Psychological crisis interventions with victims of the coronavirus pandemic

Nikola Petrovic; Nina Lalevic

doi:10.2298/tem2003407p

Psychological crisis interventions with victims of the coronavirus pandemic

Temida ◽

10.2298/tem2003407p ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 407-418

Author(s):

Nikola Petrovic ◽

Nina Lalevic

Keyword(s):

Crisis Intervention ◽

First Aid ◽

Entire Population ◽

Potential Danger ◽

Psychological Consequences ◽

Main Subject ◽

Global Crisis ◽

Psychological First Aid

This paper deals with psychological crisis interventions in working with victims of coronavirus, i.e. all those who got sick, but also the entire population which is exposed to the potential danger of infection. It first analyzes the psychological consequences of the pandemic on people, and then the specifics of crisis interventions during the pandemic. The main subject of this paper is the analysis of the adequacy of the most often recommended psychological crisis intervention called psychological first aid for this global crisis. Authors suggest certain modifications of this intervention that could prove important in the coming period, since the end of the pandemic is not yet in sight.

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A Rapid Realist Review of Group Psychological First Aid for Humanitarian Workers and Volunteers

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041452 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1452

Author(s):

Julia Corey ◽

Frédérique Vallières ◽

Timothy Frawley ◽

Aoife De Brún ◽

Sarah Davidson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Research Question ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Age Groups ◽

Integrated Design ◽

Realist Review ◽

First Aid ◽

Psychological Consequences ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Psychological First Aid ◽

Rapid Realist Review

Humanitarian workers are at an elevated risk of occupational trauma exposure and its associated psychological consequences, and experience increased levels of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. Psychological first aid (PFA) aims to prevent acute distress reactions from developing into long-term distress by instilling feelings of safety, calmness, self- and community efficacy, connectedness and hope. Group PFA (GPFA) delivers PFA in a group or team setting. This research sought to understand ‘What works, for whom, in what context, and why for group psychological first aid for humanitarian workers, including volunteers?’ A rapid realist review (RRR) was conducted. Initial theories were generated to answer the question and were subsequently refined based on 15 documents identified through a systematic search of databases and grey literature, in addition to the inputs from a core reference panel and two external experts in GPFA. The findings generated seven programme theories that addressed the research question and offered consideration for the implementation of GPFA for the humanitarian workforce across contexts and age groups. GPFA enables individuals to understand their natural reactions, develop adaptive coping strategies, and build social connections that promote a sense of belonging and security. The integrated design of GPFA ensures that individuals are linked to additional supports and have their basic needs addressed. While the evidence is sparce on GPFA, its ability to provide support to humanitarian workers is promising.

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