We don’t do research for research’s sake—we use research as a practical tool for helping others impacted by disasters and humanitarian crises.
Research Impact
Our pioneering research has helped tens of thousands of people live more faithfully and resiliently worldwide by translating scientific advances into training, tools, resources, and interventions for equipping the church to prepare and care in a disaster-filled world.
What We Do
We are advancing the psychology of religion/spirituality (RS) and disaster research, which is the scientific study of how people believe, think, behave, feel, and relate in disaster situations. A growing body of scientific evidence has shown that people turn to faith amidst disasters and that doing so fosters resilience. Surprisingly, the relationship between faith and disaster resilience is under-studied. But even less is known about cultivating faith and virtues intentionally to help people endure and recover from disasters. We are setting out to change this.
What We Study
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Religion/Spirituality:
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Virtues:
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Resilience:
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Events:
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Populations:
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Interventions:
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Current Grants and Projects
We have received over $6.3 million in research funding overall, including a $1.9 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation to study how faith fosters resilience and growth amidst disasters.
Contact Us
If you would like to contact the HDI team, we would love to hear from you.
Jamie Aten (Wheaton College), Ward Davis (Wheaton College), David Wang (Biola University), Laura Shannonhouse (Georgia State University), and Liz Hall (Biola University). The focus of this project is to understand how humility develops among humanitarian aid leaders, and its impact on humanitarian aid worker resilience. Supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation (Grant #60622).
Jamie Aten (Wheaton College), Ward Davis (Wheaton College), Daryl Van Tongeren (Hope College), Don Davis (Georgia State University), and Joshua Hook (University of North Texas). This project aims to explore the impact of natural disasters on survivors’ faith, resilience, and growth (spiritual and emotional). Supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation (Grant #44040).
Jenny Hwang (Wheaton College), Jamie Aten (Wheaton College), George Kalantzis (Wheaton College), and Tom Albinson (International Association for Refugees). In partnership with the International Association for Refugees, we are training and equipping refugee pastors and church leaders in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya to better understand and care for traumatized people. Supported by a grant from the Chatlos Foundation.
Liz Hall (Biola University), Jamie Aten (Wheaton College), Eric Silverman (Christopher Newport University), Jason McMartin (Biola University), and Laura Shannonhouse (Georgia State University). The goal of this project is to understand how survivors draw upon religious resources to construct meaning in coping with adversity. Supported by a grant from the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities Networking Grant.
We use our research to inform on-the-ground disaster spiritual and emotional care efforts that address the justice issues surrounding disasters, which often put a spotlight on disparities already present in a community. Our current ongoing projects include work with Restavek children in Haiti, a refugee camp in Kenya, and post-Irma Florida. (Photo courtesy of Kalen Drake Sanders)