Crisis responders in Sri Lanka: Exploring impact and treatment considerations through the perspectives of mental health professionals

Abstract

Purpose – South Asian mental health professionals were invited to identify influences on mental health symptom severity among responders during crisis events in Sri Lanka. Further consideration was given to the treatment that could be applied to improve the mental wellbeing of such individuals. Methodology – Twenty-nine mental health professionals (14 civilian and 15 military based) completed a semi-structured interview that incorporated a guided discussion on the mental health experiences observed in crisis responders. Key findings – Thematic Analysis was conducted, yielding two categories. The first understanding from mental health professionals of the impact of trauma that crisis responders in Sri Lanka can experience providing 10 themes capturing the diversity of impact on mental health and social structures. The second category was effective intervention for crisis mental health responders and yielded two main themes. A number of subthemes underpinned each theme across the two categories. Originality – The current study is one of the first to explore mental health symptomology and treatment considerations for crisis responders in a South Asian sample, through the perspective of mental health responders.