EDCO 820: ADVANCED ASSESSMENT IN
MARITAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING.
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Which psychometric property is most compromised when a family assessment tool
developed for Western nuclear families is applied to a collectivist immigrant population
without re-norming?
A. Internal consistency
B. Construct validity
C. Split-half reliability
D. Alternate-form reliability
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Construct validity is compromised because the underlying
theoretical construct of ‘family’ may differ across cultures, making the test measure
something other than what it was intended to measure in the new context.
2. In the context of the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems, a family scoring
extremely high on both Cohesion and Flexibility is categorized as:
A. Chaotically Enmeshed
,B. Balanced
C. Rigidly Disengaged
D. Structurally Connected
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: According to Olson’s Circumplex Model, extreme scores on both
dimensions (high flexibility and high cohesion) result in a ‘Chaotically Enmeshed’
classification, which is considered unbalanced.
3. When utilizing the Genogram for clinical assessment, what does a double line connecting
two individuals typically signify?
A. A fused or over-involved relationship
B. A distant relationship
C. A conflicted relationship
D. A physical separation
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: In standard genogram symbology, double horizontal lines
indicate a fused or highly enmeshed relationship between two family members.
4. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) evaluates four subscales. Which of the following is NOT
one of those subscales?
A. Dyadic Communication
, B. Dyadic Satisfaction
C. Dyadic Consensus
D. Dyadic Cohesion
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: The four subscales of the DAS are Dyadic Consensus, Dyadic
Satisfaction, Dyadic Cohesion, and Affectional Expression. Communication is not a specific
subscale.
5. Which assessment tool specifically utilizes a ‘Card Sort’ strategy to understand how family
members perceive their relationships?
A. California Family Q-Sort
B. Family Environment Scale (FES)
C. FACES IV
D. McMaster Family Assessment Device
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: The Q-Sort methodology involves sorting cards into piles to
describe family dynamics, providing a unique qualitative-quantitative hybrid assessment.
6. What is the primary clinical purpose of the PREPARE/ENRICH inventory?
A. To diagnose DSM-5 personality disorders in spouses
B. To screen for domestic violence only
MARITAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING.
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Which psychometric property is most compromised when a family assessment tool
developed for Western nuclear families is applied to a collectivist immigrant population
without re-norming?
A. Internal consistency
B. Construct validity
C. Split-half reliability
D. Alternate-form reliability
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Construct validity is compromised because the underlying
theoretical construct of ‘family’ may differ across cultures, making the test measure
something other than what it was intended to measure in the new context.
2. In the context of the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems, a family scoring
extremely high on both Cohesion and Flexibility is categorized as:
A. Chaotically Enmeshed
,B. Balanced
C. Rigidly Disengaged
D. Structurally Connected
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: According to Olson’s Circumplex Model, extreme scores on both
dimensions (high flexibility and high cohesion) result in a ‘Chaotically Enmeshed’
classification, which is considered unbalanced.
3. When utilizing the Genogram for clinical assessment, what does a double line connecting
two individuals typically signify?
A. A fused or over-involved relationship
B. A distant relationship
C. A conflicted relationship
D. A physical separation
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: In standard genogram symbology, double horizontal lines
indicate a fused or highly enmeshed relationship between two family members.
4. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) evaluates four subscales. Which of the following is NOT
one of those subscales?
A. Dyadic Communication
, B. Dyadic Satisfaction
C. Dyadic Consensus
D. Dyadic Cohesion
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: The four subscales of the DAS are Dyadic Consensus, Dyadic
Satisfaction, Dyadic Cohesion, and Affectional Expression. Communication is not a specific
subscale.
5. Which assessment tool specifically utilizes a ‘Card Sort’ strategy to understand how family
members perceive their relationships?
A. California Family Q-Sort
B. Family Environment Scale (FES)
C. FACES IV
D. McMaster Family Assessment Device
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: The Q-Sort methodology involves sorting cards into piles to
describe family dynamics, providing a unique qualitative-quantitative hybrid assessment.
6. What is the primary clinical purpose of the PREPARE/ENRICH inventory?
A. To diagnose DSM-5 personality disorders in spouses
B. To screen for domestic violence only
