Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9089-8892

Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

JoNell Strough

Committee Member

Ryan Best

Committee Member

Kevin T. Larkin

Abstract

Climate change brings with it an increase in the occurrence of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms, etc. In the aftermath, afflicted individuals may suffer adversely, especially in their physical and mental health. Previous research has found older adults to be faring better after experiencing a disaster compared to younger adults, which has been attributed to their better mental health associated with aging and gaining experience with adversities (Strough et al., 2023; 2025). The current study examined the psychological distress and physiological pain of individuals across the adult lifespan after experiencing a disaster. Participants were part of the Understanding America Study (UAS), a national U.S. panel, who completed surveys UAS 588 and UAS 592 in December 2023 and January 2024, respectively (N=9,192). Psychological distress of participants (anxiety and depression symptoms) was measured through the 4-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), and physiological pain was measured by two single item indicators for pain intensity and severity. Hierarchical moderated regressions found experiencing a disaster was associated with higher psychological distress for younger adults, compared to those that did not experience a disaster, while older adults reported low distress in both conditions. Experiencing a disaster was also associated with higher pain intensity and severe pain severity ratings, and this association was more pronounced at younger ages. An exploratory three-way interaction of age, disaster experience, and pain intensity was not significantly associated with psychological distress. Future research needs to focus on improving post-disaster mental and physical health of younger adults by providing them adequate resources and support, and building on the resilience of older adults, so their mental health advantages may be capitalized.

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