Practice Challenges in Using Psychological First Aid in a Group Format with Children: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Using pilot data and practice experiences, this paper reports on an attempt at a controlled postdisaster intervention. The authors discuss use of Psychological First Aid (PFA) with children in a group format, focusing on the challenges inherent in responding to distress subsequent to a hurricane disaster. Difficulties in providing services in a timely manner are explored, and the value of PFA, even months and years after experiencing a natural disaster, is discussed. The pilot study included 27 African-American children aged 6À15 years, but due mostly to mobility, only 12 completed the entire set of six sessions and were included in the analysis. The small sample that resulted did not show positive gains with respect to reduction in trauma symptomatology but did show positive results in terms of participant satisfaction. Challenges in providing timely and relevant services included access to children, timing difficulties, multiple and ongoing sources of stress, and developmental considerations. Lessons learned are provided for others providing postdisaster services with children, as well as suggestions for subsequent research. [Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 8:313-326 (2009)] KEY WORDS: children and disaster, psychological first aid, group interventions.

Psychological first aid and nursing

“…[1,9,10] Psikolojik ilk yardım olayın süresine, çeşidine ve kişinin ihtiyaçlarının karşılanma zamanına bağlı olarak günlerce ya da haftalarca sunulabilir. [1,11] Amacı travmatik durumların (afet/ felaket) sebep olduğu stresi azaltmak, kişinin uzun ve kısa süreli uyuma yönelik başa çıkma becerilerini arttırmaktır. [2,3,12] Psikolojik ilk yardım uygulayan kişi olabildiğince çok bireyi en kısa sürede tarayarak ihtiyaç belirler, yönlendirme yapar ve etkilenen bireylerin ilk şoklarını atlatmalarını sağlar.…”

“…[2,3,12] Psikolojik ilk yardım uygulayan kişi olabildiğince çok bireyi en kısa sürede tarayarak ihtiyaç belirler, yönlendirme yapar ve etkilenen bireylerin ilk şoklarını atlatmalarını sağlar. [11] Bu derleme yazısının felaket durumlarında bakım kalitesini geliştirmeye yönelik yapılacak olan çalışmalara ışık tutacağı ve Türk literatürüne de konu ile ilgili katkı sağlayabileceği düşünülmektedir.…”

Research Methods in Child Disaster Studies: A Review of Studies Generated by the September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attacks; the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami; and Hurricane Katrina

“…A total of 17 (11.7 %) intervention studies were reviewed for this report with four using September 11 samples (Brown et al 2004, 2006; CATS Consortium 2010; Loumeau-May 2008), four using 2004 Tsunami samples (Berger and Gelkopf 2009; Catani et al 2009; Leitch 2007; Vijayakumar et al 2006), and nine using Hurricane Katrina samples (Cain et al 2010; Cohen et al 2009; Jaycox et al 2010; Plummer et al 2009; Salloum and Overstreet 2008, 2012; Scheeringa et al 2011; Taylor and Weems 2011; Weems et al 2009). Research on Hurricane Katrina had the highest percentage of studies (18.4 %) evaluating interventions which was significantly greater than the percentage of September 11 studies (5.8 %) (Fisher’s exact test: p = .04).…”

“…Food and Drug Administration 1988; White and Ernst 2001). Six intervention studies in this review used a quasi-experimental design with no control group (Brown et al 2004; Cain et al 2010; CATS Consortium Assessment 2010; Leitch 2007; Loumeau-May 2008; Plummer et al 2009). See Table 1.…”

Weathering the Storm: Persistent Effects and Psychological First Aid with Children Displaced by Hurricane Katrina

“…Due to multiple implementation challenges (outlined in Plummer et al, 2009), the original classic experimental design of the study (pretest-posttest control group design) was changed to a nonprobability, convenience sample pretest-posttest group design and was approved by the Louisiana State University institutional review board.…”