Crisis Exam

A crisis that escalates to the point that the situation requires immediate intervention to
avoid injury or death is known as what? - ANS-A behavioral emergency

In what way is a crisis idiosyncratic? - ANS-What one person may overcome, another
may not, even if the circumstances are the same. Crises are different to everyone.

What are the 3 major movements that helped shape crisis interventions into an
emergency specialty? - ANS-Alcoholics Anonymous, Vietnam Veterans, and the
women's movement of the 1970s.

What has generated the most profound change in public consciousness of what it
means to be in crisis after a large-scale disaster? - ANS-The media's role in creating
awareness of crises.

What is a crisis? - ANS-The perception or experiencing of an event or situation as an

intolerable difficulty that exceeds the person's current resources and coping
mechanisms.

What are three major areas in an individual that can malfunction during and after a
crisis? - ANS-Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive.

What is a behavioral emergency? - ANS-A crisis that escalates to the point that the
situation requires immediate intervention to avoid injury or death.

What are two types of behavioral emergencies? - ANS-Indirect/Noncommissioned &

Direct/Intentional.

What is an Indirect/Noncommissioned behavioral emergency? - ANS-Crises that

happen with no directed purpose or intentionality to do something harmful to oneself or
others. (Drunk Driving, project construction, etc.)

What is a Direct/Intentional behavioral emergency? - ANS-General categories of

engaging in self-injurious behavior, perpetrating violent behavior, and being a victim of
violence. Suicide/Homicides after broken romances is a good example of this.

What is a systemic Crisis? - ANS-When a traumatic event occurs such that people,
institutions, communities and ecologies are overwhelmed and responses systems are
unable to effectively contain and control the event in regard to both physical and
psychological reactions to it.

What is a metastasizing crisis? - ANS-When a small, isolated incident is not contained

and begins to spread.

What are three ways people can react to a crisis? - ANS-1. Cope effectively and
develop strength.
2. Survive but block the hurtful affect from awareness to have it haunt them in many
ways through the rest of their lives.
3. Break down psychologically at the onset of the crisis and show they are incapable of
going any further in their lives w/o assistance.

What are the different levels that can be affected by a crisis? - ANS-Families,
individuals, partners, institutions, employees, neighborhoods, community, and
geographical region or country.

What is a transcrisis state? - ANS-When an individual thinks the problem has resolves,
but new stressors may bring the individual to the crisis state again. This may happen
frequently and for extended periods of time, ranging from months to years.

What are transcrisis points? - ANS-Generally marked by the client's coming to grips with
new developmental stages or other dimensions of the problem. They do not occur in
regular, predictable, linear progression. They can be seen as benchmarks that are
crucial to progressive stages of positive therapeutic growth. They are
approach/avoidance behavior in seeking help taking risks, and initiating action steps
towards forward movement.

What is the differences between basic crisis theory and brief therapy? - ANS-Brief
therapy typically attempts to remediate more or less ongoing emotional problems; basic
crisis theory focuses on helping people in crisis recognize and correct temporary
affective, behavioral, and cognitive distortions brought on by traumatic events.

What is a developmental crisis? - ANS-Events in the normal flow of human growth and
evolution whereby a dramatic change or shift occurs that produces abnormal
responses. Usually considered normal, but all people are unique. (Births, retirement,
graduation, etc.)
What is a situational crisis? - ANS-The occurrence of uncommon and extraordinary
events that an individual has no way of forecasting or controlling. It' random, sudden,
shocking, intense and often catastrophic.

What is an existential crisis? - ANS-Includes the inner conflicts and anxieties that
accompany important human issues of purpose, responsibility, independence, freedom
and commitment.

What is an ecosystemic crisis? - ANS-Natural or human cause disaster that overtakes a

person or group of people who find themselves inundated in the aftermath of an event
that may adversely affect every member of the environment in which they live. Could be
biologically derived, politically based, or severe economic depression.

What are the three basic crisis intervention models? - ANS-Equilibrium model; cognitive
model; and psychosocial model.

What is the Equilibrium model of crisis intervention? - ANS-The main focus is to

stabilize. Appropriate when people are out of control, disoriented, and unable to make
good choices. Purest form of crisis intervention, typically used at the onset of crisis.

What is the cognitive model of crisis intervention? - ANS-Based on the premise that
crises are rooted in faulty thinking about the events or situations surrounding the crisis--
not in the events themselves or the facts about the events or situations.

What is the psychosocial model of crisis intervention? - ANS-People are the product of
their genes plus the learning they have absorbed from social environments. Crises may
be related to internal or external difficulties.

What is psychological first aid? - ANS-First-order type of intervention. It seeks to

address the immediate crisis situation and provide immediate relief possible to a wide
range of individuals.

What are the 8 steps of Psychological First aid? - ANS-1. Contact and engagement;
2. Safety and comfort;
3. Stabilization;
4. Info gathering current needs and concerns;
5. practical assistance;
6. Connection with social supports;
7. info on coping;
8. linkage w/ collaborative services.
What is the ACT Model? - ANS-*ASSESSMENT* of presenting problem;
*CONNECTING* clients to support system;
*TRAUMATIC* reactions and PTSD.

In what type of culture is one's self-image and worth defined in personal and individual
terms? - ANS-Low-Context cultures

In what type of culture is one's self-image and esteem tied to the group? -
ANS-High-context cultures.

What ate the potential cultural barriers in crisis counseling as identified in the textbook?
- ANS-"The traditional counseling role itself, which is not applicable to many
cross-cultural interactions." ALSO, language differences, class-bound values, and
culture-bound values.

What is ETIC Model of multiculturalism? - ANS-ETIC model focuses on just one trait of
the person.

What is the EMIC Model of multiculturalism? - ANS-EMIC model encompasses ALL

components that make up individuals, not just their parts but the total gestalt of how
they come together.

What is a "Universal" view? - ANS-Considered not only racial and ethnic minorities, but
other minority or special populations as well.

What is a "Focused" view? - ANS-Looks at multicultural counseling in relation to "visible

and racial ethnic minorities."

What is uncertainty avoidance? - ANS-Society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity.

It reflect the extent to which members of a society attempt to cope w/ anxiety by
minimizing uncertainty.

What is High Uncertainty Avoidance? - ANS-Huge range of rules and regulations and
procedures that cover many contingencies.

What is Low uncertainty avoidance? - ANS-Very relaxed, doesn't mind uncertainty as

much.
What are the 4 attributes that are widely accepted as necessary for crisis workers who
intervene with clients in the multicultural world? - ANS-1. Self knowledge (exp. about
one's own biases.)
2. Knowledge about the status and cultures of different groups.
3. Skills to effect culturally appropriate interventions
4. Actual experience in counseling and crisis intervention with diff. clients.

Ivey and Arredondo emphasize that counseling and therapy should begin w/ what? -
ANS-With counselor's awareness of their own assumptions, values, and biases
regarding racial, cultural, and group differences before considering individuals variations
on those themes.

What is individualism? - ANS-A worldview that centralized the personal goals,

uniqueness, and control. It peripheralizes the social group or social contact within the
individual operations.

What is Collectivism? - ANS-Is based on the assumption that groups bind and mutually
obligate individuals that the personal is simply a component of the larger social group or
context and subordinate to it.

What is a High-Context approach? - ANS-Delicate, ambiguous, sensitive, and

somewhat circumlocutory in discussing personal and social issues related to the crisis.

What is a Low-Context Approach? - ANS-Specific and concrete information is sought to

determine what is needed to take care of the problem--direct.

What are 3 strategies that culturally effective helpers use? - ANS-1. Examine and
understand the world from the client's viewpoint.
2. Search for alternative roles that may be more appealing and adaptive to clients.
3. Help clients from other cultures make contact w/ and elicit help from indigenous
support systems.

What is a triage assessment system? - ANS-A fast, efficient way of obtaining a real-time
estimate of what is occurring with a client.

What is the difference between equilibrium and disequilibrium? - ANS--Equilibrium is a

state of mental or emotional stability, balance, or poise in the organism.

-Disequilibrium is the lack or destruction of emotional stability, balance, or poise in the

organism.
What is mobility? - ANS-A state of physical being in which the person can autonomously
change or cope in response to different moods, feelings, emotions, needs, conditions,
influences; being flexible or adaptable to the physical and social world.

What is immobility? - ANS-A state of physical being in which the person is not
immediately capable of autonomously changing or coping in response to different
moods, feelings, emotions, needs, conditions, influences; inability to adapt to the
immediate physical and social world.

What is predisposition in crisis intervention? - ANS-Usually the first step in a crisis

model. Predisposing individual to be receptive to our intervention when, in many
instances, they may not be at all enthused about our presence or be so out of control
that they are only vaguely aware of it.

What does clarifying intentions mean? - ANS-Informing the client about what the crisis
intervention process is and what the client can expect to happen.

What are the core listening skills? - ANS-Empathy, genuineness, and acceptance
and/or positive regard.

What are the two purposes of defining the crisis? - ANS-1. Interventionist sees the crisis
from the client's perspective.
2. Also gives the interventionist info on the immediate conditions, parties, and issues
that lead to eruption of the problem into a crisis.

What should be assessed in crisis intervention? - ANS-1. Severity; 2. Client's emotional,

behavioral, and cognitive status; 3. Coping mechanisms and support; 4. Client's level of
lethality; 5. how well the worker is doing in de-escalating and defusing the situation.

What are 3 ways in which providing support occurs? - ANS-1. Psychological/physical

support.
2. Logistical support
3. Social support.

What is the primary consideration throughout all crisis intervention? - ANS-SAFETY

What are 3 perspectives that alternatives can be viewed from? - ANS-Situational

supports, coping mechanisms, and positive and constructive thinking patterns.
What is the critical element in planning? - ANS-That clients do not feel robbed of their
power, independence, and self-respect

What are the central issues in planning? - ANS-Control and Autonomy

The commitment step is what? - ANS-Getting the client to commit to the plan. This step
is clear, concise, and behaviorally specific.

What does a follow-up crisis intervention mean? - ANS-Generally in a frame of minutes,

hours, and days. It had to do with keeping track of client's success in maintaining
precrisis equilibrium—not if they are reaching long-term goals.

Define affective state? - ANS-Feeling or emotional tone

Define behavioral functioning. - ANS-Actions or psychomotor activity

Define cognitive state - ANS-Thinking patterns

What are the 4 basic areas of cognitive functioning? - ANS-Physical, psychological,

social relationships, and moral/spiritual beliefs.

What is a transgression? - ANS-The cognition that something bad *is happening* in the
present moment.

What is a threat? - ANS-The cognition that something bad *will* occur.

What is "loss"? - ANS-The cognition that something bad *has* occurred.

What are the 4 major factors in assessing the client's emotional stability? - ANS-1. The
duration of the crisis; 2. degree of emotional stamina or comping; 3. ecosystem that
client is in; and 4. developmental stage of the client.

What is a Chronic Crisis client? - ANS-Long-term pattern of recurring crises.

What is an Acute Crisis client? - ANS-A onetime crisis of a relatively short duration.

What is a facilitative assessment? - ANS-The data that is gleaned about the client is
used as a part of the ongoing helping process, not simply filed away.
What is an "Owning" Statement? - ANS-Communicates possession: "that's mine."
These statements are more important in crisis intervention than typical counseling.

What is a "disowned" statement. - ANS-Statements like "they say" or "I heard that" or
"it's not right for" often keep the crisis worker from owning the idea.

What are assertion statements? - ANS-Requests for compliance in the form of owning
statements that are often very directive, short, and point specific. They clearly and
specifically ask for a specific action from the client.

What are important aspects of facilitative listening? - ANS-A form of listening that has a
crisis worker giving their full attention to clients by focusing their total mental power on
client's world; attending to verbal and nonverbal cues, picking up on the client's
readiness; and emitted attending behavior to show that you are listening.

What are the basic strategies of crisis intervention? - ANS-Creating awareness; allowing
catharsis; providing support; promoting expansion; emphasizing focus; providing
guidance; promoting mobilization; implementing order; providing protection.

What does it mean when you allow catharsis? - ANS-Simply allowing clients to talk, cry,
swear, rant, rave, mourn, etc. etc., that allows them to ventilate feelings and thoughts.
The worker provides a safe and accepting environment to allow this.

How and why is promoting expansion used? - ANS-Activities to open up client's tunnel
vision of the crisis. The typically engage in self-defeating thoughts and behaviors and
are unable to see other perceptions and possibilities. Helps the clients step back,
reframe the problem, and gain new perspectives. Helps clients resolve stuck cognitive
reactions.

How do crisis workers provide guidance? - ANS-The crisis worker provides info,
referrals, and direction in regard to client's obtaining assistance from specific resources
and support systems.

What does promoting mobilization mean? - ANS-Attempt to both activate and marshal
clients' internal resources and to find and use external support systems to help generate
coping skills and problem-solving abilities.

How does a crisis worker implement order? - ANS-Helps clients classify and categorize
problems so as to prioritize and sequentially attack the crisis in a logical and linear
manner.
What 3 things did Rogers say was necessary fro client growth? - ANS-Empathy,
genuineness, and acceptance.

What are the five important techniques of empathy? - ANS-Attending; verbally

communicating empathic understanding; reflecting feelings; nonverbally communicating
empathic understanding; and silence as a way of communicating empathic
understanding.

When is the directive counseling approach necessary? - ANS-When the client is

assessed as being too immobile to cope w/ the current crisis.

When is nondirective approach necessary? - ANS-This is desirable whenever clients

are able to initiate and carry out their own action steps. This gives the client as much
control as possible.

What are the action strategies for crisis workers? - ANS-Recognize individual
differences, assess yourself, show regard for client safety, provide client support, define
the problem clearly, consider alternatives, plan action steps, use the client's coping
strengths, use referral resources, Develop and use networks, get a commitment.

What is the golden rule in client safety? - ANS-"When in doubt about client safety-- get
help."