Description
1. To the reader; 2. Background; History of concept of psychological trauma - return to Freud; Origin and evolution of psychology of disasters; 3. Sudden traumatic events and situations; Disasters, major accidents and exceptional societal situations; Distinguishing features of a traumatic event. Everyday traumatic events; 4. Traumatic events and psychological victims; Considering the psychological angle in defining victims; Viewpoints in definition of victims of a traumatic event; Immediate victims and vicarious victims; 5. The process of coping with a traumatic experience; Psychological shock. Reaction stage; Stage of working through and coping; Reorientation stage; Factors influencing the working through of a traumatic experience; 6. Breakdowns in the process of coping with a traumatic experience; Fixation in the shock stage; Fixation in the reaction stage, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Denial of the truth; Fixation in grieving; Criminal and anti-social behaviour; 7. Long-term consequences of traumatic experiences; 8. Measures to prevent traumatisation; Are preventive measures necessary? Bases and principles of acute crisis counselling; Helping people cope; 9. Psycho-social support and services after traumatic events; Crisis work is social work; Modes of acute crisis work in major accidents; 10. The media and a traumatic event; Role of the media in producing traumatic events; Role of the media in promoting psychological coping in a traumatic event; Protecting victims from publicity; 11. Psycho-social support during the shock stage; Psychological first aid; Psychological defusing; 12. Dealing with psychological reactions - debriefing. History and applications of psychological debriefing method; Aims of psychological debriefing; Applications of psychological debriefing; Timing of psychological debriefing. Planning and organisation of the session; Assembling debriefing groups; Large debriefing groups; Practical arrangements of a debriefing session; Leaders of a debriefing session; 13. Outline of a psychological debriefing session; Stages of psychological debriefing; Stages of debriefing and depth of the process. Role and duties of the leader in debriefing; The follow-up session; 14. Children and traumatic events; Children are underestimated. Special features of children's traumatic experiences; Children's ways of dealing with traumatic experiences. Children and Psychological debriefing; 15. When work traumatises; Traumatic experiences and stress; Traumatic experiences at work. Psycho-social support and services for emergency personnel; 16. Organisation of crisis counselling in sudden traumatic situations; Everyday traumatic events and situations; Work of local crisis groups; Hospital crisis groups; Major disasters; 17. Effectiveness of measures preventing traumatisation; Critical research; Central principles of research into effectiveness of crisis counselling; Research findings on effectiveness of crisis counselling; Conclusions on effect