Psychological first aid education for children in Portuguese schools

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of the Primeiros Socorros Psicológicos para Heróis (PSP-H) program, designed to equip children with Psychological First Aid (PFA) skills. We explored whether the PSP-H program affected children's empathy and psychological well-being in a quantitative study with 110 participants (aged 9-11). The study employed the Empathy Assessment Scale (EAS) and Kidscreen-10 questionnaire for pre-test and post-test assessments. While the program showed potential based on its theoretical foundation, we found no statistically significant changes in overall empathy or psychological well-being scores. Several explanations are explored, including intervention duration, measurement limitations, and contextual factors. The study highlights the potential of PFA programs in primary education and offers direction for future research, including extended intervention periods, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, considering the role of contextual variables, and exploring gender differences. Further research is needed to determine the program's long-term impact.

Date of Award	8 Jul 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Oliveira-Silva (Supervisor) & Diana Cristina Rodrigues Pereira (Co-Supervisor)