Deck 3: Safety-Related Clinical Issues and Treatment Planning

Question 1

Potential indicators for suicide include all of the following, except:

A) Frequent crying spells
B) Past suicide attempts
C) Substance abuse
D) Presence of a mental health disorder

Answer 1

Frequent crying spells

Question 2

Counselors should be aware of suicide ideation among individuals with which of the following disorders?

A) Depression
B) Bipolar disorders
C) Individuals with multiple diagnoses
D) All disorders

Answer 2

All disorders

Question 3

Which of the following are core competencies necessary for counseling suicidal clients?

A) Risk assessment and intervention skills, developing an effective crisis plan, understanding associated legal and ethical issues, and accurate documentation
B) Risk assessment and intervention skills, understanding the various types of suicide, encouragement, and accurate documentation
C) Risk assessment and intervention skills, understanding the various types of suicide, understanding associated legal and ethical issues, and accurate documentation
D) Risk assessment and intervention skills, developing an effective crisis plan, encouragement, and accurate documentation

Answer 3

Risk assessment and intervention skills, developing an effective crisis plan, understanding associated legal and ethical issues, and accurate documentation

Question 4

It is possible that in assessing for suicide risk, counselors will encounter false positives or false negatives. An example of a false negative would be

A) providing restrictive levels of care to clients not seriously in danger of killing themselves
B) failing to have hospitalized clients who go on to commit suicide
C) providing restrictive levels of care to clients who are at risk for suicide
D) failing to have hospitalized clients who are not at risk for suicide

Question 5

It is recommended that counselors working with suicidal clients

A) Do not introduce the topic of suicide unless the client does first
B) Help the client realize that there are others who are worse off than they are
C) Engage in peer consultation and obtain supervision
D) Give clients their cell phone numbers in case of emergency

Question 6

The following is an especially strong predictor of future suicide attempts

A) Thoughts of hopelessness
B) Past suicide attempts
C) Depression
D) Giving away one's possessions

Question 7

A counselor's number one priority should be

A) Establishing a therapeutic alliance
B) Accurate diagnosis
C) Demonstrating empathy
D) Client safety

Question 8

A counselor may establish a contract for safety for suicidal clients. This contract states that

A) The counselor will not be sued if a client commits suicide
B) The client will not commit suicide for a specific period of time
C) The client's caregivers will maintain vigilance of the client for a specific period of time
D) The client will contact the counselor if tempted to commit suicide

Question 9

In treating suicidal clients, it is most helpful when counselors

A) Help clients overcome their weaknesses
B) Determine clients' motivations for wanting to commit suicide
C) Emphasize client strengths to promote self-esteem
D) Remind clients how much their family would miss them if they committed suicide

Question 10

Which of the following is a counselor consideration for clients with suicide ideation?

A) Maintaining a calm demeanor and using neutral body language
B) Maintaining a sense of collaboration in treatment
C) Understanding potential legal and ethical issues in the treatment of interpersonal violence victims
D) Establishing rapport and providing a safe and comfortable environment

Question 11

In treating clients with homicidal ideation, it is especially important that counselors maintain a(n)
Demeanor, while using neutral body language.

A) Serious and calm
B) cordial and nonjudgmental
C) nonjudgmental and calm
D) calm and cordial

Question 12

Which of the following factors are associated with homicidal ideation?

A) Past criminal charges, lack of empathy and remorse, psychiatric disorders, and substance abuse
B) Past criminal charges, lack of empathy and remorse, poor familial relationships, and substance abuse
C) Past criminal charges, lack of empathy and remorse, psychiatric disorders, and low self-esteem
D) Past criminal charges, lack of empathy and remorse, low self-esteem, and substance abuse

Question 13

In assessing homicidal clients, counselors should

A) Ask general, indirect questions to avoid angering the client
B) Ask specific, direct questions about the client's plan and means of accomplishing it
C) Determine the client's likelihood of committing homicide through heuristics
D) Determine the client's likelihood of committing homicide through demographics and counselor observations

Question 14

Effective interventions for homicidal clients

A) Have been clearly established
B) Are unique for each client
C) Have not yet been tested
D) Have not been shown to be effective

Question 15

If a counselor learns of a homicidal client's intended victim, the counselor should

A) Notify the intended victim
B) Anonymously notify the police, but not the intended victim
C) Notify the intended victim only if the threat seems serious
D) Never breach confidentiality

Question 16

Which of the following are risk factors for interpersonal violence victims?

A) Being young, unemployed, of low socioeconomic status, and having low self-esteem
B) Being young, of African American descent, of low socioeconomic status, and having low self- esteem
C) Being young, of Asian American descent, of low socioeconomic status, and having low self- esteem
D) Being young, attractive, of low socioeconomic status, and having low self-esteem

Question 17

Which of the following is a counselor consideration for interpersonal violence victims?

A) Maintaining a calm demeanor and using neutral body language
B) Maintaining a sense of collaboration in treatment
C) Understanding potential legal and ethical issues in the treatment of interpersonal violence victims
D) Establishing rapport and providing a safe and comfortable environment

Question 18

The most common psychiatric disorder among interpersonal violence victims is

A) Depression
B) Generalized anxiety disorder
C) Multiple personality disorder
D) Posttraumatic stress disorder

Question 19

One important aspect of treating interpersonal violence victims is

A) Suicide prevention
B) Psychoeducation
C) Couples counseling
D) Existential therapy

Question 20

Counselors may help interpersonal violence victims construct a to manage violent situations and work with clients to improve self-esteem.

A) Safety inventory
B) Safety contract
C) Safety plan
D) Self-protection plan

Question 21

What are at least five safety plan considerations for working with people in violent relationships?

Question 22

Discuss 5-7 protective factors of homicide risk that counselor should consider when conducting an assessment for homicidal ideation.