Psychological First Aid 04: Information Gathering

Information Gathering

Collecting relevant information

The Information Gathering: Needs and Current Concerns stage plays a crucial role. Let’s delve into the aims and actions of this stage, along with inline APA citations and references.

Aim

• The primary goal of this stage is to identify immediate needs and concerns of survivors.
• It involves gathering additional information to tailor Psychological First Aid interventions effectively.

Flexibility and Adaptation

• PFA providers should remain flexible, adapting their interventions to meet specific individuals’ needs.
• By gathering enough information, providers can prioritize interventions based on identified needs.

Immediate Action

• Information gathering begins immediately after contact with survivors.
• However, it’s essential to recognize that time constraints, survivors’ priorities, and other factors may limit the ability to collect detailed information.

Key Questions

While a formal assessment is not appropriate during PFA, providers may inquire about:

• Immediate referral needs.
• Additional services required.
• The possibility of a follow-up meeting.
• Components of PFA that may be helpful.

The Survivor Current Needs form

The “Survivor Current Needs” form, found in Appendix D of the Psychological First Aid (PFA) Field Operations Guide, is used by disaster response workers to document the basic, immediate needs and concerns of survivors following a crisis.

Purpose and Use

Documentation: Providers use the form to record what a survivor needs most at that specific time, covering behavioral, emotional, physical, and other specific concerns.

Continuity of Care: The form facilitates communication with other referral agencies (e.g., medical professionals, social services, mental health services) to help ensure seamless and appropriate follow-up care.

Intervention Planning: Gathering this information helps the provider tailor PFA interventions and information to the specific situation and priorities of the individual, family, or group.

Evaluation: The form is designed for use within an incident command system for evaluation purposes, with necessary safeguards for confidentiality.

Information Recorded

The form helps document a range of potential difficulties and concerns, including:

• Physical: Headaches, sleep difficulties, fatigue, or worsening of health conditions.
• Emotional: Acute stress or grief reactions, sadness, irritability, or feelings of hopelessness.
• Behavioral: Extreme disorientation, isolation/withdrawal, or high-risk behavior.
• Other Needs: Concerns about immediate safety, basic necessities (food, water, shelter, medication), or connection to loved ones.

The PFA guides, including the form, are developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD.

Nature and Severity of Experiences

Survivors who directly faced life-threatening situations, injuries, or witnessed injury or death are at higher risk for severe distress.

Providers can ask questions like

• “Where were you during the disaster?”
• “Did you get hurt?”
• “Did you see anyone get hurt?”
• “How afraid were you?”

Providers should avoid pressing for in-depth trauma descriptions that might cause additional distress.

Death of a Loved One

• The death of loved ones under traumatic circumstances complicates grieving.
• Providers can ask if someone close to the survivor got hurt or died due to the disaster.

Supportive Information

• PFA includes basic information-gathering techniques for rapid assessments.
• Providers use this information to address immediate concerns and implement supportive activities flexibly.

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