How Well the Client Copes Determines What Happens Next

How Well the Client Copes Determines What Happens Next 

When confronted with a high-risk situation like the ones just described, the client has choices for how to cope. If the client has been instructed well in the use of skills, has spent significant amounts of time rehearsing how she or he will respond to such situations, and has practiced those responses under real conditions, then she or he will likely cope with a high-risk situation without using drugs. However, sometimes the client does not cope well, perhaps because she or he has not anticipated such a situation, has not learned the appropriate skill, has not learned to use that skill in this situation, or has chosen not to use a skill she or he knows. 

For whatever reason, the client may not successfully negotiate the high-risk situation in a way that averts the risk. Unsuccessful coping may cause two unfortunate events to occur. The first is a reduction in her or his self-efficacy to successfully cope with the situation without drug use. As you may remember, self-efficacy involves the sense of mastery of a situation that results from competence and confidence. Client competence and confidence can take a beating when a high-risk situation is not handled effectively. 

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