When a person exhibits behaviors at the Defensive level of the CPI Crisis Development Model sM , ?what is the recommended staff approach?
Be directive and supportive.
Use safety interventions.
Be supportive.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is: Be directive and supportive.
The CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) Crisis Development Model provides a framework for understanding how individuals react to escalating stress levels, moving through different stages as their behavior changes. The model outlines four key levels: Anxiety, Defensive, Risk Behavior, and Crisis.
At the Defensive level, a person typically starts to display behaviors such as becoming argumentative, refusing to comply, or showing signs of aggression, but they are not yet at a physical or high-risk stage. It’s a stage where they are aware of their feelings of frustration but may not have the skills or tools to manage their emotions effectively.
In this situation, the recommended staff approach is directive and supportive. This means the staff should take charge of the situation by giving clear, concise directions and expectations while also providing support to de-escalate the situation. Here’s why this approach works:
- Directive: At the Defensive stage, the individual’s thinking may be clouded by their emotions, making it difficult for them to make rational decisions. A directive approach involves offering clear instructions or boundaries, setting a structure that helps the person understand what is expected. This can help prevent the situation from escalating further by removing any confusion or uncertainty.
- Supportive: While being directive, it is equally important to offer support. Support can be emotional, through calm, empathetic communication, or through reassurance that the person’s needs are understood. This approach helps the person feel less isolated and more in control, which can lead to them becoming more compliant or cooperative.
The goal is to reduce anxiety and prevent escalation, maintaining the individual’s dignity while guiding them back to a more controlled state. If the behavior continues to escalate, the staff can then transition to a more intense approach, such as safety interventions, which would be necessary only if the person poses a risk to themselves or others.