Which of the following correctly matches the stage names to their numbers?

• A. Stage 1- Integration; Stage 2- Outward Adjustment; Stage 3- Acute Trauma.
• B. Stage 1- Outward Adjustment; Stage 2- Integration; Stage 3- Acute Trauma.
• C. Stage 1- Acute Trauma; Stage 2- Integration; Stage 3- Outward Adjustment.
• D. Stage 1- Acute Trauma; Stage 2- Outward Adjustment; Stage 3- Integration.

Answer: (D)

Understanding how this framework sequences responses to trauma helps explain why the correct mapping is stage one as Acute Trauma, stage two as Outward Adjustment, and stage three as Integration. The initial reaction to a traumatic event is an immediate, acute response marked by shock and disruption. As coping begins, outward adjustments become visible—behavior changes and strategies aimed at regaining control. After those coping efforts take hold, integration follows, where the experience is processed and incorporated into the person’s life narrative. Placing outward adjustment before any trauma would be illogical, and putting integration before outward adjustment skips the necessary processing. So, the sequence is Acute Trauma, then Outward Adjustment, then Integration.