ABSTRACT
Today we know more than ever before about the emotional cost to the Allens of this tragic accident as well as the role they play in Paula's recovery_ There is little doubt that the family, plus the social support system in general, is the single most important resource to emotional recovery from catastrophe (McCubbin & Figley, 1983; Figley & McCubbin, 1983a). One chapter (Figley, 1983) focuses exclusively on how families, like the AlIens, cope with catastrophe. The central thesis of these volumes is that the family is a critical support system to human beings before, during, and after stressful times and that the system and its lne111bers are also affected, sometimes even more than the victim. In this chapter, I would like to capsulize four years of work by answering five questions:
1. What qualifies as a catastrophe, an event that may result in traumatic or post-traumatic stress reactions?
