The Effects of Psychological First Aid Training on Coping Strategies Used by Counselors in Crisis Interventions

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of the Psychological First Aid Training Program (PFATP), which was developed by researchers in 2022 for psychological counselors, and its impacts on the coping strategies used in crisis interventions. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with 33 psychological counselors who are currently working in Adana, Türkiye. Quantitative data were collected through pre-test, post-test, and follow-up measurements administered to experimental and control groups. The Friedman test was used to analyze within-group differences, while the Mann–Whitney U test was employed for between-group comparisons. The findings indicated that the PFATP significantly increased counselors’ psychological first aid knowledge and skills. The study highlights the potential of crisis and trauma focused training to enhance professional competence among counselors. No qualitative follow-up was conducted in this research.

Keywords

• psychological first aid
• crisis intervention
• coping strategies
• counsellors

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