Counseling Practice During Phases of a Pandemic Virus. Mark A. Stebnicki

one or more levels altogether. The course and prognosis of mental, behavioral, and psychosocial risk and resiliency are based on multiple factors related to medical, physical, and mental health; coping; risk; and resiliency.

       A person’s prepandemic mental, behavioral, and psychosocial health creates thoughts, cognitions, feelings, and behaviors and medical, physical, and mental health conditions that are individualized and that may predict the outcome of optimal mental and physical well-being during a pandemic virus.

       Functional evaluation of individuals with the PRRC model can assist in health prevention and cultivate coping and resiliency resources in the present and future as individuals move through critical points of a pandemic disaster life cycle.

       Individuals who focus on the here and now, as opposed to the then and there, have better medical, physical, and psychological health and well-being.

       Each phase of the PRRC model involves some level of adjustment and adaptation. This is dependent on factors related to age; prepandemic medical, physical, personality, behavioral, and mental health characteristics; attitudes toward and perceptions of a pandemic; prior experience surviving disaster and trauma events; and the extent of family, social, and financial support and other natural resources available to individuals and groups.

       Successful transition through the phases of adjustment and adaptation in the PRRC model should produce increased psychological growth, coping, resiliency skills, and resources that will assist in healing the mind, body, and spirit.

Concluding Remarks

      The intention behind using the PRRC model is to anticipate and prevent behavioral risk factors and intervene with individuals who exhibit mental, behavioral, psychosocial, and medical/physical risk factors while simultaneously endorsing and reinforcing various resiliency traits and characteristics during pandemic disasters. The theoretical assumptions in the PRRC model are multidimensional and relate to the research on disaster mental health and critical review by a panel of eight experts in disaster mental health response, epidemiology, medical and psychosocial aspects of illness and disability, and applied behavior science. A primary supposition is that individuals exhibit a range of mental, behavioral, and psychosocial responses and adaptations during pandemic disasters on a continuum from excellent to poor resiliency and from low to extreme risk. Overall, the PRRC model proposes that individuals are not defined by critical events. Persons who are resilient form an identity as a survivor rather than a victim of a pandemic disaster.

Chapter 2 The Pandemic Risk and Resiliency Continuum Theoretical Model

      The pandemic risk and resiliency continuum (PRRC) theoretical model can be used for identification, early intervention, prevention, and preparation for therapeutic interventions with individuals and groups during phases of a pandemic virus. The model has practical applications within the psychology, counseling, disaster mental health, and allied helping professions. The PRRC model has been reviewed and critiqued by a panel of eight experts in disaster mental health response, epidemiology, medical and psychosocial aspects of illness and disability, and applied behavior science. A primary supposition is that individuals exhibit a range of mental, behavioral, and psychosocial responses and adaptations during pandemic disasters on a continuum from excellent to poor resiliency and from low to extreme risk. The PRRC model is divided into two separate models—risk and resiliency—measured on a continuum. Five-level scales of risk and resiliency are used, and each level encompasses the categories of mental, behavioral, psychosocial, and medical/physical health.

The PRRC Model: Resiliency

      The first model of the PRRC model assesses resiliency factors during a pandemic virus and is rated on the following Resiliency scale:

Resiliency Scale

5 = Excellent Resiliency

4 = Very Good Resiliency

3 = Good Resiliency

2 = Fair Resiliency

1 = Poor Resiliency

      Level 5 = Excellent Resiliency

      At Level 5, the person has excellent mental, behavioral, and psychosocial health. The individual has a rational and healthy respect for the seriousness, lethality, and consequences of a pandemic virus. The individual presents no irrational fears or anxieties around a pandemic virus despite exposure to trigger events (e.g., media reporting of positive novel coronavirus [COVID-19] cases, COVID-related illnesses and deaths, school and workplace closures). Clinically significant psychological/emotional symptoms and conditions are dealt with in a therapeutically healthy and normal manner. Individuals at Level 5 are stress hardy. They have the innate ability to bounce back from adversity. They endorse public health principles, practices, guidelines, and government mandates associated with a pandemic disaster. They view good virus hygiene and adherence to public health guidelines as essential to the protection of themselves and others and get vaccinated, wear a mask, wash their hands, and keep a social distance. The person lives life with excellent balance, adaptation, and adjustment in relation to their changing pandemic environment. The individual responds empathically to the grief, loss, and extraordinary stressful and/or traumatic events associated with a pandemic virus. They balance the reality of a pandemic disaster with other life responsibilities and make choices to thrive, rather than just survive, during the pandemic disaster. The person’s overall mental and physical well-being is demonstrated by consistent attempts to achieve optimal levels of wellness and resiliency. The person finds existential meaning and solace regarding their life and others in their environment amid a pandemic disaster. The mental, behavioral, psychosocial, and medical/physical health of the individual at Level 5 is demonstrated by the following.

      Mental Health

      Person is extremely resilient, with a high degree of psychological adjustment in dealing with critical life events and major life stressors (e.g., job loss, the death of a family member, divorce, personal illness, injury, disease, disability). Person takes therapeutic responsibility for any mental health symptoms and conditions. They demonstrate positive optimism and an excellent balance of mood, emotion, affect, and rational thinking. Person can handle daily life stressors with excellent coping and resiliency skills. Person transitions exceedingly well through the phases of a pandemic disaster, cultivating new meaning, personal growth, hardiness, and self-care.

      Behavioral Health

      Person has a well-balanced life and maintains a healthy routine of virus-related hygiene habits following public health guidelines. Person has high regard for self and others concerning social distancing, stay-at-home orders, and other good virus hygiene. Person engages in regular exercise, has proper nutritional intake, demonstrates healthy patterns of sleep and rest, maintains virus-adjusted recreational activities, and exhibits excellent overall daily functioning. Person is perceived by self and others to be highly focused, motivated, and goal oriented. They are observed by others taking personal responsibility for living in positive optimism. Person is high in social-emotional intelligence, demonstrates excellent interpersonal communication skills, demonstrates empathetic concern for others, is action oriented, is a contributor, and has a collectivist ideology as opposed to a self-absorbed lifestyle.

Psychosocial Health

      Person has exemplary functioning in a wide range of life areas, such as academics, job, career, and economic stability. Person exhibits excellent social and familial connections. Person is self-motivated and highly engaged in clubs, organizations, religious/spiritual life, and recreational activities. Person has an excellent balance of home, work, academics, and social life. Person exhibits