CADC Family Systems and Addiction Counseling 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which family systems concept describes the tendency of a family to maintain its existing patterns of behavior even when those patterns are dysfunctional?
- Homeostasis (Correct answer)
- Triangulation
- Differentiation
- Enmeshment
Correct answer: Homeostasis
Homeostasis refers to a family system's drive to maintain stability and resist change, even when existing patterns are harmful.
Question 2: In a family affected by addiction, a child who takes on adult responsibilities to keep the family functioning is known as the:
- Scapegoat
- Lost child
- Hero (Correct answer)
- Mascot
Correct answer: Hero
The 'hero' role in family addiction systems involves a child who overachieves and takes on adult responsibilities to bring stability and positive attention to the family.
Question 3: Which therapeutic approach focuses on helping family members understand how their behaviors reinforce a loved one's substance use?
- Structural Family Therapy
- Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) (Correct answer)
- Narrative Therapy
- Bowenian Therapy
Correct answer: Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT)
CRAFT teaches family members specific behavioral skills to reduce a loved one's substance use and encourage engagement in treatment.
Question 4: The concept of 'codependency' in the context of addiction most accurately refers to:
- Two people who use substances together
- A relational pattern where one person enables another's addiction while neglecting their own needs (Correct answer)
- A dual diagnosis of addiction and mental illness
- A family refusing to seek treatment
Correct answer: A relational pattern where one person enables another's addiction while neglecting their own needs
Codependency describes a dysfunctional relationship pattern where a person excessively focuses on another's needs—often enabling addiction—while ignoring their own well-being.
Question 5: According to Bowen Family Systems Theory, a poorly differentiated individual in a family affected by addiction is MOST likely to:
- Set clear boundaries with the addicted family member
- Become emotionally fused and reactive to family stress (Correct answer)
- Maintain emotional distance at all times
- Seek independent therapy without family involvement
Correct answer: Become emotionally fused and reactive to family stress
Poor differentiation in Bowen's theory means the individual cannot separate their own emotional functioning from the family system, leading to reactivity and fusion.
Question 6: When conducting a family assessment in addiction counseling, which information is MOST critical to gather?
- Family income and financial history
- Multigenerational patterns of substance use and family roles (Correct answer)
- Educational background of all family members
- Employment status of the identified patient
Correct answer: Multigenerational patterns of substance use and family roles
A thorough family assessment should identify multigenerational patterns of substance use and the roles family members play, as these directly inform treatment planning.
CADC Family Systems and Addiction Counseling 1
Which family systems concept describes the tendency of a family to maintain its existing patterns of behavior even when those patterns are dysfunctional?