HUGS@Home - an initial evaluation of a psychological first aid programme for families and friends of first responders

<p dir="ltr"><b>Background:</b><b> </b>First responders such as paramedics and firefighters increasingly rely on their family and friends for psychosocial support due to workplace barriers such as culture and stigma. Despite many benefits, such support is often perceived as placing a burden on family and friends. The ability to provide Psychological First Aid (PFA) has not yet been explored in the context of family members and friends providing support to first responders. In this study, we explored the impacts of PFA on first responders and family members/friends.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Methods:</b><b> </b>This pre-post study design was informed by a wider programme of research adopting a Community Based Participatory Research approach. We co-designed a simulation enhanced PFA training intervention -the HUGS@Home programme. We collected survey data over three time points from family member/friend participants and their corresponding first responders. We analysed the data using descriptive and comparative statistical analysis. External evaluation of the intervention occurred simultaneously.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Findings:</b><b> </b>Ten family member/friend cohorts (<i>n</i> = 82) completed the training in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Results indicate they experienced increased quality of life, improved social support, maintenance of high resilience scores, a slight increase in anxiety levels and most notably, enhanced post traumatic growth. Their related first responders (<i>n</i> = 33) noted similar results, in addition to demonstrating improved help-seeking and post-traumatic growth, specifically in the 'improved relationships' subdomain. Both groups found the intervention significant, meaningful, and valuable. External evaluation considered the programme mature and ready for wider implementation.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Conclusions:</b><b> </b>HUGS@Home contributes significantly to the international PFA evidence base as the first evaluation of a PFA intervention in Ireland. This is the first study to demonstrate that family members and friends can effectively provide PFA to first responders. Further planned and ongoing work will explore our findings in detail and evaluate programme implementation in volunteer first responder populations.</p>