In crisis assessment, which pair best describes the sentence: '_______ are possibilities and the _______ are specific behavioral indicators that are probabilities'?

• A. Risk factors; warning signs
• B. Chronic risk; resilience
• C. Failure to cope; hope theory
• D. Warning signs; risk factors

Answer: (A)

In crisis assessment, the distinction rests on what each term represents: risk factors are the possibilities that raise the likelihood of a crisis, while warning signs are specific behavioral indicators that signal risk is increasing and are interpreted as probabilistic cues of imminent danger. So the best pairing matches risk factors as the broader, potential contributors, and warning signs as concrete, observable behaviors that strongly suggest a crisis may be imminent. For example, a history of trauma or ongoing psychiatric illness are risk factors, whereas statements of intent, plans, or drastic mood changes are warning signs. The other options mix concepts that don’t fit this relationship: warning signs aren’t merely general possibilities, and terms like resilience or hope theory refer to different constructs altogether.