Emergency Procedures & Response Flashcards

The ACT Hexaflex process MOST relevant to preventing experiential avoidance from escalating a crisis is:

Answer: Acceptance of painful emotions rather than suppression or escape

Acceptance in ACT prevents the experiential avoidance cycle that often escalates crisis by teaching clients to allow rather than fight painful internal states.

Which statement about no-suicide contracts (NSCs) reflects current evidence-based best practice?

Answer: NSCs have limited empirical support and should not replace collaborative safety planning

Research does not support the effectiveness of no-suicide contracts; collaborative safety planning with specific action steps is the evidence-based alternative.

A client discloses that a family member, who is not a client, is exhibiting behaviors suggesting imminent suicide risk. The therapist's appropriate response is to:

Answer: Advise the client on steps to help the family member access crisis resources and emergency services

While the therapist cannot intervene directly with non-clients, they can and should guide the client in accessing appropriate emergency resources for the at-risk family member.

During a crisis debriefing after a traumatic incident, an ACT-informed approach would emphasize:

Answer: Normalizing distress responses, present-moment awareness, and connecting to values for recovery

ACT-informed debriefing normalizes distress, uses mindfulness and values to guide recovery, rather than forced early trauma processing which can be counterproductive.

The legal standard for 'duty to protect' typically requires the therapist to act when the client poses a threat that is:

Answer: Serious, credible, and directed toward an identifiable potential victim

Duty to protect is activated by serious, credible threats toward an identifiable third party, not vague, past, or self-only threats.

After an emergency involving client hospitalization, the ACT therapist's continuity of care responsibilities include:

Answer: Coordinating with inpatient staff, planning step-down care, and re-engaging the client post-discharge

Continuity of care requires active coordination with inpatient treatment teams and intentional planning for the client's transition back to outpatient care.

Which protective factor is MOST consistently associated with reduced suicide risk and aligns naturally with ACT's core model?

Answer: Strong sense of meaning and connection to personal values

Sense of meaning and connectedness to values is a robust protective factor in suicide research and directly maps onto ACT's emphasis on values-based living.