![]() ![]() PFA was envisioned in the program as a way to promote overall wellbeing of girls, boys, women and men and as a foundation on which to build community and family support, as recommended in the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support. ![]() PFA was first introduced to the World Vision Gaza program as part of the Australia-Middle East NGO Cooperation Agreement (AMENCA2) program, implemented from 2009 to 2015. At this early stage of PFA evaluation, descriptive findings - although not empirical in nature - may further determine the benefits of PFA in humanitarian psychosocial support programs and inform appropriate approaches to PFA research. 8 As the humanitarian sector widely utilises PFA in crisis and conflict settings, it is imperative to share learnings from various humanitarian settings to understand the impacts of PFA for affected populations and most effective modes of delivery and orientation. 3 It has been suggested that PFA might also support short and long term functioning post-crisis, 7 although there is currently insufficient research evidence to support this finding.ĭespite PFA being evidence-informed and universally accepted as an early intervention for crisis-affected people, 7 there is a dearth of empirical evidence about impacts of PFA. These constructs include supporting people to feel (1) safe, (2) calm, (3) connected to social supports, (4) hopeful and (5) a sense of self and community efficacy (control over one's situation). PFA was first and foremost envisioned as an approach to “do no harm." 6 It was also based upon international consensus and informed by evidence from disaster studies that articulate key constructs important for assisting people to recover from crisis. Since it is not a clinical or emergency psychiatric intervention 1,5, PFA frameworks, such as that published by World Health Organization, War Trauma Foundation and World Vision International 5 are designed for administration by both mental health professionals and non-professionals (such as lay counsellors or lay helpers), after a brief PFA orientation. 4 PFA evolved as a framework to help meet some of the fundamental needs of people affected by crisis or in distress. Of note, the findings from World Vision's implementation of PFA in Gaza suggests that future PFA research go beyond a narrow focus on clinical outcomes, to a wider examination of psychosocial, familial and community-based outcomes.īased on the Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings 1, Psychological First Aid (PFA) describes “a humane, supportive and practical response to a fellow human being who is suffering and who may need support.” 1 Based on international expert consensus, PFA is now viewed as an alternative to psychological debriefing 2,3 and is the recommended immediate psychosocial response during emergencies. A “whole-of-family” approach to PFA showed particularly strong impacts and strengthened relationships. The data shows that PFA formed an important part of a continuum of care to meet psychosocial needs in Gaza and served as a gateway for addressing additional psychosocial support needs. Results show positive psychosocial benefits for children, women and men receiving PFA, confirming that PFA contributed to: safety, reduced distress, ability to engage in calming practices and to support each other, and a greater sense of control and hopefulness irrespective of their adverse circumstances. The qualitative analyses aimed to determine if PFA helped individuals to feel safe, calm, connected to social supports, hopeful and efficacious – factors suggested by the disaster literature to promote coping and recovery (Hobfoll et al., 2007). Though not intending to undertake rigorous research, World Vision explored learnings about PFA in Gaza through Focus Group Discussions with PFA providers, Gazan women, men and children and a Key Informant Interview with a PFA trainer. Anecdotal reports from Gaza suggest a range of benefits for those who received PFA. World Vision used PFA as a fundamental component of their emergency response following the 2014 conflict in Gaza. As PFA is now widely implemented in crises worldwide, there are increasing calls to evaluate its effectiveness. Psychological First Aid (PFA) is the recommended immediate psychosocial response during crises.
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