CARN Addiction Assessment & Diagnosis 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which interview technique involves the nurse reflecting back an amplified or exaggerated version of the patient's minimized concern to elicit self-motivating statements?
- Simple reflection
- Amplified reflection (Correct answer)
- Double-sided reflection
- Reframing
Correct answer: Amplified reflection
Amplified reflection overstates the patient's position to provoke the patient into defending a less extreme, more change-oriented stance.
Question 2: Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a biomarker that can detect alcohol use for up to how long after consumption?
- 24-48 hours
- 5-7 days
- Up to 3-4 weeks (Correct answer)
- Up to 3 months
Correct answer: Up to 3-4 weeks
PEth, a direct alcohol biomarker, can be detected in blood for up to 3-4 weeks after heavy alcohol consumption.
Question 3: A nurse screens an adolescent for substance use. Which tool is specifically designed and validated for this age group?
- CAGE
- AUDIT
- CRAFFT (Correct answer)
- DAST-10
Correct answer: CRAFFT
The CRAFFT screening tool is specifically designed and validated for identifying substance use problems in adolescents.
Question 4: A patient in opioid withdrawal reports severe muscle aches, goosebumps, and yawning. These symptoms are categorized as:
- Autonomic instability symptoms
- Objective withdrawal signs on the COWS
- Subjective withdrawal symptoms (Correct answer)
- Signs of opioid-induced hyperalgesia
Correct answer: Subjective withdrawal symptoms
Muscle aches (myalgia), yawning, and gooseflesh (piloerection) are subjective symptoms that patients report during opioid withdrawal.
Question 5: Which concept describes the phenomenon where increasing doses of a substance are required to achieve the same effect?
- Sensitization
- Cross-tolerance
- Tolerance (Correct answer)
- Kindling
Correct answer: Tolerance
Tolerance is the neuroadaptive process requiring increased amounts of a substance to achieve the desired effect.
Question 6: During assessment, a patient states they cut back on alcohol use for a month after a DUI but resumed heavy drinking within weeks. Which stage of change does this best represent?
- Contemplation
- Preparation
- Action
- Relapse (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Relapse
Returning to the problematic behavior after a period of change represents relapse in the transtheoretical model of change.
Question 7: Which term describes the simultaneous presence of a substance use disorder and at least one psychiatric disorder?
- Polypharmacy
- Dual diagnosis (Correct answer)
- Comorbid medical condition
- Substance-induced disorder
Correct answer: Dual diagnosis
Dual diagnosis (also called co-occurring disorders) refers to the concurrent presence of a substance use disorder and a psychiatric disorder.
CARN Addiction Assessment & Diagnosis 5
Which interview technique involves the nurse reflecting back an amplified or exaggerated version of the patient's minimized concern to elicit self-motivating statements?