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. Which family role in the addiction system is associated with using humor to deflect tension and distract from family problems? → Mascot
2. Which of the following best describes the concept of 'scope of practice' for a CADC counselor? → The specific competencies and services a counselor is credentialed and trained to provide
3. What is the primary focus of coursework in an Alcohol and Drug Counseling certification program? → Behavioral theories and counseling techniques
4. In Motivational Interviewing, OARS stands for: → Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries
5. Peer consultation groups benefit CADC counselors MOST by providing: → A space to process countertransference and receive collegial feedback
6. Which document must a treatment program maintain to demonstrate ongoing compliance between CARF surveys? → Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) records and outcome data
7. Which evidence-based approach uses a 'concerned significant other' (CSO) to motivate a person with a substance use disorder who is unwilling to enter treatment? → CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training)
8. Which of the following actions violates the ethical principle of nonmaleficence? → Using an untested intervention that has potential to harm the client
9. A member who consistently intellectualizes and avoids emotional content in group is BEST addressed by: → Gently reflecting the disconnect between the member's words and emotional experience
10. A client self-reports abstinence but a urine drug screen is positive for cocaine. The counselor should FIRST: → Explore the discrepancy with the client in a non-judgmental, curious manner
11. Which action best demonstrates the ethical principle of autonomy in substance use counseling? → Involving clients collaboratively in setting their own treatment goals
12. A client with schizophrenia begins using cannabis heavily. Which outcome is most supported by research? → Cannabis use is associated with earlier onset and worsening of psychotic symptoms
13. A client with co-occurring ADHD and stimulant use disorder reports that using methamphetamine actually helps them focus. The counselor should interpret this as: → Possible self-medication of untreated ADHD symptoms, warranting formal ADHD assessment
14. A counselor using the Person-Centered Therapy model would most likely exhibit which of the following qualities in the therapeutic relationship? → Providing unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathetic understanding.
15. Which document primarily governs the ethical conduct of credentialed alcohol and drug counselors at the national level? → NAADAC Code of Ethics
16. In the SOAP note format, subjective information refers to: → What the client reports about their own experience
17. Which of the following is an example of a 'structural standard' in CARF accreditation? → Requiring a written policy on cultural competency
18. In relapse prevention, 'seemingly irrelevant decisions' (SIDs) are MOST accurately defined as: → Small, rationalized decisions that gradually move a client closer to a relapse situation
19. Reality Therapy is based on which foundational concept developed by William Glasser? → Choice Theory and meeting basic needs
20. Which of the following best describes spaced repetition as a CADC study technique? → Reviewing content at gradually increasing intervals to strengthen memory
21. In Relapse Prevention counseling, teaching a client to identify 'HALT' is MOST useful for: → Identifying common internal relapse triggers
22. Which assessment domain evaluates a client's history of legal problems, including DUI arrests, probation, or incarceration? → Biopsychosocial — Social history
23. Cultural humility in professional growth requires a counselor to: → Engage in ongoing self-examination and openness to clients' cultural frameworks
24. Which self-care strategy is MOST directly linked to reducing counselor impairment in addiction treatment settings? → Establishing clear professional boundaries and regular personal restoration activities
25. Methamphetamine differs from cocaine primarily because methamphetamine: → Actively causes release of dopamine in addition to blocking reuptake
26. Which instructional design principle is applied when a counselor presents information from the simplest concepts to the most complex? → Scaffolding
27. Which organization offers the Nationally Certified Addiction Counselor (NCAC) credential for counselors seeking national recognition? → NAADAC
28. A counselor who uses a solution-focused approach would MOST likely ask a client: → What would be different in your life if the problem were solved tomorrow?
29. When educating clients about co-occurring disorders, a CADC should explain that substance use and mental health conditions are BEST treated by: → Integrated dual-diagnosis treatment addressing both simultaneously
30. In addiction education, the transtheoretical model (Stages of Change) is used to help counselors understand that clients in precontemplation need primarily: → Awareness-raising information without pressure to change