Ethical Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real MAC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethical Practice flashcards as text
Which of the following BEST describes the ethical concept of 'fidelity' in addiction counseling?
Answer: Honoring commitments and being trustworthy with clients
Fidelity refers to the counselor's obligation to be honest, keep promises, and honor the trust placed in them by clients.
A counselor receives a subpoena for a client's records in a divorce proceeding. The MOST appropriate immediate action is to:
Answer: Consult legal counsel and notify the client before releasing any records
A subpoena is not a court order; the counselor should seek legal advice and notify the client, as 42 CFR Part 2 provides strong protections against such disclosures.
An addiction counselor in recovery shares extensive details of their own relapse history during a group session without therapeutic intent. This behavior PRIMARILY raises concerns about:
Answer: Inappropriate self-disclosure that may shift focus from clients' needs
Self-disclosure by counselors must be purposeful and client-focused; sharing extensive personal history without therapeutic intent is ethically problematic.
A group member discloses information during a group session that another member later shares with the community. The counselor's PRIMARY ethical responsibility was to:
Answer: Establish confidentiality agreements and educate members at group outset
Counselors must establish and reinforce confidentiality agreements with group members from the start to minimize breaches.
A counselor who is also in recovery tells a skeptical client, 'I've been where you are, and I promise treatment works.' This statement is MOST problematic because it:
Answer: Constitutes a guarantee of outcomes, which is unethical
Counselors may not promise or guarantee treatment outcomes, as this is both ethically prohibited and clinically inaccurate.
Which element is ESSENTIAL when obtaining informed consent from a client who has limited English proficiency?
Answer: Using a qualified interpreter and providing translated written materials
Ethical informed consent requires that clients fully understand the information, necessitating qualified interpreters and translated materials for those with limited English proficiency.
A counselor learns that a client lied on their intake form about prior treatment history. The MOST appropriate ethical response is to:
Answer: Explore the reasons for the misrepresentation and update the clinical record
Exploring the reasons behind misrepresentation is therapeutically and ethically appropriate, and the accurate information must be documented in the record.