Clinical Practice & Treatment Planning Flashcards
7 cards from real AAS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Clinical Practice & Treatment Planning flashcards as text
A client with borderline personality disorder presents with chronic suicidal ideation and a recent superficial cut. What is the most appropriate first step in treatment planning?
Answer: Conduct a thorough risk assessment differentiating chronic from acute risk
Distinguishing chronic baseline suicidality from acute elevations is essential before deciding on the level of care for BPD clients.
Which therapeutic modality has the strongest evidence base for reducing suicidal behavior in individuals with borderline personality disorder?
Answer: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT was specifically developed for BPD and has robust randomized controlled trial evidence for reducing suicidal acts and self-harm.
During a safety planning session, a clinician asks the client to list reasons for living. This technique draws primarily from which theoretical framework?
Answer: Motivational interviewing and hope-based approaches
Eliciting reasons for living is a core motivational and hope-based technique that taps into the client's own ambivalence about dying.
A safety plan differs from a no-suicide contract primarily because it:
Answer: Is collaborative, actionable, and focuses on coping steps rather than a promise not to act
Safety plans are collaborative, step-by-step coping tools; no-suicide contracts are promises that lack evidence of effectiveness and can create false security.
When treating a suicidal client who is also experiencing active psychosis, which intervention priority is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Address psychotic symptoms medically while concurrently assessing suicide risk
Psychosis significantly elevates suicide risk, so stabilizing psychotic symptoms medically while continuously monitoring suicidality is the safest approach.
A clinician is counseling a veteran who endorses passive suicidal ideation but no plan. Which factor would MOST elevate clinical concern?
Answer: The client recently gave away a prized military firearm
Giving away valued possessions is a behavioral warning sign that suggests preparatory behavior for suicide.
The 'means restriction counseling' component of a safety plan involves:
Answer: Collaborating with clients and support persons to reduce access to lethal means
Means restriction counseling reduces access to firearms, medications, and other lethal means to create a time buffer during a suicidal crisis.