A mixed methods, interdisciplinary study of survivors of a World War II kamikaze attack / Paul J. Chara.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Chara, Paul J. (Paul John), 1953- author.

Series:

SAGE Research Methods. Cases.

SAGE Research Methods. Cases

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

U.S.S. Emmons.

World War, 1939-1945--Psychological aspects.

World War, 1939-1945.

World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, Japanese.

Mixed methods research--Case studies.

Mixed methods research.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Place of Publication:

London : SAGE Publications Ltd, 2018.

Summary:

From 2000 until 2009, I studied the survivors of the U.S.S. Emmons, which was sunk as a result of the largest suicide plane attack in history during the World War II campaign for Okinawa. This research was stimulated by my father, who was one of the survivors. He did not fully talk about the horrific events of the kamikaze plane attack until the late 1990s and when he finally did it stimulated my interest to know how the suicide attack affected the Emmons survivors and their families. The research combined psychological and historical research, and quantitative and qualitative methodologies. I attended several reunions of the Emmons survivors and their families, and between my experience with my father and the connections developed with his former shipmates and their families, the research took on deep affective meaning. Studies with the Emmons survivors found the following: (1) Many of the survivors had continuing issues with post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) symptoms. (2) Character strength was the main successful coping method used for dealing with the traumatic event. (3) The trauma of the kamikaze attacks had a negative impact on the survivors' adjustment to civilian life. (4) Evidence from family members substantiated the accuracy of the Emmons sailors' PTSD reports. (5) The children of the Emmons sailors reported a greater prevalence of PTSD symptoms than their fathers, suggesting cross-generational transmission of trauma. The benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of research employing interdisciplinary research and mixed methodologies within the context of an emotionally compelling, personally meaningful backdrop is discussed.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on XML content.

ISBN:

1-5264-4138-1

9781526441386

OCLC:

1023829523