Adolescent Relapse Coping Questionnaire (ARCQ)
Mark Myers‚ 1990‚ revised 1994
IMAGINE IF YOU FOUND YOURSELF IN THIS SITUATION:
You arrive at a friend’s house in the evening. There are a few other people‚ everyone is sitting around talking‚ drinking‚ and using drugs. When you sit down‚ you are offereddrugs and something to drink.
1. Have you ever been in a situation like this? (circle your answer)
1= Never; 2= Once or twice; 3= Three to five times; 4= More than five times
2. How difficult would this situation be for you? how hard to cope with?
1=Not at all Difficult‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4‚ 5= Somewhat Difficult=6‚ 7‚ 8‚ 9‚ 10= Very Difficult
3. How much would you want to drink or use in this situation? How much of an urge would you have?
1= No urge at all‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4‚ 5= Moderate Urge =6‚ 7‚ 8‚ 9‚ 10= Very Strong Urge
4. How much of a risk for relapse (i.e.‚ drinking and/or using) is this situation?
1= No risk at all‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4‚ 5= Moderate Risk =6‚ 7‚ 8‚ 9‚ 10= Very High Risk
5. How important is it that you don’t drink or use in this situation?
1= Not at all Important‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4‚ 5= Somewhat Important =6‚ 7‚ 8‚ 9‚ 10= Very Important
6. How likely do you think it is that you would be able to keep from drinking and/or using (i.e.‚ not drink or use) in this situation?
1= Definitely Would use‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4‚ 5= Might Use=6‚ 7‚ 8‚ 9‚ 10= Definitely Wouldn’t use
Remember this situation:
You arrive at a friend’s house in the evening. There are a few other people‚ everyone is sitting around talking‚ drinking‚ and using drugs. When you sit down‚ you are offered drugs and something to drink.
1) Use the support of a higher power (for example‚ pray‚ meditate).
2) Do something instead of using or drinking (watch TV‚ socialize).
3) Make a promise to yourself that things will be different next time.
4) Just concentrate on what you have to do next the next step (in the situation or afterwards).
5) Think of a better time or place than the one you are in – imagine things that make you feel better.
6) Stand your ground and fight for what you want (for example‚ do what you think is right regardless of other’s opinions).
7) Wish you were a stronger person.
8) Change something so things will turn out all right (for example‚ get out of the situation).
9) Think to yourself you don’t want to blow your sobriety‚ or go back to drinking and/or using drugs.
10) Come up with a couple of different ways to handle the situation (for example‚ think about ways to avoid negative consequences).
11) Change something about yourself so you can deal with the situation better (for example‚ decide to be more patient‚ to have more willpower‚ etc.).
12) Let your feelings out somehow.
13) Realize you brought the situation on yourself; blame yourself.
14) Leave or avoid the situation.
15) Discover what is important in life (think that you’ll learn something important about yourself‚ change your priorities‚ etc. as a result of your experience).
16) Use self-control or will power.
17) Try to forget the whole thing.
18) Criticize or lecture yourself.
19) Think you would feel guilty if you use or drink.
20) Keep others from knowing how bad things are.
21) Think that drinking or using is bad; you don’t want to be part of it.
22) Talk to someone to find out more about the situation (for example‚ to find out how you could avoid the situation and its consequences if it comes up again).
23) Contact a support for staying clean (for example‚ call a sponsor or sober friend‚ go to NA/AA meeting).
24) Do something which you think won’t work but at least you’re doing something (for example‚ try to refuse alcohol or drugs even if you think you’ll give in eventually)
25) Make a plan of action and follow it (for example‚ plan in advance how you would act in this type of situation).
26) Try to look on the bright side of things‚ look for something good that could come out of the situation.
27) Think others who matter to you (family‚ friends) will be upset.
28) Wish that you could change what had happened (for example‚ feel bad that you couldn’t avoid the situation).
This instrument can be found online at: http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/html.cfm/index3554EN.html
1=Definitely would not do or think‚2 ‚3=Might do or think =4‚ 5‚6‚7= Definitely would do or think
Cognitive and behavioral problem solving; items: 2‚ 4‚ 5‚ 6‚ 10‚ 11‚ 12‚ 15‚ 16‚ 24‚ 25 and 26
Self-critical thinking; items: 3‚ 7‚ 13‚ 17‚ 18‚ 20and 28
Abstinence focused coping; items: 1‚ 8‚ 9‚ 14‚ 19‚ 21‚ 22‚ 23and 27
Note: front page items assess appraisal (2 – 6)‚ and will be useful for assessing treatment process.
Scale 3 (abstinence focused coping) best predictor of concurrent and future substance use.
Myers‚ M.G.‚ & Brown‚ S.A. (1996). The Adolescent Relapse Coping Questionnaire: Psychometric validation. Journal of Studies on Alcohol‚ 57‚ 40-46.
Myers‚ M.G. & Brown‚ S.A. (1990). Coping responses and relapse among adolescent substance abusers. Journal of Substance Abuse‚ 2‚ 177-189.
Myers‚ M.G. & Brown‚ S. A. (1990). Coping and appraisal in relapse risk situations among substance abusing adolescents following treatment. Journal of Adolescent Chemical Dependency‚ 1‚ 95-115.
Myers‚ M.G.‚ Brown‚ S.A.‚ & Mott‚ M.A. (1993). Coping as a predictor of adolescent substance abuse treatment outcome. Journal of Substance Abuse‚ 5‚ 15-29.
*Myers‚ M.G.‚ Lennox‚ G.A.‚ & Brown‚ S.A. Further psychometric assessment of the Adolescent Relapse Coping Questionnaire. Poster presented at the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy Annual Meeting‚ New York‚ NY‚ November 1996.