Crisis Intervention Strategies Flashcards

Which approach is the evidence-informed early response recommended right after disasters and mass-casualty events?

Answer: Psychological First Aid (PFA)

Psychological First Aid promotes safety, calm, connectedness, self-efficacy, and hope without forcing people to share details.

Why is mandatory Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) controversial for trauma survivors?

Answer: Studies suggest it may not prevent PTSD and may harm some people

Research found single-session debriefing does not prevent PTSD and may increase distress for some, so it is not recommended as a routine practice.

In the SAFER-R model of crisis intervention, what does the first 'S' stand for?

Answer: Stabilize

SAFER-R begins with Stabilizing the situation, then Acknowledging the crisis, Facilitating understanding, Encouraging coping, Recovery or Referral.

A crisis worker hears many trauma stories and begins having intrusive images and feeling unsafe. This is BEST described as:

Answer: Vicarious (secondary) trauma

Vicarious trauma is a change in the helper's own worldview and symptoms caused by repeated exposure to clients' trauma.

Which principle of trauma-informed care is MOST relevant when a crisis worker explains each step and asks permission before acting?

Answer: Trustworthiness, transparency, and choice

Explaining actions and offering choices builds trust and restores a sense of control that trauma often takes away.

A community mobile crisis team responds to a person in a mental health emergency in their home. What is a key benefit of this model?

Answer: It provides on-site assessment and can divert people from jails and emergency rooms

Mobile crisis teams stabilize people where they are and reduce unnecessary police involvement, ER visits, and incarceration.

When working with a client from a different cultural background in crisis, which practice is MOST appropriate?

Answer: Explore the client's cultural meaning of the crisis and preferred sources of support

Culturally responsive crisis work asks how the client understands the event and which supports, such as family, faith, or community, they value.