Crisis Intervention Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real CBHT 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 Techniques flashcards as text
A client in crisis is hyperventilating and cannot focus on conversation. What is the FIRST intervention a BHT should use?
Answer: Instruct the client to breathe slowly and guide diaphragmatic breathing
Guided diaphragmatic breathing helps regulate the autonomic nervous system and reduces acute physiological distress before other interventions.
Which of the following best describes 'psychological first aid' in a crisis context?
Answer: Providing immediate emotional support, safety, and practical assistance without forcing processing
Psychological first aid focuses on immediate safety, calm, connectedness, and practical help rather than forcing emotional processing during acute crisis.
During a crisis intervention, a client says 'Nobody can help me.' This statement MOST likely reflects:
Answer: Cognitive distortion related to hopelessness
Statements reflecting that no one can help are classic cognitive distortions associated with hopelessness, commonly seen in suicidal crisis states.
A BHT notices a client's behavior escalating from verbal agitation to physical pacing and clenching fists. According to the aggression cycle, the client is in which phase?
Answer: Escalation phase
Increasing physical signs such as pacing and fist-clenching signal the escalation phase, where early de-escalation is still possible.
When using the Collaborative Problem Solving approach during a crisis, the BHT's primary goal is to:
Answer: Understand the client's perspective and collaboratively identify solutions
Collaborative Problem Solving prioritizes empathy and joint problem-solving to address the unmet need driving the behavior.
Which non-verbal behavior by the BHT is MOST likely to help de-escalate an agitated client?
Answer: Positioning at an angle rather than face-to-face and keeping an open posture
An angled, non-confrontational stance with open body language reduces perceived threat and helps lower the client's defensive arousal.
A client in emotional crisis refuses all verbal engagement and sits silently. The MOST therapeutic BHT response is to:
Answer: Calmly sit nearby, offer presence, and respect silence without pressure
Offering calm, non-pressuring presence communicates safety and acceptance, which can reduce isolation and eventually encourage engagement.