CADC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CADC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. When a client's treatment plan goals conflict with the counselor's personal values about recovery, the counselor should: → Prioritize the client's self-determined goals within an evidence-based framework
2. Which neurotransmitter system is primarily responsible for the reinforcing effects of opioids? → Dopaminergic system in the mesolimbic pathway
3. A treatment plan goal states: 'Client will improve sobriety.' Why is this goal considered inadequate? → It does not include a target date or measurable criteria
4. What is the suicide risk for people receiving treatment for alcoholism? → Ten times as high as high among the general population
5. The Transtheoretical Model of behavior change was primarily developed by which researchers? → James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente
6. Which of the following best defines 'progress notes' in addiction treatment records? → Session-by-session documentation of treatment activities and client response
7. Which of the following is the MOST critical reason for a counselor to collaboratively involve the client in the treatment planning process? → To increase the client's motivation, engagement, and commitment to the recovery process.
8. A client abruptly stops benzodiazepines after years of misuse. Which co-occurring psychiatric condition is most likely to be unmasked during withdrawal? → Panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder
9. Which stage of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) describes a person who is not yet considering change within the next six months? → Precontemplation
10. The Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) is used primarily to: → Predict risk of opioid misuse in patients being considered for long-term opioid therapy
11. The primary clinical purpose of identifying early warning signs in a client's relapse prevention plan is: → To enable timely intervention before the situation escalates to a full relapse
12. A treatment plan should be considered a 'living document.' This means that the plan should be: → Regularly reviewed and modified based on the client's progress and changing needs.
13. When a client successfully achieves a treatment plan objective, the counselor's MOST appropriate clinical response is to: → Acknowledge the achievement, review progress, and collaboratively develop next steps
14. Which of the following BEST characterizes Motivational Interviewing's 'rolling with resistance' technique? → Avoiding direct argumentation and reflecting the client's own statements back
15. Which of Yalom's therapeutic factors refers to group members helping each other and experiencing a sense of value by doing so? → Altruism
16. Which of the following statements about mandated reporting of child abuse is accurate for addiction counselors? → All licensed counselors are mandated reporters regardless of the population they serve
17. In Motivational Interviewing, 'change talk' refers to: → Client statements that favor movement toward change
18. A counselor responding to a client in a methamphetamine-induced psychosis crisis should prioritize: → De-escalating the environment and ensuring safety while awaiting medical support
19. Which of the following withdrawal syndromes is considered potentially life-threatening without medical intervention? → Alcohol withdrawal
20. Which of the following is an example of an appropriate use of social media by an addiction counselor? → Posting de-identified educational content about addiction recovery on a professional page
21. Cannabis produces its psychoactive effects primarily through: → Binding to endocannabinoid CB1 receptors in the brain
22. In the Sequential treatment model for co-occurring disorders, what is a primary criticism? → Clients often fall through the gaps between separate treatment systems
23. When documenting a referral in a client's case management record, which information is MOST important to include? → The reason for the referral, agency contacted, client's response, and follow-up plan
24. Which ethical principle is most directly violated when a counselor accepts expensive gifts from a client who has just completed treatment? → Non-maleficence
25. According to Marlatt and Gordon's Relapse Prevention model, a 'high-risk situation' is best defined as: → A circumstance that threatens the client's sense of control and increases relapse risk
26. What is 'process commentary' in group facilitation? → The facilitator drawing attention to group dynamics and patterns occurring in the room
27. A counselor notices a client with schizophrenia uses cannabis to 'self-medicate' hallucinations. What should the counselor recognize about this behavior? → Self-medication with cannabis often worsens psychotic symptoms over time
28. During the working stage of group development, members typically: → Engage in deep self-disclosure and give meaningful feedback to each other
29. When a counselor suspects a client may harm another person, the duty to protect (Tarasoff) generally requires: → Warning the identifiable potential victim and/or notifying law enforcement
30. Cross-tolerance between alcohol and benzodiazepines occurs because both substances: → Act on the same receptor complex (GABA-A)