Master Addiction Counselor Exam Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Gorski's CENAPS model, relapse is best understood as:
- A process that begins with warning signs before the return to use (Correct answer)
- A single event triggered by substance availability
- Evidence that the client lacks motivation for recovery
- A random occurrence unrelated to treatment progress
Correct answer: A process that begins with warning signs before the return to use
Gorski's CENAPS model describes relapse as a gradual process involving identifiable warning signs—cognitive, emotional, and behavioral—that precede actual substance use.
Question 2: High-risk situations in Marlatt's relapse prevention model most commonly involve:
- Negative emotional states, social pressure, and interpersonal conflict (Correct answer)
- Financial stress and housing instability only
- Exposure to drug-using peers exclusively
- Medication noncompliance
Correct answer: Negative emotional states, social pressure, and interpersonal conflict
Marlatt identified negative emotional states, social pressure, and interpersonal conflicts as the three most common high-risk situations preceding relapse.
Question 3: A client who believes they cannot resist using substances after one slip is experiencing:
- The abstinence violation effect (AVE) (Correct answer)
- A trigger response
- A euphoric recall episode
- Cognitive dissonance
Correct answer: The abstinence violation effect (AVE)
The abstinence violation effect occurs when a client interprets a single lapse as proof of total failure, increasing the likelihood of a full relapse.
Question 4: Which coping skill is most directly taught in relapse prevention therapy to address urges and cravings?
- Urge surfing (Correct answer)
- Systematic desensitization
- Empty chair technique
- Narrative restructuring
Correct answer: Urge surfing
Urge surfing teaches clients to observe cravings as temporary waves that peak and subside without requiring action, reducing the power of urges over behavior.
Question 5: Recovery capital refers to:
- The internal and external resources a person can draw on to sustain recovery (Correct answer)
- The financial cost of addiction treatment
- A client's legal history related to substance use
- The number of treatment episodes completed
Correct answer: The internal and external resources a person can draw on to sustain recovery
Recovery capital encompasses personal strengths, social support, housing, employment, and community resources that support long-term recovery.
Question 6: Peer recovery support specialists (PRSS) are distinguished from licensed counselors primarily by their:
- Lived experience with addiction and recovery (Correct answer)
- Advanced clinical training and licensure
- Ability to prescribe medications
- Role in conducting formal assessments
Correct answer: Lived experience with addiction and recovery
Peer recovery support specialists use their personal lived experience with addiction to provide hope, mentorship, and practical guidance to people in early recovery.
Master Addiction Counselor Exam Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support 1
According to Gorski's CENAPS model, relapse is best understood as: