Posttraumatic Growth after the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: Examination of Free Descriptions among Fukushima Residents Who Lived in the Evacuation Area

We examined the differences in the posttraumatic growth (PTG) free descriptions from clusters of Fukushima residents (evacuation and non-evacuation zones) who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the relationship between "recovery from radiation anxiety" and the PTG-free description classification in these regions. A mail survey was conducted in August 2016 among Fukushima residents aged 20-79 years for free descriptions of their PTG. Participants were then divided into the "no anxiety," "recovered from anxiety," and "unrecovered from anxiety" groups based on their "recovery from radiation anxiety." Data from 786 responses were analyzed. The PTG-free descriptions were classified into eight categories. Among those who lived in the evacuation zone versus those in the non-evacuation zone, "relating to others" (non-evacuation zone: 11.9% vs. evacuation zone: 18.4%) and "appreciation of life" (non-evacuation zone: 2.7% vs. evacuation zone: 9.8%) were significantly higher, and "increased awareness of disaster prevention" (non-evacuation zone: 20.4% vs. evacuation zone: 8.0%) was significantly lower. In the evacuation zone, "renewed recognition of nuclear issues" was significantly lower than the expected value in the no anxiety group (3.1%) and significantly higher than the expected value in the recovered group (22.9%). Further studies are needed to build support measures and potentially aid in preparing for future disasters.