CRC Ethical Responsibility 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A recovery coach learns that a client is using a substance they hadn't disclosed previously. What is the most ethical first step?
- Immediately report the client to their parole officer
- Confront the client publicly in a group session
- Have a private, non-judgmental conversation with the client about the disclosure (Correct answer)
- Terminate the coaching relationship without explanation
Correct answer: Have a private, non-judgmental conversation with the client about the disclosure
Ethical practice requires addressing sensitive disclosures privately and without judgment to preserve trust and support continued engagement.
Question 2: Which ethical principle requires a recovery coach to place the client's interests above their own personal gain?
- Veracity
- Fidelity
- Beneficence (Correct answer)
- Non-maleficence
Correct answer: Beneficence
Beneficence means acting in the best interest of the client, prioritizing their wellbeing over the coach's personal or financial interests.
Question 3: A recovery coach is offered a gift by a client's family as a token of gratitude. What is the most ethically appropriate response?
- Accept the gift to avoid offending the family
- Accept only if the gift is under $25 in value
- Decline and explain the ethical boundaries around gifts (Correct answer)
- Accept and document it in the client file
Correct answer: Decline and explain the ethical boundaries around gifts
Accepting gifts can blur professional boundaries and create dual relationships, so coaches should decline and explain why.
Question 4: What does 'informed consent' mean in the context of recovery coaching?
- The client signs a waiver releasing the coach from liability
- The client is fully informed about the coaching process, limits, and their rights before agreeing to participate (Correct answer)
- The supervisor approves the coaching plan on behalf of the client
- The client agrees verbally without needing written documentation
Correct answer: The client is fully informed about the coaching process, limits, and their rights before agreeing to participate
Informed consent ensures clients understand what recovery coaching involves, including its scope and limitations, before services begin.
Question 5: A recovery coach realizes they have a personal bias against a client's lifestyle choices. What is the ethical course of action?
- Advise the client to change their lifestyle
- Continue coaching without disclosing the bias
- Reflect on the bias and seek supervision or consider referral if objectivity is compromised (Correct answer)
- Dismiss the client from services immediately
Correct answer: Reflect on the bias and seek supervision or consider referral if objectivity is compromised
Self-awareness and supervision are ethical tools for managing personal bias so it does not harm the coaching relationship.
Question 6: Which scenario best illustrates a conflict of interest for a recovery coach?
- Coaching a client who lives in a different city
- Coaching a former romantic partner who is now seeking recovery support (Correct answer)
- Coaching a client referred by a hospital social worker
- Coaching a client of a different cultural background
Correct answer: Coaching a former romantic partner who is now seeking recovery support
A prior romantic relationship creates a dual relationship that compromises objectivity and professional boundaries.
Question 7: A client shares information that suggests they may be in danger of harming themselves. Under what ethical and legal principle may a coach break confidentiality?
- Principle of justice
- Duty to warn or protect (Correct answer)
- Principle of fidelity
- Principle of autonomy
Correct answer: Duty to warn or protect
The duty to warn or protect allows confidentiality to be broken when there is a credible threat of serious harm to the client or others.
CRC Ethical Responsibility 2
A recovery coach learns that a client is using a substance they hadn't disclosed previously.
What is the most ethical first step?