Abstract: China is a disaster-phone country. Major disasters not only threaten safety of life and property of people and cause enormous lost to the national, but also severely affect the psychological well-being of the survivors, their families and community. The present article reviewed research progress on disaster psychology after “512 Wenchuan Earthquake”, including epidemiological study on psychological trauma, structural model of Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTSD), behavioral traits, changes in cognitive function and immunological function aftermath of disaster, group dynamics and group behaviors. Finally, the article analyzed future research directions and foresees the potentials in disaster psychology research in China.

Key words: psychological support, psychological trauma, PTSD