A flexible, evidence-informed framework for providing early psychological support following disasters and traumatic events—typically during the initial days or weeks.
Engagement and Contact: The goal is to respond to initiatives made by survivors to connect, or to initiate contact in a non-intrusive, empathetic, and helpful manner.
Safety and Comfort: The goal is to promote immediate and ongoing safety, and to provide physical and emotional comfort.
Stabilization (when needed): The goal is to calm survivors who are experiencing intense emotional overwhelm, confusion, or disorientation.
Gathering Information: Current Needs and Concerns: The goal is to identify immediate needs and concerns, collect further information, and tailor Psychological First Aid (PFA) interventions accordingly.
Practical Assistance: The goal is to provide practical help to survivors, enabling them to address their immediate needs and concerns.
Connection with Social Support: The goal is to facilitate connections—whether short-term or ongoing—with key support figures and other resources, including family members, friends, and available community support services.
Information on Coping: The goal is to provide information about stress reactions and coping strategies, aimed at reducing psychological distress and enhancing the ability to adapt and function effectively.
Linking with Collaborative Services: The goal is to connect survivors with available services that they may need either immediately or in the future.
These actions are not rigid steps; rather, they constitute a flexible framework. The aid provider determines the amount of time allocated for each intervention based on the specific needs and concerns of each survivor. Al-Mustaqbal University The first University in iraq