Psychological First Aid Training Effectiveness Among Community Health Workers in Flood-Affected Communities of Delta State, South South Nigeria

Psychological First Aid is a structured, evidence-informed approach to supporting individuals in the immediate aftermath of disasters, and its delivery by trained community health workers represents a scalable strategy for extending psychosocial support in resource-limited settings. In Delta State, where annual floods cause significant displacement and trauma, the effectiveness of PFA training for community health workers has not been evaluated. This study assesses the effectiveness of a two-day Psychological First Aid training programme for community health workers in flood-affected communities in Delta State, South South Nigeria. A pre-test and post-test design is applied to 80 community health workers from five flood-prone communities in Ndokwa and Isoko South local government areas. The WHO PFA Field Guide competency framework guides training design. Knowledge, attitudes, and skills are assessed before training, immediately after, and at three-month follow-up using a validated PFA Competence Measure. Paired t-tests and ANOVA are performed in SPSS. Available disaster mental health literature from South South Nigeria identifies emotional support, practical assistance coordination, and connecting to services as the most critically deficient competencies before training. Social Support Theory and the Sphere Humanitarian Standards provide the reference. Findings will guide the Delta State Health Management Board in scaling PFA training. Keywords: psychological first aid, training effectiveness, community health workers, flood disaster, Delta State.