NCMHCE COUNSELING CONCEPTS EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
/. First step in the assessment process - Answer-✅Establishing rapport and obtaining
informed consent.
/.Tool used to screen for depression - Answer-✅PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire).
/.Mental status exam (MSE) - Answer-✅A structured way of observing and describing a
client's mental state including appearance, mood, thought, and cognition.
/.What should always be ruled out first when diagnosing? - Answer-✅Medical or
substance-induced causes.
/.Duration required for Major Depressive Disorder diagnosis - Answer-✅Symptoms
most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.
/.Key feature distinguishing Bipolar I from Bipolar II - Answer-✅Presence of at least one
manic episode in Bipolar I.
/.Primary characteristic of PTSD - Answer-✅Exposure to trauma with re-experiencing,
avoidance, negative mood, and hyperarousal symptoms for over one month.
/.What does the 'Z code' in DSM-5-TR represent? - Answer-✅Psychosocial and
environmental factors affecting diagnosis or treatment.
/.What is dual diagnosis? - Answer-✅Co-occurrence of a mental health disorder and a
substance use disorder.
/.Tool that assesses suicide risk - Answer-✅Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-
SSRS).
/.Purpose of a treatment plan - Answer-✅To outline goals, objectives, and interventions
guiding therapy.
/.What do SMART goals stand for? - Answer-✅Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Relevant, Time-bound.
/.What is CBT primarily focused on? - Answer-✅Changing maladaptive thoughts and
behaviors.
, /.Key concept in Person-Centered Therapy - Answer-✅Unconditional positive regard.
/.What does OARS stand for in Motivational Interviewing? - Answer-✅Open-ended
questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, Summarizing.
/.Main focus of DBT - Answer-✅Emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness,
and interpersonal effectiveness.
/.Define psychoeducation - Answer-✅Providing clients with information about their
disorder and coping strategies.
/.What is a safety plan? - Answer-✅A step-by-step plan for clients at risk of self-harm or
suicide.
/.What is case conceptualization? - Answer-✅Linking assessment data to a theoretical
framework to guide treatment.
/.What is relapse prevention? - Answer-✅Identifying triggers and strategies to maintain
progress post-treatment.
/.Primary ethical document for counselors - Answer-✅ACA Code of Ethics (2014).
/.Define informed consent - Answer-✅Client's voluntary agreement after understanding
risks, benefits, and limits of counseling.
/.When must confidentiality be broken? - Answer-✅When there is risk of harm to self or
others or by legal mandate.
/.Define dual relationship - Answer-✅When a counselor has multiple roles with a client
that could impair objectivity.
/.What does FERPA protect? - Answer-✅Privacy of student education records.
/.What is supervision in clinical practice? - Answer-✅Oversight by a qualified
professional to ensure ethical and competent care.
/.Define countertransference - Answer-✅Counselor's emotional reaction toward the
client.
/.What is burnout? - Answer-✅Emotional exhaustion and reduced efficacy due to
chronic stress.
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
/. First step in the assessment process - Answer-✅Establishing rapport and obtaining
informed consent.
/.Tool used to screen for depression - Answer-✅PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire).
/.Mental status exam (MSE) - Answer-✅A structured way of observing and describing a
client's mental state including appearance, mood, thought, and cognition.
/.What should always be ruled out first when diagnosing? - Answer-✅Medical or
substance-induced causes.
/.Duration required for Major Depressive Disorder diagnosis - Answer-✅Symptoms
most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.
/.Key feature distinguishing Bipolar I from Bipolar II - Answer-✅Presence of at least one
manic episode in Bipolar I.
/.Primary characteristic of PTSD - Answer-✅Exposure to trauma with re-experiencing,
avoidance, negative mood, and hyperarousal symptoms for over one month.
/.What does the 'Z code' in DSM-5-TR represent? - Answer-✅Psychosocial and
environmental factors affecting diagnosis or treatment.
/.What is dual diagnosis? - Answer-✅Co-occurrence of a mental health disorder and a
substance use disorder.
/.Tool that assesses suicide risk - Answer-✅Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-
SSRS).
/.Purpose of a treatment plan - Answer-✅To outline goals, objectives, and interventions
guiding therapy.
/.What do SMART goals stand for? - Answer-✅Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Relevant, Time-bound.
/.What is CBT primarily focused on? - Answer-✅Changing maladaptive thoughts and
behaviors.
, /.Key concept in Person-Centered Therapy - Answer-✅Unconditional positive regard.
/.What does OARS stand for in Motivational Interviewing? - Answer-✅Open-ended
questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, Summarizing.
/.Main focus of DBT - Answer-✅Emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness,
and interpersonal effectiveness.
/.Define psychoeducation - Answer-✅Providing clients with information about their
disorder and coping strategies.
/.What is a safety plan? - Answer-✅A step-by-step plan for clients at risk of self-harm or
suicide.
/.What is case conceptualization? - Answer-✅Linking assessment data to a theoretical
framework to guide treatment.
/.What is relapse prevention? - Answer-✅Identifying triggers and strategies to maintain
progress post-treatment.
/.Primary ethical document for counselors - Answer-✅ACA Code of Ethics (2014).
/.Define informed consent - Answer-✅Client's voluntary agreement after understanding
risks, benefits, and limits of counseling.
/.When must confidentiality be broken? - Answer-✅When there is risk of harm to self or
others or by legal mandate.
/.Define dual relationship - Answer-✅When a counselor has multiple roles with a client
that could impair objectivity.
/.What does FERPA protect? - Answer-✅Privacy of student education records.
/.What is supervision in clinical practice? - Answer-✅Oversight by a qualified
professional to ensure ethical and competent care.
/.Define countertransference - Answer-✅Counselor's emotional reaction toward the
client.
/.What is burnout? - Answer-✅Emotional exhaustion and reduced efficacy due to
chronic stress.
