CFTC CFTC Trauma-Informed Care & Psychological First Aid 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which core principle of trauma-informed care emphasizes that clients should have input in their own treatment decisions?
- Trustworthiness
- Empowerment and choice (Correct answer)
- Safety
- Peer support
Correct answer: Empowerment and choice
Empowerment and choice is a foundational principle of trauma-informed care that restores a sense of control to survivors.
Question 2: In Psychological First Aid (PFA), what does the 'Look' component of the Listen-Protect-Link model refer to?
- Assessing for physical injuries
- Observing the scene and identifying those in need (Correct answer)
- Making direct eye contact with the survivor
- Looking up referral resources
Correct answer: Observing the scene and identifying those in need
The 'Look' step involves surveying the environment to identify survivors who may need immediate support.
Question 3: Which response is MOST consistent with a trauma-informed approach when a client becomes dysregulated during a session?
- Continue with the assessment to avoid disrupting momentum
- Use grounding techniques and slow the pace of questioning (Correct answer)
- Refer the client out immediately
- Document the behavior and move on
Correct answer: Use grounding techniques and slow the pace of questioning
Grounding techniques help re-regulate the nervous system and demonstrate safety, which is central to trauma-informed practice.
Question 4: Secondary traumatic stress (STS) in forensic trauma clinicians is BEST described as:
- Burnout from administrative overload
- Trauma symptoms arising from indirect exposure to clients' traumatic material (Correct answer)
- Compassion satisfaction from effective treatment
- Physical exhaustion from long shifts
Correct answer: Trauma symptoms arising from indirect exposure to clients' traumatic material
STS mirrors PTSD symptoms and develops through repeated indirect exposure to survivors' traumatic experiences.
Question 5: Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'window of tolerance' in trauma-informed care?
- The maximum number of sessions insurance will cover
- The optimal zone of arousal in which a client can process trauma effectively (Correct answer)
- The time limit for forensic interviews
- The clinician's personal threshold for handling distressing cases
Correct answer: The optimal zone of arousal in which a client can process trauma effectively
The window of tolerance describes the arousal zone where a client is neither hyperaroused nor hypoaroused, allowing effective trauma processing.
Question 6: A trauma survivor repeatedly minimizes the severity of their experience during assessment. The MOST appropriate trauma-informed response is to:
- Challenge their perception to ensure accurate reporting
- Validate their experience and avoid pushing for re-disclosure (Correct answer)
- Document potential minimization as a red flag
- Reschedule the appointment for a time when they may be more open
Correct answer: Validate their experience and avoid pushing for re-disclosure
Validation without pressure respects the survivor's pace and prevents re-traumatization during the assessment process.
CFTC CFTC Trauma-Informed Care & Psychological First Aid 1
Which core principle of trauma-informed care emphasizes that clients should have input in their own treatment decisions?