CADC Alcohol and Drug Counselor Screening and Assessment Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the purpose of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI)?
- To diagnose specific substance use disorders per DSM-5 criteria
- To measure treatment outcomes only
- To assess problem severity across seven life domains (Correct answer)
- To screen for co-occurring mental health disorders
Correct answer: To assess problem severity across seven life domains
The ASI evaluates problem severity in medical, employment, alcohol, drug, legal, family/social, and psychiatric domains to guide treatment planning.
Question 2: A counselor suspects a client may be minimizing substance use during a self-report assessment. Which strategy best improves the validity of the data collected?
- Administer the assessment in a group setting
- Use multiple methods including biological testing and collateral sources (Correct answer)
- Avoid asking about quantity of use
- Rely solely on clinical observation
Correct answer: Use multiple methods including biological testing and collateral sources
Combining self-report with biological markers (e.g., urinalysis) and collateral information from family or records reduces the impact of minimization or denial.
Question 3: The CRAFFT screening tool is validated for use with which population?
- Older adults over age 65
- Adolescents under age 21 (Correct answer)
- Pregnant women
- Veterans
Correct answer: Adolescents under age 21
CRAFFT (Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble) was specifically developed and validated to screen adolescents for substance use risk.
Question 4: During an initial assessment, a client presents with tremors, diaphoresis, and elevated heart rate. The counselor should prioritize:
- Completing the ASI interview first
- Administering the CIWA-Ar to assess alcohol withdrawal severity (Correct answer)
- Scheduling the client for a psychological evaluation next week
- Beginning motivational interviewing
Correct answer: Administering the CIWA-Ar to assess alcohol withdrawal severity
The CIWA-Ar (Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol) quantifies withdrawal symptom severity and guides medical management decisions.
Question 5: Which assessment domain is addressed when a counselor asks a client about their employment history, current job status, and financial stability?
- Legal domain
- Vocational/employment domain (Correct answer)
- Psychological domain
- Medical domain
Correct answer: Vocational/employment domain
Employment history and financial stability are core components of the vocational or employment domain in a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment.
Question 6: A client scores 3 on the AUDIT-C. What does this result most likely indicate for a male client?
- Severe alcohol use disorder
- Low-risk drinking
- Hazardous or at-risk drinking (Correct answer)
- Alcohol dependence requiring detox
Correct answer: Hazardous or at-risk drinking
For men, an AUDIT-C score of 4 or higher indicates hazardous drinking; a score of 3 is just below threshold and warrants brief counseling.
Question 7: When conducting a mental status examination as part of a substance use assessment, a counselor evaluates the client's orientation to person, place, and time. This assesses which component?
- Affect
- Judgment
- Sensorium/cognition (Correct answer)
- Thought content
Correct answer: Sensorium/cognition
Orientation to person, place, and time is a core component of sensorium and cognitive functioning within the mental status examination.
CADC Alcohol and Drug Counselor Screening and Assessment Techniques 3
Which of the following best describes the purpose of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI)?