LCDC Counseling Skills 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Motivational Interviewing, the acronym OARS stands for:
- Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries (Correct answer)
- Outcomes, Attitudes, Responses, Skills
- Objectives, Actions, Readiness, Support
- Open dialogue, Accountability, Reflection, Solutions
Correct answer: Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries
OARS are the four core communication skills of Motivational Interviewing used to build rapport and elicit change talk.
Question 2: Which therapeutic approach is most evidence-based for treating co-occurring substance use and PTSD?
- Seeking Safety (Correct answer)
- 12-step facilitation only
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Bibliotherapy alone
Correct answer: Seeking Safety
Seeking Safety is an evidence-based, present-focused treatment specifically designed for co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorders.
Question 3: Which type of reflection in Motivational Interviewing acknowledges the feeling behind the client's words?
- Feeling reflection (empathic reflection) (Correct answer)
- Simple reflection
- Amplified reflection
- Double-sided reflection
Correct answer: Feeling reflection (empathic reflection)
Empathic or feeling reflections go beyond the content of what the client says to name and validate the underlying emotion.
Question 4: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for substance use disorders focuses on:
- Identifying and modifying thoughts and behaviors that trigger substance use (Correct answer)
- Exploring early childhood experiences
- Medication management primarily
- Spiritual growth and 12-step work
Correct answer: Identifying and modifying thoughts and behaviors that trigger substance use
CBT targets the cognitive distortions and maladaptive behaviors that maintain substance use, teaching clients skills to manage triggers and cravings.
Question 5: The therapeutic alliance in substance use counseling is best characterized by:
- Empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard (Correct answer)
- Strict boundary enforcement
- Counselor authority and client compliance
- Confrontation of denial
Correct answer: Empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard
Research consistently shows that the therapeutic alliance, built on Rogers' core conditions, is one of the strongest predictors of treatment outcomes.
Question 6: A client says, 'I know I should stop drinking, but I just can't imagine my life without it.' This statement represents:
- Ambivalence (Correct answer)
- Precontemplation
- Denial
- Action stage readiness
Correct answer: Ambivalence
The client is simultaneously expressing desire to change and resistance to it, which is the defining feature of ambivalence.
LCDC Counseling Skills 1
In Motivational Interviewing, the acronym OARS stands for: