CASAC Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the BEST description of a 'recovery capital'?
- The amount of money a client has saved during sobriety
- The internal and external resources a person uses to initiate and sustain recovery (Correct answer)
- The total number of treatment episodes a client has completed
- A financial assistance program for clients in recovery
Correct answer: The internal and external resources a person uses to initiate and sustain recovery
Recovery capital refers to the breadth and depth of internal resources (self-efficacy, health) and external resources (social support, housing) that support recovery.
Question 2: In the Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change), a client who is actively modifying their behavior to achieve abstinence is in which stage?
- Contemplation
- Preparation
- Action (Correct answer)
- Maintenance
Correct answer: Action
The Action stage is characterized by the client actively making changes to their behavior, such as stopping substance use and engaging in treatment.
Question 3: A client who has maintained sobriety for two years begins to experience complacency and stops attending support meetings. This pattern is BEST described as:
- A lapse
- Emotional relapse (Correct answer)
- A full relapse
- Stable recovery
Correct answer: Emotional relapse
Emotional relapse involves negative patterns in behavior and emotions — such as isolation and neglecting self-care — that precede substance use, even before any craving occurs.
Question 4: Peer recovery support specialists (PRSS) are BEST described as:
- Licensed clinical therapists who specialize in addiction
- People in recovery who provide non-clinical support to others in recovery (Correct answer)
- Pharmacists who manage medication-assisted treatment
- Social workers employed by state agencies
Correct answer: People in recovery who provide non-clinical support to others in recovery
Peer recovery support specialists are individuals with lived experience of addiction and recovery who provide non-clinical support, mentorship, and advocacy to others in recovery.
Question 5: Which of the following coping strategies is MOST effective for managing cravings according to relapse prevention research?
- Suppressing thoughts about substances entirely
- Using distraction and engaging in alternative activities (Correct answer)
- Isolating oneself until the craving passes
- Using small amounts of the substance to reduce the craving
Correct answer: Using distraction and engaging in alternative activities
Behavioral strategies such as distraction and engaging in rewarding alternative activities are evidence-based techniques for managing cravings.
Question 6: A client in recovery identifies 'social pressure' as a major relapse trigger. The MOST appropriate skill-building intervention is:
- Teaching refusal skills and assertiveness training (Correct answer)
- Encouraging the client to avoid all social situations
- Referring the client to a psychiatrist for medication
- Recommending the client return to inpatient treatment immediately
Correct answer: Teaching refusal skills and assertiveness training
Refusal skills and assertiveness training directly address the client's vulnerability to social pressure by building the skills to decline offers to use substances.
CASAC Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support 2
Which of the following is the BEST description of a 'recovery capital'?