A ____ is a period of psychological disequilibrium during which normal coping mechanisms are insufficient to solve problems and lasts a few days to perhaps six weeks.

• A. Panic
• B. Disruption
• C. Crisis
• D. Adjustment

Answer: (C)

A crisis describes a period of psychological disequilibrium where usual coping strategies are insufficient to solve problems, and this state is typically temporary, lasting from a few days to about six weeks. This concept matters in school social work because it highlights when immediate support is needed to stabilize functioning and prevent escalation, with the goal of restoring balance and connecting the student to resources.

Panic refers to an intense, acute surge of fear or alarm and isn’t defined by a lasting period of impaired functioning or a set time frame. Disruption is too vague and broad to capture the specific, time-limited collapse in coping. Adjustment is the longer process of adapting to a stressor, not the initial state of overwhelmed coping.