Which of the following is considered a component of a crisis?

• A. Precipitating event
• B. Diminishing functioning when normal coping resources do not alleviate the distress
• C. A perception of the event that leads to subjective distress
• D. A plan for immediate coping

Answer: (A)

A crisis starts with a triggering event that disrupts a person’s normal equilibrium and overwhelms their usual coping resources. That triggering incident is the precipitating event—the factor that initiates the crisis process. It sets the stage for distress and potential impairment because it upends what the person can handle on their own.

The other options describe what can follow a crisis or how a person experiences it, rather than what begins it: diminished functioning is the consequence that emerges when coping fails, a perception of the event shaping the level of distress, and having a plan for immediate coping is a response or strategy, not the initiating component of the crisis itself.