PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF MASSIVE NATURAL DISASTER ON SCHOOL STUDENTS – A SIGNIFICANT BUT UNSEEN ASPECT OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT IN POST DISASTER SCENARIO – A STUDY FROM RURAL NEPAL

Aim of this study was to assess the psychological impact of the 2015 Nepal earthquakes on students in rural Nepal. A total of 1001 school students from 19 schools in four of the worst affected districts were included in the study by stratified random sampling. A survey questionnaire was administered in the local language after obtaining necessary permissions and verbal consent. An overwhelming majority of students reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress during the post-earthquake period. 80.9% of students suffered from fear of another earthquake, 73% reported loss of appetite and 78.3% reported loss of sleep, 37.9% of students reported inability to concentrate on studies and 48.7% of students suffered from feeling of constant strain. Loss of sleep, loss of appetite and feeling of constant strain was significantly higher among female students.There was no correlation between inability to concentrate and gender of students. There was significant correlation between loss of family members or friends with inability to concentrate, feeling of constant strain and feeling unhappy or depressed.There was highly significant correlation between injury sustained during earthquake and fear of another earthquake, inability to concentrate and feeling unhappy or depressed. There was highly significant correlation between loss of pets and inability to concentrate, inability to enjoy day-to-day activities, feeling of constant strain and feeling unhappy or depressed. To conclude, psychological impact of natural disasters is often unseen but is of much greater magnitude than physical damage.