Deck 12: Substance Abuse Treatment With Sexual Minorities

Question 1

You are treating an Asian American woman who self-identifies as a bisexual alcoholic. She says her sexuality is related to her alcoholism because others in her social network condemn her when she dates women and it makes her want to drink. She tried two different AA groups but feels uncomfortable at both. What do you do?

A) Validate the client's experience of attraction to both genders and include her family and friends in her treatment.
B) Validate the client's experience of attraction to both genders and help her develop social networks that support her identity.
C) Refer her to specialized treatment for lesbians.
D) Refer her to specialized treatment for Asian Americans.

Answer 1

Validate the client's experience of attraction to both genders and help her develop social networks that support her identity.

Question 2

What attitudes and skills must a social services professional display and apply when working with LGBT clients? Name at least three attitudes and three skills. Discuss why each is important.

Answer 2

Not Answer

Question 3

Suppose you are a gay man. Your therapist seems to discuss your treatment solely in terms of your sexual orientation. However, when you start to discuss your sexual behavior in more detail, he changes the subject. The therapist is exhibiting .

A) gay affirmative practice
B) gay affirmative action
C) signs of homophobia
D) signs of heterosexuality

Answer 3

signs of homophobia

Question 4

A teen comes in for assessment. She admits to an addiction to alcohol, frequent use of marijuana, and suicidal thoughts. She is having trouble with other teens at her school but does not answer when you ask why or in what way. She just says her parents would be so upset if they knew why. What follow-up question might you ask?

A) Why do you want to kill yourself?
B) Do you think of yourself as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or something else?
C) Did you commit a crime that you are now ashamed of?
D) Are fellow students harassing you because of your sexuality?

Question 5

The to disclose sexual identity varies by situation; the to disclose sexual identity endures over time.

A) need; decision
B) need; desire
C) decision; desire
D) decision; need

Question 6

A person is compelled to undergo treatment for alcohol addiction by a court. You are performing the assessment. The client refuses to admit he has an alcohol problem. You ask if he thinks of himself as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or something else, and, angrily, he says heterosexual. What might he possibly be experiencing?

A) Homophobia
B) Heterophobia
C) Internalized homophobia
D) Internalized heterophobia

Question 7

What are at least three similarities in identifying as a LGBT individual and an addict? Discuss how LGBT identity development and the coming-out process can impact an addict's use of a Twelve-Step program that encourages honesty.

Question 8

Why is an understanding of language and terminology important in working with LGBT clients? What are the preferred terms out of gay/lesbian/bisexual or homosexual, and sexual orientation or sexual preference?

Question 9

A lesbian woman comes in for an assessment. She says she is drinking more because her partner is in the hospital with a terminal disease and she is not permitted to stay with her because of state laws. The assessor should probably .

A) help the client campaign for visitation rights and protest state policies
B) refer the client to a gay affirmative resource
C) assess use/misuse/abuse of alcohol; refer the client to a welcoming religious organization to help her deal with the impending death of her loved one
D) assess use/misuse/abuse of alcohol; refer the client to a gay affirmative resource specializing in LGBT issues such as hospital visitation

Question 10

A man dressed as a woman comes in for an assessment. He self- identifies as a man. He asks you if he can interrupt your session to use the restroom and asks where it is when you say, "Of course." What is the best response you could give?

A) The men's room is down the hall, last door on the left.
B) The women's room is down the hall, last door on the right.
C) There's a restroom at each end of the hall.
D) There's a unisex restroom at each end of the hall.

Question 11

A lesbian woman is assessed for treatment of a methamphetamine addiction. She recently came out, is fairly uncomfortable with her sexuality, and has family who are not supportive of her three-month relationship with her partner, who does not know of her drug addiction. The practitioner should probably .

A) consider including her partner and family in treatment.
B) not include her partner or family in treatment and should focus on individual-based treatment
C) refer the client to a Twelve-Step program for lesbian drug addicts
D) emphasize the client's sexual orientation in determining treatment options

Question 12

What are six benefits of specialized treatment for LGBT addicts according to Hicks? What are some potential difficulties? Discuss the impact of integrated programs.

Question 13

The modern description of the term homophobia is .

A) being afraid that you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender
B) the broad range of negative attitudes about gays and lesbians
C) the dread of being in close quarters with gays, lesbians, bisexuals, or transgender individuals
D) the dread of being in close quarters with homosexuals

Question 14

A gay man you are treating is a bit reluctant to enter a Twelve-Step program specifically for gay men. He asks you why should he go. You list several benefits, including that such specialized group treatment .

A) provides an environment of mistrust
B) offers a safe place to work through internalized heterophobia
C) enables him to meet other gay men with whom he can drink socially
D) help reduce the anti-male feelings that all men experience

Question 15

What is gay affirmative practice? Why is it important for a social services professional to understand and use gay affirmative practice when working with LGBT clients?

Question 16

is an illness; is not.

A) Alcoholism; drug abuse
B) Homosexuality; drug/alcohol abuse
C) Substance addiction; homosexuality
D) LGBT orientation; substance abuse

Question 17

Which statement is a "Do" for social service practitioners serving LGBT individuals?

A) Use proper nouns based on the client's self-identity.
B) Bear in mind that transgender women or men are gay.
C) Discourage transgender clients to continue hormone therapy while undergoing treatment for addiction.
D) Have a transgender client educate professional staff on transgender issues.