Reading Report 1: Slaikeu, K. (1990) “Crisis Intervention” Westwood edition. Chapter 1.
Introduction. P. 3-12
Historically, the concept of crisis has been understood in a positive and negative sense,
the Chinese ideogram of "crisis" indicating both danger and opportunity.
Webster defines it as "the point of change," meaning or suggesting that change can either
heal or sicken, improve or worsen.
Crises are also considered stages of confrontation with expected events in life.
What causes one crisis to result in growth and another to result in immediate harm or
subsequent psychological problems?
1) the severity of the event
2) personal resources
3) concurrent social contacts at the time of the crisis.
Crises are characterized by a breakdown in problem-solving capacity; outside help is
critical in determining how individuals will navigate these turning points.
In the weeks and months following the crisis event, some people need crisis intervention
in the second instance or crisis therapy.
This involves a period of brief psychotherapy focused on helping individuals to rework
traumatic or upsetting events so that they can emerge prepared, rather than limited, to
face the future.
The disorganization that comes with the crisis experience eventually leads to a form of
reorganization, either negative or positive. This reorganization is for the victim and his or
her family members.
Crisis intervention is defined as a process of assistance aimed at helping a person or
family survive a traumatic event so that the probability of debilitating effects is
minimized and the probability of growth is maximized.
The process can be subdivided into two phases: 1) first instance intervention, which is
called psychological first aid and 2) crisis therapy.
Psychological first aid needs to be provided immediately, as well as physical assistance
by those who had the first contact with the victim. These procedures take little time and
can be provided by a large number of community assistants.
Crisis therapy is aimed at facilitating the psychological resolution of the crisis. These take
more time and are provided by therapists and counselors with specific knowledge of
assessment and treatment techniques.
The origin of modern crisis intervention can be traced back to the work of Lindemann
and his collaborators after the fire at the Coconut Grove nightclub in Boston on
November 28, 1942.
Lindermann came to believe that clergy and other community helpers could play a key
role in assisting bereaved people during a grief process.
In the early 1960s, the suicide prevention movement grew rapidly in the United States.
Initially the centers were dedicated to suicide prevention and most shifted to an
intervention approach aimed at providing help for a wide variety of crises.
Four theoretical influences identified by Moons in crisis theory:
1) Darwin's theory of evolution and adaptation of animals to their environment.
2) the second influence originates in the psychological theory that considers the
realization and development of the human being.
3) Erikson's vision of the eight stages of the life cycle of development.
4) the fourth influence arose from empirical data on how humans deal with extreme
life stress.
Since the late 1940s, crisis intervention has had a preventive focus. In the public health
setting, prevention can take three forms
1) primary prevention aimed at reducing the incidence of disorders;
2) secondary prevention aimed at reducing the harmful effects of events that have
occurred;
3) tertiary prevention aimed at repairing the damage done long after the original
event.
Intervention aims to reduce the likelihood of debilitating effects and increase the
likelihood of growth or skill for the individual.
