ASAM CRITERIA COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ episode of care.
Answer: the set of services provided to treat a clinical condition or
procedure
◍ Continuum of Care.
Answer: patients' transition or series of transitions from an acute care setting
(inpatient) to the community (peer support), based on the severity of
symptoms/needs
◍ ASAM Criteria.
Answer: screening > diagnosis > severity > readiness & relapse potential
◍ ASAM Dimensions.
Answer: 1. Acute intoxication/withdrawal potential 2. Biomedical
conditions/complications 3. Emotional/behavioral/cognitive conditions and
complications 4. Readiness to change 5. Relapse, continued use, continued
problem potential 6. Recovery/living environment
◍ ASAM Levels of Care.
Answer: Moderate or impairment
◍ ASAM (High) Level of Care.
Answer: Residential or Inpatient TreatmentPlanned regimen of care in a 24
hour live in setting
◍ ASAM (low ) Level of Care.
Answer: Called Outpatient Services for adolescents and adults, this level of
care typically consists of less than 9 hours of service/week for adults, or less
, than 6 hours a week for adolescents for recovery or motivational
enhancement therapies and strategies. encompasses organized services that
may be delivered in a wide variety of settings. A detailed description of the
services typically offered in this level of care
◍ cross-reactivity.
Answer: a term pertaining to drug screening that describes instances where a
non-mood-altering substance (e.g., aspirin) is mistakenly detected on a drug
screen as a drug of abuse (e.g., cocaine)
◍ direct questions.
Answer: the types of questions contained on many questionnaires, tests, and
inventories used to screen or assess individuals with SUDs. Direct questions
include those types of questions that ask specifically about substance use
and related problems, e.g. "have you ever experienced memory loss as a
result of drinking?"
◍ false negative.
Answer: refers to a situation whereby someone tests negative for a particular
condition when in fact that person does have that particular condition
◍ false positive.
Answer: refers to a situation whereby someone tests as having a condition
(i.e., tests positive) when they in reality do NOT have that particular
condition
◍ gaschromatography/ mass spectrometry indirect questions.
Answer: or GC/MS testing is considered the "gold standard" as it pertains to
drug screening because it employs more accurate means of drug-screen
analysisthe types of questions on tests, inventories, and questionnaires that
do not ask specifically about substance use or related problems but rather
correlates of SUDs such as impulsivity or high sensation-seeking
◍ reliability.
Answer: a test or questionnaire is considered reliable based on its ability to
consistently measure over time and with similar participants what it sets out
STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ episode of care.
Answer: the set of services provided to treat a clinical condition or
procedure
◍ Continuum of Care.
Answer: patients' transition or series of transitions from an acute care setting
(inpatient) to the community (peer support), based on the severity of
symptoms/needs
◍ ASAM Criteria.
Answer: screening > diagnosis > severity > readiness & relapse potential
◍ ASAM Dimensions.
Answer: 1. Acute intoxication/withdrawal potential 2. Biomedical
conditions/complications 3. Emotional/behavioral/cognitive conditions and
complications 4. Readiness to change 5. Relapse, continued use, continued
problem potential 6. Recovery/living environment
◍ ASAM Levels of Care.
Answer: Moderate or impairment
◍ ASAM (High) Level of Care.
Answer: Residential or Inpatient TreatmentPlanned regimen of care in a 24
hour live in setting
◍ ASAM (low ) Level of Care.
Answer: Called Outpatient Services for adolescents and adults, this level of
care typically consists of less than 9 hours of service/week for adults, or less
, than 6 hours a week for adolescents for recovery or motivational
enhancement therapies and strategies. encompasses organized services that
may be delivered in a wide variety of settings. A detailed description of the
services typically offered in this level of care
◍ cross-reactivity.
Answer: a term pertaining to drug screening that describes instances where a
non-mood-altering substance (e.g., aspirin) is mistakenly detected on a drug
screen as a drug of abuse (e.g., cocaine)
◍ direct questions.
Answer: the types of questions contained on many questionnaires, tests, and
inventories used to screen or assess individuals with SUDs. Direct questions
include those types of questions that ask specifically about substance use
and related problems, e.g. "have you ever experienced memory loss as a
result of drinking?"
◍ false negative.
Answer: refers to a situation whereby someone tests negative for a particular
condition when in fact that person does have that particular condition
◍ false positive.
Answer: refers to a situation whereby someone tests as having a condition
(i.e., tests positive) when they in reality do NOT have that particular
condition
◍ gaschromatography/ mass spectrometry indirect questions.
Answer: or GC/MS testing is considered the "gold standard" as it pertains to
drug screening because it employs more accurate means of drug-screen
analysisthe types of questions on tests, inventories, and questionnaires that
do not ask specifically about substance use or related problems but rather
correlates of SUDs such as impulsivity or high sensation-seeking
◍ reliability.
Answer: a test or questionnaire is considered reliable based on its ability to
consistently measure over time and with similar participants what it sets out
