Modification of the First Psychological Assistance Protocol in Situations of Crisis

Abstract

Modifications of a Psychological First Aid Protocol are presented to apply to victims in the early stages of a disaster, whose goals are to clear the life-saving area of rescuers and reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder in the victims. starting from the premises of the original model of Farchi, known as the Model of the 6 C, a simplified version for its application in Argentina was denominated the Model of the 4 C. in it, it is considered that at the moment of assisting a person in a situation of crisis or disaster what must be done is to promote the activity of the prefrontal cortex and decrease the action of the limbic system. to do this, four guidelines are proposed: 1) cognitive communication, 2) control and challenge, 3) commitment and 4) continuity. In the present work, the main foundations of each one are developed and the reasons for which the model has been simplified. likewise, a Psychological First Aid Protocol based on the above mentioned model is presented.