MAC Group Therapy 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In motivational enhancement group therapy for addiction, the leader's PRIMARY role is to:
- Confront members about the consequences of their drug use
- Elicit and reinforce members' own motivation for change (Correct answer)
- Provide psychoeducation about the dangers of substance use
- Assign accountability partners within the group
Correct answer: Elicit and reinforce members' own motivation for change
Motivational enhancement approaches prioritize evoking intrinsic motivation through reflective listening, affirmation, and drawing out change talk.
Question 2: Which ethical issue is MOST commonly encountered in addiction group therapy related to confidentiality?
- Members sharing what was said in group with people outside the group (Correct answer)
- The group leader publishing case studies about group members
- Court-ordered members refusing to sign releases of information
- Insurance companies requiring session notes from group therapy
Correct answer: Members sharing what was said in group with people outside the group
Because the leader cannot legally bind other members to confidentiality, members sharing others' disclosures outside group is the most common ethical challenge.
Question 3: The therapeutic factor of 'altruism' in group therapy occurs when:
- Members donate to a group recovery fund
- A member gains self-worth by helping another member in the group (Correct answer)
- The group leader gives advice without charging extra fees
- Members adopt a sponsor within the group format
Correct answer: A member gains self-worth by helping another member in the group
Altruism as a curative factor involves members experiencing increased self-esteem and purpose by offering support and insight to fellow members.
Question 4: A relapse prevention group differs from an early recovery group primarily in that it:
- Focuses on deeper emotional and situational triggers rather than basic coping skills (Correct answer)
- Is exclusively for members who have already relapsed once
- Does not include discussion of 12-step principles
- Requires members to have completed inpatient treatment first
Correct answer: Focuses on deeper emotional and situational triggers rather than basic coping skills
Relapse prevention groups address complex, individualized high-risk situations and cognitive triggers, building on the foundational skills taught in early recovery groups.
Question 5: When conducting a psychoeducation group for clients in early addiction recovery, the leader should prioritize content that:
- Explores childhood trauma and attachment wounds
- Provides immediate, practical information about the recovery process and brain chemistry (Correct answer)
- Focuses on long-term career and relationship goals
- Encourages deep emotional processing of past substance use
Correct answer: Provides immediate, practical information about the recovery process and brain chemistry
Early recovery psychoeducation groups prioritize stabilization content — understanding withdrawal, cravings, and recovery tools — before deeper emotional work.
Question 6: A group member discloses suicidal ideation during an open group session. The counselor should FIRST:
- Immediately terminate the session for all members
- Assess the member's safety without dismissing the group experience (Correct answer)
- Ask other group members to provide peer support for the at-risk member
- Refer the matter entirely to a co-leader to avoid disrupting the group
Correct answer: Assess the member's safety without dismissing the group experience
The counselor must assess suicide risk immediately and directly while managing the group environment so other members feel safe and supported.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes 'process commentary' in group therapy leadership?
- Reading aloud from a process manual during structured group activities
- Commenting on the here-and-now interpersonal dynamics occurring within the group (Correct answer)
- Summarizing what each member has shared at the end of the session
- Providing feedback on members' homework assignments
Correct answer: Commenting on the here-and-now interpersonal dynamics occurring within the group
Process commentary involves the leader naming and reflecting the group's live interpersonal and emotional dynamics as they unfold in real time.
MAC Group Therapy 3
In motivational enhancement group therapy for addiction, the leader's PRIMARY role is to: