Evaluation of an organization-based psychological first aid intervention

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop and assess an organizational intervention consisting of psychological first aid (PFA) and Open Space Technology (OST), and its impact on individual resilience and perceived organization support. Design/methodology/approach The study used a non-experimental, pre-test and post-test design. Measures of employee post-trauma, resilience and organizational support were measured before and after the PFA intervention. Findings Paired sample t-tests revealed significant pre/post-increases in individual resilience and perceived organization support. Correlational analysis revealed that resilience was associated with perceived organization support. Evaluations revealed that participants found the small group sharing, information about coping and the open space problem-solving activities particularly worthwhile. Research limitations/implications A limitation of the study was the lack of a randomized control group in the design. Future research may utilize more robust designs such as experimental and longitudinal studies to evaluate impact. Practical implications This study indicates how the use of an organization-based intervention can be adopted for employees who undergo an emergency in their workplace. The combination of PFA and OST was found to be valuable in improving individual resilience and perceived organization support. In addition, OST can better facilitate problem-solving performance in intact groups, as it enhances collective interaction and community efficacy among survivors. Originality/value The study contributes to the dearth of knowledge on the use of PFA when used in an intact organization as part of its crisis intervention.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of community-based psychological first aid in oncology

Journal of Public Mental Health ◽

10.1108/jpmh-11-2018-0077 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 248-255

Author(s):

Brandon L. Gray ◽

Samuel Gaster ◽

Christina Early ◽

Amanda Reed

Keyword(s):

Self Efficacy ◽

Longitudinal Design ◽

High Stress ◽

First Aid ◽

Care Staff ◽

Control Group ◽

Community Based ◽

Content Type ◽

Psychological First Aid ◽

The Impact

Purpose Healthcare professionals work in high stress environments and may benefit from organizational efforts that enhance coping abilities. Community-based psychological first aid (CBPFA) is an evidence-informed program designed for building these skills and promoting resilience during stressful times. However, few studies have examined the effectiveness of CBPFA. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This study examined the effectiveness of CBPFA training in promoting occupational self-efficacy and intentions to use CBPFA among oncology care staff over time using a longitudinal design. Findings Participants reported increased occupational self-efficacy and intentions to use CBPFA skills after completing training. These factors remained stable at one-month follow-up. Research limitations/implications The implications of these results are limited by the lack of a control group in the study’s design, relatively homogenous sample and participant dropout. Originality/value Despite the study’s limitations, these results represent an initial step in empirically examining the impact of CBPFA trainings and providing evidence that CBPFA may be an effective preparedness and development program in high-stress healthcare settings.

Download Full-text

Leader–member exchange, employee turnover intention and presenteeism: the mediating role of perceived organizational support

Leadership & Organization Development Journal ◽

10.1108/lodj-03-2020-0094 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Ing-Chung Huang ◽

Pey-Lan Du ◽

Li-Fan Wu ◽

Jennet Achyldurdyyeva ◽

Li-Chang Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organizational Support ◽

Turnover Intention ◽

Perceived Organizational Support ◽

High Tech ◽

Leader Member Exchange ◽

Content Type ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Member Exchange ◽

Organization Support

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study that examines the influence of leader–member exchange (LMX) on employees' turnover intention and presenteeism with the mediating role of perceived organizational support in the context of the semiconductor industry.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical study based on a sample of 124 department managers and 241 team members in five high-tech companies in Taiwan. Structural equation modelling analysis was used for hypothesis testing.FindingsThe results reveal that perceived organization support significantly relates to employees' turnover intention and mediates the relationship between LMX and turnover intention. Additionally, employees' presenteeism is influenced by perceived LMX.Practical implicationsThe results of the study are of high importance for high-tech companies, which continuously strive for innovation efficiency and sustainability. Managers and practitioners could benefit from better understanding regarding the importance of perceived organization support and LMX in affecting employee behaviours and company performance.Originality/valueThe present study finds a significant positive relationship between LMX and presenteeism, which is contrary to the previous research.

Download Full-text

(P1-95) Clinical Effectiveness of Psychological First Aid Training among Emergency Responders in Chinese Population: Preliminary Results of 3-Month Follow-Up

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x11004274 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S1) ◽

pp. s129-s130

Author(s):

E.Y.L. Cheung ◽

E.Y.Y. Chan ◽

C.L.Y. Lin ◽

P.P.Y. Lee

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Clinical Effectiveness ◽

First Aid ◽

Screening Tools ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Psychological First Aid ◽

Preliminary Results ◽

Emergency Responders

BackgroundPsychological First Aid (PFA) has become the choice of mental health intervention and integration with the current disaster relief protocols during emergencies by the Institute of Medicine, NIMH and the WHO. It can be used during or immediately after disaster. People without mental health specialized training, including public health practitioners and emergency responders can learn and apply to everyone in need. Whilst being used extensively, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of PFA and its field applicability.MethodsA prospective randomized controlled study. 800 emergency medical responders were recruited. Participants were randomly assigned to the control/intervention arms to receive a one-day training of PFA based on the protocol developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2006). A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the screening tools and training material and all training was provided by trained clinical psychologist. Repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to evaluate the efficacy of PFA program in changes in various outcome measures between PFA intervention and control group. All analyses were conducted on the intent-to-treat and completer groups. Ethical approval was approved by the CUHK-NTEC Clinical Research Ethics Committee.ResultsPreliminary results from the post-training and 3 month follow-up data indicated participants in the training group have reported a significantly more substantial knowledge in disaster mental health, improve self-efficacy in delivering help in times of emergencies, high frequency of actual helping behavior as well as better self-reported psychological well-being when compared with waitlist control group.ConclusionThis study examines and reports findings of clinical effectiveness of PFA 3 months post training in Chinese emergency responders. Preliminary results provided empirical evidences on the effectiveness of the approach.

Download Full-text

Improving programming skills: the use of learning style theory and the instant response supplement tool

Library Hi Tech ◽

10.1108/lht-03-2020-0059 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Chin-Feng Lai ◽

Yu-Lin Jeng ◽

Sheng-Bo Huang

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Learning Styles ◽

Learning Style ◽

Visual Learning ◽

Background Knowledge ◽

Learning Performance ◽

Control Group ◽

Problem Solving Skills ◽

Content Type ◽

Learning Group

PurposeIn a programming course, students often need tutors' assistance to complete learning activities, as they lack enough background knowledge to complete tasks. A further problem is that without individual tutoring, the knowledge gap between students increases. Therefore, the authors have proposed an instant response learning supplement tool (IRLST) to support students' learning, in order to facilitate students' independent problem-solving skills.Design/methodology/approachThe authors divided the students into two groups according to their learning styles: verbal and visual. The IRLST was used to collect and analyze the information on their usage and provide supplementary resources to facilitate their learning. The proposed system also analyzed the student usage, background knowledge and exam scores to assess their academic performance.FindingsAccording to the results of statistical analysis, students' learning performance improved significantly, especially low-scoring students. Moreover, as compiler messages were not recognized, students tended to identify the same problems. Thus, it is suggested that teachers not only should focus on improving the students' syntax but also strengthening their background knowledge and debugging skills.Research limitations/implicationsThere are two main limitations in this study: (1) as most of the students were in the visual learning group, the size of the groups was impacted, thus it was not possible to establish a control group; (2) one specific version of the IRLST system did not send reliable advice or supplementary content occasionally.Originality/valueThe IRLST developed in this study can be used to provide immediate supplementary resources to help students overcoming programming problems and developing problem-solving skills.

Download Full-text

The Effect of a Simulated Fire Disaster Psychological First Aid Training Program on the Self-efficacy, Competence, and Knowledge of Mental Health Practitioners

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2020.184 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Jung Suk Park ◽

Yun-Jung Choi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Simulation Training ◽

First Aid ◽

Mental Health Practitioners ◽

Control Group ◽

Psychological First Aid ◽

Fire Disaster ◽

Health Practitioners ◽

Experimental Group

Abstract Objective: This study developed a simulation program using standardized patients for the training of mental health practitioners in psychological first aid and evaluated its effect on learners’ self-efficacy and psychological first aid performance competence and knowledge. The simulation used in this program was of a fire disaster. Methods: Thirty participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group, a comparison group, and a control group. The experimental group participated in simulation training after attending a two-hour psychological first aid lecture. The comparison group was given only the two-hour lecture and the control group was given a psychological first aid handout to study individually. The results of pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were then statistically analyzed. Results: The participants’ self-efficacy, performance competency, and knowledge improved in all groups, and there were some statistically significant differences between the three groups. The experimental group showed a greater improvement in self-efficacy and performance than the other groups. Conclusions: The psychological first aid simulation training program was effective in improving three qualities of mental health practitioners: self-efficacy, performance competency, and knowledge. Further research is required for the development of various learning scenarios for iterative psychological first aid education.

Download Full-text

Adherence to Psychological First Aid after Exposure to a Traumatic Event at Work among EMS Workers: A Qualitative Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182111026 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (21) ◽

pp. 11026

Author(s):

Marine Tessier ◽

Josianne Lamothe ◽

Steve Geoffrion

Keyword(s):

Organizational Support ◽

Traumatic Event ◽

First Responders ◽

First Aid ◽

Stress Reactions ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

First Responder ◽

Psychological First Aid ◽

Peer Helpers

Managing post-traumatic stress reactions in the first few days after exposure to a potentially traumatic event in the course of one’s work remains a challenge for first responder organizations such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed approach to reducing initial distress and promoting short- and long-term coping strategies among staff in the aftermath of exposure. PFA provided by peer helpers is considered a promising solution for first responder organizations. Unfortunately, first responders may encounter stigma and barriers to mental health care. Therefore, a deeper investigation is needed regarding adherence over time to implemented PFA intervention. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore factors that influence adherence to PFA intervention of recipients and peer helpers. EMS workers (n = 11), working as PFA peer helpers for one year, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis; intercoder reliability (κ = 0.91) was also used. Researchers identified four themes and 11 subthemes influencing adherence to PFA intervention: (1) individual perceptions and attitudes of peer helpers and recipients about pfa intervention; (2) perceived impacts on peer helpers and recipients; (3) organizational support to pfa intervention; and (4) congruence with the occupational culture. Study findings herein suggest that it is conceivable to act on various factors to improve adherence to PFA intervention among peer helpers and recipients within EMS organization. This could lead to enhanced understanding of the challenges involved in sustaining a peer led PFA program for first responders.

Download Full-text

Learning attitudes and problem-solving attitudes for blended problem-based learning

Library Hi Tech ◽

10.1108/lht-06-2017-0102 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 615-628 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Meng-Hsiun Tsai ◽

Ya-Chun Tang

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Student Performance ◽

Lesson Plan ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Problem Based Learning ◽

Control Group ◽

Teaching Model ◽

Content Type ◽

Learning Attitudes ◽

Experimental Group

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the design and implementation of a blended problem-based learning (PBL) teaching model and corresponding teaching materials for a university-level bioinformatics course. The effects of this teaching model on student performance in terms of problem solving and learning attitudes were investigated. Design/methodology/approach Students in both groups completed assessments of problem-solving attitudes and learning attitudes both one week both before and after experimental instruction. Collected data were analyzed using one-way ANCOVA. Group discussions and student interviews were recorded and treated as part of the data analysis. Findings The study produced the following findings: the experimental group was found to perform better than the control group in terms of learning attitudes, but the results were not statistically significant; the experimental group was found to outperform the control group in terms of problem-solving attitudes, and the difference was statistically significant; lesson plan contents need to be designed based on problem-based learning theory, and reflect real-world conditions; participants in the experimental group approved of the blended PBL and group discussion approach. Originality/value Results are expected to provide a useful reference for educators and researchers. These findings can be applied to relevant instructional fields to enhance learner motivation and engagement, thus improving learning outcomes.

Download Full-text

Psychosocial approaches for individuals with schizophrenia in correctional and forensic psychiatric settings: a rapid review

Journal of Forensic Practice ◽

10.1108/jfp-11-2017-0049 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 152-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mathieu Dumont ◽

Joanie Thériault ◽

Catherine Briand ◽

Alexandre Dumais ◽

Stéphane Potvin

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Cognitive Remediation ◽

Rapid Review ◽

Control Group ◽

Clinical Settings ◽

Positive Outcomes ◽

Content Type ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Forensic Psychiatric ◽

Psychosocial Approaches

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the psychosocial approaches that have been studied and for which positive outcomes have been reported for individuals with schizophrenia in correctional and forensic psychiatric settings. Design/methodology/approach A rapid review of the literature was undertaken. A search was conducted on MEDLINE and PsycNET electronic databases. Each identified approach was analyzed to define their types and components. Findings In total, 24 studies pertaining to 18 different psychosocial approaches were identified. Half of the studies used a quasi-experimental design with control group. Most frequent outcomes reported were improvements in knowledge about illness and problem solving. Seven studies reported positive outcomes related to issues more specific to this population (violence, aggression, and recidivism). Approaches associated with these studies used mainly traditional cognitive behavior therapy and cognitive remediation. The focus was on neurocognition, social cognition, social skills, emotion management and problem solving. Practical implications This rapid review may enlighten clinical settings on psychosocial approaches for which positive outcomes have been reported with individuals with schizophrenia in correctional and forensic psychiatric settings. The picture obtained supports the idea of using integrated rehabilitation approaches that cover the aforementioned intervention focuses with this population. Originality/value A significant contribution of the rapid review is based on the analysis of the psychosocial approaches identified. This process offers a closer look at the nature and content of the approaches used according to the outcomes reported.

Download Full-text