Strengths and Application of Response Team vs. Community-Based Models of Psychological First Aid

Abstract

The great majority of people who experience a traumatic, or overwhelming event, can work through the experience with fairly basic psychological support. There are a number of ways that people can receive that support. Most people turn to family and friends to find the support they need. Support can also be provided by mental health professionals, particularly by those trained in disaster mental health (DMH). Psychological first aid (PFA) is a term for basic psychological support for people experiencing difficult times, and can be provided by either paraprofessionals or trained members of the general public. There are two basic models of PFA, Response Team and Community-Based PFA (CBPFA). CBPFA essentially teaches members of the general public how to more effectively support family, friends, neighbors and colleagues, and how individuals can better manage their own stress. This chapter briefly describes DMH and response team PFA, and describes the benefits of CBPFA, and the adaptation of psychological support to the needs of specific communities.