MFT LAW AND ETHICS PRACTICE EXAM 2025 | ALL QUESTIONS AN
MFT Law and Ethics Practice Exam
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES | GRADED A+ |
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1. A therapist meets with a 25-year-old woman who lives B. Initiate a 5150 because
at home with her parents. The client reports feeling the client may need to be
extremely depressed, has a history of self-harm, and hospitalized.
after a suicide assessment, the therapist determines Rationale: The therapist
she is at a high risk of serious self-harm. The client re- "determines this is at
ports she does not have insurance and cannot afford a high risk for serious
to be hospitalized. How should the therapist address self-harm", this would be
the ethical and legal issues in this case? the time to initiate a 5150.
A. Notify client's parents and refer client for a low fee They may determine she
psychiatric evaluation. does not need to be hos-
B. Initiate a 5150 because the client may need to be pitalized, but the therapist
hospitalized. would have covered the
C. Explore low fee resources to meet client's financial standard of care.
needs.
D. Notify client's parents of her plans and safety plan
with client.
2. A 13-year old boy discloses a history of sexual abuse. C. Report to CPS and
He informs the therapist that his former therapist process it with client.
touched him during several sessions to demonstrate Rationale: The best an-
what is appropriate versus sexually inappropriate swer is C. The information
touch. What actions should the therapist take to ad- shared by the boy points
dress the legal issues in this case? to sexual abuse, which
Response: requires the therapist to
A. Maintain confidentiality and provide BBS brochure. make a child abuse report,
B. Call police and inform his parents. answer C. Answer A and
C. Report to CPS and process it with client. D are incorrect because
D. Report misconduct of therapist to BBS and docu- they do not address the
ment in file. legal mandate to report
abuse. While the therapist
can contact the police to
make the report, the child
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is over 12, so processing
with client is better than
answer B, informing par-
ents.
3. A therapist working in a community agency receives Rationale: C is the best
a referral for a child with severe PTSD from sexual answer for this particular
abuse. The therapist has no training or experience client because it is out-
treating children with PTSD from sexual abuse. The side of the scope of com-
therapist should: petence of the therapist.
Response: Neither attending a train-
A. Attend a training on PTSD in children. ing nor seeking consulta-
B. Conduct an initial assessment and make treatment tion would be adequate
recommendations. for this type of case, so
Should have chosen A and D are out. B is
C. Refer the child to appropriate services. wrong because the ther-
D. Treat the child after getting consultation. apist would need training
in how to assess and what
to recommend.
4. After referring a client to an acupuncturist for treat- C. Inform him that he can-
ment the acupuncturist calls the therapist and invites not accept payment for re-
him to lunch to discuss how they can work together. ferrals.
He tells the therapist that he is willing to pay for refer- Rationale: C is the best an-
rals. How should the therapist manage the legal and swer because it is illegal to
ethical issues in this situation? take kick-backs for refer-
Response: rals. A and D are engag-
A. Discuss how much he wants to be paid per client. ing in unethical and illegal
B. Decline the lunch invitation because of client's con- behavior. B is not the ad-
fidentiality. dressing the issue of pay-
C. Inform him that he cannot accept payment for re- ment for referrals.
ferrals.
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D. Discuss how the therapist can pay acupuncturist for
referrals as well.
5. A younger therapist has been treating a 60-year-old B. Accepted the gift
Navajo woman for 3 months and has a particularly and discussed its signifi-
ground-breaking session. At the next session, she ar- cance.
rives with a gift, a beautiful handmade blanket. After Rationale: It is not uneth-
the therapist explains that it would be unethical to ac- ical to accept gifts. In this
cept the gift, the woman appears insulted and quietly case, B is the better way
mumbles that she wishes to end the session and dis- to respond to handmade
continue therapy. Ethically, the therapist should have: gift.
A. Accepted the gift, but leave it in the office to use.
B. Accepted the gift and discussed its significance.
C. Consulted with a supervisor regarding the appro-
priateness of accepting the gift.
D. Declined the gift, which was the most appropriate
course.
6. During the sixth session with a 64-year-old man he Answer: D.
breaks down in tears while discussing his relationship Rationale: You would not
with his estranged 40-year-old son. He confesses that report child abuse if the
when his son was younger the client was physically victim is no longer a mi-
abusive to his son on a number of occasions, espe- nor. There is no indication
cially when the client had been drinking. He says that that the client is current-
besides his wife, he's never told this to anyone before. ly abusing any children.
How should the therapist manage the legal obliga- This leaves you with A and
tions in this case? D. D is better because it
Response: addresses the legal oblig-
A. Explore client's feelings about disclosure and docu- ations, where "explore
ment the session in his record. client's feelings" would be
B. Inform the client that child abuse is a mandated
, MFT Law and Ethics Practice Exam
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report and file a report. a clinical, not legally re-
Wrong quired, response.
C. Review the limits of confidentiality and determine
whether the client is currently abusing any minors.
Should have chosen
D. Maintain confidentiality of the reported abuse and
document session in his record.
7. A therapist has been treating a 42 year-old, single man Answer: D
for five months. The client is a successful partner at Rationale: D is practic-
a prestigious law firm. For the past month, the client ing the standard of care
has noticed improvements in his mood and his rela- when considering accept-
tionships with others. Around the holidays the client ing a gift. Consideration
leaves the therapist a bottle of wine outside the office of monetary value of the
as an expression of his gratitude. What action should gift is stated in the ethical
the therapist take to address the ethical issues in the guidelines and the value
case? of wine can vary greatly.
Response:
A. Accept the gift graciously during the next session.
B. Explain to the client that the therapist is not allowed
to accept gifts.
C. Assist the client in finding someone else in his life he
could give the wine to as an expression of gratitude.
D. Determine the estimated value of the wine.
8. A therapist at a mental health clinic meets with a Answer: C.
single mother who recently moved back in with her Rationale: The answer is
mom and step-dad after losing her job. She reports C because it allows the
that her stepdad has been threatening to kick her out therapist to assess poten-
of the house if she does not contribute more to the tial safety concerns for the
household needs. The client says that she is afraid to client and/or her children.
be around him. What should the therapist do FIRST? There is not enough ev-
MFT Law and Ethics Practice Exam
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES | GRADED A+ |
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_bln4yj
1. A therapist meets with a 25-year-old woman who lives B. Initiate a 5150 because
at home with her parents. The client reports feeling the client may need to be
extremely depressed, has a history of self-harm, and hospitalized.
after a suicide assessment, the therapist determines Rationale: The therapist
she is at a high risk of serious self-harm. The client re- "determines this is at
ports she does not have insurance and cannot afford a high risk for serious
to be hospitalized. How should the therapist address self-harm", this would be
the ethical and legal issues in this case? the time to initiate a 5150.
A. Notify client's parents and refer client for a low fee They may determine she
psychiatric evaluation. does not need to be hos-
B. Initiate a 5150 because the client may need to be pitalized, but the therapist
hospitalized. would have covered the
C. Explore low fee resources to meet client's financial standard of care.
needs.
D. Notify client's parents of her plans and safety plan
with client.
2. A 13-year old boy discloses a history of sexual abuse. C. Report to CPS and
He informs the therapist that his former therapist process it with client.
touched him during several sessions to demonstrate Rationale: The best an-
what is appropriate versus sexually inappropriate swer is C. The information
touch. What actions should the therapist take to ad- shared by the boy points
dress the legal issues in this case? to sexual abuse, which
Response: requires the therapist to
A. Maintain confidentiality and provide BBS brochure. make a child abuse report,
B. Call police and inform his parents. answer C. Answer A and
C. Report to CPS and process it with client. D are incorrect because
D. Report misconduct of therapist to BBS and docu- they do not address the
ment in file. legal mandate to report
abuse. While the therapist
can contact the police to
make the report, the child
, MFT Law and Ethics Practice Exam
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_bln4yj
is over 12, so processing
with client is better than
answer B, informing par-
ents.
3. A therapist working in a community agency receives Rationale: C is the best
a referral for a child with severe PTSD from sexual answer for this particular
abuse. The therapist has no training or experience client because it is out-
treating children with PTSD from sexual abuse. The side of the scope of com-
therapist should: petence of the therapist.
Response: Neither attending a train-
A. Attend a training on PTSD in children. ing nor seeking consulta-
B. Conduct an initial assessment and make treatment tion would be adequate
recommendations. for this type of case, so
Should have chosen A and D are out. B is
C. Refer the child to appropriate services. wrong because the ther-
D. Treat the child after getting consultation. apist would need training
in how to assess and what
to recommend.
4. After referring a client to an acupuncturist for treat- C. Inform him that he can-
ment the acupuncturist calls the therapist and invites not accept payment for re-
him to lunch to discuss how they can work together. ferrals.
He tells the therapist that he is willing to pay for refer- Rationale: C is the best an-
rals. How should the therapist manage the legal and swer because it is illegal to
ethical issues in this situation? take kick-backs for refer-
Response: rals. A and D are engag-
A. Discuss how much he wants to be paid per client. ing in unethical and illegal
B. Decline the lunch invitation because of client's con- behavior. B is not the ad-
fidentiality. dressing the issue of pay-
C. Inform him that he cannot accept payment for re- ment for referrals.
ferrals.
, MFT Law and Ethics Practice Exam
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_bln4yj
D. Discuss how the therapist can pay acupuncturist for
referrals as well.
5. A younger therapist has been treating a 60-year-old B. Accepted the gift
Navajo woman for 3 months and has a particularly and discussed its signifi-
ground-breaking session. At the next session, she ar- cance.
rives with a gift, a beautiful handmade blanket. After Rationale: It is not uneth-
the therapist explains that it would be unethical to ac- ical to accept gifts. In this
cept the gift, the woman appears insulted and quietly case, B is the better way
mumbles that she wishes to end the session and dis- to respond to handmade
continue therapy. Ethically, the therapist should have: gift.
A. Accepted the gift, but leave it in the office to use.
B. Accepted the gift and discussed its significance.
C. Consulted with a supervisor regarding the appro-
priateness of accepting the gift.
D. Declined the gift, which was the most appropriate
course.
6. During the sixth session with a 64-year-old man he Answer: D.
breaks down in tears while discussing his relationship Rationale: You would not
with his estranged 40-year-old son. He confesses that report child abuse if the
when his son was younger the client was physically victim is no longer a mi-
abusive to his son on a number of occasions, espe- nor. There is no indication
cially when the client had been drinking. He says that that the client is current-
besides his wife, he's never told this to anyone before. ly abusing any children.
How should the therapist manage the legal obliga- This leaves you with A and
tions in this case? D. D is better because it
Response: addresses the legal oblig-
A. Explore client's feelings about disclosure and docu- ations, where "explore
ment the session in his record. client's feelings" would be
B. Inform the client that child abuse is a mandated
, MFT Law and Ethics Practice Exam
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_bln4yj
report and file a report. a clinical, not legally re-
Wrong quired, response.
C. Review the limits of confidentiality and determine
whether the client is currently abusing any minors.
Should have chosen
D. Maintain confidentiality of the reported abuse and
document session in his record.
7. A therapist has been treating a 42 year-old, single man Answer: D
for five months. The client is a successful partner at Rationale: D is practic-
a prestigious law firm. For the past month, the client ing the standard of care
has noticed improvements in his mood and his rela- when considering accept-
tionships with others. Around the holidays the client ing a gift. Consideration
leaves the therapist a bottle of wine outside the office of monetary value of the
as an expression of his gratitude. What action should gift is stated in the ethical
the therapist take to address the ethical issues in the guidelines and the value
case? of wine can vary greatly.
Response:
A. Accept the gift graciously during the next session.
B. Explain to the client that the therapist is not allowed
to accept gifts.
C. Assist the client in finding someone else in his life he
could give the wine to as an expression of gratitude.
D. Determine the estimated value of the wine.
8. A therapist at a mental health clinic meets with a Answer: C.
single mother who recently moved back in with her Rationale: The answer is
mom and step-dad after losing her job. She reports C because it allows the
that her stepdad has been threatening to kick her out therapist to assess poten-
of the house if she does not contribute more to the tial safety concerns for the
household needs. The client says that she is afraid to client and/or her children.
be around him. What should the therapist do FIRST? There is not enough ev-
