CPCE STUDY GUIDE EXAM |2026/2027 LATEST VERSION WITH
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ACCURATE DETAILED ANSWERS |
GRADED A+
When beginning a counseling relationship, you are ethically required to -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Inform the patient of the limits of confidentiality
As you begin a counseling relationship, it is important to -
CORRECT|ANSWER
jointly decide, between patient and counselor, how the counseling process will proceed
A client arrives for counseling with the presenting complaint of relationship difficulties. She goes on
to describe that she has had multiple abortions, and seems to use abortion as a birth control
method. You are personally opposed to abortion. How should your personal beliefs impact the
therapeutic relationship? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Your personal belief system should not have any bearing on the therapeutic relationship
You have been involved in a counseling relationship with a client for six months, when he presents
you with a small gift. What should you do? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Accept or decline depending on the circumstances
You are court-ordered to disclose confidential information about a client you are counseling. What
do you do? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Limit, as much as possible, any possibly damaging personal information and obtain written
permission from your client to share confidential information
What should you do if your client requests to see his confidential file? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Accept or decline depending upon circumstances
,You are a counselor with several clients, and at the same time you are adjusting to a difficult divorce.
You aren't sleeping or eating well, find you are highly distractible, and generally are less in-touch with
your emotional state. You should... -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Be alert to your mental status, and be able to determine if continuing with your clients poses any
threat of being detrimental to the counseling process
A former client of yours has been arrested for a crime. As his former counselor, you are called to
perform a forensic evaluation. What is your responsibility in this case? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
It is not considered ethical to perform a forensic evaluation on a current or past client, so you should
decline
You are the supervisor for a new counselor, and are asked to attend her wedding. Would it be ethical
to do so? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Yes, you should be able to attend her wedding without a breach of ethics
While involved with a research study, you learn that several of your students are using confidential
material in an unethical manner. You had no prior knowledge of this, and all of your safeguards for
professional practice were appropriate. Are you, as the principal researcher, responsible for the
student's behavior -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Yes, you are ultimately responsible
When publishing research, it is important to -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Give credit to other contributors or sources, not plagiarize, and submit material to only one journal
at a time
When a conflict arises between the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics and a
governing authority, which takes precedence? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Ultimately the law may be adhered to over the Code of Ethics
,An ethics violation should NOT be reported when -
CORRECT|ANSWER
A counselor has been retained to review another counselor who is in question; and when
confidentiality rights would be violated
What does multicultural/diversity counseling refer to? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Counseling that recognizes diversity and approaches beneficial to specific groups and an approach
that all counselors should ethically be aware of
Most ethical issues are related to -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Confidentiality
Only one psychoanalyst's developmental theory covers the entire lifespan. Who is he? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Erik Erikson
The Id, Ego, Superego are attributed to which psychoanalyst? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Sigmund Freud
What is the fourth stage of Jean Piaget's four stages -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Formal Operations
Identity Crisis -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Erik Erikson
Positive Psychology -
CORRECT|ANSWER
, processes that contribute to optimal functioning/ not focusing on abnormalities
Smoking habit to Sigmund Freud -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Oral Fixation
Most mental health professionals believe -
CORRECT|ANSWER
no one theory of development completely explains the process
John Bowlby -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Attachment Theory
Lawrence Kohlberg's three levels of morality -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Pre-conventional, Conventional, and post-conventional
Female version of Freud's Oedipus complex -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Electra Complex
Researcher known for Rhesus Monkeys -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Harry Harlow
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Theory of human motivation - psychological, safety, love, affection, belongingness
Down Syndrome -
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ACCURATE DETAILED ANSWERS |
GRADED A+
When beginning a counseling relationship, you are ethically required to -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Inform the patient of the limits of confidentiality
As you begin a counseling relationship, it is important to -
CORRECT|ANSWER
jointly decide, between patient and counselor, how the counseling process will proceed
A client arrives for counseling with the presenting complaint of relationship difficulties. She goes on
to describe that she has had multiple abortions, and seems to use abortion as a birth control
method. You are personally opposed to abortion. How should your personal beliefs impact the
therapeutic relationship? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Your personal belief system should not have any bearing on the therapeutic relationship
You have been involved in a counseling relationship with a client for six months, when he presents
you with a small gift. What should you do? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Accept or decline depending on the circumstances
You are court-ordered to disclose confidential information about a client you are counseling. What
do you do? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Limit, as much as possible, any possibly damaging personal information and obtain written
permission from your client to share confidential information
What should you do if your client requests to see his confidential file? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Accept or decline depending upon circumstances
,You are a counselor with several clients, and at the same time you are adjusting to a difficult divorce.
You aren't sleeping or eating well, find you are highly distractible, and generally are less in-touch with
your emotional state. You should... -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Be alert to your mental status, and be able to determine if continuing with your clients poses any
threat of being detrimental to the counseling process
A former client of yours has been arrested for a crime. As his former counselor, you are called to
perform a forensic evaluation. What is your responsibility in this case? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
It is not considered ethical to perform a forensic evaluation on a current or past client, so you should
decline
You are the supervisor for a new counselor, and are asked to attend her wedding. Would it be ethical
to do so? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Yes, you should be able to attend her wedding without a breach of ethics
While involved with a research study, you learn that several of your students are using confidential
material in an unethical manner. You had no prior knowledge of this, and all of your safeguards for
professional practice were appropriate. Are you, as the principal researcher, responsible for the
student's behavior -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Yes, you are ultimately responsible
When publishing research, it is important to -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Give credit to other contributors or sources, not plagiarize, and submit material to only one journal
at a time
When a conflict arises between the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics and a
governing authority, which takes precedence? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Ultimately the law may be adhered to over the Code of Ethics
,An ethics violation should NOT be reported when -
CORRECT|ANSWER
A counselor has been retained to review another counselor who is in question; and when
confidentiality rights would be violated
What does multicultural/diversity counseling refer to? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Counseling that recognizes diversity and approaches beneficial to specific groups and an approach
that all counselors should ethically be aware of
Most ethical issues are related to -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Confidentiality
Only one psychoanalyst's developmental theory covers the entire lifespan. Who is he? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Erik Erikson
The Id, Ego, Superego are attributed to which psychoanalyst? -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Sigmund Freud
What is the fourth stage of Jean Piaget's four stages -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Formal Operations
Identity Crisis -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Erik Erikson
Positive Psychology -
CORRECT|ANSWER
, processes that contribute to optimal functioning/ not focusing on abnormalities
Smoking habit to Sigmund Freud -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Oral Fixation
Most mental health professionals believe -
CORRECT|ANSWER
no one theory of development completely explains the process
John Bowlby -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Attachment Theory
Lawrence Kohlberg's three levels of morality -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Pre-conventional, Conventional, and post-conventional
Female version of Freud's Oedipus complex -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Electra Complex
Researcher known for Rhesus Monkeys -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Harry Harlow
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs -
CORRECT|ANSWER
Theory of human motivation - psychological, safety, love, affection, belongingness
Down Syndrome -
