CERTIFIED TRAUMA SPECIALIST (CTS)
PRACTICE EXAM QUESTION AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Trauma is best defined as:
A. Any stressful life event
B. A psychological disorder
C. An event perceived as overwhelming and threatening that exceeds
coping capacity
D. A medical emergency
Rationale: Trauma involves subjective perception of threat and inability to cope,
not just stress or diagnosis.
2. Which nervous system response is most associated with trauma?
A. Parasympathetic activation only
B. Sympathetic nervous system activation
C. Endocrine suppression
D. Digestive activation
Rationale: Trauma triggers fight-or-flight via the sympathetic nervous system.
3. The “fight, flight, freeze, fawn” responses are regulated primarily by the:
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Autonomic nervous system
C. Cerebellum
D. Hippocampus
,Rationale: Survival responses are governed by the autonomic nervous system.
4. PTSD differs from acute stress disorder mainly by:
A. Severity of symptoms
B. Duration of symptoms
C. Presence of dissociation
D. Type of trauma
Rationale: PTSD lasts longer than one month, while acute stress disorder does
not.
5. Which brain structure is responsible for fear processing?
A. Hippocampus
B. Amygdala
C. Thalamus
D. Brainstem
Rationale: The amygdala detects threat and generates fear responses.
6. Trauma-informed care emphasizes:
A. Diagnosis and medication
B. Control and compliance
C. Safety, choice, collaboration, trust, empowerment
D. Confrontation of memories
Rationale: These principles reduce re-traumatization and promote healing.
7. Which is an example of re-traumatization?
A. Emotional regulation
B. Forcing disclosure of trauma details
C. Establishing boundaries
D. Grounding techniques
Rationale: Forced disclosure can recreate feelings of helplessness.
8. Dissociation is best described as:
A. Psychosis
B. Hallucinations
, C. Disconnection from thoughts, feelings, or identity
D. Panic response
Rationale: Dissociation is a protective response to overwhelming stress.
9. Which trauma type involves repeated interpersonal harm?
A. Acute trauma
B. Developmental trauma
C. Complex trauma
D. Secondary trauma
Rationale: Complex trauma results from chronic, repeated interpersonal abuse.
10.Vicarious trauma affects:
A. Trauma survivors only
B. Helping professionals exposed to others’ trauma
C. Emergency responders only
D. Families of survivors
Rationale: It results from empathic engagement with traumatized individuals.
11.The hippocampus is primarily responsible for:
A. Emotional regulation
B. Fear response
C. Memory consolidation
D. Motor control
Rationale: Trauma impacts memory processing through the hippocampus.
12.Hypervigilance refers to:
A. Emotional numbness
B. Constant scanning for danger
C. Memory loss
D. Social withdrawal
Rationale: Hypervigilance reflects ongoing threat perception.
PRACTICE EXAM QUESTION AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Trauma is best defined as:
A. Any stressful life event
B. A psychological disorder
C. An event perceived as overwhelming and threatening that exceeds
coping capacity
D. A medical emergency
Rationale: Trauma involves subjective perception of threat and inability to cope,
not just stress or diagnosis.
2. Which nervous system response is most associated with trauma?
A. Parasympathetic activation only
B. Sympathetic nervous system activation
C. Endocrine suppression
D. Digestive activation
Rationale: Trauma triggers fight-or-flight via the sympathetic nervous system.
3. The “fight, flight, freeze, fawn” responses are regulated primarily by the:
A. Prefrontal cortex
B. Autonomic nervous system
C. Cerebellum
D. Hippocampus
,Rationale: Survival responses are governed by the autonomic nervous system.
4. PTSD differs from acute stress disorder mainly by:
A. Severity of symptoms
B. Duration of symptoms
C. Presence of dissociation
D. Type of trauma
Rationale: PTSD lasts longer than one month, while acute stress disorder does
not.
5. Which brain structure is responsible for fear processing?
A. Hippocampus
B. Amygdala
C. Thalamus
D. Brainstem
Rationale: The amygdala detects threat and generates fear responses.
6. Trauma-informed care emphasizes:
A. Diagnosis and medication
B. Control and compliance
C. Safety, choice, collaboration, trust, empowerment
D. Confrontation of memories
Rationale: These principles reduce re-traumatization and promote healing.
7. Which is an example of re-traumatization?
A. Emotional regulation
B. Forcing disclosure of trauma details
C. Establishing boundaries
D. Grounding techniques
Rationale: Forced disclosure can recreate feelings of helplessness.
8. Dissociation is best described as:
A. Psychosis
B. Hallucinations
, C. Disconnection from thoughts, feelings, or identity
D. Panic response
Rationale: Dissociation is a protective response to overwhelming stress.
9. Which trauma type involves repeated interpersonal harm?
A. Acute trauma
B. Developmental trauma
C. Complex trauma
D. Secondary trauma
Rationale: Complex trauma results from chronic, repeated interpersonal abuse.
10.Vicarious trauma affects:
A. Trauma survivors only
B. Helping professionals exposed to others’ trauma
C. Emergency responders only
D. Families of survivors
Rationale: It results from empathic engagement with traumatized individuals.
11.The hippocampus is primarily responsible for:
A. Emotional regulation
B. Fear response
C. Memory consolidation
D. Motor control
Rationale: Trauma impacts memory processing through the hippocampus.
12.Hypervigilance refers to:
A. Emotional numbness
B. Constant scanning for danger
C. Memory loss
D. Social withdrawal
Rationale: Hypervigilance reflects ongoing threat perception.
