NCE COUNSELING SKILLS AND
INTERVENTIONS EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
1) A client in an inpatient hospital unit says, "I am scared and don't
want to take my meds." You say, "No meds?" This is an example of:
a. Probing
b. A general lead
c. Reflecting
d. Voicing doubt -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c
2) Nancy sits across from you. It's her second session. She is fidgeting
in her chair. The statement that best reflects the use of sharing
observations is:
a. "You're nervous."
b. "You're restless."
c. "You're shifting in your chair."
d. "Something's upsetting you." -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c
3) Susie is a 23-year old female with dependent personality traits. She
has been experiencing depression and anxiety and continues to
struggle with whether or not she should end an unhealthy
relationship. Susie asks you what you think. Your best response
would be:
a. "Susie, you are heading for trouble with this one."
b. "Say more about the direction in which you're leaning."
c. "Yes, you need to end it, Susie. I'm afraid it's unhealthy."
d. "That's completely up to you." -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
,4) "Say more about the direction in which you're leaning", this is an
example of:
a. Information giving
b. Presenting reality
c. Validating
d. Exploring -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d
5) There is never a time or place for a close-ended question in
counseling.
a. True
b. False -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
6) Which statement is true regarding silence?
a. Silence is a therapeutic tool and is encouraged.
b. Silence should be avoided if at all possible.
c. Silence allows the counselor to regain his/her thoughts.
d. Both a and c -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d
7) Giving information has no place in counseling; it defeats
exploration and interrupts the process.
a. True
b. False -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
8) The question, "Are you using this word to mean..." is an example
of:
a. Exploring
b. Clarifying
c. Using a general lead
d. reflecting -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
9) Which of the following is true regarding clarifying?
a. It is appropriate to interrupt a client to clarify.
b. Clarification does not apply to the meaning of "He" or "They"
when a client is talking.
c. A counselor should use medical terminology at times to help
orient the client to what she'll hear a lot since she's entered
the field of mental health.
, d. Clarifying is the same as exploring. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a (A
counselor should not hesitate to interrupt a client respectfully
when he or she is unclear. Saying, "Before you go on, let me
be sure I'm clear about what you're saying..." is appropriate.
Counselors should avoid medical jargon and exploring goes
deeper while clarifying corrects or affirms perceptions already
shared.)
10) Allie is an 83-year-old woman with dementia. She keeps calling
you "Genevieve, my sweet darling." Your best response to her
would be:
a. "Allie, I've told you before I'm not your daughter. Look at me.
You'll see."
b. "Yes, my darling, I'm here."
c. "Allie, I am your counselor, Sarah, not your daughter
Genevieve."
d. Ignoring Allie with a good-hearted chuckle -- Correct Answer
✔✔ c (Presenting reality in a gentle way helps orient clients
who are confused or delusional. Going along with them is
counterproductive (b). Answer a is abrupt and invalidating
and answer d is also invalidating.)
11) Voicing doubt is a therapeutic communication skill.
a. True
b. False -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a
12) Which of the following is an example of the therapeutic use of
voicing doubt?
a. "That's unusual."
b. "Really?"
c. "That's hard to believe."
d. All of the above -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d
13) Which is the most therapeutic response when a patient says, "I
can't stand it anymore. My life is in shambles!"?
a. "You are feeling hopeless."
, b. "But you have so much in your life. Let's look at the bright
side."
c. "I am sure it'll be OK."
d. "Oh, I'm so sorry! You are just a ball of stress, you poor
thing!" -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a
14) The most immediate and potentially powerful tense for a
reflection of feeling is:
a. Past Tense
b. Present Tense
c. Future Tense
d. All tenses are equally powerful -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
15) Your 12 year old client comes in with her father. He is fed up with
her "defiant" behavior, stating he needs you to "make her
understand that she needs to pick up after herself and make better
choices." Your response to him should draw from a body of
research suggesting:
a. The areas in teens' brains that guide planning and reasoning
do not fully develop until age 16
b. The areas in teens' brains that guide planning and reasoning
do not fully develop until age 21
c. The areas in teens' brains that guide planning and reasoning
do not fully develop until age 14
d. The areas in teens' brains that guide planning and reasoning
do not fully develop until age 25 -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d
16) Your client has asked you to see her three-year old because the
child has become increasingly unreasonable. She tells you the child
wants to wear her flip flops in the snow because her school shoes
get wet and dirty when she wears them in the snow. If she wears
her flip-flops, she can just wash them and dry her feet off when she
gets wherever she's going. In terms of psycho-social development,
your best response is to tell the client to:
a. Pick her battles and let the child exercise her choice and wear
flip flops.
INTERVENTIONS EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
1) A client in an inpatient hospital unit says, "I am scared and don't
want to take my meds." You say, "No meds?" This is an example of:
a. Probing
b. A general lead
c. Reflecting
d. Voicing doubt -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c
2) Nancy sits across from you. It's her second session. She is fidgeting
in her chair. The statement that best reflects the use of sharing
observations is:
a. "You're nervous."
b. "You're restless."
c. "You're shifting in your chair."
d. "Something's upsetting you." -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c
3) Susie is a 23-year old female with dependent personality traits. She
has been experiencing depression and anxiety and continues to
struggle with whether or not she should end an unhealthy
relationship. Susie asks you what you think. Your best response
would be:
a. "Susie, you are heading for trouble with this one."
b. "Say more about the direction in which you're leaning."
c. "Yes, you need to end it, Susie. I'm afraid it's unhealthy."
d. "That's completely up to you." -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
,4) "Say more about the direction in which you're leaning", this is an
example of:
a. Information giving
b. Presenting reality
c. Validating
d. Exploring -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d
5) There is never a time or place for a close-ended question in
counseling.
a. True
b. False -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
6) Which statement is true regarding silence?
a. Silence is a therapeutic tool and is encouraged.
b. Silence should be avoided if at all possible.
c. Silence allows the counselor to regain his/her thoughts.
d. Both a and c -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d
7) Giving information has no place in counseling; it defeats
exploration and interrupts the process.
a. True
b. False -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
8) The question, "Are you using this word to mean..." is an example
of:
a. Exploring
b. Clarifying
c. Using a general lead
d. reflecting -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
9) Which of the following is true regarding clarifying?
a. It is appropriate to interrupt a client to clarify.
b. Clarification does not apply to the meaning of "He" or "They"
when a client is talking.
c. A counselor should use medical terminology at times to help
orient the client to what she'll hear a lot since she's entered
the field of mental health.
, d. Clarifying is the same as exploring. -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a (A
counselor should not hesitate to interrupt a client respectfully
when he or she is unclear. Saying, "Before you go on, let me
be sure I'm clear about what you're saying..." is appropriate.
Counselors should avoid medical jargon and exploring goes
deeper while clarifying corrects or affirms perceptions already
shared.)
10) Allie is an 83-year-old woman with dementia. She keeps calling
you "Genevieve, my sweet darling." Your best response to her
would be:
a. "Allie, I've told you before I'm not your daughter. Look at me.
You'll see."
b. "Yes, my darling, I'm here."
c. "Allie, I am your counselor, Sarah, not your daughter
Genevieve."
d. Ignoring Allie with a good-hearted chuckle -- Correct Answer
✔✔ c (Presenting reality in a gentle way helps orient clients
who are confused or delusional. Going along with them is
counterproductive (b). Answer a is abrupt and invalidating
and answer d is also invalidating.)
11) Voicing doubt is a therapeutic communication skill.
a. True
b. False -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a
12) Which of the following is an example of the therapeutic use of
voicing doubt?
a. "That's unusual."
b. "Really?"
c. "That's hard to believe."
d. All of the above -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d
13) Which is the most therapeutic response when a patient says, "I
can't stand it anymore. My life is in shambles!"?
a. "You are feeling hopeless."
, b. "But you have so much in your life. Let's look at the bright
side."
c. "I am sure it'll be OK."
d. "Oh, I'm so sorry! You are just a ball of stress, you poor
thing!" -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a
14) The most immediate and potentially powerful tense for a
reflection of feeling is:
a. Past Tense
b. Present Tense
c. Future Tense
d. All tenses are equally powerful -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b
15) Your 12 year old client comes in with her father. He is fed up with
her "defiant" behavior, stating he needs you to "make her
understand that she needs to pick up after herself and make better
choices." Your response to him should draw from a body of
research suggesting:
a. The areas in teens' brains that guide planning and reasoning
do not fully develop until age 16
b. The areas in teens' brains that guide planning and reasoning
do not fully develop until age 21
c. The areas in teens' brains that guide planning and reasoning
do not fully develop until age 14
d. The areas in teens' brains that guide planning and reasoning
do not fully develop until age 25 -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d
16) Your client has asked you to see her three-year old because the
child has become increasingly unreasonable. She tells you the child
wants to wear her flip flops in the snow because her school shoes
get wet and dirty when she wears them in the snow. If she wears
her flip-flops, she can just wash them and dry her feet off when she
gets wherever she's going. In terms of psycho-social development,
your best response is to tell the client to:
a. Pick her battles and let the child exercise her choice and wear
flip flops.
