The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Resilience in the Aftermath of Postdisaster Intimate Partner Violence

Background and purpose:  The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill is the worst technological disaster in the history of the United States. The impact from disaster results in uncertainty regarding the immediate and long-term future, a situation exacerbated by lack of equity and vulnerability. Disaster impact creates stresses that contribute to a range of physical, behavioral, cognitive and emotional symptoms negatively affecting social interactions among the most vulnerable (Ritchie, 2012; Gill et al., 2014; Baker and Cormier 2015). Empirical studies indicate that disaster can result in troubled interpersonal relationships, marital stress, new conflicts and an increase in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) (Norris, 2014; XXX et al., 2016). The extant literature on recovery mechanisms and processes for victims of IPV doesn’t address these same issues for IPV survivors in the aftermath of disaster. Given the global disruption caused by disasters impacting the most vulnerable and marginalized, this study sought to identify the resilience characteristics of IPV survivors in the aftermath of disaster. The conceptual model underlying the study was guided by the conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989; Hobfoll, Stevens and Zalta, 2015).

Methods: Data was derived from the Gulf States Population Survey (GSPS).  The final sample used for analysis included 1,954 survivors of IPV from the Gulf of Mexico region. A total of 25 counties within a radius of 32 miles of the oil spill were included. Inclusion criteria for the study were that an individual had to report that they had experienced either emotional or physical IPV. The study design was a comparative cross-sectional design (Marwat et al., 2013), comparing loss and protective factors of individual resilience. The outcome variable, individual resilience, was operationalized using the five-item abbreviated Pearlin Mastery Scale (Pearlin et al., 1981), by measuring self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-mastery, and optimism of individuals (Cronbach’s ά = .77).

Results: A hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that loss factors explained 7% of the variance in individual resilience, (F (4,2657) = 120.24, p < .0001). Furthermore, protective factors explained an additional 12% of the variance in individual resilience (F (8, 2655) = 138.24 p < .0001) above and beyond the variance explained by and accounted for by loss factors. Significant loss predictors are job loss as a result of the oil spill, decrease in income and depression. Significant protective factors are emotional and social support and education level.

Conclusions and Implications: This study identified predictors of resilience among survivors of IPV exposed to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The results identify significant loss and protective factors associated with victims of both IPV and exposure to disaster. Given the complexity of IPV post-disaster, social work research should be directed at both identifying and meeting the immediate postdisaster needs of IPV victims. With the increase in disasters and the associated psychosocial impacts, the need to identify and support resilience attributes among survivors of IPV is crucial to enhancing equity and well-being for all impacted by disaster. This research is important since much of disaster research has overlooked the relationship between IPV, vulnerability and disaster.