CTRS Certification
NCTRC CTRS – CERTIFIED THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SPECIALIST |
VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
2026/2027
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THERAPEUTIC RECREATION CERTIFICATION
(NCTRC)
CERTIFIED THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SPECIALIST (CTRS)
Page 1 of 54
, CTRS Certification
1. The three components of the Leisure Ability Model are:
A. Health protection, health promotion, and prevention
B. Assessment, planning, and evaluation
C. Rehabilitation, education, and recreation
D. Functional intervention, leisure education, and recreation participation
D. Functional intervention, leisure education, and recreation
participation
Peterson and Gunn describe a continuum moving from functional
intervention through leisure education to recreation participation, with
client control increasing at each stage.
2. The Leisure Ability Model is most closely associated with which
authors?
A. Carruthers and Hood
B. Peterson and Gunn
C. Austin and Crawford
D. Dattilo and Kleiber
B. Peterson and Gunn
Peterson and Gunn introduced the model, later expanded by Stumbo and
Peterson.
Page 2 of 54
, CTRS Certification
3. The Health Protection/Health Promotion Model was developed by:
A. Carmen Russoniello
B. David Austin
C. John Neulinger
D. Glen Van Andel
B. David Austin
Austin's model uses a stabilization-to-actualization continuum through
prescriptive activities, recreation, and leisure.
4. The Therapeutic Recreation Service Delivery and Outcome Models
emphasize:
A. Medication management through activity
B. Purely recreational participation without clinical goals
C. Leisure as a reward for compliance
D. Linking diagnosis, treatment, and education services to measurable
health and quality-of-life outcomes
D. Linking diagnosis, treatment, and education services to
measurable health and quality-of-life outcomes
Van Andel's models connect the service continuum to outcomes such as
functional improvement and quality of life.
5. According to Csikszentmihalyi, a state of flow is most likely when:
A. The participant receives external rewards for performance
B. The activity is chosen by the therapist
C. The challenge of an activity is balanced with the participant's skill level
D. The activity is far easier than the participant's skill level
C. The challenge of an activity is balanced with the participant's skill
level
Flow occurs in the channel where challenge and skill are matched; too
much challenge yields anxiety and too little yields boredom.
Page 3 of 54
, CTRS Certification
6. The Self-Determination and Enjoyment Enhancement Model was
proposed by:
A. Carruthers and Hood
B. Peterson and Stumbo
C. Dattilo, Kleiber, and Williams
D. Seligman and Maier
C. Dattilo, Kleiber, and Williams
This model focuses on fostering self-determination, intrinsic motivation,
and enjoyment to produce functional improvement.
7. The Leisure and Well-Being Model emphasizes:
A. Prescribing activities without client input
B. Enhancing leisure experiences and developing personal and
environmental resources to support well-being
C. Eliminating deficits before any leisure involvement occurs
D. Strict behavior modification protocols
B. Enhancing leisure experiences and developing personal and
environmental resources to support well-being
Carruthers and Hood frame TR as building strengths and resources,
consistent with positive psychology.
8. Learned helplessness, first described by Seligman, refers to:
A. An inability to learn new skills due to cognitive impairment
B. A temporary state of fatigue after activity
C. A belief that one's actions have no effect on outcomes, leading to
passivity
D. Dependence on staff caused by physical limitations only
C. A belief that one's actions have no effect on outcomes, leading to
passivity
Repeated experiences of uncontrollable outcomes can produce passivity;
TR counters this by building perceived control.
Page 4 of 54
NCTRC CTRS – CERTIFIED THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SPECIALIST |
VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
2026/2027
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THERAPEUTIC RECREATION CERTIFICATION
(NCTRC)
CERTIFIED THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SPECIALIST (CTRS)
Page 1 of 54
, CTRS Certification
1. The three components of the Leisure Ability Model are:
A. Health protection, health promotion, and prevention
B. Assessment, planning, and evaluation
C. Rehabilitation, education, and recreation
D. Functional intervention, leisure education, and recreation participation
D. Functional intervention, leisure education, and recreation
participation
Peterson and Gunn describe a continuum moving from functional
intervention through leisure education to recreation participation, with
client control increasing at each stage.
2. The Leisure Ability Model is most closely associated with which
authors?
A. Carruthers and Hood
B. Peterson and Gunn
C. Austin and Crawford
D. Dattilo and Kleiber
B. Peterson and Gunn
Peterson and Gunn introduced the model, later expanded by Stumbo and
Peterson.
Page 2 of 54
, CTRS Certification
3. The Health Protection/Health Promotion Model was developed by:
A. Carmen Russoniello
B. David Austin
C. John Neulinger
D. Glen Van Andel
B. David Austin
Austin's model uses a stabilization-to-actualization continuum through
prescriptive activities, recreation, and leisure.
4. The Therapeutic Recreation Service Delivery and Outcome Models
emphasize:
A. Medication management through activity
B. Purely recreational participation without clinical goals
C. Leisure as a reward for compliance
D. Linking diagnosis, treatment, and education services to measurable
health and quality-of-life outcomes
D. Linking diagnosis, treatment, and education services to
measurable health and quality-of-life outcomes
Van Andel's models connect the service continuum to outcomes such as
functional improvement and quality of life.
5. According to Csikszentmihalyi, a state of flow is most likely when:
A. The participant receives external rewards for performance
B. The activity is chosen by the therapist
C. The challenge of an activity is balanced with the participant's skill level
D. The activity is far easier than the participant's skill level
C. The challenge of an activity is balanced with the participant's skill
level
Flow occurs in the channel where challenge and skill are matched; too
much challenge yields anxiety and too little yields boredom.
Page 3 of 54
, CTRS Certification
6. The Self-Determination and Enjoyment Enhancement Model was
proposed by:
A. Carruthers and Hood
B. Peterson and Stumbo
C. Dattilo, Kleiber, and Williams
D. Seligman and Maier
C. Dattilo, Kleiber, and Williams
This model focuses on fostering self-determination, intrinsic motivation,
and enjoyment to produce functional improvement.
7. The Leisure and Well-Being Model emphasizes:
A. Prescribing activities without client input
B. Enhancing leisure experiences and developing personal and
environmental resources to support well-being
C. Eliminating deficits before any leisure involvement occurs
D. Strict behavior modification protocols
B. Enhancing leisure experiences and developing personal and
environmental resources to support well-being
Carruthers and Hood frame TR as building strengths and resources,
consistent with positive psychology.
8. Learned helplessness, first described by Seligman, refers to:
A. An inability to learn new skills due to cognitive impairment
B. A temporary state of fatigue after activity
C. A belief that one's actions have no effect on outcomes, leading to
passivity
D. Dependence on staff caused by physical limitations only
C. A belief that one's actions have no effect on outcomes, leading to
passivity
Repeated experiences of uncontrollable outcomes can produce passivity;
TR counters this by building perceived control.
Page 4 of 54
