Trauma-Informed Care Exam 1 - Questions with Correct
Answers (Verified Update)
50 questions
1. According to SAMHSA, which three elements make up the concept of individual trauma?
A. Event, Exposure, Escalation
B. Exposure, Emotion, Endurance
C. Experience, Evaluation, Effect
D. Event, Experience, Effect
Correct Answer: D. Event, Experience, Effect
Rationale: SAMHSA's 'Three E's' are the Event(s), the individual's Experience of the event, and its
long-lasting adverse Effects.
2. What primarily determines whether an event is traumatic for a person?
A. The individual's experience of the event and the meaning they make of it
B. The severity of physical injury
C. Whether the event was witnessed by others
D. Whether the person develops PTSD
Correct Answer: A. The individual's experience of the event and the meaning they make of it
Rationale: Trauma is defined by the subjective experience; the same event can be traumatic for one
person and not for another. Physical injury and PTSD are not required.
3. A 6-year-old repeatedly witnesses domestic violence between parents but is never physically
harmed. Which statement is correct?
A. The child cannot be traumatized without direct harm
B. Witnessing violence can be traumatic and counts as an ACE
C. Trauma only occurs in adults
D. Only single events cause trauma
Correct Answer: B. Witnessing violence can be traumatic and counts as an ACE
Rationale: Witnessing violence is a recognized form of trauma and a household-dysfunction Adverse
Childhood Experience.
4. The original CDC-Kaiser ACE Study demonstrated which relationship?
A. ACEs only affect childhood behaviour
B. ACEs protect against later stress
C. A dose-response relationship between number of ACEs and adult health risks
D. No relationship between ACEs and chronic disease
Correct Answer: C. A dose-response relationship between number of ACEs and adult health
risks
Rationale: The more ACEs a person reported, the greater the risk of chronic disease, mental illness,
substance use and early death.
5. Which of the following is NOT one of the original ACE categories?
A. Emotional neglect
B. Parental incarceration
C. Parental divorce/separation
D. Moving to a new school
Correct Answer: D. Moving to a new school
Rationale: ACE categories cover abuse, neglect and household dysfunction. Changing schools is a
stressor but not an ACE category.
, 6. A client survived a single car accident last month. This is best classified as:
A. Acute (Type I) trauma
B. Complex trauma
C. Historical trauma
D. Vicarious trauma
Correct Answer: A. Acute (Type I) trauma
Rationale: Acute/single-incident trauma results from one time-limited event.
7. Prolonged, repeated childhood abuse by a caregiver is an example of:
A. Complex (Type II) trauma
B. Acute trauma
C. Vicarious trauma
D. Single-incident trauma
Correct Answer: A. Complex (Type II) trauma
Rationale: Complex trauma is repeated, prolonged, usually interpersonal, and often begins in childhood
with no easy escape.
8. Trauma experienced by Indigenous communities across generations because of colonization
and residential schools is called:
A. Vicarious trauma
B. Historical trauma
C. Acute trauma
D. Developmental trauma
Correct Answer: B. Historical trauma
Rationale: Historical trauma is cumulative, collective wounding across generations from massive group
trauma.
9. A crisis-line counsellor begins having intrusive images and a changed worldview after
hearing many clients' trauma stories. This is:
A. Burnout
B. Vicarious (secondary) trauma
C. Complex trauma
D. Compassion satisfaction
Correct Answer: B. Vicarious (secondary) trauma
Rationale: Vicarious trauma results from indirect exposure to others' trauma and changes the helper's
beliefs and worldview; burnout relates to workload and stress, not trauma content.
10. Children of Holocaust survivors showing trauma-related patterns without direct exposure is
an example of:
A. Acute trauma
B. Dissociation
C. Intergenerational trauma
D. Secondary gain
Correct Answer: C. Intergenerational trauma
Rationale: Intergenerational trauma is transmitted from survivors to later generations through family and
possibly biological mechanisms.
Answers (Verified Update)
50 questions
1. According to SAMHSA, which three elements make up the concept of individual trauma?
A. Event, Exposure, Escalation
B. Exposure, Emotion, Endurance
C. Experience, Evaluation, Effect
D. Event, Experience, Effect
Correct Answer: D. Event, Experience, Effect
Rationale: SAMHSA's 'Three E's' are the Event(s), the individual's Experience of the event, and its
long-lasting adverse Effects.
2. What primarily determines whether an event is traumatic for a person?
A. The individual's experience of the event and the meaning they make of it
B. The severity of physical injury
C. Whether the event was witnessed by others
D. Whether the person develops PTSD
Correct Answer: A. The individual's experience of the event and the meaning they make of it
Rationale: Trauma is defined by the subjective experience; the same event can be traumatic for one
person and not for another. Physical injury and PTSD are not required.
3. A 6-year-old repeatedly witnesses domestic violence between parents but is never physically
harmed. Which statement is correct?
A. The child cannot be traumatized without direct harm
B. Witnessing violence can be traumatic and counts as an ACE
C. Trauma only occurs in adults
D. Only single events cause trauma
Correct Answer: B. Witnessing violence can be traumatic and counts as an ACE
Rationale: Witnessing violence is a recognized form of trauma and a household-dysfunction Adverse
Childhood Experience.
4. The original CDC-Kaiser ACE Study demonstrated which relationship?
A. ACEs only affect childhood behaviour
B. ACEs protect against later stress
C. A dose-response relationship between number of ACEs and adult health risks
D. No relationship between ACEs and chronic disease
Correct Answer: C. A dose-response relationship between number of ACEs and adult health
risks
Rationale: The more ACEs a person reported, the greater the risk of chronic disease, mental illness,
substance use and early death.
5. Which of the following is NOT one of the original ACE categories?
A. Emotional neglect
B. Parental incarceration
C. Parental divorce/separation
D. Moving to a new school
Correct Answer: D. Moving to a new school
Rationale: ACE categories cover abuse, neglect and household dysfunction. Changing schools is a
stressor but not an ACE category.
, 6. A client survived a single car accident last month. This is best classified as:
A. Acute (Type I) trauma
B. Complex trauma
C. Historical trauma
D. Vicarious trauma
Correct Answer: A. Acute (Type I) trauma
Rationale: Acute/single-incident trauma results from one time-limited event.
7. Prolonged, repeated childhood abuse by a caregiver is an example of:
A. Complex (Type II) trauma
B. Acute trauma
C. Vicarious trauma
D. Single-incident trauma
Correct Answer: A. Complex (Type II) trauma
Rationale: Complex trauma is repeated, prolonged, usually interpersonal, and often begins in childhood
with no easy escape.
8. Trauma experienced by Indigenous communities across generations because of colonization
and residential schools is called:
A. Vicarious trauma
B. Historical trauma
C. Acute trauma
D. Developmental trauma
Correct Answer: B. Historical trauma
Rationale: Historical trauma is cumulative, collective wounding across generations from massive group
trauma.
9. A crisis-line counsellor begins having intrusive images and a changed worldview after
hearing many clients' trauma stories. This is:
A. Burnout
B. Vicarious (secondary) trauma
C. Complex trauma
D. Compassion satisfaction
Correct Answer: B. Vicarious (secondary) trauma
Rationale: Vicarious trauma results from indirect exposure to others' trauma and changes the helper's
beliefs and worldview; burnout relates to workload and stress, not trauma content.
10. Children of Holocaust survivors showing trauma-related patterns without direct exposure is
an example of:
A. Acute trauma
B. Dissociation
C. Intergenerational trauma
D. Secondary gain
Correct Answer: C. Intergenerational trauma
Rationale: Intergenerational trauma is transmitted from survivors to later generations through family and
possibly biological mechanisms.
