A social worker answers a call on a suicide hotline from a caller who is sarcastic, aggressive, and hostile. The worker's best response is

A social worker answers a call on a suicide hotline from a caller who is sarcastic, aggressive, and hostile. The worker's best response is

• A. I have no time for this
• B. I need to keep the line open, so please get to the point or hang up
• C. I am going to hang up, so you can call when you are serious
• D. I know it's often hard to make this call, but could you tell me more about the reason for your call

Answer: (D)

This question tests crisis communication and risk assessment in a suicide crisis. The best response acknowledges the caller’s difficulty, shows empathy, and invites more information: “I know it's often hard to make this call, but could you tell me more about the reason for your call.” This sets a nonjudgmental, collaborative tone, reduces defensiveness, and opens space for the caller to share what’s driving the distress. It also moves the interaction toward gathering essential information needed to assess safety and offer support. The other options shut down communication or create distance: they dismiss the caller, pressure them to hurry, threaten to hang up, or imply the caller isn’t worth the time, all of which can escalate distress and hinder risk assessment. After establishing rapport with an open-ended question like this, the worker would proceed with more questions to assess suicidal thoughts, intent, means, and available supports, then develop a safety plan.

This question tests crisis communication and risk assessment in a suicide crisis. The best response acknowledges the caller’s difficulty, shows empathy, and invites more information: “I know it's often hard to make this call, but could you tell me more about the reason for your call.” This sets a nonjudgmental, collaborative tone, reduces defensiveness, and opens space for the caller to share what’s driving the distress. It also moves the interaction toward gathering essential information needed to assess safety and offer support.

The other options shut down communication or create distance: they dismiss the caller, pressure them to hurry, threaten to hang up, or imply the caller isn’t worth the time, all of which can escalate distress and hinder risk assessment. After establishing rapport with an open-ended question like this, the worker would proceed with more questions to assess suicidal thoughts, intent, means, and available supports, then develop a safety plan.