CSCS Professional Standards & Ethics 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An athlete confides to a CSCS that they are using a prohibited performance-enhancing drug. What is the CSCS's most appropriate action?
- Help the athlete optimize the drug dosage for safety
- Counsel the athlete about risks and applicable rules, document it, and refer to appropriate support resources (Correct answer)
- Report the athlete directly to anti-doping authorities without discussion
- Ignore the disclosure to protect the relationship
Correct answer: Counsel the athlete about risks and applicable rules, document it, and refer to appropriate support resources
The CSCS should counsel the athlete, document appropriately, and connect them with support while respecting confidentiality boundaries and applicable reporting obligations.
Question 2: In which scenario is a CSCS acting within their professional scope of practice?
- Diagnosing an athlete's shoulder impingement from a movement screen
- Designing a progressive resistance training program based on fitness assessment results (Correct answer)
- Prescribing corrective orthotics for an athlete with flat feet
- Ordering blood panels to monitor an athlete's hormonal profile
Correct answer: Designing a progressive resistance training program based on fitness assessment results
Program design based on fitness assessments is the core competency of a CSCS; diagnosis and prescribing fall within medicine and allied health.
Question 3: A CSCS loses their NSCA certification due to failure to complete required CEUs. What is the most accurate consequence?
- They may continue practicing with a temporary extension
- They must cease representing themselves as a CSCS until certification is reinstated (Correct answer)
- They retain CSCS credentials permanently based on original exam passage
- They may use the credential with an 'inactive' designation
Correct answer: They must cease representing themselves as a CSCS until certification is reinstated
Using the CSCS designation without current certification is misrepresentation and violates NSCA ethical standards.
Question 4: What does the principle of 'non-maleficence' require of a CSCS?
- Always maximize training volume for best results
- Avoid actions or omissions that cause unnecessary harm to clients (Correct answer)
- Refer all clients to physicians before any training
- Prioritize team performance over individual athlete welfare
Correct answer: Avoid actions or omissions that cause unnecessary harm to clients
Non-maleficence ('do no harm') obligates the CSCS to actively avoid causing injury or harm through their professional actions.
Question 5: A CSCS working with a high school team is unsure whether a student's reported symptoms indicate a concussion. What is the correct protocol?
- Allow the athlete to return to play and monitor symptoms during practice
- Remove the athlete from activity and refer immediately to a qualified medical professional (Correct answer)
- Administer a field cognitive test and clear the athlete if they pass
- Notify the parents only after the practice session ends
Correct answer: Remove the athlete from activity and refer immediately to a qualified medical professional
When concussion is suspected, the athlete must be removed from activity immediately and evaluated by a qualified medical professional before return.
Question 6: A CSCS is approached to provide a written character reference for a colleague facing an NSCA ethics complaint. Which response best upholds professional ethics?
- Provide a glowing reference regardless of facts to support a colleague
- Provide an honest, factual account based only on personal professional experience with the colleague (Correct answer)
- Decline all involvement without any explanation
- Contact the complainant to discourage pursuit of the complaint
Correct answer: Provide an honest, factual account based only on personal professional experience with the colleague
Professional ethics require honesty in all representations, including character references in disciplinary matters.
Question 7: Which of the following best illustrates the ethical principle of 'beneficence' in CSCS practice?
- Designing programs that prioritize the CSCS's convenience over athlete needs
- Actively taking steps to promote the health, performance, and well-being of each athlete (Correct answer)
- Treating all athletes identically regardless of individual differences
- Maximizing session fees to sustain the business
Correct answer: Actively taking steps to promote the health, performance, and well-being of each athlete
Beneficence requires the CSCS to act in the positive interest of athletes, proactively promoting their well-being.
CSCS Professional Standards & Ethics 5
An athlete confides to a CSCS that they are using a prohibited performance-enhancing drug.
What is the CSCS's most appropriate action?