Chemical Dependency Counselor License Exam Relapse Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the stages of change model, which stage is a person in when they are actively working to maintain their sobriety and prevent relapse?
- Contemplation
- Preparation
- Action
- Maintenance (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Maintenance
The Maintenance stage is when a person is actively working to sustain behavior change and prevent relapse, typically after six months of sustained change.
Question 2: A client reports feeling strong urges to use substances but has not used. What technique would BEST help them cope with these cravings?
- Persuading the client to avoid thinking about cravings entirely
- Urge surfing — observing the craving as a wave that rises and falls without acting on it (Correct answer)
- Immediately contacting law enforcement
- Encouraging the client to sample small amounts of their substance of choice
Correct answer: Urge surfing — observing the craving as a wave that rises and falls without acting on it
Urge surfing teaches clients to observe cravings non-judgmentally as temporary sensations that will pass, reducing the power of the urge without suppression.
Question 3: Which of the following is a warning sign (prodromal symptom) of impending relapse?
- Increased attendance at support group meetings
- Improved sleep and appetite
- Reconnecting with old using friends and isolating from support systems (Correct answer)
- Seeking additional counseling sessions
Correct answer: Reconnecting with old using friends and isolating from support systems
Reconnecting with people associated with prior drug use and withdrawing from sober support networks are classic behavioral warning signs of relapse.
Question 4: What role does a 'sober support network' play in relapse prevention?
- It provides legal representation if the client relapses
- It offers accountability, encouragement, and practical assistance during high-risk moments (Correct answer)
- It prescribes medications to manage withdrawal
- It monitors the client's finances to prevent drug purchases
Correct answer: It offers accountability, encouragement, and practical assistance during high-risk moments
A sober support network provides social accountability, emotional encouragement, and practical help that reinforces recovery and provides resources during high-risk situations.
Question 5: A counselor helps a client rehearse refusing a drink at a party. This technique is BEST described as:
- Systematic desensitization
- Refusal skills training / behavioral rehearsal (Correct answer)
- Aversion therapy
- Contingency management
Correct answer: Refusal skills training / behavioral rehearsal
Behavioral rehearsal and refusal skills training involve practicing assertive responses to offers of substances so clients can respond effectively in real situations.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'cue exposure therapy' in relapse prevention?
- Exposing clients to media campaigns about drug dangers
- Gradually exposing clients to substance-related cues in a safe setting to reduce conditioned cravings (Correct answer)
- Requiring clients to watch videos of substance abuse consequences
- Introducing clients to peers who have experienced relapse
Correct answer: Gradually exposing clients to substance-related cues in a safe setting to reduce conditioned cravings
Cue exposure therapy involves controlled, repeated exposure to substance-related cues without substance use, which reduces the conditioned craving response over time.
Question 7: What is a 'relapse prevention plan' and when should it be created?
- A legal document created only after a relapse has occurred
- A detailed emergency contact list given to family members
- A personalized document identifying triggers, warning signs, and coping strategies, developed during treatment (Correct answer)
- A medication schedule prescribed by a physician after detox
Correct answer: A personalized document identifying triggers, warning signs, and coping strategies, developed during treatment
A relapse prevention plan is a personalized, proactive document developed with the counselor during treatment that outlines triggers, warning signs, and specific coping strategies to prevent relapse.
Chemical Dependency Counselor License Exam Relapse Prevention 2
According to the stages of change model, which stage is a person in when they are actively working to maintain their sobriety and prevent relapse?