Crisis Intervention Flashcards

Which factor is considered the single strongest predictor of a future suicide attempt?

Answer: A previous suicide attempt

A previous suicide attempt is the strongest individual predictor of future attempts and is weighted most heavily in lethality assessments.

The SAD PERSONS scale is a clinical tool used to assess:

Answer: Suicide risk

SAD PERSONS is a mnemonic-based suicide risk assessment tool evaluating factors such as sex, age, depression, previous attempt, ethanol abuse, rational thinking loss, social support, organized plan, no spouse, and sickness.

When a client presents with a specific, lethal, and accessible plan for suicide, the counselor should:

Answer: Take immediate protective action including possible hospitalization

A specific, lethal, and accessible plan indicates high lethality requiring immediate protective intervention, which may include voluntary or involuntary hospitalization.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is designed primarily to:

Answer: Reduce initial distress and promote adaptive functioning

PFA is an evidence-informed approach providing immediate, practical support to reduce acute distress and foster both short- and long-term adaptive functioning without formal diagnosis.

Which of the following is NOT a core element of Psychological First Aid (PFA)?

Answer: Medication management and prescribing

PFA focuses on safety, stabilization, information gathering, practical assistance, and connection to supports — medication management requires licensed medical personnel and is outside PFA's scope.

The Tarasoff decision primarily established the counselor's duty to:

Answer: Warn identifiable third parties threatened by a client

Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California established the duty to warn, requiring mental health professionals to notify identifiable potential victims when a client poses a credible, serious threat.

The Triage Assessment Model in crisis intervention categorizes individuals into which severity levels?

Answer: High, moderate, and low risk

The Triage Assessment Model (Myer et al.) assesses affective, behavioral, and cognitive domains to classify crisis severity as high, moderate, or low risk.