Published Online: 30 JAN 2010
Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology
How to Cite
Wiger, D. E. 2010. Crisis Intervention. Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. 1–3.
- Published Online: 30 JAN 2010
A crisis is a collapse in one's ability to solve problems or cope with a situation in which the person's existing strategies for coping do not work. Whether a crisis is situational or developmental, the person in crisis is not able to regain homeostasis or balance by the usual means of coping typically employed. The term crisis is easily misunderstood if one views it in terms of an event or situation. In mental health terms, a crisis is not the traumatic event, but rather a person's reaction to it. The same event could be devastating for one individual and not affect another.