ABC Crisis Intervention Model - Essay Example

Running head: ABC Crisis Intervention Model ABC Crisis Intervention Model Introduction Crisis intervention refers to the techniques used to offer immediate relief to individuals who have undergone events that result to physical, mental, emotional and behavioral distress. A crisis in the life of an individual can severely affect such an individual’s daily functioning. Although it is in an individual’s best interests to avoid crisis in life, this is not always possible. In such an event, it becomes important to carry out crisis interventions. In this case, John is convinced that his friend is facing a crisis and believes that he needs urgent help from a social worker. There are many models of crisis intervention and the ABC model is one of them. To explore Mr. Jones’ crisis, this paper will examine how the ABC model can be used to understand and bring the crisis under control. ABC Model The ABC model is a three stage process that involves developing contact with the person. This contact has a deeper use as it enables a person to establish a conversation with the crisis victim. The second stage is the most important as it enables the person to identify the problem that brings the crisis. In this stage, the victim is also enabled to identify the psychological issues in the crisis. The final stage in the process involves identifying a method which the victim can use to cope with the problem (Kanel, 2011). In the case of Mr. Jones, and John, the social worker can use the model to identify the crisis that he is facing and what mechanisms can be used to help him cope with the problem. Step 1: Establishing Rapport John used to be a frequent visitor to Mr. Jones. However, with the passage of time, he was no longer welcome to the house and this has brought about significant changes in the communication process between the two. To be able to intervene, the counselor must be able to establish and develop communication between him and Mr. Jones. This will be of great use in moving to the second step. Without well developed communication model, the second stage cannot accomplish its results since people are unlikely to open up to others if they do not feel comfortable. This stage, therefore, serves to open up the communication channel between the victim and the mediator. By making Mr. Jones comfortable to talk, the counselor will be able to extract information easily from him. This step will also involve explaining to Mr. Jones the purpose of the visit. The counselor will need to explain why he thinks there is a problem and what the visit aims to achieve. This will prepare Mr. Jones for the next stage and enable him to understand why he needs help. Correct establishment and development of this step will enhance the development of the second stage. This stage usually ends with a summarization of the facts covered. Step 2: Problem Identification This stage involves the exploration of the problems that have brought about the crisis. John and the social worker will gather information regarding the problem faced by Mr. Jones. The rapport established in the first step plays a major role in this process. Mr. Jones is encouraged to open up and explore the problems that are afflicting him. This stage will also involve settling down on the current problems that are affecting him (Figley, 1989). A vital point is the identification of when the problem started. This is important in that it enables the victim and the counselor to find out the exact event that triggered the problem. In addition to this, people tend to find ways of coping with stress when it occurs. In this stage, the victim is expected to give ways in which he has been trying to cope with the problem. Identification of the beginning of the problem, therefore, plays a major role in establishing what coping mechanisms the victim has employed. Perception After the event has been identified, it is important to establish how Mr. Jones thinks when the event is triggered. The thoughts that play in the mind of the victim are quite important as they show the reaction that the client gives to the precipitating event. The perceptions accorded to the triggering event will enable the social worker or counselor to understand how the event leads to distress. If the counselor does not understand how Mr. Jones perceives the event, problems may arise in the therapeutic process that is part of the ABC model. Encouraging the victim to talk about the problems that face him and how he perceives the problem is one of the ways of understanding how to help the client cope with the problem. Changing perceptions of the triggering event may cause different reactions in the victim. The emotional distress caused by the event is then explored. This can be carried out through open ended questions in order to encourage the participation of the victim. The subjective distress caused by the event can be quite helpful in identifying therapeutic interactions later in the process. Mr. Jones will be encouraged to state whether he feels sad about the whole situation, anxious or even mad. After these emotions have been laid bare, Mr. Jones will be asked whether these feelings have ever occurred again. The main objective is to understand whether the feelings have resulted from the triggering event. With this understanding, it becomes easier to know what the client thinks of the situation and what coping mechanisms can be employed to help him. Effect on Behavior, Social life and Occupation Behavior The above feelings as well as the triggering event may impede certain functional areas of Mr. Jones (RNAO, n.d). The behavior of a person may be negatively affected by the stressing factors. The victim can explain whether such hindrances have already occurred and how such interferences have affected their lives. In the case of Mr. Jones, the refusal to see John and also quitting on visiting the restaurant are good examples of behavioral change. The victim is also encouraged to show how the event has brought about changes in behavior. Mr. Jones can explain his behavior prior to the event and after the event. This will highlight the behavioral change in him. Social Human beings are social in nature and this is one of the areas that can be affected by a crisis. Mr. Jones can be encouraged to speak about social changes that have taken place since the problem set in. The relationships already established are checked. This includes asking whether these relationships have been affected by the crisis. If so, the counselor should probe further to understand how the relationships have been affected. The counselor should also explore how Mr. Jones perceives the changes with regard to the relatives. In addition to this, the counselor should be able to understand how Mr. Jones used to relate with people before the triggering event occurred. This enables the counselor to understand what changes have taken place in the life of the victim and how they relate to the crisis. Occupation The social function can also be tied to the occupational function of the person. Working with others requires that people be accommodating of each other. The crisis faced by Mr. Jones may have affected how he works, given that he does not leave his house to even visit the neighborhood café. One way of understanding whether the crisis has had an effect on the occupation of the person is to gather information about his performance since the crisis began. In the case of Mr. Jones, this may be indicated by the fact that he does not leave his house and is never seen in the café. This could mean that the crisis has had a serious effect on his occupation function. The counselor should not, however, rely on hearsay but get the information from the victim. Having understood how the event has affected Mr. Jones, the counselor should probe to understand what coping mechanisms the victim has employed. Identification of these mechanisms is an important aspect as the counselor will use some of them in stage three. In addition, Mr. Jones should be encouraged to identify any issues that may have been facilitated by the event. These issues may include contemplating suicide and drugs or other forms of abuse. After the identification of all issues, the counselor should start on therapeutic interactions which encourage a patient. Mr. Jones should be encouraged, educated and be assisted with the coping process. Education focuses on the problems and giving factual information with regard to the problem. This encourages the client in that it gives them hope of recovery. Statement reframing is also an important part of the second stage. The counselor gives the victim a different way of looking at a problem and this is one way of starting the recovery process. Step 3: Coping Client Coping Mechanism This is the last step in the crisis management procedure. One of the most important aspects is identifying what coping mechanisms the client has established. These mechanisms or mechanism can be used to manage the crisis if it is used in the correct way. According to Kanel (2011), all coping mechanisms used by the client should be examined (Kanel, 2011). The counselor should understand how the coping mechanisms used by Mr. Jones have affected the crisis. This will help in choosing some of the powerful mechanisms which can be used to help in the recovery of the victim. The strengths identified in the coping strategies employed by Mr. Jones should be utilized to manage the crisis (James, 2008). New Coping Strategies The education and statement reframing provided under problem identification will come in handy in this process. Mr. Jones will be expected to come up with some coping strategies that will enable him to cope with the crisis. Since the perception of the victim has been changed through education and other ways, he can come up with new strategies for coping with the problem. This is a vital part of the coping process as it enables the client to come up with strategies that will work best for him without pressure. It is expected that the new coping strategies will achieve the desired goals of managing the crisis. Self-made strategies are more likely to succeed as clients make them reasonably easy for them to implement. Suggestions The new strategies proposed by Mr. Jones will come in handy when dealing with the crisis. However, as a professional, the social worker should recommend some coping strategies that are best placed to deal with the problem. This is easily done since the counselor has gathered information about the problem facing the victim and how this problem has affected his life. Based on this information, the counselor can come up with effective ways of eliminating the problem. These strategies need to attend to the current needs of the victim. These new strategies should also be established in consultation with the client as this will enhance their effectiveness. Follow Up Victims may fall prey to other attacks during the course of treatment. It is therefore important that the counselor follows up the progress of the victim and adjust the strategies accordingly. In some cases, circumstances might affect strategies that have been implemented. This will speed up the healing process as it eliminates problems that might arise, hence stalling the treatment. Follow up is a vital process in the coping process. Conclusion Crisis intervention can be performed in many ways but the ABC process is more efficient. Mr. Jones can use this model to recover from the crisis he is suffering. The three stages in the healing process capture the whole aspect of a crisis and enable the counselor to understand the crisis. The establishment of rapport is quite important as it opens the victim to conversation and freedom. Problem identification plays a crucial role in managing the crisis as information about the crisis is collected and analyzed at this stage. In addition, the victim is given a chance to understand the cause of the problem. The final stage of the ABC model is the coping stage, which addresses all the issues found in the second stage. The implementation of strategies to manage the crisis is the culmination of gathering and analyzing data. Mr. Jones would benefit greatly from this model as it is simple to administer and captures all issues that crop up during a crisis. These three steps in the ABC model have been effective in many cases and understanding the process will lead to improvement in Mr. Jones, who has been identified as having a problem. References Figley, C. R. (1989). Treating stress in families. Philadelphia, PA: Brunner/Mazel Inc. James, R. K. (2008). Crisis intervention strategies. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Kanel, K. (2011). A Guide to Crisis Intervention. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. RNAO. (n.d). The ABC Model of Crisis Intervention. Retrieved from http://www.rnao.org/pda/crisis/page8.html Read More