What is Psychological First Aid and its purpose?

• A. A supportive, non-intrusive early intervention to reduce initial distress after trauma and connect individuals to long-term help
• B. A formal, protocol-driven debriefing session for teams
• C. A long-term pharmacological treatment plan
• D. A mandatory crisis intervention requiring in-person therapy

Answer: (A)

Psychological First Aid centers on providing immediate, practical, supportive help after a traumatic event in a way that is voluntary and non-intrusive. Its purpose is to reduce initial distress, help people feel safe and connected, and link them to long-term support and resources as needed. This approach emphasizes comfort, safety, and practical assistance rather than directing individuals into formal therapy right away. It aims to stabilize a person’s situation and decide, with sensitivity, what kind of follow-up care is appropriate, without pressuring them into ongoing treatment.

This is not a formal, protocol-driven debriefing session, not a long-term pharmacological treatment plan, and not a mandatory crisis intervention requiring in-person therapy. Those aspects imply structured or clinical approaches that go beyond the early, supportive scope of Psychological First Aid.