Law and Ethics Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions (Latest 2025)
Sets for ethical and legal dilemmas - Correct Answers ✅1.
Describe parameters
2. determine what issues are involved
3. consult guidelines and laws for each issue
4. identify alternative solutions
5. consider consequences of each alternative
6. choose course of action
Scope of practice - Correct Answers ✅legally defined
boundaries of a counselor's professional practice
in order to see couples and families: - Correct Answers ✅a)
6 semester units or 9 quarter
b) at least 500 supervised hours
c) at least 6 hours or CEUs in MFT with WITH RENEWAL CYCLE
1. A 67-year-old woman meets with a therapist for the first
time. She informs the
therapist that her husband is physically abusive toward her
and she can't take it anymore. She shares her plan to finally
stand up to him by taking a knife and showing him what it
feels like to be hurt. She states she has never harmed him
before. How should the therapist manage
the legal obligations in this case?
,Law and Ethics Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions (Latest 2025)
A. Create a safety plan and maintain confidentiality. B. Create
a safety plan and report abuse to police.
C. Call police to report client's plan and process it with client.
D. Call APS and warn her husband of her plan for violence. -
Correct Answers ✅C. Call police to report client's plan and
process it with client.
Rationale: The best answer is C. The client has made a
serious threat of physical violence toward her husband, so
the therapist's duty to protect/duty to report has been
triggered. We cannot maintain confidentiality in this case, so
A is eliminated. B does not address the imminent danger at
all. This leaves C and D. The first part of D is correct, as elder
abuse is present, but notifying the husband of her threat is
not clinically appropriate. There is a history of physical
violence perpetrated by the husband; sharing this information
with the husband could inflame the situation and increase the
likelihood of violence between the husband and wife. This
leaves C as the best available option.
2. A client reports that she recently awoke in the middle of
the night to sounds of
crying children in the apartment next door. She went to see if
everyone was okay and discovered that the parents had left
the 8-year-old, 5-year-old, and 2-year-old home alone. The
client suspects that the parents are using drugs and
expresses a desire to help the kids. How should the therapist
manage the legal obligations?
,Law and Ethics Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions (Latest 2025)
A. Process client's feelings about the situation and document
the need to file a report in the file.
B. Discuss ways the client could help the kids.
C. Inform the client that the therapist must file a child abuse
report.
D. Determine if the children are in danger. - Correct
Answers ✅C. Inform the client that the therapist must file a
child abuse report.
Rationale: This would trigger a mandated report for neglect
so C is the best answer as it manages the legal obligation.
There is enough for reasonable suspicion so D is not
indicated. A and B could be done at some point but a report
has been triggered so that needs to be done first.
Can use what tests? CANT use what? - Correct Answers
✅CAN USE- administer and interpret psychological tests to
assess attitudes, abilities, aptitude, achievements, interests,
personal characteristics, disabilities, and mental and
emotional, and behavioral concerns and development
CANT- personality tests, intelligence tests,
neuropshychological tests, battery of 3 or more to assess
psychosis, dementia, amnesia, cognitive impairment, or
criminal bx
, Law and Ethics Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions (Latest 2025)
Counselor providing information outside of scope
consequences - Correct Answers ✅denial, suspension, or
revocation of license or registration
Scope of competence: - Correct Answers ✅limits of what a
counselor is qualified to do (education, training, supervised
experience, credentials, and professional experience)
Diverse populations keep in mind: - Correct Answers ✅1.
Communicate appropriately
2. no discrimination
3. culturally sensitive when diagnosing (culture and economic
status)
4. Address biases
5. Asses instruments are culturally sensitive
Counselor impairment - Correct Answers ✅requires
counselors to address when mental illness, physical illness,
chemical dependency, or other factor may interfere with the
ability to provide ethical treatment
ethical violations of colleagues? actions you take? - Correct
Answers ✅1. encourage counselor first
2. Formal report to state or national board
3. always take into consideration client confidentiality
Complete Solutions (Latest 2025)
Sets for ethical and legal dilemmas - Correct Answers ✅1.
Describe parameters
2. determine what issues are involved
3. consult guidelines and laws for each issue
4. identify alternative solutions
5. consider consequences of each alternative
6. choose course of action
Scope of practice - Correct Answers ✅legally defined
boundaries of a counselor's professional practice
in order to see couples and families: - Correct Answers ✅a)
6 semester units or 9 quarter
b) at least 500 supervised hours
c) at least 6 hours or CEUs in MFT with WITH RENEWAL CYCLE
1. A 67-year-old woman meets with a therapist for the first
time. She informs the
therapist that her husband is physically abusive toward her
and she can't take it anymore. She shares her plan to finally
stand up to him by taking a knife and showing him what it
feels like to be hurt. She states she has never harmed him
before. How should the therapist manage
the legal obligations in this case?
,Law and Ethics Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions (Latest 2025)
A. Create a safety plan and maintain confidentiality. B. Create
a safety plan and report abuse to police.
C. Call police to report client's plan and process it with client.
D. Call APS and warn her husband of her plan for violence. -
Correct Answers ✅C. Call police to report client's plan and
process it with client.
Rationale: The best answer is C. The client has made a
serious threat of physical violence toward her husband, so
the therapist's duty to protect/duty to report has been
triggered. We cannot maintain confidentiality in this case, so
A is eliminated. B does not address the imminent danger at
all. This leaves C and D. The first part of D is correct, as elder
abuse is present, but notifying the husband of her threat is
not clinically appropriate. There is a history of physical
violence perpetrated by the husband; sharing this information
with the husband could inflame the situation and increase the
likelihood of violence between the husband and wife. This
leaves C as the best available option.
2. A client reports that she recently awoke in the middle of
the night to sounds of
crying children in the apartment next door. She went to see if
everyone was okay and discovered that the parents had left
the 8-year-old, 5-year-old, and 2-year-old home alone. The
client suspects that the parents are using drugs and
expresses a desire to help the kids. How should the therapist
manage the legal obligations?
,Law and Ethics Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions (Latest 2025)
A. Process client's feelings about the situation and document
the need to file a report in the file.
B. Discuss ways the client could help the kids.
C. Inform the client that the therapist must file a child abuse
report.
D. Determine if the children are in danger. - Correct
Answers ✅C. Inform the client that the therapist must file a
child abuse report.
Rationale: This would trigger a mandated report for neglect
so C is the best answer as it manages the legal obligation.
There is enough for reasonable suspicion so D is not
indicated. A and B could be done at some point but a report
has been triggered so that needs to be done first.
Can use what tests? CANT use what? - Correct Answers
✅CAN USE- administer and interpret psychological tests to
assess attitudes, abilities, aptitude, achievements, interests,
personal characteristics, disabilities, and mental and
emotional, and behavioral concerns and development
CANT- personality tests, intelligence tests,
neuropshychological tests, battery of 3 or more to assess
psychosis, dementia, amnesia, cognitive impairment, or
criminal bx
, Law and Ethics Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions (Latest 2025)
Counselor providing information outside of scope
consequences - Correct Answers ✅denial, suspension, or
revocation of license or registration
Scope of competence: - Correct Answers ✅limits of what a
counselor is qualified to do (education, training, supervised
experience, credentials, and professional experience)
Diverse populations keep in mind: - Correct Answers ✅1.
Communicate appropriately
2. no discrimination
3. culturally sensitive when diagnosing (culture and economic
status)
4. Address biases
5. Asses instruments are culturally sensitive
Counselor impairment - Correct Answers ✅requires
counselors to address when mental illness, physical illness,
chemical dependency, or other factor may interfere with the
ability to provide ethical treatment
ethical violations of colleagues? actions you take? - Correct
Answers ✅1. encourage counselor first
2. Formal report to state or national board
3. always take into consideration client confidentiality
