Social Connectedness and Extreme Weather Adaptive Capacity: A Participatory Photo Mapping Study in Rural Appalachia

Intersecting crises of social disconnectedness and climate change-induced extreme weather create a reinforcing cycle of vulnerability, wherein extreme weather strains social environments and amplifies disconnectedness, while social disconnectedness hinders communities’ adaptive capacity (i.e. how communities respond to and fare in extreme weather). Place-based inequities influence vulnerability to these cumulative stressors, underscoring the value of participatory assessments of socio-ecological systems. Guided by the multisolving and relationality frameworks, this study explored social connectedness in Appalachian Ohio to inform solutions for connectedness and extreme weather adaptive capacity. Participatory photo mapping (n = 16) in Athens County, Ohio, involved photo mapping and photo-and-map-elicitation interviews. Thematic analysis revealed determinants of social connectedness and adaptive capacity, including green spaces, animals, community hubs, and mutual aid. Community members reported experiencing disparate access based on rurality and resource constraints. Extreme weather impacted social systems by hindering travel and outdoor activities, worsening digital divides, and altering familiar environments. Findings inform community practice strategies, including addressing disparities proactively, transcending social work’s anthropocentric underpinnings, leveraging Collective Survival Strategies, and championing public investments. This study also highlights the significance of human and more-than-human relationality within socio-environmental systems.