Natural disasters can strike anywhere at any time. As new disasters inevitably loom in the future, it is important to understand how the consequences of natural disaster loss lead to identity development. This work adds to the lack of research linking identity development and natural disaster by looking at an individual's process of identity development leading up to the traumatic event of a natural disaster. Erikson's lifespan development theory is built on by showing how an individual's reaction to a traumatic event fosters identity development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]