Psycho-Social Impact Assessment – Practical Ways to Identify Impacts During SIA/HIA

This session educated professionals in social, health, and environmental impact assessment on how projects, industrial disasters, and historical injustices can affect mental health and emotional wellbeing at the community level. It explored the relevance of Psycho-Social Impact Assessment (PSIA) to decision-making in industry. The session began with a recap of PSIA and feedback from the 2024 IAIA webinar on the topic. Presenters shared vignettes from their experiences, followed by a discussion on how they captured and conveyed psycho-social impacts in influential and meaningful ways.

Using three diverse case examples, the session illustrated the effects of profound environmental changes on emotional wellbeing and mental health at both individual and community levels. The presenters were members of IAIA’s PSIA interest group, which has been meeting quarterly for several years. Three group members presented vignettes, followed by an audience Q&A.

Full Presentation Slides