A scoping review of postdisaster social support investigations conducted after disasters that struck the Australia and Oceania continent

This scoping review provides a summary of research findings on social support dynamics in the aftermath of disasters that occurred on the continent of Australia and Oceania between 1983 and 2013. Forty‐one studies, both quantitative and qualitative, that investigated different facets of postdisaster supportive interactions were summarized. All investigations examined disasters resulting from natural hazards, with majority of them conducted following events in Australia and New Zealand. The review revealed similar patterns of postdisaster social support dynamics that routinely unfold after disastrous events all over the world. Consistent with disaster mental health literature ‐ social support mobilization and social support deterioration processes were commonly documented. Salutary direct effects of supportive behaviors on postdisaster psychological distress were also highly evident. Most studies, however, posed research questions or hypotheses that lacked theoretical or empirical groundings. In conclusion, the review offers several recommendations on how to advance research examining postdisaster social support.