CASAC PRACTICE SCRIPT UPDATED 2026
TESTED SOLUTIONS
⫸ Biopsychosocial perspective Answer: This recognizes that there are
biological, psychological and social causes of substance abuse and
dependence.
⫸ Biological factors Answer: These include brain chemistry problems,
which may be genetic, making some people particularly vulnerable to
addiction to certain drugs once they try them.
⫸ Psychological factors Answer: These include cognitive styles,
personality traits, and early developmental experiences that may
contribute to a client's causes of substance abuse and dependence.
⫸ Social factors Answer: These include poverty, oppression, poorly
developed social skills, and family dysfunction that may contribute to a
client's causes of substance abuse and dependence.
⫸ Motivational interviewing Answer: This is a style of interacting with
clents, used not only for assessment, but for all phases of treatment, that
is particularly helpful for reducing defensiveness and encouraging
therapeutic collaboration between the counselor and client. Uses the
interpersonal process to enhance clients' motivation to change, and
encourages clients to move on to the next stage of readiness for change.
, ⫸ Assessment Instruments Answer: These aid in the identification of,
and treatment planning for substance related disorders.
⫸ Reliability Answer: This refers to the consistency with which an
assessment instrument measures.
⫸ Validity Answer: This refers to what an assessment instrument
measures and how it is used.
⫸ Screening Instrument Answer: This distinguishes individuals who do
not have a disorder from those who might have one.
⫸ AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) Answer: The 10
items on this instrument developed by the World Health Organization
ask about frequency of drinking, alcohol dependence, and problems
caused by alcohol. Scores range from 0 to 40 with a score of 8 or higher
indicating the likelihood of harmful alcohol consumption.
⫸ CAGE Answer: Four questions - yes to one indicates the possibility
of alcohol dependence. Cut down? Annoyed by criticism of drinking
behavior? Guilty about drinking? Eye-opener?
⫸ DAST Answer: Drug Abuse Screening Test, adapted from MAST
and used to detect abuse or dependence on drugs other than alcohol.
TESTED SOLUTIONS
⫸ Biopsychosocial perspective Answer: This recognizes that there are
biological, psychological and social causes of substance abuse and
dependence.
⫸ Biological factors Answer: These include brain chemistry problems,
which may be genetic, making some people particularly vulnerable to
addiction to certain drugs once they try them.
⫸ Psychological factors Answer: These include cognitive styles,
personality traits, and early developmental experiences that may
contribute to a client's causes of substance abuse and dependence.
⫸ Social factors Answer: These include poverty, oppression, poorly
developed social skills, and family dysfunction that may contribute to a
client's causes of substance abuse and dependence.
⫸ Motivational interviewing Answer: This is a style of interacting with
clents, used not only for assessment, but for all phases of treatment, that
is particularly helpful for reducing defensiveness and encouraging
therapeutic collaboration between the counselor and client. Uses the
interpersonal process to enhance clients' motivation to change, and
encourages clients to move on to the next stage of readiness for change.
, ⫸ Assessment Instruments Answer: These aid in the identification of,
and treatment planning for substance related disorders.
⫸ Reliability Answer: This refers to the consistency with which an
assessment instrument measures.
⫸ Validity Answer: This refers to what an assessment instrument
measures and how it is used.
⫸ Screening Instrument Answer: This distinguishes individuals who do
not have a disorder from those who might have one.
⫸ AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) Answer: The 10
items on this instrument developed by the World Health Organization
ask about frequency of drinking, alcohol dependence, and problems
caused by alcohol. Scores range from 0 to 40 with a score of 8 or higher
indicating the likelihood of harmful alcohol consumption.
⫸ CAGE Answer: Four questions - yes to one indicates the possibility
of alcohol dependence. Cut down? Annoyed by criticism of drinking
behavior? Guilty about drinking? Eye-opener?
⫸ DAST Answer: Drug Abuse Screening Test, adapted from MAST
and used to detect abuse or dependence on drugs other than alcohol.
