Discussion

Understanding crisis and crisis intervention theory is vital to skill acquisition for responders and increases their ability to provide effective responses to survivors. There are three levels of crisis intervention theories. The first and most basic level focuses on correcting temporary affective, behavioral, and cognitive distortions caused by critical incidents. The second, or expanded level, addresses the same components as basic crisis theory and also includes the social, environmental, and situational factors that foster a critical incident. The third, or applied, level encompasses four domains: developmental, situational, existential, and ecosystemic (James & Gilliland, 2013). An understanding of these theories allows you as a practitioner to apply the most appropriate theory when working with a survivor of a critical incident. When choosing a theory, it is important to understand that you do not have to be a purist (i.e., adopt only one theory). In fact, many professionals believe it is important to have a working knowledge of many theories so as to adapt to the needs of the client by pulling from several theories when appropriate.