CRS Communication Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a person in recovery becomes visibly agitated during a group session, what is the BEST immediate communication response?
- Redirect the group's attention away from the person
- Acknowledge their feelings and offer to speak privately (Correct answer)
- Ask other group members to help calm the person
- Continue the session and address it afterward
Correct answer: Acknowledge their feelings and offer to speak privately
Acknowledging feelings and offering a private space validates the person's experience while maintaining group safety.
Question 2: Which communication technique involves repeating key words or phrases the client just said to demonstrate understanding?
- Summarizing
- Reflecting (Correct answer)
- Paraphrasing
- Clarifying
Correct answer: Reflecting
Reflecting involves mirroring back the client's own words to show attentiveness and encourage deeper exploration.
Question 3: A recovery specialist is writing case notes. Which writing standard is MOST important?
- Using clinical jargon to appear professional
- Being objective, factual, and avoiding interpretation (Correct answer)
- Including personal opinions to provide context
- Writing lengthy narratives to capture all details
Correct answer: Being objective, factual, and avoiding interpretation
Case notes must be objective and factual to protect the client and meet legal and ethical standards.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a closed-ended question in a recovery support context?
- 'What does recovery mean to you?'
- 'How have things been going this week?'
- 'Are you still attending your support group?' (Correct answer)
- 'What challenges are you facing right now?'
Correct answer: 'Are you still attending your support group?'
Closed-ended questions like 'Are you...' elicit yes/no answers and limit the depth of client disclosure.
Question 5: When communicating with a client from a different cultural background, a CRS should FIRST:
- Assume shared values to build rapport quickly
- Apply standard communication scripts uniformly
- Explore and respect cultural norms around communication (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to a specialist of the same culture
Correct answer: Explore and respect cultural norms around communication
Culturally responsive communication requires understanding how culture shapes expression, disclosure, and help-seeking behaviors.
Question 6: What is the purpose of using 'I' statements in peer recovery support conversations?
- To shift responsibility to the client
- To express the specialist's feelings without blaming the client (Correct answer)
- To establish authority in the relationship
- To model assertiveness techniques for the client
Correct answer: To express the specialist's feelings without blaming the client
'I' statements allow the specialist to communicate concerns from their own perspective without triggering defensiveness.
Question 7: A client discloses they are struggling with cravings but asks you to keep it 'between us.' What is the MOST appropriate response?
- Promise full confidentiality to maintain trust
- Remind the client of the limits of confidentiality and discuss options (Correct answer)
- Immediately report to the supervisor without informing the client
- Document it without taking further action
Correct answer: Remind the client of the limits of confidentiality and discuss options
CRS professionals must clarify confidentiality limits while collaboratively deciding how to address the disclosure.
CRS Communication Skills 2
When a person in recovery becomes visibly agitated during a group session, what is the BEST immediate communication response?