Coordinator research program Disasters and Environmental Hazards; endowed professor 'Crises, safety and health', University of Groningen, the Netherlands
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Defining and operationalizing key themes of high-quality psychosocial support using the concept mapping method: a tale of two contexts.
Herpen, M.M. van, Dückers, M.L.A., Boer, D. de, Dorn, T., Fassaert, T., Groot, J. de, Holsappel-Brons, J.C., Olff, M., Brake, H. te. Defining and operationalizing key themes of high-quality psychosocial support using the concept mapping method: a tale of two contexts. Prehospital and Disaster Magazine: 2023, 38(Suppl. 1), p. s119. Abstract of the 22nd Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, May 2023
ABSTRACT:
Introduction
International psychosocial support guidelinesreflect consensus on support principles and interventions.However, no consensus exists on what recipients considerimportant elements of service delivery. Within two contexts –after a potentially traumatic event (PTE) and people withSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)–the aims were to contributeto (1) understanding which psychosocial support aspects areconsidered important by recipients and relevant stakeholders;(2) developing instruments to test and integrate those aspectsin practice, in order to evaluate the quality of psychosocial sup-port from the recipient’s perspective.
Method
Concept mapping was used to achieve consensus onkey themes of psychosocial support. These were operationalizedin surveys and pilot-tested, conforming to the ConsumerQuality Index. This determines the importance and needs forimprovement.
Results
Concept mapping resulted in eight key themes withinthe PTE context and six in the SMA context. PTE survey (N=132) results showed key themes “an approach that starts fromthe needs and capacities of the affected one”and “monitoringindividuals affected and initiating follow-up where needed”were most important. Key theme “providing information oncommon emotional reactions”received the highest score of per-ceived need for improvement. SMA survey (N= 57) results showed key themes “an approach that incorporates all aspectsof a human being”and “a respectful approach and awarenessof personal boundaries”as most important. The perceived needfor improvement of the key theme “availability and accessibilityof quality information”was ranked the highest.
Conclusion
The similarities between both contexts supportthe notion that there are universal aspects of psychosocial sup-port. Simultaneously, the context-specific idiosyncrasies foundunderscore the necessity to adapt to context. The surveys havethe potential to contribute to a growing toolbox of quality evalu-ation instruments
Introduction
International psychosocial support guidelinesreflect consensus on support principles and interventions.However, no consensus exists on what recipients considerimportant elements of service delivery. Within two contexts –after a potentially traumatic event (PTE) and people withSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)–the aims were to contributeto (1) understanding which psychosocial support aspects areconsidered important by recipients and relevant stakeholders;(2) developing instruments to test and integrate those aspectsin practice, in order to evaluate the quality of psychosocial sup-port from the recipient’s perspective.
Method
Concept mapping was used to achieve consensus onkey themes of psychosocial support. These were operationalizedin surveys and pilot-tested, conforming to the ConsumerQuality Index. This determines the importance and needs forimprovement.
Results
Concept mapping resulted in eight key themes withinthe PTE context and six in the SMA context. PTE survey (N=132) results showed key themes “an approach that starts fromthe needs and capacities of the affected one”and “monitoringindividuals affected and initiating follow-up where needed”were most important. Key theme “providing information oncommon emotional reactions”received the highest score of per-ceived need for improvement. SMA survey (N= 57) results showed key themes “an approach that incorporates all aspectsof a human being”and “a respectful approach and awarenessof personal boundaries”as most important. The perceived needfor improvement of the key theme “availability and accessibilityof quality information”was ranked the highest.
Conclusion
The similarities between both contexts supportthe notion that there are universal aspects of psychosocial sup-port. Simultaneously, the context-specific idiosyncrasies foundunderscore the necessity to adapt to context. The surveys havethe potential to contribute to a growing toolbox of quality evalu-ation instruments
Introduction
International psychosocial support guidelinesreflect consensus on support principles and interventions.However, no consensus exists on what recipients considerimportant elements of service delivery. Within two contexts –after a potentially traumatic event (PTE) and people withSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)–the aims were to contributeto (1) understanding which psychosocial support aspects areconsidered important by recipients and relevant stakeholders;(2) developing instruments to test and integrate those aspectsin practice, in order to evaluate the quality of psychosocial sup-port from the recipient’s perspective.
Method
Concept mapping was used to achieve consensus onkey themes of psychosocial support. These were operationalizedin surveys and pilot-tested, conforming to the ConsumerQuality Index. This determines the importance and needs forimprovement.
Results
Concept mapping resulted in eight key themes withinthe PTE context and six in the SMA context. PTE survey (N=132) results showed key themes “an approach that starts fromthe needs and capacities of the affected one”and “monitoringindividuals affected and initiating follow-up where needed”were most important. Key theme “providing information oncommon emotional reactions”received the highest score of per-ceived need for improvement. SMA survey (N= 57) results showed key themes “an approach that incorporates all aspectsof a human being”and “a respectful approach and awarenessof personal boundaries”as most important. The perceived needfor improvement of the key theme “availability and accessibilityof quality information”was ranked the highest.
Conclusion
The similarities between both contexts supportthe notion that there are universal aspects of psychosocial sup-port. Simultaneously, the context-specific idiosyncrasies foundunderscore the necessity to adapt to context. The surveys havethe potential to contribute to a growing toolbox of quality evalu-ation instruments
International psychosocial support guidelinesreflect consensus on support principles and interventions.However, no consensus exists on what recipients considerimportant elements of service delivery. Within two contexts –after a potentially traumatic event (PTE) and people withSpinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)–the aims were to contributeto (1) understanding which psychosocial support aspects areconsidered important by recipients and relevant stakeholders;(2) developing instruments to test and integrate those aspectsin practice, in order to evaluate the quality of psychosocial sup-port from the recipient’s perspective.
Method
Concept mapping was used to achieve consensus onkey themes of psychosocial support. These were operationalizedin surveys and pilot-tested, conforming to the ConsumerQuality Index. This determines the importance and needs forimprovement.
Results
Concept mapping resulted in eight key themes withinthe PTE context and six in the SMA context. PTE survey (N=132) results showed key themes “an approach that starts fromthe needs and capacities of the affected one”and “monitoringindividuals affected and initiating follow-up where needed”were most important. Key theme “providing information oncommon emotional reactions”received the highest score of per-ceived need for improvement. SMA survey (N= 57) results showed key themes “an approach that incorporates all aspectsof a human being”and “a respectful approach and awarenessof personal boundaries”as most important. The perceived needfor improvement of the key theme “availability and accessibilityof quality information”was ranked the highest.
Conclusion
The similarities between both contexts supportthe notion that there are universal aspects of psychosocial sup-port. Simultaneously, the context-specific idiosyncrasies foundunderscore the necessity to adapt to context. The surveys havethe potential to contribute to a growing toolbox of quality evalu-ation instruments