Applicability of crisis intervention in family practice.

Crisis intervention is a specialized approach useful to family physicians who frequently are called upon to deal with patients in psychosocial crisis. The use of a systematic method of evaluation and treatment will aid physicians in helping patients with their problems in a fashion that is constructive for both patient and physician. A crisis may occur as a result of a change in an important social role or relationship. Appropriate intervention which is immediately available can result in a marked reduction in physical and emotional symptoms that are stress related. This paper reviews the need for crisis intervention, its historical development, theory and technique, and several examples of crises familiar to all family physicians. A case illustration is presented as a demonstration of crisis intervention in family practice.