PSS PSS Trauma-Informed Care and Co-Occurring Disorders 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of a 'trigger' in the context of trauma-informed care?
- A scheduled medication dose
- A stimulus that activates a trauma-related stress response (Correct answer)
- A person's motivation to pursue recovery goals
- A setback caused by a poor decision
Correct answer: A stimulus that activates a trauma-related stress response
A trigger is any stimulus — sensory, situational, or relational — that reminds the nervous system of a past trauma and activates a stress response.
Question 2: Peer specialists support people with co-occurring disorders best by:
- Focusing only on substance use since it is the more immediate concern
- Recognizing that both conditions interact and affect each other (Correct answer)
- Deferring all conversations about mental health to licensed clinicians
- Prioritizing whichever condition the person mentions first
Correct answer: Recognizing that both conditions interact and affect each other
Mental health and substance use conditions are deeply interconnected, and effective peer support acknowledges both without artificially separating them.
Question 3: Which of the following reflects a trauma-informed practice when beginning a new peer support relationship?
- Reviewing the person's trauma history from their clinical record
- Asking detailed questions about past adverse experiences to build rapport
- Explaining your role, what to expect, and how confidentiality works to establish trust (Correct answer)
- Sharing your own trauma story immediately to create a sense of mutual understanding
Correct answer: Explaining your role, what to expect, and how confidentiality works to establish trust
Establishing clear expectations, roles, and confidentiality creates the psychological safety that is the foundation of trauma-informed engagement.
Question 4: Which trauma-related concept explains why someone may act out or struggle with relationships as a result of early adverse experiences?
- Moral injury
- Developmental or complex trauma (Correct answer)
- Acute stress disorder
- Adjustment disorder
Correct answer: Developmental or complex trauma
Complex or developmental trauma, often resulting from prolonged or repeated adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), can significantly affect emotional regulation and relational patterns.
Question 5: When someone with a co-occurring disorder experiences a mental health crisis, a peer specialist should:
- Attempt to provide therapy or counseling to address the root cause
- Use calming support, assess immediate safety, and connect the person to clinical resources (Correct answer)
- Immediately contact law enforcement if the person appears distressed
- Document the incident and wait to see if the crisis resolves on its own
Correct answer: Use calming support, assess immediate safety, and connect the person to clinical resources
Peer specialists provide immediate emotional support, help ensure safety, and facilitate connection to clinical crisis services as needed.
Question 6: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research is significant for peer support because it demonstrates:
- That childhood problems cannot affect adult health outcomes
- A dose-response relationship between early trauma and adult physical and mental health problems (Correct answer)
- That most adults with trauma histories do not need ongoing support
- That ACEs only affect mental health, not physical health
Correct answer: A dose-response relationship between early trauma and adult physical and mental health problems
The ACEs study showed that higher numbers of adverse childhood experiences are strongly associated with increased risk of physical illness, mental health disorders, and substance use in adulthood.
PSS PSS Trauma-Informed Care and Co-Occurring Disorders 2
Which of the following is an example of a 'trigger' in the context of trauma-informed care?