Which statement best defines a dispositional crisis?

Which statement best defines a dispositional crisis?

• A. Acute response to external situation stressor
• B. Normal life-cycle transition
• C. Emotional crisis precipitated by a preexisting psychiatric disorder
• D. Crisis resulting from traumatic stress

Answer: (A)

Dispositional crisis means a sudden disruption in coping that is triggered by an external stressor, with the person’s usual coping style or disposition shaping the response. The statement describing an acute response to an external situation stressor fits this idea best, because it highlights the immediate, stressor-related nature of the crisis and how the individual’s predisposition influences the reaction. The other ideas describe different concepts: a normal life-cycle transition is a typical developmental change, not necessarily a crisis; an emotional crisis precipitated by a preexisting psychiatric disorder points to underlying pathology rather than a stressor interacting with disposition; and a crisis from traumatic stress refers to an adventitious crisis due to trauma.

Dispositional crisis means a sudden disruption in coping that is triggered by an external stressor, with the person’s usual coping style or disposition shaping the response. The statement describing an acute response to an external situation stressor fits this idea best, because it highlights the immediate, stressor-related nature of the crisis and how the individual’s predisposition influences the reaction.

The other ideas describe different concepts: a normal life-cycle transition is a typical developmental change, not necessarily a crisis; an emotional crisis precipitated by a preexisting psychiatric disorder points to underlying pathology rather than a stressor interacting with disposition; and a crisis from traumatic stress refers to an adventitious crisis due to trauma.