MAC Screening and Assessment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the difference between screening and comprehensive assessment in addiction counseling?
- Screening is conducted only by physicians; assessment is conducted by counselors
- Screening identifies risk and need for further evaluation; assessment gathers detailed information to guide treatment planning (Correct answer)
- Screening uses standardized tools; assessment relies only on clinical interview
- Screening occurs after treatment begins; assessment occurs before discharge
Correct answer: Screening identifies risk and need for further evaluation; assessment gathers detailed information to guide treatment planning
Screening is a brief, preliminary process to identify individuals who may have a problem, while comprehensive assessment provides in-depth information to inform diagnosis and treatment planning.
Question 2: The CRAFFT screening tool is specifically designed for use with which population?
- Pregnant women
- Older adults over 65
- Adolescents (Correct answer)
- Individuals with co-occurring disorders
Correct answer: Adolescents
CRAFFT (Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble) is a validated brief screening tool developed for adolescents ages 12–21.
Question 3: When using the ASI (Addiction Severity Index), the composite scores range from 0 to 1, where a higher score indicates:
- Greater treatment readiness
- A lower need for intervention
- Greater problem severity in that domain (Correct answer)
- Better functioning in daily life
Correct answer: Greater problem severity in that domain
ASI composite scores closer to 1.0 indicate greater problem severity and need for intervention in the corresponding life domain.
Question 4: A counselor suspects opioid use disorder in a client but the client denies use. Which biological screening method provides the longest detection window for opioids?
- Urine drug screen
- Saliva test
- Blood test
- Hair follicle analysis (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Hair follicle analysis
Hair follicle testing can detect opioids for up to 90 days, far exceeding the 2–4 day window of urine screens and the hours-long window of blood tests.
Question 5: Which DSM-5 specifier indicates that a client with alcohol use disorder has been free of all criteria for at least 12 months except for craving?
- In partial remission
- In sustained remission (Correct answer)
- In early remission
- In controlled use
Correct answer: In sustained remission
In DSM-5, 'in sustained remission' specifies that no criteria (other than craving) have been met for 12 or more months.
Question 6: The concept of 'false positives' in substance use screening is clinically significant because:
- They result in missed diagnoses and undertreated clients
- They may lead to unnecessary stigma, treatment, or legal consequences (Correct answer)
- They indicate the screening tool is too sensitive to be useful
- They only occur with self-report instruments, not biological tests
Correct answer: They may lead to unnecessary stigma, treatment, or legal consequences
False positives misidentify non-users as users, potentially causing stigma, inappropriate treatment referrals, and legal or employment repercussions.
Question 7: During a biopsychosocial assessment, which domain addresses the client's employment history, living situation, and financial stability?
- Biological domain
- Psychological domain
- Social/environmental domain (Correct answer)
- Spiritual domain
Correct answer: Social/environmental domain
Employment, housing, and finances are social and environmental factors that affect substance use patterns, recovery resources, and treatment planning.
MAC Screening and Assessment 3
Which of the following best describes the difference between screening and comprehensive assessment in addiction counseling?