Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals

This research explored perspectives of civilian and military-based mental health professionals regarding mental health challenges, influencing factors, and treatment considerations for military first responders in Sri Lanka, after they have been exposed to crisis events. Twenty-nine mental health p...

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Main Authors: Raneesha De Silva, Jane L. Ireland, Philip Birch, Carol A. Ireland, Michael Lewis, Methma Atapattu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SG Publishing 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.journalcswb.ca/index.php/cswb/article/view/398
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author Raneesha De Silva
Jane L. Ireland
Philip Birch
Carol A. Ireland
Michael Lewis
Methma Atapattu
author_facet Raneesha De Silva
Jane L. Ireland
Philip Birch
Carol A. Ireland
Michael Lewis
Methma Atapattu
author_sort Raneesha De Silva
collection DOAJ
description This research explored perspectives of civilian and military-based mental health professionals regarding mental health challenges, influencing factors, and treatment considerations for military first responders in Sri Lanka, after they have been exposed to crisis events. Twenty-nine mental health professionals from Sri Lanka (14 civilian and 15 military-based) engaged in a semi-structured interview to share their experiences and recommendations in treating military first responders from Sri Lanka army and navy. The thematic analysis yielded two main categories of data: (1) factors influencing the impact of exposure to crisis events and (2) factors influencing effective interventions for first responders in the Sri Lanka military. These two categories were further analysed as themes and subthemes, based on factors which amplify, buffer against, and/or have a variable impact on trauma symptomatology and factors external to military first responders, which could impact their recovery efficiency. This study is one of the first to explore mental health challenges and treatment considerations for military first responders in South Asia, through the perspective of civilian and military-based mental health professionals.
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issn 2371-4298
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher SG Publishing
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series Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being
spelling doaj-art-487503095da0417dabec1a770c62067f2025-08-20T02:37:48ZengSG PublishingJournal of Community Safety and Well-Being2371-42982024-12-019410.35502/jcswb.398Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionalsRaneesha De Silva0Jane L. Ireland1Philip Birch2Carol A. Ireland3Michael Lewis4Methma Atapattu5Save the Children International, Asia Pacific Regional Office, SingaporeSchool of Psychology and Humanities, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK; Ashworth Research Centre, Mersey Care NHS Trust, Merseyside, UKFaculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia; §Murdoch University, Perth, AustraliaSchool of Psychology and Humanities, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK; Ashworth Research Centre, Mersey Care NHS Trust, Merseyside, UKSchool of Psychology and Humanities, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK; Ashworth Research Centre, Mersey Care NHS Trust, Merseyside, UKMurdoch University, Perth, Australia; Collective Hope Disability Services, Perth, Australia This research explored perspectives of civilian and military-based mental health professionals regarding mental health challenges, influencing factors, and treatment considerations for military first responders in Sri Lanka, after they have been exposed to crisis events. Twenty-nine mental health professionals from Sri Lanka (14 civilian and 15 military-based) engaged in a semi-structured interview to share their experiences and recommendations in treating military first responders from Sri Lanka army and navy. The thematic analysis yielded two main categories of data: (1) factors influencing the impact of exposure to crisis events and (2) factors influencing effective interventions for first responders in the Sri Lanka military. These two categories were further analysed as themes and subthemes, based on factors which amplify, buffer against, and/or have a variable impact on trauma symptomatology and factors external to military first responders, which could impact their recovery efficiency. This study is one of the first to explore mental health challenges and treatment considerations for military first responders in South Asia, through the perspective of civilian and military-based mental health professionals. https://www.journalcswb.ca/index.php/cswb/article/view/398Mental healthtrauma recoverycrisis respondersdisaster managementmilitarySri Lanka
spellingShingle Raneesha De Silva
Jane L. Ireland
Philip Birch
Carol A. Ireland
Michael Lewis
Methma Atapattu
Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals
Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being
Mental health
trauma recovery
crisis responders
disaster management
military
Sri Lanka
title Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals
title_full Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals
title_fullStr Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals
title_full_unstemmed Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals
title_short Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals
title_sort military first responders in sri lanka post crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals
topic Mental health
trauma recovery
crisis responders
disaster management
military
Sri Lanka
url https://www.journalcswb.ca/index.php/cswb/article/view/398
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AT philipbirch militaryfirstrespondersinsrilankapostcrisispsychosocialchallengesandtreatmentrecommendationsbymentalhealthprofessionals
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AT michaellewis militaryfirstrespondersinsrilankapostcrisispsychosocialchallengesandtreatmentrecommendationsbymentalhealthprofessionals
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