Assessing Trauma Healing Methods for Volcanic Disaster Evacuees in Indonesia.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of various trauma healing methods implemented in the Pronojiwo District of Lumajang Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia. This region has been selected due to the recurring eruptions of Mount Semeru over the past three years, starting in 2020. While the government has focused on evacuation strategies, shelter location, and infrastructure-related activities, this study concentrates on initiatives aimed at enhancing the mental health of evacuees housed in temporary shelters. Various trauma-healing techniques were employed, including motivational talks, games, educational activities, and singing. The research involved 2,489 refugees displaced by the Semeru eruption in December 2022, and a quantitative method was adopted with a sample of 215 respondents, comprising 105 children and 110 adults. The findings indicated that the respondents held diverse perspectives on the traumahealing methods provided. The specific adversities each respondent faced following the disaster significantly influenced their perceptions. Among children up to adolescence, activities such as games, singing, and cooperative learning were generally well-received. However, methods involving talks, storytelling, motivation, and profound communication were found to potentially exert a positive impact on adult to elderly respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]