Five essential principles of post-disaster psychosocial care: looking back and forward with Stevan Hobfoll

Abstract

In 2007, a leading article was published by Stevan Hobfoll and a team of international experts. The authors synthesized available scientific evidence and distinguished five essential principles of psychosocial care to people confronted with disaster, tragedy, and loss. Care givers should promote: (1) a sense of safety, (2) calming, (3) self- and community efficacy, (4) social connectedness, and (5) hope. After their publication, the “essential principles” influenced the thoughts of policy makers, care providers, and scholars from all over the world. They have been embedded in several guidelines. In this interview, Professor Hobfoll is invited to revisit the principles and to look forward: “The next step is to create passageways and mutual partnerships.”

Keywords

• Psychosocial care
• disaster
• community intervention
• social change
• interview