In Chapter 1 of both Kanel’s book and James & Gilliland’s book, a historical event is mentioned
that is considered the benchmark of crisis intervention. What is that event? How has it impacted
current approaches?
The conflagration at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub is primarily acknowledged as a pivotal event
in the annals of crisis management history. In 1942, a tragic incident happened in a nightclub in
Boston, resulting in the loss of over 400 lives and causing numerous injuries. The survivors and
the local community were profoundly affected by the event, experiencing profound grief and
trauma (James & Gilliland, 2017). The identification of typical grieving behaviors was prompted
by the observations made by Dr. Erich Linderman and Dr. Gerald Caplan, who assisted
numerous survivors. These professionals noticed patterns in the emotional suffering and care
requirements of the survivors (James & Gilliland, 2017). The study catalyzed subsequent
inquiries into the characteristics of crises and the development of crisis theory. Additionally, it
has potential relevance to the domain of crisis assistance (Bundy et al., 2017). The Cocoanut
Grove fire holds significant importance in the advancement of crisis theory and the establishment
of trauma therapy methodologies.
References
Bundy, J., Pfarrer, M. D., Short, C. E., & Coombs, W. T. (2017). Crises and Crisis Management:
Integration, Interpretation, and Research Development. Journal of Management, 43(6), 1661-
1692.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316680030
James, R., & Gilliland, B. (2017). Crisis intervention strategies (8th ed.). Cengage.
