Counseling Addictions and Substance Use Counseling — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which stage of the Transtheoretical Model is characterized by a client who is not yet considering changing their substance use?
- Precontemplation (Correct answer)
- Contemplation
- Preparation
- Action
Correct answer: Precontemplation
In precontemplation, the person is not intending to change in the foreseeable future and may be unaware of or deny the problem.
Question 2: Which counseling approach emphasizes collaborative, client-centered conversation to strengthen motivation for change and resolve ambivalence?
- Motivational interviewing (Correct answer)
- Psychoanalysis
- Systematic desensitization
- Aversion therapy
Correct answer: Motivational interviewing
Motivational interviewing (Miller and Rollnick) uses an empathic, collaborative style, evoking the client's own reasons for change and reducing ambivalence.
Question 3: A client abruptly stopping long-term heavy alcohol use is most at risk for which potentially life-threatening withdrawal complication?
- Delirium tremens (Correct answer)
- Sedation
- Weight gain
- Hypersomnia
Correct answer: Delirium tremens
Alcohol withdrawal can progress to delirium tremens, marked by confusion, hallucinations, autonomic instability, and seizures. It requires medical supervision.
Question 4: Under the DSM-5-TR, substance use disorders are rated mild, moderate, or severe based on:
- The number of diagnostic criteria met (Correct answer)
- The type of substance used
- The client's age at first use
- The results of a urine drug screen
Correct answer: The number of diagnostic criteria met
Severity is based on the count of criteria met out of 11: 2-3 is mild, 4-5 is moderate, and 6 or more is severe.
Question 5: Which term refers to a client needing increasingly larger amounts of a substance to achieve the same effect?
- Tolerance (Correct answer)
- Withdrawal
- Relapse
- Cross-dependence
Correct answer: Tolerance
Tolerance is a diminished response to the same dose over time, or the need for more of a substance to achieve the desired effect. It is one of the DSM criteria for substance use disorders.
Question 6: In a family with a member who has an addiction, the term "enabling" most accurately refers to:
- Behaviors that shield the person from the consequences of use (Correct answer)
- Providing professional treatment
- Setting firm boundaries
- Attending support groups
Correct answer: Behaviors that shield the person from the consequences of use
Enabling is behavior, often well-intentioned, that protects the person from the natural consequences of their substance use and so unintentionally helps the addiction continue.
