CRC Assessment & Goal Setting 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When assessing a client's stage of change, which behavior most indicates the 'preparation' stage?
- Client denies having a problem
- Client acknowledges a problem but is not ready to change
- Client is gathering information and making small changes (Correct answer)
- Client has been abstinent for six months
Correct answer: Client is gathering information and making small changes
In the preparation stage, individuals acknowledge the problem, intend to act, and begin taking small preparatory steps toward change.
Question 2: A recovery coach uses the SMART goal framework. What does the 'R' in SMART stand for?
- Realistic
- Relevant
- Results-oriented
- Both A and B are accepted interpretations (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Both A and B are accepted interpretations
In different versions of the SMART framework, 'R' can stand for Realistic or Relevant — both are commonly accepted interpretations used in recovery coaching.
Question 3: Which assessment domain is MOST important to explore when a client has a co-occurring mental health condition alongside substance use disorder?
- Employment history
- Criminal justice involvement
- Psychiatric symptom severity and treatment history (Correct answer)
- Housing stability only
Correct answer: Psychiatric symptom severity and treatment history
Understanding psychiatric symptom severity and treatment history is critical for coordinating care and setting realistic recovery goals for clients with co-occurring disorders.
Question 4: A client says, 'I want to get my kids back.' How should the coach use this statement during goal setting?
- Explain that custody is outside the coaching scope
- Use it as a motivational anchor to connect recovery goals to what matters most to the client (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to a social worker immediately
- Note it in the file but focus on sobriety goals only
Correct answer: Use it as a motivational anchor to connect recovery goals to what matters most to the client
Personal values and desires like reuniting with family are powerful intrinsic motivators that coaches can link to recovery-focused goals.
Question 5: The DAST-10 assessment tool is designed to screen for:
- Alcohol use disorder
- Drug use severity (Correct answer)
- Depression and anxiety
- Trauma exposure
Correct answer: Drug use severity
The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) is a validated 10-item tool used to assess the severity of drug use problems.
Question 6: When setting short-term recovery goals, what timeframe is typically most appropriate?
- 5 to 10 years
- 1 to 3 years
- Days to weeks or 30–90 days (Correct answer)
- Goals should have no timeframe to avoid pressure
Correct answer: Days to weeks or 30–90 days
Short-term goals in recovery coaching are typically set within a days-to-weeks or 30–90 day window to provide achievable milestones and maintain momentum.
Question 7: A client repeatedly sets goals but does not follow through. The coach should assess for:
- Lack of willpower
- Underlying barriers such as skill deficits, environmental obstacles, or ambivalence (Correct answer)
- Whether the client is the right fit for coaching
- Whether goals should be assigned rather than chosen
Correct answer: Underlying barriers such as skill deficits, environmental obstacles, or ambivalence
Repeated goal abandonment signals the need to assess for concrete barriers — such as skill gaps, environmental triggers, or unresolved ambivalence — rather than attributing it to character.
CRC Assessment & Goal Setting 3
When assessing a client's stage of change, which behavior most indicates the 'preparation' stage?