Book excerpt: Compare our prices! The purpose of this study guide is to assist candidates in preparing for the NCTRC national certification examination for Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists. We are excited to tell you that this fifth edition of the Study Guide for the Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Certification Examination has changed significantly from previous editions. This is largely due to two reasons: (a) the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) has recently updated the Job Analysis, which helps structure the content of the test, and (b) the computerized test has a newer format of a 150-item test. Therefore, we have restructured the Study Guide to align more closely with the most recent NCTRC exam content and format. In addition, weve added over 100 new items for a total of over 850 practice test items! The Study Guide offers over 250 random practice items, plus four practice exams, each with 150 items distributed across the job analysis that mirrors the national exam. In preparing this Study Guide, our mission is two-fold: (a) to provide information that helps candidates reduce test anxiety and maximize test performance; and (b) to provide numerous sample questions, similar to those actually found on the exam, that will allow candidates to practice and self-assess their own readiness for the test. For many individuals, the thought of taking a certification examination can be unsettling. We often hear statements such as, I have never taken a comprehensive exam. There is so much information. How do I learn it all? This Study Guide will help to identify areas where you need further study to help you ace your NCTRC certification examination!