A myriad of models are available to guide practice before, during, and
following disasters. As emphasized in this book, we value the role of
research in informing our assessment, education, and intervention
efforts in this area. Keeping an eye on those elements that have
research backing certainly assists with quality control generally.
However, more specifically, we also stress the idea that there is
evidence to support a role for hope and positive expectations in the
motivation and engagement process. In addition, the more that people,
including youth and adults, actively participate in efforts designed to
help, the more benefits they tend to receive. The role of research in
providing that initial hope and inspiring more active engagement with
internal and external resources before, during, and after a disaster is
part of the foundation of our practice in this area. In fact, in the
clinical psychology training program directed by the senior author, the
idea that we attempt to inculcate with our trainees is the idea of "hope
and engagement on an evidence-based foundation." Consequently, we do
advocate for models of practice that have identified "active
ingredients" that are included: those particularly identified through
controlled evaluation research. However, it is also the case that a
number of risk and protective factors identified through a number of
studies (e.g., see Chapter 2) have as yet to be systematically included.
