Crisis Intervention and De-escalation Flashcards
7 cards from real PSS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Crisis Intervention and De-escalation flashcards as text
A peer specialist supporting someone in crisis begins to feel overwhelmed and triggered by the person's story. The appropriate action is to:
Answer: Recognize the trigger, practice self-regulation, and seek supervision or handoff if needed
Self-awareness and self-regulation are ethical responsibilities; a peer specialist who is triggered must manage their own state and use supervision or handoff protocols to ensure quality care.
Which of the following is an evidence-based approach specifically designed for de-escalating a person experiencing psychosis?
Answer: Avoiding argument about content of psychosis while connecting on feelings and safety
When someone is experiencing psychosis, engaging with the emotional content — rather than arguing about the beliefs — is more effective and less likely to escalate.
In a crisis support context, 'unconditional positive regard' means:
Answer: Accepting the person without judgment regardless of their behavior or beliefs
Unconditional positive regard, from Carl Rogers, means accepting the whole person without judgment, which is foundational to trust-building in crisis support.
A person in crisis becomes calmer after 20 minutes of talking with a peer specialist. Which of the following is the most important thing to do BEFORE ending the conversation?
Answer: Co-create a concrete follow-up plan including who to contact if distress returns
Creating a concrete follow-up plan before ending a crisis conversation reduces the risk of deterioration once the support is withdrawn.
Which of the following is a warning sign that crisis intervention may require immediate escalation to emergency services?
Answer: The person discloses a specific plan and means to harm themselves
A specific plan with identified means for self-harm represents imminent risk and requires immediate escalation to emergency services.
What is the significance of 'natural language' in crisis de-escalation?
Answer: Using simple, everyday words to keep communication clear and accessible
Natural, everyday language keeps communication accessible and avoids the power imbalance that clinical jargon can create during a vulnerable moment.
A peer specialist's role during a crisis involves 'holding hope.' This means:
Answer: Maintaining belief in the person's capacity to recover, even when they cannot believe it themselves
Holding hope means the peer specialist carries belief in the person's recovery potential as a steady presence, even when the person has lost that belief temporarily.