This paper sets out to investigate (i) whether an increase in donations in the aftermath of disasters can mitigate the negative effects on subjective well-being (SWB), and if so, (ii) whether policy measures such as tax law changes can amplify this mitigating effect by providing further incentives for donations.

To analyse these questions we use data on a recent, impactful disaster: the triple disaster that occurred on March 11, 2011 in Japan (3-11).