Attitudes of Affectees of Ojheri Camp Disaster: Social-Psychological Consequences

The study measured the attitudes of the affectees of Ojheri camp disaster who either lost their relatives or were injured or lost their property or suffered from a combination of these damages. A questionnaire containing positive and negative attitudinal statements was administered to 48 female and 42 male affectees after 3 months of the disaster. The affectees were living at varying distances from the place of disaster. The attitudinal statements were about the government's role during and after the disaster. A series of analyses of variance were performed. The results indicated that the nearer the residence of the affectees .from the site of the disaster the more negative attitude they held toward the government. It was also found that the politically affiliated persons held more negative attitudes toward the government as compared to politically non-affiliated persons. The results indicated that the affectees were generally critical of the government and they expressed strong negative feelings toward government's handling of the disaster and its post-disaster relief work. The findings have been discussed in a social-psychological frame work.