CAADC Study Guide 2026

Everything you need to pass the CAADC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.

📋 CAADC Exam Format at a Glance

150

Questions

180 min

Time Limit

62%

Passing Score

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📚 CAADC Topics to Study (45)

Group Counseling Techniques · 7 cards Group Counseling Techniques · 7 cards Group Counseling Techniques · 7 cards ASAM Patient Placement Criteria · 6 cards ASAM Patient Placement Criteria · 6 cards Certification Bodies · 6 cards Certification Bodies · 6 cards Co-occurring Disorders · 6 cards Co-occurring Disorders · 6 cards Crisis Intervention and Management · 6 cards Crisis Intervention and Management · 6 cards Cultural Competency in Addiction Counseling · 6 cards Cultural Competency in Addiction Counseling · 6 cards Cultural Competency in Addiction Counseling · 6 cards Developing Measurable Treatment Plan Goals · 6 cards Developing Measurable Treatment Plan Goals · 6 cards Evidence-Based Counseling Models · 6 cards Evidence-Based Counseling Models · 6 cards Pharmacology and MAT · 6 cards Pharmacology and MAT · 6 cards Professional Ethics and Confidentiality · 6 cards Professional Ethics and Confidentiality · 6 cards Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support · 6 cards Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support · 6 cards Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support · 6 cards Roles and Responsibilities · 6 cards Roles and Responsibilities · 6 cards Screening and Assessment Instruments for SUD · 6 cards Screening and Assessment Instruments for SUD · 6 cards Skills and Competencies · 6 cards

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✍️ Sample CAADC Questions & Answers

1. What is the purpose of including both short-term objectives and long-term goals?

✓ Short-term objectives provide measurable stepping stones toward broader long-term goals

Short-term objectives break the path to long-term goals into achievable, measurable steps.

2. Which medication maintains alcohol abstinence by restoring excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitter balance?

✓ Acamprosate (Campral)

Acamprosate modulates glutamate and GABA systems disrupted by chronic alcohol use.

3. The 'dialectic' at the core of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for substance use disorders refers to the synthesis of which two seemingly opposing principles?

✓ Acceptance and Change

The fundamental dialectic in DBT is the integration of acceptance and change. The therapist validates and accepts the client as they are in the present moment, while simultaneously helping them learn and apply skills to change their maladaptive behaviors.

4. A client has been taking high doses of alprazolam (Xanax) daily for over a year and wants to stop. What is the most significant risk of abrupt cessation, and what is the recommended clinical approach?

✓ Risk of life-threatening seizures; recommend a slow, medically supervised taper.

Abrupt cessation of a benzodiazepine after long-term use can lead to a severe, potentially life-threatening withdrawal syndrome that includes seizures. The standard of care is a slow, medically supervised taper, often using a long-acting benzodiazepine like diazepam, to safely manage withdrawal symptoms.

5. How does Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach substance use disorders?

✓ ACT uses psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and values-based action to change the function of substance use rather than directly targeting thoughts

ACT changes the relationship between the person and their urges rather than trying to eliminate them.

6. When a group member is monopolizing sessions and preventing others from participating, the counselor's FIRST intervention should be to:

✓ Use process commentary to address the behavior within the group

Process commentary—making an observation about what is happening in the group as it occurs—is the least restrictive and most therapeutically sound first intervention.

🎯 Free CAADC Practice Tests

Group Counseling Techniques · 7 questions Group Counseling Techniques · 7 questions Group Counseling Techniques · 7 questions Roles and Responsibilities · 6 questions Skills and Competencies · 6 questions Screening and Assessment Instruments for SUD · 6 questions Developing Measurable Treatment Plan Goals · 6 questions Co-occurring Disorders · 6 questions Evidence-Based Counseling Models · 6 questions Crisis Intervention and Management · 6 questions

📖 CAADC Guides & Articles

Your CAADC Study Path

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