ADM Addiction Treatment Modalities & Therapeutic Approaches 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which pharmacotherapy is FDA-approved for treating alcohol use disorder by blocking opioid receptors to reduce craving and reward?
- Disulfiram
- Naltrexone (Correct answer)
- Acamprosate
- Topiramate
Correct answer: Naltrexone
Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist FDA-approved for AUD that reduces alcohol craving and the reinforcing effects of alcohol.
Question 2: In Motivational Interviewing, the acronym OARS refers to which set of core communication skills?
- Observe, Affirm, Reflect, Summarize
- Open questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, Summarizing (Correct answer)
- Outline, Assess, Reinforce, Support
- Organize, Advise, Review, Sustain
Correct answer: Open questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, Summarizing
OARS in Motivational Interviewing stands for Open questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, and Summarizing — the four foundational communication techniques.
Question 3: A patient with opioid use disorder is started on buprenorphine/naloxone. When is the earliest it is generally safe to administer the first dose to avoid precipitated withdrawal?
- Immediately after the last opioid use
- When the patient shows mild-to-moderate withdrawal symptoms (COWS ≥8) (Correct answer)
- After 72 hours of abstinence
- Only after medically supervised detoxification is complete
Correct answer: When the patient shows mild-to-moderate withdrawal symptoms (COWS ≥8)
Buprenorphine induction should begin when the patient exhibits a COWS score of 8 or higher to prevent precipitating acute withdrawal.
Question 4: Which evidence-based behavioral therapy for addiction is based on operant conditioning principles and uses incentives to reinforce abstinence?
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Contingency Management (Correct answer)
- 12-Step Facilitation
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Correct answer: Contingency Management
Contingency Management uses tangible rewards (e.g., vouchers, prizes) contingent on verified abstinence, leveraging operant conditioning to reinforce drug-free behavior.
Question 5: Acamprosate (Campral) is thought to reduce alcohol craving primarily by modulating which neurotransmitter system?
- Dopaminergic
- Serotonergic
- Glutamatergic (NMDA) and GABAergic systems (Correct answer)
- Noradrenergic
Correct answer: Glutamatergic (NMDA) and GABAergic systems
Acamprosate is believed to restore balance in glutamatergic (NMDA receptor) and GABAergic neurotransmission disrupted by chronic alcohol use.
Question 6: In the ASAM Criteria, which level of care provides medically managed intensive inpatient treatment for patients with severe withdrawal or co-occurring medical/psychiatric conditions?
- Level 1.0 – Outpatient Services
- Level 2.1 – Intensive Outpatient Program
- Level 3.7 – Medically Monitored Intensive Inpatient
- Level 4 – Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Level 4 – Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient
ASAM Level 4 (Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient) provides 24-hour physician-directed care for patients with severe biomedical or psychiatric complications.
Question 7: Which therapeutic approach for addiction specifically focuses on identifying and modifying maladaptive thoughts and beliefs that trigger substance use?
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (Correct answer)
- Twelve-Step Facilitation
- Community Reinforcement Approach
Correct answer: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT targets the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, teaching patients to identify cognitive distortions and develop coping strategies to prevent relapse.
ADM Addiction Treatment Modalities & Therapeutic Approaches 2
Which pharmacotherapy is FDA-approved for treating alcohol use disorder by blocking opioid receptors to reduce craving and reward?