PSY 661 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
A client initiates therapy for depression following a failed marriage. The therapist finds
the client very attractive. Which of the following actions should the therapist take to
manage the ethical obligation in this case?
A. Suppress personal feelings of attraction and continue providing therapy
B. Inform the client of the therapist's feelings and discuss therapeutic boundaries
C. Explain the ethical issue to the client and provide a referral to an alternate therapist
D. Seek consultation to manage the attraction and monitor therapeutic boundaries -
answers - d. Seek consultation to manage the attraction and monitor therapeutic
boundaries
A therapist is currently involved in a contentious divorce and perceives his spouse as
aggressive and unreasonable. The therapist begins meeting weekly with a colleague for
consultation to prevent his feelings from impacting therapy with his clients. Three weeks
later, a client who has been in ongoing therapy for symptoms of depression begins
describing relationship difficulties that are similar to what the therapist is experiencing.
Which of the following actions should the therapist take to manage the ethical issues
involved in this case?
A. Provide continued treatment to the client and discuss the case with the colleague to
monitor own feelings
B. Utilize limited self-disclosure and reassure the client of the therapist's understanding
to enhance therapeutic empathy
C. Explain the potential for bias on the part of the therapist and refer the client to an
alternate therapist to provide ongoing treatment
D. Contain - answers - a. Provide continued treatment to the client and discuss the case
with the colleague to monitor own feelings
A 47-year-old client is referred for therapy by his pastor for complaints of problems in
his marriage. The client wants to work on issues that involve only him, but mentions that
he was in therapy with his wife several months ago. He wants to obtain the records from
the previous therapist, but does not want his wife to know he has sought treatment
alone. Which of the following actions should the therapist take in this situation?
A. Have the client sign a release to obtain treatment records that pertain to him
B. Contact the previous therapist to request summary records of the client's therapy
C. Inform the client that the couple must each sign a release for previous treatment
records
, D. Reassure the client that the records are not necessary because the treatment focus
has changed - answers - c. Inform the client that the couple must each sign a release
for previous treatment records
During an initial session, a client tells the counselor that she is currently seeing another
counselor. She expresses angry feelings toward the other counselor and would like to
get another perspective on her problems. What action should the counselor take?
A. Contract a set number of sessions with the client before sending her back to her
current counselor
B. Inform the client that she needs to terminate her ongoing therapy before the
counselor can provide treatment
C. See the client until she makes up her mind which counselor she wants to have for
therapy
D. Call the current counselor to inform him about the client's desire to change
counselors - answers - b. Inform the client that she needs to terminate her ongoing
therapy before the counselor can provide treatment
Under which of the following circumstances must the counselor report child sexual
abuse?
A. An 18-year-old dependent adult consents to sex with a 17 year old
B. An emancipated 16-year-old consents to sex with a 21 year old
C. A 15-year-old consents to sex with a 21 year old
D. A 14-year-old consents to sex with a 15 year old - answers - c. A 15-year-old
consents to sex with a 21 year old
A 25-year-old client initiates therapy with complaints of chronic depression and lack of
motivation. The client currently lives with his grandparents, does not have any money,
and is attempting to finish graduate school. He discloses that his parents had a
traumatic divorce several years ago and he fears he will become like his father, who
had an emotional breakdown and abused his mother. The client currently has a
girlfriend who lives in another state, and he says he feels alone without her. Which of
the following actions should the therapist take to assess this client
A. Gather family history, explore client's strengths, identify coping mechanisms
B. Gather family history, determine somatic symptoms, identify familial coping patterns
C. Explore substance use, determine somatic symptoms, identify coping mechanisms
D. Explore substance use, explore client's strengths, identify familial coping patterns -
answers - a. Gather family history, explore client's strengths, identify coping
mechanisms
A 7-year-old client is brought to therapy by his mother, who states that the client has
been moody and defiant at home and has been fighting with other children at school.
She states that the client's change in behavior began four months ago, following a
foreclosure of the house that the family had lived in for several years. She further states
ANSWERS
A client initiates therapy for depression following a failed marriage. The therapist finds
the client very attractive. Which of the following actions should the therapist take to
manage the ethical obligation in this case?
A. Suppress personal feelings of attraction and continue providing therapy
B. Inform the client of the therapist's feelings and discuss therapeutic boundaries
C. Explain the ethical issue to the client and provide a referral to an alternate therapist
D. Seek consultation to manage the attraction and monitor therapeutic boundaries -
answers - d. Seek consultation to manage the attraction and monitor therapeutic
boundaries
A therapist is currently involved in a contentious divorce and perceives his spouse as
aggressive and unreasonable. The therapist begins meeting weekly with a colleague for
consultation to prevent his feelings from impacting therapy with his clients. Three weeks
later, a client who has been in ongoing therapy for symptoms of depression begins
describing relationship difficulties that are similar to what the therapist is experiencing.
Which of the following actions should the therapist take to manage the ethical issues
involved in this case?
A. Provide continued treatment to the client and discuss the case with the colleague to
monitor own feelings
B. Utilize limited self-disclosure and reassure the client of the therapist's understanding
to enhance therapeutic empathy
C. Explain the potential for bias on the part of the therapist and refer the client to an
alternate therapist to provide ongoing treatment
D. Contain - answers - a. Provide continued treatment to the client and discuss the case
with the colleague to monitor own feelings
A 47-year-old client is referred for therapy by his pastor for complaints of problems in
his marriage. The client wants to work on issues that involve only him, but mentions that
he was in therapy with his wife several months ago. He wants to obtain the records from
the previous therapist, but does not want his wife to know he has sought treatment
alone. Which of the following actions should the therapist take in this situation?
A. Have the client sign a release to obtain treatment records that pertain to him
B. Contact the previous therapist to request summary records of the client's therapy
C. Inform the client that the couple must each sign a release for previous treatment
records
, D. Reassure the client that the records are not necessary because the treatment focus
has changed - answers - c. Inform the client that the couple must each sign a release
for previous treatment records
During an initial session, a client tells the counselor that she is currently seeing another
counselor. She expresses angry feelings toward the other counselor and would like to
get another perspective on her problems. What action should the counselor take?
A. Contract a set number of sessions with the client before sending her back to her
current counselor
B. Inform the client that she needs to terminate her ongoing therapy before the
counselor can provide treatment
C. See the client until she makes up her mind which counselor she wants to have for
therapy
D. Call the current counselor to inform him about the client's desire to change
counselors - answers - b. Inform the client that she needs to terminate her ongoing
therapy before the counselor can provide treatment
Under which of the following circumstances must the counselor report child sexual
abuse?
A. An 18-year-old dependent adult consents to sex with a 17 year old
B. An emancipated 16-year-old consents to sex with a 21 year old
C. A 15-year-old consents to sex with a 21 year old
D. A 14-year-old consents to sex with a 15 year old - answers - c. A 15-year-old
consents to sex with a 21 year old
A 25-year-old client initiates therapy with complaints of chronic depression and lack of
motivation. The client currently lives with his grandparents, does not have any money,
and is attempting to finish graduate school. He discloses that his parents had a
traumatic divorce several years ago and he fears he will become like his father, who
had an emotional breakdown and abused his mother. The client currently has a
girlfriend who lives in another state, and he says he feels alone without her. Which of
the following actions should the therapist take to assess this client
A. Gather family history, explore client's strengths, identify coping mechanisms
B. Gather family history, determine somatic symptoms, identify familial coping patterns
C. Explore substance use, determine somatic symptoms, identify coping mechanisms
D. Explore substance use, explore client's strengths, identify familial coping patterns -
answers - a. Gather family history, explore client's strengths, identify coping
mechanisms
A 7-year-old client is brought to therapy by his mother, who states that the client has
been moody and defiant at home and has been fighting with other children at school.
She states that the client's change in behavior began four months ago, following a
foreclosure of the house that the family had lived in for several years. She further states
