Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 304

4th ASEAN Conference on Psychology, Counselling, and Humanities (ACPCH 2018)

Crisis Intervention: Issues and Challenges

Nor Shafrin Ahmad
School of Educational Studies
Universiti Sains Malaysia
sham@usm.my

Abstract. Crisis intervention is a method used by psychologist, counsellors, social workers and helpers to handle crisis
issues. It is an immediate and short-term psychological aid to help disruptions and disequilibrium individual. Crisis
intervention aims to support individual with mental health crisis and stabilise or restore equilibrium to normal
functioning. Some issues and challenges arise among crisis counsellors or helpers. Educating individual with crisis
can be the hardest tasks if they are not well prepared. Professionalism and ethical issue creates challenges among
helpers. Challenges such as religiosity, culture, beliefs and values among helpers and individual in crisis will create a
new crisis if not handle professionally. As suggestions, helpers in crisis setting need to improve and adapt their
knowledge, experience and skills in handling different types of crisis and as well in different cultures. Helpers need to
be creative and try avoiding a one-size-fit all approach to crisis intervention.

Keywords: Crisis intervention, issues, challenges

Introduction creative in taking control. (k). Break eye contact. (l).

Crisis results from ineffective coping skills and Separate client if necessary.
problem solving. Crisis is a personal difficulty or Assessment.It is very important to assess the crisis
situation that immobilises people and prevents them from situation to get accurate information on crisis intensity.
consciously controlling their lives (Belkin, 1984). Crisis To accomplish an effective assessment, helper need do
may presence as both danger and opportunity; therefore, the following: a) Evaluate on the spot, b) Make the
a method to reduce crisis intensity is needed. James evaluation quick, accurate and comprehensive to get a
(2005) considers crisis as a danger because it can total picture. c) Do not take a lengthy life history. d) Ask
overwhelm individual to extent serious pathology, short, direct questions. e) Ask questions one at a time. f)
including homicide and suicide. However, crisis may Allow client adequate time to answers questions. g)
also provide opportunity to individual self-growth and Decrease client’s confusion by not asking them many
self-realization. Since crisis is subjective and sometimes questions at once. h) Earn to accept discomfort with
difficult to understand, a flexible, practical and creative silence. i) Interrupt client to get clarification, accuracy
ways or methods need to be implemented in handling and not often than absolutely necessary. j) Clarify the
crisis situations. A specialised method, which offers crisis. k) Allow the crisis to be the client’s crisis. l)
short-term immediate help to individuals who have Assess both the actual and symbolic meaning of the crisis
experienced an event that produces mental, physical, event. m) Use non-behaviour as source of information. n)
emotional and behavioural distress such as crisis, is call Listen also for what is not being said. o) Recognise that
crisis intervention. helper personal attributes contribute to overall
The major goal of crisis intervention is to increase effectiveness. p) Ventilate client feelings. q) Help client
client’s functioning by using effective coping and see crisis as temporary rather than chronic. r) In group
problem solving. Greenstone and Leviton (2002) present setting with multiple clients, allow each person to speak
a list of six components in crisis intervention: without interruption. s) Return control to client as soon
Immediacy.When crisis appeared, intervention need as possible.
to be given to client immediately. This is to attempt to
relieve anxiety, prevent further disorientation and ensure Disposition
that client do not harm themselves or harm others. Helper need to on decide how to handle the situation
Control. (a). Be clear about what and whom you are after all factors have been assessed. It is to: 1. Help client
attempting to control. (b). Enter the crisis scene identify and mobilise personnel resources. 2. Mobilise
cautiously. (c). Appear stable, supportive and able to social resources. 3. Hold out hope that solutions are
establish structure. (d). Be clear in introductory possible. 4. Develop options. 5. Help make an agreement.
statements. (e). Do not promise things that might not
happen. (f). Direct and arrange the pattern of standing Referral
and sitting to gain client’s attention. (g). Guide with Client need to be referred as needed and do follow up
helper eyes and voice rather than physical force. (h). if possible or as agreed. Follow up with clients also
Physical force used only as a last resort and only if helper helpful to ensure that client made contact with the
are trained and authorized to use it. (i). Helper need to referral agency.
remove client from the crisis situation if possible. (j). Be

Copyright © 2019, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. 452

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 304

Crisis Intervention Model feedback/ consultations from other crisis helpers,(9)Take

There are few models that can be utilized in action and (10)Review the outcome.
crisis intervention such as Robert’s seven stage crisis According to Kanel (2012), the counselling
intervention model and Gilliland’s six step crisis profession has very specific standards regarding
intervention model. ABC model of crisis intervention is confidentiality, dual relationships, mandatory reporting
another one of the examples. The ABC model is a of abuse, informed consents and helper’s training and
problem-focused approach (Kanel, 2012), most effective supervisions. Countertransference is one of the issues
when applied within four to six weeks of the stressor. that mostly could happen in crisis interventions.
This model identifying the client’s cognitions as they Countertransference might happen from time to time
related to the precipitating event, then alter cognitions to during the crisis situations but the counsellors or helpers
decrease unmanageable feelings. In addition, providing should know their ability to remain calm, objective and
community referrals and other resources is also essential client’s focused. Counsellors need to have self-awareness
in applying this model (Kanel, 2012). This model and recognise the limit so that they would not
roughly based on Jones’s in 1968 A-B-C method of crisis unintentionally harm the clients. They should aware that
management, with its three-stage process: A - Achieving the basis of these professions needs to be followed so
contact, B -Boiling the problem down to basics, C - that the relationships between counsellors-clients are
Coping. therapeutic and professionals to gain thrust and
This model was later improved by Moline in 1986. confidence in clients towards the counsellors. In that case,
Over a period of 24 years, Kanel (2012) has expanded crisis counsellors shall improve their ethical knowledge
and revised the ABC model to what is known today. and professional issues throughout time as a learning
Other model has also influenced the ABC model of crisis process and adding their knowledge by implements skills
intervention such as Adlerian counselling. The phases based on situations.
that Adlerian developed are: Establishing the relationship, Cultural Sensitivity Challenges. Multicultural
exploring individual psychological dynamics. competences can be challenging as crisis counsellors or
Encouraging self-understanding and insight, reorientation helpers should be sensitive to various cultural norms and
and re-education. These four phases of Adlerian theory behaviours in helping clients work through the crisis.
are similar to the ABC model: A - Developing and Counsellors should be aware the differences of culture
maintaining contact (corresponds with Adler’s phase 1). might lead to different views. Awareness of various
B - Identifying the problem and providing therapeutic cultures, ethnic, religious and gender issues can be
interaction (corresponds with Adler’s phase2 and 3). C - helpful. Therefore, it is a necessity that crisis counsellors
Coping (corresponds with Adler’s phase 4). refraining themselves from imposing personal values on
Even though ABC model has three-stage approach, clients (considered unethical). If they fail to respect
any one stage could be used at any time. All crisis differences, the crisis interventions may end up as a
intervention models are only as guideline for dealing a failure. Cultural sensitivity is an ethical mandate and it
crisis. Therefore, crisis counsellors and helpers must be helps strengthen clinical practice (Kanel, 2012).
aware the types and intensity of crisis nor issues and
challenges while dealing with a crisis. Method
Besides strong knowledge and understanding on
crisis intervention model while handling crisis, This research used qualitative approach to help in
counsellors and helpers also need to observe strong obtaining in-depth and detailed information using semi
ethical behaviours because crisis clients usually in a structured interviews. The information is gathered from
vulnerable state of disequilibrium and instability. As counsellors in schools, higher learning institutions and
Kanel (2012) states, counsellors or helpers need to have a public services. 25 counsellors have been selected and
strong ethical practice in order to help the clients involved. The aim is to obtain information about the
throughout the crisis situation. issues and challenges there are facing while handling
Ethical and Professional Issues. Jordan (2010) have crisis situations.
stated that making an ethical decision in crisis are The data from semi structured interview were
compulsory because of its critical and demanding nature analysed with content analysis. To facilitate the analysis,
of crisis counselling. Therefore, each of crisis counsellors the information from interview had been converted to
or helpers should be aware of the local practitioner code written text obtained by transcript or notes (Clandinin &
of ethics and routinely practice ethical decision making. Connelly, 1998). This process is to create themes and
There are ten steps guide of ethical decision making for subthemes.
crisis counsellors (Jordan, 2010). The steps of an ethical
decision making for crisis counselling’s are: (1)Identify Result
the ethical concern within the context of the disasters, (2)
Consider personal (the crisis helper’s) self’s, beliefs and Issues in handling crisis intervention. The result
values, skills and knowledge, (3)Identify the code of showed that only seven out of 25 counsellors using
ethics involved, (4) Determine possible ethic traps, crisis intervention models such as Roberts 7 stages,
(5)Frame a preliminary response, (6)Consider the Gilliland 6 steps model and Critical Incident Stress
consequences, (7) Prepare an ethical resolution, (8)Get
Management model in handling crisis intervention.

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 304

Other respondents were found not using specific element to gain from victim before helpers can start the
models in crisis management but applying some of crisis intervention.
the counselling theories and basic attending skills. “...helpers perceptions tend to be biased based on
This result gave impact on issue of professionalism gender...”
There are helpers that might tend to be biased in
that counsellors still lack of knowledge and
terms of belief when it comes to different gender.
understanding on handling crisis intervention “....the challenges to build trust in clients...”
systematically. Majority of the counsellors also The respondent seems to have difficulty in building
found unfamiliar with rules and regulations while trusted relationships between the victims and the helpers.
dealing crisis issues. Even though they agreed that Some of the victims having trust issues towards the
strong ethical practice is important in the field of counsellors and this could interfere with the crisis
crisis intervention. interventions.
Challenges in handling crisis intervention. The results “...challenged the helpers beliefs in handling crisis
of the semi structured interviewed found that there are interventions to make sure they trust themselves..”
few challenges that been faced during crisis interventions. Some other respondents stated that the challenged is
The challenges that been stated by the respondents have from the inside the counsellors themselves. The
been categorized: counsellors need to be sure and have faith in themselves
Challenges in handling crisis intervention: Religion. in order to handle the crisis interventions. These are
The data shows that many respondents (counsellors) including acknowledging their limitations towards the
having difficulty in handling crisis intervention when crisis situations.
they are facing victims from different religions. Some of Challenges in handling crisis intervention: Value.
the respondents stated that: Having different values also been stated as one of the
“....the victims seem to lost hope and blame the deity for challenges faced by respondents in handling crisis
the situations that they are facing...” interventions.
This kind of statement made the counsellors feels “...there is conflicts between the counsellors and the
challenged since clients seems to lost hope and put the clients value..”
blames on God. Some of the respondents also stated that The victims tend to feels that they are at lost and
other helpers have the tendency to put their own religions might feel that nothings left for them, meanwhile the
values and elements on the victims from different counsellors might not having same issues but they told
religions. them that they understand the situations. This makes the
“...counsellors tend to put their own religions values and victims feel that the counsellors failed to understand or
elements towards the victims from different religions...” empathized their values as the crisis did not happened to
Most of the respondents agreed that is challenging the counsellors themselves.
when it comes to religions differences. The respondents “...clients tend to be worried towards others perception
also stated that as counsellors they need to have more when attending counselling session with counsellors..”
knowledge about other religions so that they could This statement also means the stigma or the values
overcome the challenge and could help the victims from the society itself towards the victims that needs
without having difficulty for having different religions. crisis interventions.
Challenges in handling crisis intervention: Culture. Challenges in handling crisis intervention: Others.
The results of this research also showed that most of the Besides having the challenges as stated, there are other
respondent stated that the other challenge in handling challenges in handling crisis interventions such as mental
crisis interventions is culture. illness issues, time constraints, language barriers,
“...different culture comes from different family confidentiality, or level of educations.
background. Each of them has their own house rules...”
The respondents stated that even families have their Conclusion
own culture and it affected the way they perceived the
crisis situations. The other statement given by the Crisis intervention is a method used to handle crisis
respondents is that the helpers understanding towards the situation that offer immediate, spontaneous help to
culture of the victims is also important. clients. With the goals to reduce intensity of crisis among
“...the understanding of the differences culture between clients, crisis intervention help clients return to their level
counsellor and victims is important.” of functioning and developing new effective coping skills
Most of them agreed that they are having and problem solving. During the process, counsellors and
multicultural challenged in handling crisis interventions helpers also face issues and challenges. Lack of
and admitted that they need to have better knowledge and knowledge and understanding an effective ways to
understanding regarding other culture. handle crisis may create another crisis to clients.
Challenges in handling crisis intervention: Belief. Professionalism and ethic issue facing by counsellors
Respondents stated that helpers tend to be biased and need to be taken serious considerations as counsellors
having different beliefs from victims. They clarify that, need to help clients understand their crisis and response
beliefs also means trust that needs to be gain from for further interventions. Challenges regarding religious,
victims. In crisis situation trust is one of the important cultures, beliefs, values and others are among concerns

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 304

that need counsellors’ attention in conducting effective Greenstone, J.L & Leviton. S.C. (2002). Elements of
crisis intervention. It is suggested that helpers in crisis crisis intervention: Crises and how to respond to
setting need to improve and adapt their knowledge, them (2nd Edition). USA: Thompson Brooks/Cole.
experience and skills in handling different types of crisis James, R.K. (2008). Crisis intervention strategies. (6th
and as well in different cultures. Helpers need to be Edition). USA: Thompson Brooks/Cole.
creative and try to refraining from a one-size-fit all Jordan, K. (2010). An ethical decision making model for
approach to crisis intervention. crisis counselors. Retrieved from
http://counselingoutfitters.com/vistas/vistas10/Articl
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