Psychological First Aid for Victims of Crime

Criminal victimization represents a major public health problem in the United States. As
many as one-third of adults have been the victim of a violent crime (rape/sexual assault,
physical assault, or armed robbery) during their lifetime, and individuals exposed to
violence are at risk for developing chronic psychiatric problems, including posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and substance abuse.

The high prevalence of psychopathology among crime victims underscores the importance of
effective interventions for this population. As such, considerable work has validated formal
treatments for victims who have already developed chronic trauma-related difficulties. Very
little effort, however, has been devoted to testing acute interventions that can be
implemented soon after a crime event (i.e., within 4 weeks) with the ultimate aim of
preventing longer-term psychiatric problems.

Despite the limited research on acute interventions for crime victims, researchers recently
developed an acute intervention called Psychological First Aid (PFA) for individuals exposed
to natural disasters or other catastrophic events. Important for present purposes, however,
researchers have argued that the primary PFA components (Contact and Engagement,
Stabilization, Information Gathering, Safety Planning, Practical Assistance, Connection with
Social Supports, Information on Coping, and Linkage with Collaborative Services) also have
direct relevance for victims of crime. Thus, we propose that PFA could represent an ideal
approach for responding to the acute needs of crime victims, with the goal of reducing their
risk for development of chronic psychiatric problems. Importantly, although PFA has been
strongly advocated by trauma experts, there have been no empirical tests of the model,
highlighting the importance of the proposed research.

Thus, this R34 project aims to implement and refine research protocols required for a
full-scale randomized controlled trial of PFA for crime victims. Specifically, this project
will examine the feasibility of a protocol for recruiting, assessing, and retaining acute
crime victims in the study (Aim 1). Additional preliminary work that is essential for
treatment research also will be completed, including the development and evaluation of a PFA
fidelity instrument (Aim 2) and the refinement and testing of protocols for training
paraprofessionals (i.e., Victim Advocates) to deliver PFA with a high level of fidelity (Aim
3). Finally, a controlled pilot study will examine the effects of PFA on the key psychiatric
outcomes (Aim 4).

Inclusion Criteria:

- Victim of a rape/sexual assault, physical assault, or armed robbery

- Experience of a physical injury or perceived life threat during the assault