Disasters and emergencies are stressful situations because of exposure to an imminent danger to the physical and emotional integrity of those involved, requiring immediate action. Psychology was considered to decipher answers to such contexts and therefore must own the pillars that guide interventions in emergency situations, setting goals and specifying the required knowledge. The goal of this literature review was to identify the epistemological assumptions of this innovative practice through a survey of scientific articles, book chapters, and abstracts of scientific events. A brief history on the subject is presented along with the current situation in Latin America and Brazil. The purposes of the Theory of Crisis and Crisis Intervention, allied to the ideas postulated by Positive Psychology, are also discussed. Interventions based on these foundations assume that people have skills to positively overcome the effects of the crisis, and the focus is on prevention of positive growth and psychological distress, which will be facilitated by social support provided by institutions that strengthen the survivors' ability to effectively help themselves. Psychological first aid is a widely proposed intervention. Caring for people who experience situations involving physical and psychological distress will become more common, considering contemporary reality, and Psychology should provide assistance aimed at strengthening coping skills in critical situations.
Crisis intervention; Emergency; Prevention; Positive Psychology