Ludvina Colbeau-Justin

Bio: Ludvina Colbeau-Justin is an academic researcher from University of Burgundy. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 6 publications receiving 82 citations.

Stress psychologique des sinistrés des inondations de la Somme : une étude exploratoire

Abstract: L’inondation a ete decrite comme une situation de catastrophe pouvant provoquer des atteintes psychiques graves, nombreuses et socialement desorganisantes. Afin d’evaluer les consequences psychologiques de telles catastrophes, nous avons realise une etude aupres de sujets sinistres des inondations de la Somme qui a eu pour objectif de reperer et de decrire les differentes manifestations emotionnelles, les formes de detresse psychologique, les difficultes rencontrees par les victimes et leur comprehension de cet evenement qui a entraine de nombreuses pertes materielles et une destabilisation durable de leur mode de vie habituel. Les resultats montrent que les victimes ont presente et presentent toujours de nombreuses reactions negatives, en particulier des troubles emotionnels. Trois mois apres la catastrophe, les sujets interviewes souffrent toujours de troubles de nature anxieuse (tension, stress, irritabilite) et de troubles du sommeil et 2 sur 19 presentent un etat de stress post-traumatique. Toutefois, si l’etude permet de reperer des signes de souffrance psychologique et de vulnerabilite lies a l’impact immediat et a long terme de cet evenement, elle ne permet pas de conclure a la presence de veritables syndromes ou troubles psychopathologiques, d’autant plus que les sujets ont efficacement eu recours a des strategies actives de faire face.

Representations of coastal risk (erosion and marine flooding) among inhabitants of at-risk municipalities

Abstract: As part of an interdisciplinary research programme on coastal risks, we used a combined environmental psychology-geography approach to study representations of coastal erosion and sea flooding among inhabitants of coastal areas. The relationship between these representations and place, or more specifically sense of place, will initially be examined, followed by individuals’ preferred adaptation strategies with risk. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 894 inhabitants from five coastal municipalities in Brittany. Results show that coastal risks are not a top priority for respondents. Paying particular attention to respondents who spontaneously cited coastal rather than other risks or no risk, we show that their relationship to place differs from the other respondents, as do their preferred adaptation strategies. These results lead to a better understanding of attitudes towards coastal risks among inhabitants of at-risk areas and provide more in-depth knowledge on coastal zone vulnerability.

Linking social capacities and risk communication in Europe: a gap between theory and practice?

Abstract: Although both improved risk communication and the building of social capacities have been advocated as vital ways to increase societies’ resilience towards natural hazards across the world, the literature has rarely examined the ways in which these two concepts may integrate in theory and practice. This paper is an attempt to address this gap in a European context. It begins with a conceptual discussion that unites the literature on risk communication with the literature on social capacity building. We then use the insights from this discussion as a basis to conduct a review of 60 risk communication practices from across Europe. This review indicates a gap between theory and practice because, whilst the literature highlights the importance of integrated and coordinated communication campaigns featuring both a one-way transfer and a two-way dialogue between the public, stakeholders and decision-makers, the majority of the communication practices reviewed here appear to be relatively disparate initiatives that rely on one-way forms of communication. On the basis of these findings, we conclude by making some recommendations for the way in which such practices could be improved in order to be more supportive of social capacities across Europe.