1 | Page
NCMHCE review sets Exam Questions
with Answers latest
Which pair of topics are least likely to be discussed in-
depth during the intake process?
"Which item has the LOWEST priority within the intake
process?" Ans: Short-term goals and diagnosis
During client intake, the main objective is to gather
information. The therapist and the client need to
understand what goals can be established but have a
lower priority than informed consent, fee/financial
expectations, and confidentiality.
The client is in a vulnerable mental state, and it is
important to take steps to ensure his safety first. Once
this has been accomplished, you can work on other short-
term goals such as increasing his social connections. Ans:
Treatment should focus on providing immediate
stabilization.
Which assessment tool would you use to conduct a
comprehensive evaluation of the client's current cognitive
and emotional functioning? Ans: Mental Status
Examination (MSE)
Explanation: The MSE is used to evaluate an individual's
current psychological functioning. It assesses the
individual's overall appearance, behavior, intellectual
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
abilities, cognitive functions, and thought processes. It
can also provide insight into the individual's mood,
affect, memory, and insight.
All-or-nothing thinking Ans: All-or-nothing thinking is a
cognitive distortion wherein a person views a situation in
extremes, such as seeing themselves as an utter failure or
believing that their thoughts are permanent. In this case,
the client believes he is a "total failure", no one can help
him, and no one cares about him.
Which action would be least effective when formulating
an effective treatment plan? Ans: Develop short-term
objectives designed to address the client's behavior
deficits
Explanation: Treatment plans are designed to be
strength-based to help empower the client to prioritize
goals. Highlighting the client's areas of weakness is
counterproductive to moving forward in therapy.
Cognitive restructuring Ans: Cognitive restructuring is a
CBT technique that instructs clients to examine their
thoughts by looking for distortions to achieve more
balanced thinking. Individuals' thoughts influence their
emotions which then affect their mood and behavior.
Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) Ans: The MAST
is designed to assess for alcohol problems. Test
questions relate to the individual's social, vocational, and
family problems associated with heavy alcohol
consumption.
© 2025 All rights reserved
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In connection with the client speaking about her
boyfriend leaving her, the client made the statement, "I
can't live with the pain of our separation much longer,
and I don't know how to cope with it". You recognize that
the client is asking for help in dealing with her possibly
overwhelming feelings concerning this emotional loss.
Which tool would you select to evaluate the client
further? Ans: Explanation: The Columbia Suicide Severity
Rating Scale (C-SSRS) assesses the risk of suicide. There
are three different versions of this assessment available
to best suit the client's situation: the "lifetime/recent
template," the "since the last visit" template, and the
"screener" template. This instrument is appropriate to
assist you in evaluating the client for suicidality.
Tidbit: Suicide assessment and documentation should
always be an active standard of care whenever the client
demonstrates any warning signs that suicide could be a
potential risk. Assessment of suicide should be done
throughout treatment, especially if the client shows any
mental or clinical status changes.
The client presents as an outwardly successful
professional who has a family history of substance abuse
and emotional repression who has just experienced the
end of a long-term relationship as result of her alcohol
use. Which short-term objective is most appropriate to
address at this time? Ans: Participate in a medical
evaluation to assess effects of long-term alcohol use
Explanation: A full physical examination can help
determine if there are any underlying medical conditions
that are contributing to the client's mental health issues.
© 2025 All rights reserved
NCMHCE review sets Exam Questions
with Answers latest
Which pair of topics are least likely to be discussed in-
depth during the intake process?
"Which item has the LOWEST priority within the intake
process?" Ans: Short-term goals and diagnosis
During client intake, the main objective is to gather
information. The therapist and the client need to
understand what goals can be established but have a
lower priority than informed consent, fee/financial
expectations, and confidentiality.
The client is in a vulnerable mental state, and it is
important to take steps to ensure his safety first. Once
this has been accomplished, you can work on other short-
term goals such as increasing his social connections. Ans:
Treatment should focus on providing immediate
stabilization.
Which assessment tool would you use to conduct a
comprehensive evaluation of the client's current cognitive
and emotional functioning? Ans: Mental Status
Examination (MSE)
Explanation: The MSE is used to evaluate an individual's
current psychological functioning. It assesses the
individual's overall appearance, behavior, intellectual
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
abilities, cognitive functions, and thought processes. It
can also provide insight into the individual's mood,
affect, memory, and insight.
All-or-nothing thinking Ans: All-or-nothing thinking is a
cognitive distortion wherein a person views a situation in
extremes, such as seeing themselves as an utter failure or
believing that their thoughts are permanent. In this case,
the client believes he is a "total failure", no one can help
him, and no one cares about him.
Which action would be least effective when formulating
an effective treatment plan? Ans: Develop short-term
objectives designed to address the client's behavior
deficits
Explanation: Treatment plans are designed to be
strength-based to help empower the client to prioritize
goals. Highlighting the client's areas of weakness is
counterproductive to moving forward in therapy.
Cognitive restructuring Ans: Cognitive restructuring is a
CBT technique that instructs clients to examine their
thoughts by looking for distortions to achieve more
balanced thinking. Individuals' thoughts influence their
emotions which then affect their mood and behavior.
Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) Ans: The MAST
is designed to assess for alcohol problems. Test
questions relate to the individual's social, vocational, and
family problems associated with heavy alcohol
consumption.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
In connection with the client speaking about her
boyfriend leaving her, the client made the statement, "I
can't live with the pain of our separation much longer,
and I don't know how to cope with it". You recognize that
the client is asking for help in dealing with her possibly
overwhelming feelings concerning this emotional loss.
Which tool would you select to evaluate the client
further? Ans: Explanation: The Columbia Suicide Severity
Rating Scale (C-SSRS) assesses the risk of suicide. There
are three different versions of this assessment available
to best suit the client's situation: the "lifetime/recent
template," the "since the last visit" template, and the
"screener" template. This instrument is appropriate to
assist you in evaluating the client for suicidality.
Tidbit: Suicide assessment and documentation should
always be an active standard of care whenever the client
demonstrates any warning signs that suicide could be a
potential risk. Assessment of suicide should be done
throughout treatment, especially if the client shows any
mental or clinical status changes.
The client presents as an outwardly successful
professional who has a family history of substance abuse
and emotional repression who has just experienced the
end of a long-term relationship as result of her alcohol
use. Which short-term objective is most appropriate to
address at this time? Ans: Participate in a medical
evaluation to assess effects of long-term alcohol use
Explanation: A full physical examination can help
determine if there are any underlying medical conditions
that are contributing to the client's mental health issues.
© 2025 All rights reserved
