Year
2024
Season
Fall
Paper Type
Master's Thesis
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Name
Master of Arts in International Affairs (MAIA)
Department
Political Science & Public Administration
NACO controlled Corporate Body
University of North Florida. Department of Political Science and Public Administration
First Advisor
Dr. Sean Freeder
Second Advisor
Dr. Pamela A. Zeiser
Department Chair
Dr. Nicholas Seabrook
College Dean
Dr. Kaveri Subrahmanyam
Abstract
Humanitarian aid volunteers encounter a wide range of stressors, from witnessing horrific events and human suffering to facing organizational challenges and threats to their personal safety. These experiences can have significant and lasting impacts on their mental and emotional well-being. Despite increasing awareness of the psychological toll on aid volunteers, research on effective coping mechanisms and organizational support remains limited, while efforts by organizations that have begun implementing mental health training remain insufficient in providing the comprehensive, long-term support needed to mitigate these effects. This article aims to address the gap by reviewing existing literature on the psychological and emotional challenges faced by humanitarian aid volunteers, with a particular focus on how organizational support contributes to the volunteers' mental health. To achieve this, I conducted a systematic literature review, analyzing studies published on stress, trauma, coping, and support among humanitarian aid volunteers. The findings reveal that while individual resilience plays a crucial role in volunteers' ability to manage stress, organizational factors such as adequate training, mental health resources, and supportive leadership significantly enhance their capacity to navigate mental health challenges, consequently, necessitating the implementation of evidence-based support systems within aid organizations, to improve volunteers' well-being and the effectiveness of humanitarian missions.
Suggested Citation
Prudnikova, Valeria, "Organizational support and its impact on mental health in humanitarian aid volunteers" (2024). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1293.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/1293
Included in
International Humanitarian Law Commons, International Relations Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, Psychology Commons, Training and Development Commons
