Assessment and Intervention in Crisis and Emergency Situations

• Development and application of assessment instruments in this field addressing the experience of grief, post-disaster personal growth and stressful events affecting primary victims, secondary victims (family members and acquaintances), and tertiary victims (emergency response teams, healthcare professionals, rescue and recovery personnel, volunteers, etc.).
• Training for healthcare professionals, rescue and recovery personnel, volunteers, etc. in psychological strategies for providing psychological first aid, as well as tools for developing improved emotional regulation.
• Advice for institutions and emergency responders on the effective management of emergencies and disasters.
• Advice and intervention in early grief support units.
• Implementation of trauma prevention programmes for emergency responders following stressful experiences.

The knowledge to be transferred will enable the development of assessment programmes and instruments to improve the psychological health of the general population and emergency responders following an emergency or disaster.

Psychological intervention in emergencies and disasters is an area of major social relevance in which there is a need for more assessment instruments and intervention programmes. Training emergency responders in psychological techniques for managing these crises will help minimise the personal and occupational impact of traumatic events. At a social level, the implementation of preventive programmes will contribute to improving the health of the population.

The development of this technology is supported by extensive training in the field of emergencies and disasters, as well as experience in training both emergency responders and psychologists specialised in this context. For several years, I also co-led, together with Professor Maite Martín-Aragón, the Emergencies and Disasters Intervention Group established at this university. As part of the activities carried out by this group, notable interventions include those following the 11-M terrorist attacks in Madrid and the tsunami in Southeast Asia, as well as the establishment of an early grief support unit at funeral homes operated by La Siempreviva.

Research/Application Stage: The development of assessment instruments and trauma protocols is currently at the active research stage.

Pilot Stage: The protocols for early grief support units have already been successfully implemented in real-world settings, demonstrating their feasibility and social benefit.

• Civil Protection and Emergency Services (112).
• Healthcare and Hospital Institutions.
• Public Authorities (Public Health and Security).
• Funeral Services Companies and NGOs.

María José Quiles Sebastián – Department of Behavioural and Health Sciences