SAC Crisis Intervention & Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a PRIMARY goal of psychological first aid (PFA) in the immediate aftermath of a school crisis?
- Providing formal psychotherapy to all affected students
- Ensuring students process their trauma narrative in detail
- Reducing initial distress and fostering short-term adaptive functioning (Correct answer)
- Diagnosing PTSD and other trauma-related disorders
Correct answer: Reducing initial distress and fostering short-term adaptive functioning
PFA focuses on reducing immediate distress, meeting basic needs, and promoting adaptive coping rather than formal therapy or trauma processing in the acute phase.
Question 2: A student witnessed a violent incident at school and is now experiencing intrusive flashbacks, avoidance, and hyperarousal three weeks later. Which condition does this MOST suggest?
- Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Correct answer)
- Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Correct answer: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is characterized by intrusive symptoms, avoidance, negative cognitions, and hyperarousal lasting more than one month after a traumatic event; three weeks meets the duration for PTSD if all criteria are met.
Question 3: The 'gatekeeping' approach to suicide prevention trains individuals to:
- Control which students are allowed access to counseling services
- Identify warning signs of suicide and connect at-risk individuals to help (Correct answer)
- Screen all students annually using standardized assessment tools
- Restrict students' access to school buildings during crisis periods
Correct answer: Identify warning signs of suicide and connect at-risk individuals to help
Gatekeeper training (e.g., QPR, safeTALK) teaches non-clinical staff, students, and community members to recognize warning signs of suicide and refer individuals to professional help.
Question 4: When conducting a threat assessment for a student making violent threats, which factor is MOST critical to evaluate?
- The student's academic grades and attendance record
- Specificity of the target, plan, means, and intent (Correct answer)
- The number of prior disciplinary referrals on file
- The student's participation in extracurricular activities
Correct answer: Specificity of the target, plan, means, and intent
Threat assessment prioritizes the specificity of the plan (who, how, when) and access to means because these factors determine the level of imminent danger and appropriate intervention.
Question 5: What does the term 'postvention' refer to in the context of school crisis response?
- Prevention programs implemented before a crisis occurs
- Interventions provided during an active crisis event
- Support and counseling provided after a suicide or traumatic death (Correct answer)
- Legal proceedings following a school safety incident
Correct answer: Support and counseling provided after a suicide or traumatic death
Postvention refers to the support, counseling, and preventive activities conducted in the aftermath of a suicide or traumatic loss to support survivors and prevent contagion.
Question 6: The SLAP assessment in suicide risk evaluation stands for Specificity, Lethality, Availability, and:
- Proximity (Correct answer)
- Prevention
- Psychosis
- Precipitant
Correct answer: Proximity
SLAP stands for Specificity (how detailed is the plan), Lethality (how deadly is the method), Availability (does the person have access to the means), and Proximity (how close is rescue).
Question 7: A school implements Signs of Suicide (SOS) Prevention Program. This program primarily works by combining suicide awareness with:
- Peer mentoring and buddy systems
- Depression screening and help-seeking behavior (Correct answer)
- Conflict resolution and de-escalation training
- Substance abuse prevention curriculum
Correct answer: Depression screening and help-seeking behavior
The SOS program combines screening for depression (using the Columbia Depression Scale) with education about depression and the importance of seeking help, addressing both identification and action.
