Psychological First Aid: A Lifeline in Times of Crisis

In our world, various events can impact individuals, families, or entire communities. These events can be distressing, leaving people feeling overwhelmed, confused, or uncertain about what is happening.

Events such as war, natural disasters, accidents, robbery, loss of a loved one, fires, abuse, violence, or witnessing someone’s death can evoke intense emotions. People may feel fearful, anxious, numb, or detached. Reactions vary widely, influenced by factors like previous experiences, the nature and severity of the event, support received, physical health, cultural background, traditions, and age.

These events are potential traumatic events, meaning they can create emotional and cognitive overload, impairing communication, functioning, and coping abilities. While everyone has strengths to handle life’s challenges, a traumatic event often catches individuals unprepared. This is where Psychological First Aid (PFA) comes in.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-based approach built on human resilience. It aims to reduce stress symptoms and support healthy recovery following a traumatic event. PFA involves providing practical care without intruding, assessing needs and concerns, helping people address basic needs, listening without pressuring them to talk, comforting them, helping them feel calm, and protecting them from further harm. Traumatic events can compromise belief systems and personal identity, making PFA crucial.

Recent advancements in PFA incorporate five essential elements derived from trauma recovery, aaccording to Hobfoll: safety, calmness, self-efficacy, connectedness, and hope.

These elements are operationalized in PFA interventions:

•  Safety: Providing space for individuals to express concerns non-directively and ensuring their voices are heard. Techniques include rapport building and active listening.

•  Calmness: Calming extreme emotions and responding to immediate concerns using techniques like therapeutic grounding, breathing retraining, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness practice.

•  Self-efficacy: Helping individuals regain control over their abilities and skills by boosting self-efficacy and setting achievable goals. Techniques include adaptive coping, validating positive coping strategies, and goal-oriented thinking.

•  Connectedness: Encouraging connection with loved ones and social support, essential for those who feel unable to seek help.

•  Hope: Combating self-defeating thoughts and fostering positive behaviors through techniques like normalizing trauma reactions and cognitive restructuring to de-catastrophize negative thoughts.

PFA benefits staff members by providing clear guidelines on their roles and responsibilities. Training is matched to specific roles, ensuring effective PFA delivery.

Benefits of PFA include:

•  Decreased anxiety

•  Improved self-control

•  Enhanced life functioning

•  Increased social connectedness

•  Enhanced resilience

•  Reduced mental health stigma

•  Increased help-seeking behavior

In conclusion, PFA is a supportive and effective way to provide timely assistance after a potentially traumatic event. It addresses acute stress reactions, preventing long-term psychological problems like PTSD, and aids in a rapid return to normalcy.

References

Farchi, M. U., Pérez-González, A., Azzollini, S. C., & Gidron, Y. (2024). Promoting and exploring the effectiveness of the psychological first aid approach. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1475151. 

Forbes, D., Lewis, V., Varker, T., Phelps, A., O’Donnell, M., Wade, D. J., … & Creamer, M. (2011). Psychological first aid following trauma: Implementation and evaluation framework for high-risk organizations. Psychiatry: Interpersonal & Biological Processes, 74(3), 224-239. 

Ruzek, J. I., Brymer, M. J., Jacobs, A. K., Layne, C. M., Vernberg, E. M., & Watson, P. J. (2007). Psychological first aid. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 29(1), 17-49. 

Torres Bernal, A., & Mille, D. (2011). Healing from Trauma: Utilizing Effective Assessment Strategies to Develop Accessible and Inclusive Goals. Kairos, Slovenian Journal of Psychotherapy, 5.   

Wang, L., Norman, I., Edleston, V., Oyo, C., & Leamy, M. (2024). The effectiveness and implementation of Psychological First Aid as a therapeutic intervention after trauma: an integrative review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15248380231221492. 

Wilson, J.P., & Keane, T.M. (2004). Assessing Psychological Trauma and PTSD. New York: Guilford Press 

World Health Organization, War Trauma Foundation and World Vision International (2011). Psychological first aid: Guide for field workers. WHO: Geneva Disponível em: