Abstract
Psychological first aid is an activity of mental health and psychosocial support. This study reviews the purpose of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (ISAC) guidelines on mental health and psychosocial support and the level of intervention. The study also uses survey questionnaires to explore psychological first aid (PFA) interventions in the context of climate disasters in Pacific Island countries (PICs). In addition, the keyphrases were used to search for published scientific articles on PFA in PICs. The review of ISAC guidelines indicates that the intervention matrix can be applied to prevent and, at the same time, promote recovery. The literature review demonstrates the effectiveness of PFA activity intervention in different contexts. However, such studies on the climate disaster context of the PICs are lacking. A preliminary online survey found that 50% of PFA is part of the disaster response, recovery and rehabilitation program. The study reveals that the current PFA has a low level of consultation and lacks strategic planning and localization. However, the PFA is widely used and is acceptable as a valuable tool during climate disaster response and recovery. There are limitations to this research, and it requires further in-depth study. Some recommendations suggest filling these gaps as areas of improvement for PICs, such as community consultations, based on community needs to ensure that PFA intervention in the context is measurable and recognized. A preventive approach should therefore be taken into account to build mental resilience.
Author Information
Malini Nair, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan
Paper Information
Conference: ACP2023
Stream: Psychology and Education
This paper is part of the ACP2023 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Nair M. (2023) An Exploration of Psychological First Aid in Climatic Disaster Contexts of the Pacific Islands ISSN: 2187-4743 – The Asian Conference on Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences 2023 Official Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2187-4743.2023.31
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2187-4743.2023.31
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