Behavioral Health and Psychosocial Aspects of Disability Flashcards

In the transtheoretical model (stages of change), a worker who acknowledges they need to change but has not taken action yet is in which stage?

Answer: Contemplation

The contemplation stage is characterized by awareness that change is needed and ambivalence about it, but no concrete steps have been taken yet — the individual is 'thinking about it' within the next six months.

Which factor is identified in research as a 'blue flag' in the context of psychosocial barriers to return-to-work?

Answer: Perceptions about work demands, job stress, and lack of supervisor support

Blue flags represent perceptions about work itself — including high job demands, low control, poor relationships with supervisors, and lack of workplace support — that predict delayed return-to-work and are distinct from personal psychological yellow flags.

Family counseling is recommended in disability management when which situation is identified?

Answer: Family dynamics are reinforcing illness behavior or creating barriers to rehabilitation

Family members can inadvertently reinforce disability through overprotection, excessive caretaking, or expressing doubt about recovery; family counseling addresses these dynamics to align the home environment with rehabilitation goals.

Self-efficacy, as defined by Bandura, is BEST described as which concept relevant to disability management?

Answer: A person's belief in their own ability to successfully perform a specific behavior or task

Bandura's self-efficacy refers to an individual's confidence in their capability to execute a specific behavior — in disability management, higher self-efficacy for work tasks and pain management strongly predicts rehabilitation success.

A disability manager is conducting a psychosocial assessment. Which tool is most commonly used to screen for depression in claimants with work-related injuries?

Answer: The PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9)

The PHQ-9 is a validated, widely used 9-item screening tool for depression severity that is brief, reliable, and appropriate for use in occupational and disability management settings.

Substance use disorders among injured workers are associated with which disability management outcome?

Answer: Longer disability duration, increased complications, and poorer rehabilitation outcomes

Substance use disorders complicate disability management by impairing treatment adherence, increasing medication risks, worsening psychological comorbidities, and reducing functional recovery — all of which extend claim duration and increase costs.

The concept of 'resilience' in disability management refers to which characteristic that disability managers aim to build in claimants?

Answer: The capacity to positively adapt and recover from adversity, injury, or illness

Resilience is the psychological capacity to adapt well and recover from adversity; in disability management, building resilience through self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, and social support reduces the risk of chronic disability.