10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
The ADC exam has 150 questions and runs 3 hours.
These 10 free ADC questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Alcohol & Drug Counselor blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
A client with long-standing alcohol use disorder says the first drink of the morning no longer produces much pleasure, but quickly relieves shaking and nausea. He begins drinking earlier each day to avoid those symptoms. What most directly reinforces the morning drinking?
Correct answer: A - Removal of an aversive state through negative reinforcement.
In a medically monitored setting, a client who usually drinks throughout the day develops tremor, sweating, nausea, and a pulse of 112/min. Blood alcohol concentration has fallen from 0.16% at admission to 0.07% four hours later. A colleague argues that the detectable alcohol rules out withdrawal. Which interpretation is accurate?
Correct answer: C - Withdrawal can emerge as alcohol exposure falls, even while the blood alcohol test remains positive.
A client physically dependent on heroin takes buprenorphine/naloxone under the tongue soon after using heroin, before noticeable withdrawal begins. Within 30 minutes, he develops repeated yawning, profuse sweating, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. The medical team is managing the reaction. Which mechanism best accounts for the abrupt change?
Correct answer: C - Buprenorphine displaces the full agonist while producing less opioid receptor activation.
During a confidential interview, a 16-year-old reports cannabis use on several weekends in the past year and has a CRAFFT 2.1 score of 3. School attendance and grades remain strong. No immediate safety concern is identified. How should the counselor interpret these findings?
Correct answer: D - High-risk screening results warrant further assessment, not an automatic substance use disorder diagnosis.
A 35-year-old man reports having "only three beers" at a gathering. Each was a 16-US-fluid-ounce can containing 8% alcohol by volume, and he finished all three in about two hours. No diagnostic interview has yet been completed. Which entry accurately combines his U.S. standard-drink intake with its clinical interpretation?
Correct answer: A - 6.4 standard drinks; a binge-level episode, not an alcohol use disorder diagnosis.
A client says, "A few beers help me switch off after work, but my son asked why I keep falling asleep before we read together." He has not decided whether to change his drinking. Which reply reflects both sides of his ambivalence without moving ahead to a plan?
Correct answer: C - "Drinking helps you unwind, and you're missing that time with your son."
At a reentry center, a client who resumed opioid use after several months in custody remains unresponsive four minutes after receiving intranasal naloxone. He is taking four shallow breaths per minute. Emergency medical services are on the way, and a trained staff member is providing breathing support. A second device is available. What action should accompany the ongoing breathing support?
Correct answer: B - Administer another naloxone dose while breathing support and emergency response continue.
A client with opioid use disorder has been stable on prescribed buprenorphine and has had no nonprescribed opioid use for eight months. After learning she is ten weeks pregnant, she says, "I should stop the medication now so the baby won't be exposed." Which counseling message provides accurate guidance?
Correct answer: A - "Don't stop it on your own; coordinate continued treatment with your prescriber and prenatal clinician."
A federally assisted substance-use treatment program holds a valid 42 CFR Part 2 consent authorizing future treatment, payment, and health care operations disclosures. A client's primary care practice requests an ordinary treatment progress summary to coordinate care. The request falls within the consent's scope; separately maintained SUD counseling notes are not requested. Under the Part 2 requirements applicable after February 16, 2026, which approach is appropriate?
Correct answer: B - Use the existing consent to disclose the requested summary with the required Part 2 notice and consent information.
In a small town, a counselor learns that her child and a current client's child have joined the same sports team. She has no personal relationship with the client outside treatment, and the client wants to continue counseling. No equally accessible counselor is available. How should she manage the foreseeable community contact?
Correct answer: D - Discuss privacy boundaries with the client, consult supervision, and document safeguards for public contact.
The full bank has 1,020 more ADC questions with explanations.
Continue in the free practice test →
View plans