Group Therapy 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 Group Therapy flashcards as text
Which group format is MOST appropriate for clients who are in the contemplation stage of change regarding their substance use?
Answer: Motivational enhancement or pre-treatment group
Clients in contemplation are ambivalent about change and benefit most from groups that explore ambivalence and build intrinsic motivation rather than assuming readiness.
A member expresses anger directly at the group leader during a session. The MOST therapeutically productive response is to:
Answer: Acknowledge the feeling and explore what it may represent for the member
Acknowledging and exploring the member's anger within the group allows for genuine therapeutic work on authority and trust issues common in addiction recovery.
Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'group cohesion' in addiction counseling?
Answer: The sense of belonging, trust, and mutual commitment members feel toward the group
Group cohesion — the sense of togetherness and belonging — is a foundational curative factor that predicts positive treatment outcomes in addiction group therapy.
When facilitating a trauma-informed addiction group, the leader should AVOID:
Answer: Requiring members to share detailed trauma narratives early in the group
Pushing early trauma disclosure before trust and safety are established can re-traumatize members and undermine the therapeutic container.
A mandatory drug court participant reluctantly attends an addiction group and states, 'I don't need to be here.' The leader's MOST effective MI-consistent response is:
Answer: Explore what the member sees as positive about their current substance use
Exploring the positive aspects of use (decisional balance) is an MI-consistent strategy that engages ambivalence without triggering reactance.
The MAIN advantage of homogeneous addiction groups (e.g., all opioid use disorder) over heterogeneous groups is:
Answer: Members experience greater universality and targeted skill application
Homogeneous groups allow for more targeted interventions and deeper universality because members share similar experiences, challenges, and recovery pathways.
According to SAMHSA best practices, the recommended maximum group size for an effective outpatient addiction therapy group is:
Answer: 6-8 members
Groups of 6-8 members allow adequate airtime for each person while maintaining the interpersonal richness needed for group dynamics and therapeutic work.