Four Year Under-Graduate Program

Department of Psychology
Aligarh Muslim University
III-SEMESTER
Course Title : PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID (VOC)
Course Code : PSBOVO3006
Credits : 02
Course Assessment : Maximum Marks – 100
Sessional Marks - 30 (30%), End Semester - 70 (70%)
Course Objective:
• Mental health First Aid is specially designed to introduce the learners to the basic concepts of mental
health, mental illnesses and maintaining of mental wellbeing. It is for the learners to recognise signs
and symptoms of common mental illness and to support and respond to someone experiencing a
mental health problem.

Course Learning Outcomes

• To develop a basic understanding of the risk and protective factors to mental health
• To understand importance of mental health and how to recognize and respond to someone
experiencing a mental health problem
• How to apply mental health first aid across a range of crisis situations, including suicidal thoughts
and behaviours, Depression, Psychosis, Drug and Substance abuse etc

Unit I: Introduction
Mental Health: Concept, Risk and Protective factors to mental health, Introduction to Mental Health
First Aid, Self-Care And Its Importance.

Unit II: Practicing Psychological First Aid

Core Principles of Psychological First Aid, Practicing the art of Psychological First Aid: Rapport And
Reflective Listening, Assessment Of Needs, Prioritization, Intervention, Disposition.

Unit III: Action Plan for Adolescents

Mental Health First Aid Guideline for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours, Non-Suicidal Self-Injury,
Depression, Panic Attack, Eating Disorders, Drug Use Problem, Considerations When Providing Mental
Health First Aid to an Adolescent.

Unit IV: Action Plan for Adults, Old Age and Caregivers.
Mental Health First Aid Guideline: Traumatic Events, Psychosis, Alchoholic Use Problems, Confusion
And Dementia In Older People, Caregivers Of People With Mental Illness.

Suggested Readings:

1. American Psychiatric Association. (1954). Psychological first aid in community disasters. Washington, DC:
Author.
2. Brymer, M, Jacobs, A, Layne, C, Pynoos, R, Ruzek, J, Steinberg, A et al (2006). Psychological First Aid: Field
operations guide (2nd ed.) Los Angeles: National Child Traumatic Stress Network and National Centre for PTSD.
http://www.nctsn.org/content/psychological‐first‐aid and http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/manuals/psych‐
first‐aid.asp
3. Burke, S, Richardson, J (2009). Psychological First Aid: An Australian Guide. Crisis Care Commitment. Australian
Psychological society and Australian Red Cross. http://www.psychology.org.au/assets/files/red‐cross‐
psychological‐ first‐aid‐book.pdf
4. Inter‐Agency Standing Committee (IASC) (2007). IASC Guidelines on MentalHealth and Psychosocial Support in
Emergency Settings. Geneva: IASC http://www.who.int/mental_health_psychosocial_june_2007.pdf
5. The Sphere Project (2011) Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response. Geneva. The
Sphere Project. http://www.sphereproject.org
6. World Health Organization, War Trauma Foundation and World Vision International (2011). Psychological First
Aid: Guide for field workers. WHO: Geneva. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789241548205_eng.pdf
7. Burke, S, Richardson, J (2009). Psychological First Aid: An Australian Guide. Crisis Care Commitment. Australi
an Psychological society and Australian Red Cross. http://www.psychology.org.au/assets/files/red‐cross‐
psychological‐ first‐aid‐book.pdf