Psychological First Aid (PFA) can be defined as "a supportive and compassionate presence designed to reduce acute psychological distress." PFA may be used in a wide variety of circumstances including the pressures of daily life, in family problems, in medical emergencies, in cases of loss and grief, and even in mass disasters.

This PFA Pocket Field Guide takes a mixed-method approach, identifying and aligning practices and recommendations from numerous authorities and frameworks to provide users with a comprehensive toolkit adaptable to a range of situations and for a variety of individuals who would benefit from PFA support.

Main sources of information include guidance from the World Health Organization, National Child Traumatic Stress Network, National Center for PTSD, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Save the Children, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Johns Hopkins University. Other sources have been cited accordingly.