Peer Support Specialist Certification Exam
Study Questions and Answers
Person-Centered ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-A ‘.person-centered ‘.approach ‘.is ‘.where ‘.the ‘.person ‘.is
‘.placed ‘.at ‘.the ‘.center ‘.of ‘.the ‘.service ‘.and ‘.treated ‘.as ‘.a
person ‘.first.
What ‘.are ‘.the ‘.OARS ‘.tools ‘.in ‘.Motivational ‘.Interviewing? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-O ‘.Open-ended
‘.questions ‘.invite ‘.others ‘.to ‘."tell ‘.their ‘.story" ‘.in ‘.their ‘.own ‘.words ‘.without
leading ‘.them ‘.in ‘.a ‘.specific ‘.direction ‘.(as ‘.opposed ‘.to ‘.questions ‘.that ‘.can ‘.be ‘.answered ‘.yes
or ‘.no). ‘.Be ‘.cautious ‘.about ‘.asking ‘.too ‘.many ‘.questions ‘.as ‘.it ‘.can ‘.damage ‘.the ‘.peer
relationship.
A ‘.Affirmations ‘.are ‘.statements ‘.and ‘.gestures ‘.that ‘.recognize ‘.a ‘.person's ‘.strengths ‘.and
acknowledge ‘.behaviors ‘.that ‘.lead ‘.in ‘.the ‘.direction ‘.of ‘.positive ‘.change, ‘.no ‘.matter ‘.how
large ‘.or ‘.small.
R ‘.Reflections/ ‘.Reflective ‘.listening ‘.ensures ‘.that ‘.the ‘.person's ‘.words ‘.are ‘.interpreted
correctly ‘.and ‘.their ‘.inner ‘.wisdom ‘.is ‘.respected.
S ‘.Summaries ‘.are ‘.a ‘.type ‘.of ‘.reflective ‘.listening ‘.which ‘.helps ‘.to ‘.ensure ‘.that ‘.there ‘.is ‘.clear
communication ‘.between ‘.the ‘.speaker ‘.and ‘.listener. ‘.Summaries ‘.can ‘.provide ‘.a ‘.stepping
stone ‘.towards ‘.change.
Reflections/
, What ‘.is ‘.the ‘.tool ‘."Elicit- ‘.Provide-Elicit" ‘.in ‘.Motivational ‘.Interviewing? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-
Elicit—Ask ‘.permission ‘.to ‘.give ‘.information ‘.or ‘.ask ‘.which ‘.information ‘.the ‘.person ‘.is ‘.asking
‘.for.
● ‘."Would ‘.it ‘.be ‘.all ‘.right ‘.if ‘.I ‘.tell ‘.you ‘.about ‘.a ‘.few ‘.self-help ‘.support ‘.groups ‘.that ‘.have
‘.worked
for ‘.other ‘.people?'
● ‘."Would ‘.you ‘.like ‘.to ‘.know ‘.about....?"
● ‘."What ‘.would ‘.you ‘.like ‘.to ‘.know ‘.about....?"
What ‘.are ‘.whole ‘.health ‘.goals? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-Whole ‘.person ‘.health ‘.involves ‘.looking ‘.at
‘.the ‘.whole ‘.person ‘.instead ‘.of ‘.looking ‘.at ‘.health ‘.as ‘.fragments ‘.of
diseases, ‘.symptoms ‘.and ‘.problems. ‘.It ‘.is ‘.shifting ‘.from ‘.only ‘.thinking ‘.about ‘.'What ‘.is ‘.the
‘.matter ‘.with ‘.you?'
to ‘.thinking ‘.about ‘.what ‘.matters ‘.to ‘.you.
What ‘.are ‘.the ‘.basic ‘.five ‘.stages ‘.in ‘.the ‘.recovery ‘.process? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-Pre-
Contemplation ‘.Not ‘.ready
Contemplation ‘.Getting ‘.ready
Preparation ‘.Ready
Action ‘.Making ‘.change
Maintenance ‘.Keeping ‘.up ‘.change
What ‘.is ‘."recovery" ‘.according ‘.to ‘.the ‘.Substance ‘.Abuse ‘.Mental ‘.Health ‘.Services
‘.Administration
(SAMHSA)? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-SAMHSA ‘.definition: ‘."A ‘.process ‘.of ‘.change ‘.through ‘.which
‘.individuals ‘.improve ‘.their ‘.health ‘.and ‘.wellness,
live ‘.a ‘.self-directed ‘.life, ‘.and ‘.strive ‘.to ‘.reach ‘.their ‘.full ‘.potential." ‘.This ‘.definition ‘.does ‘.not
‘.describe ‘.recovery ‘.as ‘.an ‘.end ‘.state, ‘.but ‘.rather ‘.as ‘.a ‘.process. ‘.Complete ‘.symptom ‘.remission
‘.is ‘.neither ‘.a ‘.prerequisite ‘.of
recovery ‘.nor ‘.a ‘.necessary ‘.outcome ‘.of ‘.the ‘.process. ‘.Recovery ‘.can ‘.have ‘.many ‘.pathways
‘.that ‘.may ‘.include
professional ‘.clinical ‘.treatment; ‘.use ‘.of ‘.medications; ‘.support ‘.from ‘.families ‘.and ‘.in ‘.schools;
‘.faith-based
Study Questions and Answers
Person-Centered ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-A ‘.person-centered ‘.approach ‘.is ‘.where ‘.the ‘.person ‘.is
‘.placed ‘.at ‘.the ‘.center ‘.of ‘.the ‘.service ‘.and ‘.treated ‘.as ‘.a
person ‘.first.
What ‘.are ‘.the ‘.OARS ‘.tools ‘.in ‘.Motivational ‘.Interviewing? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-O ‘.Open-ended
‘.questions ‘.invite ‘.others ‘.to ‘."tell ‘.their ‘.story" ‘.in ‘.their ‘.own ‘.words ‘.without
leading ‘.them ‘.in ‘.a ‘.specific ‘.direction ‘.(as ‘.opposed ‘.to ‘.questions ‘.that ‘.can ‘.be ‘.answered ‘.yes
or ‘.no). ‘.Be ‘.cautious ‘.about ‘.asking ‘.too ‘.many ‘.questions ‘.as ‘.it ‘.can ‘.damage ‘.the ‘.peer
relationship.
A ‘.Affirmations ‘.are ‘.statements ‘.and ‘.gestures ‘.that ‘.recognize ‘.a ‘.person's ‘.strengths ‘.and
acknowledge ‘.behaviors ‘.that ‘.lead ‘.in ‘.the ‘.direction ‘.of ‘.positive ‘.change, ‘.no ‘.matter ‘.how
large ‘.or ‘.small.
R ‘.Reflections/ ‘.Reflective ‘.listening ‘.ensures ‘.that ‘.the ‘.person's ‘.words ‘.are ‘.interpreted
correctly ‘.and ‘.their ‘.inner ‘.wisdom ‘.is ‘.respected.
S ‘.Summaries ‘.are ‘.a ‘.type ‘.of ‘.reflective ‘.listening ‘.which ‘.helps ‘.to ‘.ensure ‘.that ‘.there ‘.is ‘.clear
communication ‘.between ‘.the ‘.speaker ‘.and ‘.listener. ‘.Summaries ‘.can ‘.provide ‘.a ‘.stepping
stone ‘.towards ‘.change.
Reflections/
, What ‘.is ‘.the ‘.tool ‘."Elicit- ‘.Provide-Elicit" ‘.in ‘.Motivational ‘.Interviewing? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-
Elicit—Ask ‘.permission ‘.to ‘.give ‘.information ‘.or ‘.ask ‘.which ‘.information ‘.the ‘.person ‘.is ‘.asking
‘.for.
● ‘."Would ‘.it ‘.be ‘.all ‘.right ‘.if ‘.I ‘.tell ‘.you ‘.about ‘.a ‘.few ‘.self-help ‘.support ‘.groups ‘.that ‘.have
‘.worked
for ‘.other ‘.people?'
● ‘."Would ‘.you ‘.like ‘.to ‘.know ‘.about....?"
● ‘."What ‘.would ‘.you ‘.like ‘.to ‘.know ‘.about....?"
What ‘.are ‘.whole ‘.health ‘.goals? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-Whole ‘.person ‘.health ‘.involves ‘.looking ‘.at
‘.the ‘.whole ‘.person ‘.instead ‘.of ‘.looking ‘.at ‘.health ‘.as ‘.fragments ‘.of
diseases, ‘.symptoms ‘.and ‘.problems. ‘.It ‘.is ‘.shifting ‘.from ‘.only ‘.thinking ‘.about ‘.'What ‘.is ‘.the
‘.matter ‘.with ‘.you?'
to ‘.thinking ‘.about ‘.what ‘.matters ‘.to ‘.you.
What ‘.are ‘.the ‘.basic ‘.five ‘.stages ‘.in ‘.the ‘.recovery ‘.process? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-Pre-
Contemplation ‘.Not ‘.ready
Contemplation ‘.Getting ‘.ready
Preparation ‘.Ready
Action ‘.Making ‘.change
Maintenance ‘.Keeping ‘.up ‘.change
What ‘.is ‘."recovery" ‘.according ‘.to ‘.the ‘.Substance ‘.Abuse ‘.Mental ‘.Health ‘.Services
‘.Administration
(SAMHSA)? ‘.- ‘.(correct ‘.answer) ‘.-SAMHSA ‘.definition: ‘."A ‘.process ‘.of ‘.change ‘.through ‘.which
‘.individuals ‘.improve ‘.their ‘.health ‘.and ‘.wellness,
live ‘.a ‘.self-directed ‘.life, ‘.and ‘.strive ‘.to ‘.reach ‘.their ‘.full ‘.potential." ‘.This ‘.definition ‘.does ‘.not
‘.describe ‘.recovery ‘.as ‘.an ‘.end ‘.state, ‘.but ‘.rather ‘.as ‘.a ‘.process. ‘.Complete ‘.symptom ‘.remission
‘.is ‘.neither ‘.a ‘.prerequisite ‘.of
recovery ‘.nor ‘.a ‘.necessary ‘.outcome ‘.of ‘.the ‘.process. ‘.Recovery ‘.can ‘.have ‘.many ‘.pathways
‘.that ‘.may ‘.include
professional ‘.clinical ‘.treatment; ‘.use ‘.of ‘.medications; ‘.support ‘.from ‘.families ‘.and ‘.in ‘.schools;
‘.faith-based
