CASAC STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
RATED A+
✔✔Substance Abuse - ✔✔A maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically
significant impairment or distress, as manifested by at least one of the four following
criteria occurring within a 12- month period: recurrent substance use resulting in a
failure to fulfill major obligations at home, school or work, recurrent substance use in
situations in which it is physically hazardous, recurrent substance use legal problems,
and continued substance use despite having persistent or recurring problems caused or
exacerbated by the effects of the substance.
✔✔Substance Dependence - ✔✔A maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to
clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by 3 or more of the following
7 criteria: tolerance, withdrawal, increased dose or dosing for longer periods of time,
attempts to cut down unsuccessfully, time spent obtaining, using, recovering from use,
important social, occupational and recreational activities given up or reduced because
of use, physical or psychological problems caused or exacerbated by continued use.
✔✔Physiological Dependence - ✔✔Indicated by whether tolerance and withdrawal are
present.
✔✔Tolerance - ✔✔Defined by either a need for markedly increased amounts of the
substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect or markedly diminished effect with
continued use of the same amount of the substance.
✔✔Withdrawal - ✔✔Defined by either the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the
substance or the same or a closely related substance being taken to relieve or avoid
withdrawal symptoms.
✔✔Specifiers - ✔✔Used for Substance Dependence Diagnosis, these six categories
are: Early full remission, early partial remission, sustained full remission, sustained
partial remission, on agonist therapy, in a controlled environment.
✔✔Polysubstance Dependence - ✔✔The proper diagnosis for a client who has
repeatedly taken at least three groups of substances, and who meets creiteria for
dependence for the substances as a group, but not for the substances individually.
✔✔Dually-Diagnosed - ✔✔This client has one or more other psychiatric disorders along
with substance abuse or substance dependence. Also known as co-occurring disorders.
All disorders should be treated concurrently and aggressively.
✔✔Affect - ✔✔The external expression of an internal emotional state.
✔✔Mood - ✔✔A sustained emotion. Changes less frequently than affect.
RATED A+
✔✔Substance Abuse - ✔✔A maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically
significant impairment or distress, as manifested by at least one of the four following
criteria occurring within a 12- month period: recurrent substance use resulting in a
failure to fulfill major obligations at home, school or work, recurrent substance use in
situations in which it is physically hazardous, recurrent substance use legal problems,
and continued substance use despite having persistent or recurring problems caused or
exacerbated by the effects of the substance.
✔✔Substance Dependence - ✔✔A maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to
clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by 3 or more of the following
7 criteria: tolerance, withdrawal, increased dose or dosing for longer periods of time,
attempts to cut down unsuccessfully, time spent obtaining, using, recovering from use,
important social, occupational and recreational activities given up or reduced because
of use, physical or psychological problems caused or exacerbated by continued use.
✔✔Physiological Dependence - ✔✔Indicated by whether tolerance and withdrawal are
present.
✔✔Tolerance - ✔✔Defined by either a need for markedly increased amounts of the
substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect or markedly diminished effect with
continued use of the same amount of the substance.
✔✔Withdrawal - ✔✔Defined by either the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the
substance or the same or a closely related substance being taken to relieve or avoid
withdrawal symptoms.
✔✔Specifiers - ✔✔Used for Substance Dependence Diagnosis, these six categories
are: Early full remission, early partial remission, sustained full remission, sustained
partial remission, on agonist therapy, in a controlled environment.
✔✔Polysubstance Dependence - ✔✔The proper diagnosis for a client who has
repeatedly taken at least three groups of substances, and who meets creiteria for
dependence for the substances as a group, but not for the substances individually.
✔✔Dually-Diagnosed - ✔✔This client has one or more other psychiatric disorders along
with substance abuse or substance dependence. Also known as co-occurring disorders.
All disorders should be treated concurrently and aggressively.
✔✔Affect - ✔✔The external expression of an internal emotional state.
✔✔Mood - ✔✔A sustained emotion. Changes less frequently than affect.
