Catastrophe and Emotional Aid
| Code: | PCS07 | Acronym: | CSE |
| Keywords | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Keyword |
| CNAEF | Psychology |
Instance: 2025/2026 - 2S 
| Active? | Yes |
| Web Page: | https://sigarra.up.pt/fpceup/pt/ucurr_geral.ficha_uc_view?pv_ocorrencia_id=543402 |
| Responsible unit: | Psychology |
| Course/CS Responsible: | Master Degree in Psychology |
Cycles of Study/Courses
| Acronym | No. of Students | Study Plan | Curricular Years | Credits UCN | Credits ECTS | Contact hours | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPSI | 19 | Plano de Estudos 2021 | 1 | - | 6 | 54 | 162 |
| MTP | 2 | Official Curricular Structure | 1 | - | 6 | 54 | 162 |
Teaching Staff - Responsibilities
| Teacher | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Cristina Maria Leite Queirós |
Teaching - Hours
| Theoretical classes: | 2,00 |
| Theoretical and practical : | 1,50 |
| Type | Teacher | Classes | Hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theoretical classes | Totals | 1 | 2,00 |
| Cristina Maria Leite Queirós | 2,00 | ||
| Theoretical and practical | Totals | 1 | 1,50 |
| Cristina Maria Leite Queirós | 1,50 |
Teaching language
PortugueseObs.: Portuguese legislation consultation, Portuguese practical cases and guests from the field who work in Portugal. Mastery of Portuguese language.
Objectives
Learning outcomes and competences
- to know the different concepts related to emotional aid in disaster situations, as well as laws and articulation with civil protection agents.
- to know the impact of disasters on mental health and to know the different models of emotional support, their specificities, and their application contexts.
- through practical exercises, to select and to apply the appropriate model of emotional support to survivors and/or rescue workers, as well as to develop acting skills and emotional support.
- to present autonomous learning capacity and critical analysis in reflection about on their practical performance, related, whenever possible, with SDGs.
Working method
PresencialPre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)
This curricular unit is mandatory for students who will carry out a curricular internship at INEM.
Program
- Introduction: definition of concepts; regulation and articulation with civil protection agents; triage of victims and sectorization of the theater of operations; identification of critical incidents, crisis and catastrophe situations.
- Impact of catastrophes and critical incidents on mental health: survivors and rescue workers; brief reference to acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, coping, resilience, compassion fatigue and burnout.
- Emotional support models: description of models, with special detail to the Look-Listen-Link and Critical Incident Stress Management models; acting in specific cases and communicating bad news.
- Critical reflection: discussion of cases and practical exercises of psychological and psychosocial action in situations of crisis or catastrophe; differences theory/practice and limitations/challenges of acting in the field.
Mandatory literature
George S. Everly; The^Johns Hopkins guide to psychological first aid. ISBN: 978-1-4214-2271-8David A. McEntire; Disaster response and recovery. ISBN: 0-471-78974-7
Pereira, M. et al. (2015). ; Intervenção psicológica em crise e catástrofe. Lisboa: OPP
Queirós, C. & Passos, F. (2018). ; A recuperação emocional e o apoio psicológico a sobreviventes. In L. Lourenço & A. Amaro (Ed.). Riscos e Crises, da teoria à plena manifestação (pp.453-473). Coimbra: Imprensa da UC.
Matthew Stein; When disaster strikes. ISBN: 978-1-60358-322-0
Sunstein, Cass R.,; Averting catastrophe : decision theory for COVID-19, climate change, and potential disasters of all kinds /. ISBN: 1-4798-0848-2
Wisner , Ben; At risk : natural hazards, people.s vulnerability and disasters. ISBN: 0-415-252164
Bimal Kanti Paul; The Routledge handbook of disaster response and recovery, 2025
Complementary Bibliography
Beja, M. J., Portugal, A., Câmara, J., Berenguer, C., Rebolo, A., Crawford, C., & Gonçalves, D. (2018:; Primeiros Socorros Psicológicos: Intervenção psicológica na catástrofe, Psychologica, 61(1), 125-142. doi:10.14195/1647-8606_61-1_7, 2018Blumenfield, M. & Ursano, R. (2008).; Intervention and resilience after mass trauma.Cambridge: Cambridge Univ.Press.
Fonseca, S.M. (…) & Queirós, C. (2019).; Saúde ocupacional dos profissionais de emergência pré-hospitalar: Contributo do trauma e coping. International Journal of Working Conditions, 17, 69-88.
Gouveia, S., Sousa, F.C., Braz, C., Nunes, R. & Queirós, C. ; (2019). Desastres e catástrofes: a intervenção psicossocial na ilha da Madeira. In R.R. Ferreira & M. Moreira (Coords). Saúde Mental da Comunidade: Trauma e Resiliência (pp.123-128). V.N. Gaia: Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, delegação de Gaia. Depósito Legal 451855
Lomeli-Rodriguez, M., Parrott, E., Bernardino, A., Rahman, A., Direzkia, Y., & Joffe, H; (2024). Psychological Resilience Following Disasters: A Study of Adolescents and Their Caregivers, Journal of Loss and Trauma, DOI: 10.1080/15325024.2024.2391903
Oliveira A. (2024).; Vidas da Emergência Pré-hospitalar: contexto, equipas e intervenção psicossocial. Pactor.
Maria da Graça Pereira; Stress traumático. ISBN: 972-796-087-1
Gordon Parker; Burnout. ISBN: 978-1032358963
Pereira, A., & Queirós, C. (2021). ; O Stress e suas consequências na saúde e no bem-estar. In I. Leal & J.L. Pais-Ribeiro (Eds.). Manual de Psicologia da Saúde (cap. 19, pp.137-145). Lisboa: Pactor.
Queirós, C., Vara, N., Passos, F. & Cunha. S. ; (2019). Operacionais de emergência, bombeiros e forças de segurança: promoção do bem-estar psicológico. In R.R. Ferreira & M. Moreira (Coords). Saúde Mental da Comunidade: Trauma e Resiliência (pp.157-161). V.N. Ga
Tan, J., Lin, L., & Cao, T.; (2025). How do Psychological Factors Influence Disaster Preparedness? Evidence from Disaster-Stricken Mountainous Areas of China. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, 18, e339. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2024.282
Teaching methods and learning activities
Theoretical classes for presentation of the concepts and theoretical models of emotional aids, as well as the impact on mental health and the specificity of acting with survivors and rescue workers (e.g. coping, resilience, post-traumatic stress, burnout).
Practical classes with presentation and discussion of cases (face to face and in the Moodle Forum) and practical exercises for the development of acting skills and emotional support, as well as self-knowledge and self-management of stress. During some practical classes, completion of a free online practical course on Psychological First Aid.
Whenever feasible, between 1 to 3 theoretical or practical classes with professionals working at the field.
The evaluation will be carried out through a final written exam (60%), and through the discussion/critical reflection in Moodle Forum, according each deadlines of classes weekly or biweekly (40%).
keywords
Social sciences > Psychological sciences > PsychologySocial sciences > Psychological sciences > Behavioural sciences
Evaluation Type
Distributed evaluation with final examAssessment Components
| designation | Weight (%) |
|---|---|
| Exame | 60,00 |
| Participação presencial | 40,00 |
| Total: | 100,00 |
Amount of time allocated to each course unit
| designation | Time (hours) |
|---|---|
| Estudo autónomo | 50,00 |
| Frequência das aulas | 54,00 |
| Trabalho de campo | 58,00 |
| Total: | 162,00 |
Eligibility for exams
The students must have the minimum of 9.5 points in 20 at the global classification of the discipline.
Distributed evaluation includes Forum participation and practical exercises, it is mandatory (40%), having mandatory tasks weekly or biweekly (deadlines indicated at each class) and students must obtain the minimum of 8/20 points.
The final written individual exam represents 60%, and students must obtain the minimum of 8/20 points.
Attendance in classes is mandatory according to the regulations in force at FPCEUP, and there are mandatory practical tasks in the context of class and not exempting participation in classes, since it is a theoretical-practical course.
Regardless of the type of status, absence from classes with practical exercises and invited professionals may imply failure due to lack of practical component (without access to final exam).
Calculation formula of final grade
The final classification is the sum of the following tasks:
- 40% discussion at Moodle Forum and practical exercises in face-to-face classes
- 60% for the final individual written exam, which includes practical cases
Examinations or Special Assignments
Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)
Students with special status should identify the possibilities of the regulation in force in FPCEUP for writtem exam, not being exempt from the presence neither from practical exercises during face-to-face practical classes.
Classification improvement
Observations
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