MAC Trauma-Informed Care 2

Question 1

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) in addiction counselors is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Trauma-like symptoms resulting from empathic engagement with traumatized clients

Answer

STS develops when counselors experience trauma-like symptoms (intrusion, avoidance, hyperarousal) through indirect exposure to client trauma via empathic engagement, distinct from burnout or personal trauma activation.

Question 2

Which evidence-based treatment was specifically designed to address trauma and substance use disorders concurrently, emphasizing coping skills and safety over trauma processing?

Accepted Answer

Seeking Safety

Answer

Seeking Safety is a present-focused, manualized treatment developed by Lisa Najavits that simultaneously targets trauma and substance use, prioritizing safety and coping without requiring detailed trauma narration.

Question 3

The concept of 'trauma bonding' in counseling refers to:

Accepted Answer

Strong emotional attachments to an abuser formed through cycles of abuse and intermittent reinforcement

Answer

Trauma bonding describes the paradoxical strong emotional attachment to an abuser that develops through cycles of intermittent reinforcement, threat, and relief — also called Stockholm Syndrome in captivity contexts.

Question 4

According to Polyvagal Theory, the 'freeze' or shutdown trauma response is associated with which component of the autonomic nervous system?

Accepted Answer

The dorsal vagal complex unmyelinated pathway

Answer

Polyvagal Theory (Porges) identifies the ancient, unmyelinated dorsal vagal complex as responsible for immobilization and shutdown responses when fight or flight is not viable and survival is threatened.

Question 5

In trauma-informed addiction treatment, client empowerment is best supported by:

Accepted Answer

Providing psychoeducation about trauma responses and offering meaningful choices

Answer

Empowerment in trauma-informed care involves restoring agency through psychoeducation about trauma responses and offering genuine choices throughout treatment, counteracting the powerlessness of traumatic experiences.

Master Addiction Counselor Exam Practice Test

Master Addiction Counselor Exam Practice Test

MAC Trauma-Informed Care 2