Crisis and Trauma Interventions Flashcards
7 cards from real NCMHCE 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 and Trauma Interventions flashcards as text
A counselor working in a disaster relief shelter notices a survivor who is pacing, breathing rapidly, and unable to speak coherently 48 hours after a hurricane. This presentation is MOST consistent with:
Answer: Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)
Acute Stress Disorder occurs within 3 days to 4 weeks after a traumatic event and includes dissociation, intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms.
In the context of crisis intervention, the term 'precipitating event' refers to:
Answer: The specific triggering event that pushed the client from a state of stress into crisis
The precipitating event is the identifiable stressor or trigger that disrupted the client's equilibrium and initiated the crisis state.
A counselor discovers that a client with a history of childhood sexual abuse is also currently experiencing domestic violence. Which safety planning step is MOST critical before ending the session?
Answer: Collaboratively develop a concrete escape plan with specific emergency contacts and safe locations
When active danger exists, a concrete safety plan with escape routes, safe contacts, and emergency resources is the highest-priority intervention.
The concept of 'window of tolerance,' developed by Daniel Siegel, is MOST relevant to trauma treatment because it describes:
Answer: The optimal zone of arousal in which trauma processing can occur without overwhelming the client
The window of tolerance is the arousal zone between hypo- and hyperarousal where the client can process trauma without dissociating or becoming flooded.
A client presents with somatic complaints, emotional numbing, and avoidance of trauma cues but does not meet full PTSD criteria. The MOST appropriate diagnostic consideration is:
Answer: Other Specified Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorder
Other Specified Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorder captures clinically significant trauma-related presentations that do not meet full PTSD, ASD, or adjustment disorder criteria.
During a group debriefing session following a workplace shooting, a counselor notices one employee becoming increasingly agitated and tearful. The BEST immediate action is to:
Answer: Gently excuse the individual from the group and provide one-on-one support
Removing the distressed individual from the group setting allows for individualized crisis support without exposing them further or disrupting others.
Which of the following trauma responses reflects the 'fawn' response described by Pete Walker as an addition to the classic fight-flight-freeze triad?
Answer: Appeasing, people-pleasing behaviors used to avoid conflict or harm from others
The 'fawn' response involves placating or pleasing others to avoid conflict, commonly seen in survivors of prolonged interpersonal trauma such as childhood abuse.