Teachers' reflections and cognitive appraisals in response to the Christchurch earthquake “I thought I was going to die”: Teachers’ reflections on their emotions and cognitive appraisals in response to the February 2011 Christchurch Earthquake Veronica M. O'Toole University of Canterbury, Christchurch This article reports a subset of findings from a mixed-methods study reporting February, 2011, approximately 150,000 the emotional impacts of the February 2011 earthquake on a small sample students and 10,000 staff were in school of twenty Christchurch teachers, who functioned as first responders when or education settings (Education Review this struck while they were on duty at school. This article reports a qualitative Office [ERO], 2013, p. 3). The teachers’ analysis of their retrospectively reported emotions experienced at the impact unspoken question about the size of the of the disaster and early aftermath, through the lens of Lazarus’s (1991) earthquake confirms that large aftershocks cognitive-motivational-relational emotion theory. Focusing on the emotions were expected, in the context of thousands and appraisals as discussed in a narrative context, the qualitative findings of aftershocks since September 2010, in provide support for Lazarus’s core relational themes for fright/fear, anxiety a uniquely unprecedented “long drawn- and relief. The teachers’ retrospective appraisals and core relational themes out process” (Wilson, 2013, p. 209). supported previous emotion appraisal research. The emotion findings also Since September, schools had updated resonate with other Christchurch earthquake research findings. their safety protocols and had practised their earthquake drills such as “stop, Keywords: fear anxiety and relief, cognitive appraisals, core relational themes, drop and cover” or “turtles” (Education teachers' emotions, February earthquake 2011 . Review Office [ERO], 2013, p.8) for younger children. Despite the extreme threat to environmental and personal Introduction aftershock sequence from a previous safety, no fatalities occurred on school On Tuesday 22nd February 2011, 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck the premises (O’Connor, 2013). The city’s routine lunchtime was underway region on 4th September, 2010. (GNS, children remained safely in the care of in education settings throughout 2011a). The September earthquake had their teachers until they could be returned Christchurch, New Zealand, when a 6.3 been an unexpected event that shocked to the care of their families. Immediate magnitude earthquake struck the city. residents from their sleep at 4.35am on tragedies for many Christchurch families Hearing the rumble of a supersonic boom a Saturday morning, causing extensive upon this earthquake’s impact, and the and feeling the bouncing trampoline- destruction but no fatalities, mainly logistical difficulties in negotiating like movements underground, teachers attributed to its timing. However the damaged roads, liquefaction, congested recalled instantly thinking or looking September earthquake caused significant traffic, and/or travelling on foot, for at each other wordlessly to convey psychological and financial impacts caregivers to collect children from the question, “Is this going to be a big on the populace, and five months later, schools, meant that some teachers one or not?” (Geonet Sciences [GNS], the city was in early recovery mode, remained at school with children until 2011a; O’Toole & Friesen, 2016, p. 61). while also coping with thousands of late into the night. Beyond the first 24 The answer came immediately in the aftershocks up to and including 12.51pm hours, Christchurch teachers continued affirmative through the forcefulness of that Tuesday (Rowney, Farvid & Sibley, to support children and families through the earthquake’s accelerations at twice 2014). The lower magnitude February school based community hubs and the force of gravity (GNS, 2011b), earthquake was more violent, traumatic individual communications. Three weeks making it difficult for some teachers and devastating than its predecessor, later, while the city remained under a to remain standing so that the children causing further building collapses, 185 state of emergency for a further nine could see them for guidance. For schools fatalities and injuring at least 8600 weeks approximately, teachers returned on or close to hillsides and in central people (Richardson & Ardagh, 2013). to duty to tend to the 84% of school city buildings, cascading cliffs and The February earthquake also brought children/students who had returned rocks, and the “clatter of bricks” and extensive further liquefaction and to 64% of schools that had reopened falling masonry respectively, provided triggered another series of aftershocks, (Ministry of Education [MoE], 2012). compelling evidence of the earthquake’s including two earthquakes on 13th June, Some schools were relocated temporarily severity (O’Toole & Friesen, 2016). This 2011, another school day (GNS, 2011c). or permanently and others were site earthquake was technically part of the At 12.51pm on Tuesday 22nd sharing. New Zealand Journal of Psychology Vol. 46, No. 2, July 2017 • 71 • Veronica M. O’Toole The pivotal role played by the reflecting the realization that not only emotions during and beyond a natural Christchurch teachers as non-professional had they survived individually but there disaster, may be increased in situations first responders and beyond, took some had been no loss of life, and possible where they function as untrained first time to be acknowledged (Mutch, 2015; “habituation” (p.284). However there responders, such as occurred following O’Toole & Friesen, 2016). Personal was an increase in cognitions relating to Hurricane Katrina (Campbell, 2007; repercussions such as their increased “worry and concern” (p. 284). Kannis- Kuriansky, 2013). Hometown disasters potential for burnout as a personal cost of Dymand et al. recommend that post also bring further impacts for teachers their immediate and continuing support earthquake peritraumatic cognitions and helping professionals such as of children/students and families have should be examined as an important increased workload demands (Kuntz also recently been documented (Kuntz, variable post-earthquake. et al., 2013), and personal loss (Snell Näswell & Brockett, 2013; O’Toole & In light of the various findings above, et al., 2014). Teachers are also effective Friesen, 2016). Studies of the personal the present study aims to contribute facilitators of the recovery of students’ repercussions on other Christchurch the perspectives of a small sample of psychosocial health both internationally professionals associated with the first teachers to the current “social memory” (DeVaney, Carr & Allen, 2009) and response, at various time frames post- (Wilson, 2013, p. 214) and growing locally, post February 2011 (Mutch earthquake such as: the police, 12 to 18 body of knowledge on the responses of & Gawith, 2014). But the impact of months later (Snell, Surgenor, Dorahy helping professionals to the Christchurch natural disasters on teachers themselves & Hay-Smith, 2014); hospital nurses, earthquakes. Given the likelihood of warrants more research attention three years later (Johal, Mounsey, further major earthquakes recurring (Seyle, Widyatmoko & Silver, 2013). Brannelly & Johnston, 2015), and (Sheehan et al., 2014; Wilson, 2013), the Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, junior doctors on emergency duty up to aim of the present study is to contribute and Hurricanes Rita (2005) and Ike three months later (Sheehan, Thwaites, to the ongoing recovery efforts with and (2008), emotions reported by teachers York & Lee, 2014), indicated similar for teachers as helping professionals, trying to balance their daily living needs concerns that the personal impacts on and assist with future disaster response with supporting their students at school, helping professionals may have been planning. included poor emotional wellbeing, under-appreciated and that these to be depression, apprehension and a number better understood. International post- Post Disaster Impacts of fears related to job security, financial disaster research on teachers specifically, implications, personal property loss and A community’s recovery from has argued a similar need to pay more functioning at home in survival mode a large earthquake can be difficult and research attention to the emotional (Carlson, Monk, Irons & Walker, 2010; challenging, as people try to balance their impacts on teachers, due to the nature DeVaney, Carr & Allen, 2009; Lowery desire for normality in their daily lives, of their role in supporting students post- & Burts, 2007). with the multiple issues that undermine disaster in a hometown disaster context their recovery (Gordon, 2013). Negative Positive emotions have also been (Carlson, Monk, Irons & Walker, 2010; emotions that might be expected include reported post disaster. For example, DeVaney, Carr & Allen, 2009). sadness, grief, regret, anxiety, worry, Italian researchers found some increases Wilson (2013) has highlighted the fearfulness, depression and a fluctuating in positive emotions and a corresponding sudden and unexpected commencement mood (Gordon, 2013; Rowney et al, reduction in general distress, anxiety of the 2010 series of earthquakes and the 2014). Accompanying states may include and anger experienced by disaster hitherto relative lack of an earthquake stress, fatigue, financial stress, insecurity, volunteers who assisted in the relief history,