be used to mitigate the strain on resources in disaster response circumstances when such presentations emerge.

3. Discuss the roles of risk and protective factors in disaster resilience as they are advanced in resiliency theory. Explain the most notable differences that might be observed in disaster response situations by behavioral health providers applying ideals of resiliency theory. Share your thoughts on whether resiliency theory offers an enhanced approach to disaster recovery for most communities.

4. Social support is a critical element in the disaster recovery process for each affected individual. Indeed, social support serves as a significant protective factor against PTSD and other psychological effects of disaster.

• Discuss the concept of the social support network and its importance to the larger community following a disaster event.
• How do benefits of the social support network compare to those of the social support seen at the individual level?