CPCE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2023

CPCE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2023 A counselor is meeting with an older client, age 80, for the first time. The client lost her husband about 15 years ago and in the past year has begun having symptoms of depression, including sleeplessness and irritability. Which of the following is the most helpful goal the counselor can help the client work toward? A. Examine the origins of the client's depression such as childhood trauma B. Build a positive attitude towards the client's self worth C. Encourage the client to see and find support from her own children D. Work through unresolved grief related to the loss of the client's husband B Appraisal is an important concept in the field of assessment. Which of the following is the best definition of appraisal? A. Making a conclusion about the usefulness of measurement data B. Collecting information about human behavior C. Determining the dimensions of a specific attribute or trait D. Making judgements about human behavior D Statistical regression is BEST explained by which of the following A. Test scores can often predict future scores on related material B. Errors are often made when scoring tests. C. When large numbers of people take a test, it is less likely for individual scores to be very high or very low D. If an individuals score is very low or very high on a pretest, the individuals score will be closer to the mean on the posttest. D What is the BEST definition of attribution theory? A. The belief that the future is determined more by chance than by being contingent on certain evens B. The expectations that people have for themselves are often higher than what they are capable of C. The belief that rewards are contingent on our own actions D. The explanations people offer for events influence future expectations for success and failure. D Though counselors may try to use approaches that enhance client's experiences, at times these approaches may exhibit a lack of understanding of other cultures. This concept, conceptualized by Gilbert Wrenn is known as: A. Cultural encapsulation B. Cultural pluralism C. Cultural norming D. Acculturation A Quasi-experimental design is similar to true experimental design with the EXCEPTION of which of the following? A. Quasi-experimental designs measure the existence of relationships between two or more variables, while true experimental designs measure the degree of the relationship B. Quasi-experimental designs descrive a state of events, while true experimental designs determine cause and effect relationships. C. Quasi-experimental designs do not randomly assign subjects to treatment and control groups, while true experimental designs do use randomization. D. Quasi-experimental designs investigate whether there are differences between two groups, while true experimental designs explore why these differences exist. C What is a goal that group members of a person-centered group may have? A. Become free of scripts and games. B. Increase self-acceptance and move past self-defeating behaviors C. Take responsibility for one's life D. Increase self-understanding and explore a full range of feelings. D A 4 year old child regularly becomes upset when his mother is not able to read him a bedtime story. He frequently makes comments like "I wish Daddy was dead." and often tells his father to go in another room so he and his mother can be alone. What is MOST likely true regarding this child? A. It is likely that he is being abused by his father B. He and his mother are enmeshed C. He is showing early signs of mental illness. D. He is experiencing a typical Oedipal complex. D A counselor asks a group of one hundred high schoolers to complete a self report questionnaire about their drug use and sexual activity. After recording the results of the questionnaire, the counselor strongly believes that the students consistently underreported this behavior. What factor MOST likely influenced the students' answers? A. Placebo effect B. Self-fulfilling prophecy C. Social desirability D. Groupthink C Career counselors have the option of giving many types of assessments to help clients choose careers that match their interests and abilities. The ACT and the ITBS measure: A. Personality B. Achievement C. Interest D. Aptitude B A counselor employed at a shelter for women who are victims of aggressive sexual assault tells her supervisor that she has begun having nightmares recently about being raped. She also says that when she works late and leaves after dark she feels panicky, her heart races, and she feels like she is being watched. She has been having trouble focusing during sessions with women in the shelter and often feels trapped in her own office when the women are talking about being abused. This counselor is most likely suffering from: A. Transference B. Compassion fatigue C. Secondary traumatic stress D. A normal part of the therapeutic process. C A woman in couples' counseling complains that her husband keeps his emotions to himself and refuses to talk about his feelings. After hearing this, the husband turns to his wife in surprise and says, "I try to tell you how I feel, but you're the one who never wants to talk about your emotions!" The woman is most likely using which of the following defenses? A. Repression B. Denial C. Reaction formation D. Projection D A career counselor operating from a contextual point of view would most likely work toward which of the following goals? A. Encourage the individual to see themselves as separate from their environment B. Assist the individual in making meaning of their own situation C. Focus on the individual's affective experiences rather than cognitive understanding D. Direct the individual in how to change their environment B What are the typically recommended treatments for bipolar disorders? A. Group therapy and family counseling B. Mood-stabilizing medication and psychotherapy C. Relaxation training and antipsychotic medication D. Interpersonal therapy and cognitive behavior therapy B The parents of a three-year-old child come to see a counselor for help with their son. He has been throwing extreme temper tantrums for the past year to the point that he will yell, scream, and sometimes hit his head on the floor. The parents report that the tantrums didn't start out this bad but have gradually gotten worse. When the child starts having a tantrum, the parents say that they tell him to stop and try to talk to him about his feelings. If this doesn't work, they try to ignore him until he becomes so disruptive that they hold him in a bear hug until he calms down. The parents' unsuccessful intervention is a(n): A. positive-reinforcing stimulus B. example of classical conditioning C. negative-reinforcing stimulus D. punishment A In what situation would Caplan's consultation model be most appropriate? A. A counselor asks to meet with her supervisor because she has recently been feeling inadequate at work B. A case manager at a social services agency consults with a coworker in an effort to improve time management skills C. A counselor searches the internet to increase understanding of various types of defense mechanisms D. A counselor treating an individual with an eating disorder consults with another counselor with more experience to discuss the need for family therapy in the case D Caplan's model of consultation in counseling is a mental health consultation model. In Caplan's model, two professionals discuss issues specific to mental health diagnoses, such as eating disorders, and treatment. The center of discussion can be an individual client or family, the consultee and the client, treatment or a specific program, or the consultee and administration. Some individuals who have experienced trauma, losses, and other potentially damaging events seem to cope well and function relatively normally in society. What quality do these individuals possess? A. Plasticity B. Resiliency C. Tabula rasa D. Thought blocking B Compassion fatigue is common in the counseling field. Which of the following is not a symptom of compassion fatigue? A. Boredom during sessions B. Loss of empathy C. An increased desire to help clients D. Loss of interest in client concerns C A career counselor, who is White, is confronted by an African-American client he has been seeing for several months. The client tells the counselor she feels that he has been pointing her in a career direction based more on her race and gender than on her true abilities. What should the career counselor do first? A. Listen to the client explain why she feels this way, then validate her feelings B. Ask the client to leave, then call an attorney for assistance C. Consult with a supervisor or colleague D. Explain the reasons why this is not true A Which term applies to the anticipated course of a disorder? A. Prognosis B. Etiology C. Incidence D. Prevalence A "Generation X" refers to individuals born between 1965 and 1976. Which of the following characterizes this group? A. Preferring traditional marriage roles and linear career paths B. Goal-oriented and civic-minded C. Multiculturally inclusive and self-confident D. Wanting exciting jobs and keeping options open D What does a needs assessment measure? A. The difference between where a program started and where it is now B. The difference between what is and what is desired C. The discrepancies between different individual players in a counseling program D. The similarities between a particular program and other programs like it B Which of the following children is most likely to suffer from maltreatment? A. The youngest child in a two-parent household who was recently diagnosed with anxiety B. An elementary-aged child of a single parent living in a poor neighborhood C. A toddler living with their grandmother and grandfather D. A middle-class African-American child whose ADHD symptoms are managed with medication B What is not a time when you would use a nonparametric test? A. When you are working with ratio scale data levels of measurement B. When the scores are abnormally distributed C. When scores do not fall along a normal curve D. When the variance of the sample is different from the variance of the population A A counselor is meeting with a man in his thirties for individual counseling. The man initially sought out counseling due to increased anxiety attacks that usually occur on the way to work and during high-stress business meetings. The counselor has been trying to help the man identify underlying emotional processes that occur before these attacks, but the man has difficulty expressing these emotions and seems to feel very uncomfortable whenever the counselor asks him how he feels. Which of the following approaches may be more effective for this client? A. The counselor should focus on the man's cognitive processes and help him establish concrete goals to address B. The counselor should refer the man to a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation to help with his flat affect C. The counselor should confront the man about his inability and reluctance to engage in counseling D. The counselor should help the man explore early childhood experiences that may explain the reasons behind his inability to express feelings A A career counselor has a positive relationship with a client they have known for several months. However, after identifying the client's problems, conducting assessments, and helping the client obtain additional information, the client is still unable to commit to making a decision about her career. What should the career counselor do next? A. Refer the client to another career counselor who may have a different, more useful, approach B. Suggest the client make a decision anyway and see if it works C. Terminate services with the client, as the counselor has reached beyond their scope D. Work with the client to determine the underlying causes of their inability to make a decision D Which of the following is considered a test of personality? A. Self Directed Search (SDS) B. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) C. Minnesota Importance Questionnaire D. O*Net Interest Profiler B According to the ACA Code of Ethics, which of the following is not unethical? A. A counselor and his client agree that they are mutually attracted to each other and use the time in sessions to have sexual contact B. A counselor has sexual contact with a client she saw briefly for therapy ten years earlier C. A counselor agrees to provide couples' therapy to an ex-boyfriend she split from three years ago D. A counselor has sexual contact with one of her supervisees B What is the goal of consultation? A. To triage clients whose needs may be better met elsewhere B. To decrease the possibility of ethical dilemmas C. To strengthen the counselor's documentation skills D. To increase the counselor's ability to handle problems in the future D A counselor has been meeting with a client, Jim, for over three years at the same time every week. The counselor is looking for new clients to add to his practice and receives a call from a potential client who would like to come in during the same time slot as Jim. The counselor tells the new client that he is free at that time and thinks, "Jim will understand. I'll just ask him to come at a different time for a while." This is a violation of all of the following ethical principles except which one? A. Veracity B. Justice C. Autonomy D. Fidelity C There are many principles that underlie counselors' ethical decision making. These include beneficence, the desire to work for the good of the client as well as for society; nonmaleficence, avoiding harm; autonomy, respecting the client's right to self-determination; justice, treating individuals fairly; fidelity, honoring commitments; and veracity, being honest and truthful. By prioritizing a new client over another client, this counselor is violating the principles of fidelity, justice, and veracity. Ethically, the counselor should reserve the appointment time for the existing client and attempt to find another time to meet with the new one. All of the following are true regarding stanine scales except which one? A. They calculate how test scores rank on a scale of 100 B. Scores are always positive C. They are used to convert scores to a single digit D. Scores always range from zero to nine A Which of the following has been the fastest-growing area of counseling over the past several years? A. Group psychotherapy B. Couples' counseling C. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) D. Disaster mental health D Over the past several decades there has been increasing evidence that there are strong relationships between the psyche, nutrition, medications, and body functions. What is the main reason counselors should acknowledge this connection? A. Counselors who understand this connection better typically earn more money and attract more clients B. Insurance companies are requiring more intensive explorations of all aspects of clients' well-being C. Many counselors are returning to school to become psychiatrists or dieticians D. Some behavior is likely rooted in biological and brain functions D What conflict is likely to arise if a counselor uses cognitive behavioral approaches with multicultural clients? A. Multicultural clients are likely to not want the therapist to take an active approach B. Multicultural clients will likely misunderstand the counselor due to the language barrier C. The counselor's solutions may not be consistent with multicultural clients' beliefs D. Multicultural clients may want a short-term, solution-oriented approach C Which of the following is true regarding older workers? A. Intellectual functioning is usually not impaired B. Older adults' job satisfaction is lower than younger adults' C. Older adults experience a gradual improvement on speeded tasks D. Older adults' unemployment periods are shorter than younger adults' A A counselor is leading an eight-member group for survivors of sexual abuse. The counselor asks each person in the group to complete a sociogram. What is the counselor most likely trying to find out by assigning this task? A. How each member perceives his or her position in the group and relationship with other group members B. Whether the group has been effective in helping members overcome past abuse C. What underlying mental health conditions might exist for each member D. How helpful the group members feel the counselor has been as a group leader A According to most career counselors, what is the firststep in the career counseling process? A. Assess the client's strengths using inventories and standardized instruments B. Provide information to the client about various career options C. Establish a relationship with the client D. Identify the client's problem C A career counselor has met with a transgender client for several sessions. Standardized assessments have suggested that the client's strengths lie in teaching, and the client tells the career counselor that she is thinking of becoming an elementary school teacher. What is the best way for the counselor to discuss the probability that the client will encounter discrimination in her future career? A. The counselor should refer the client to an individual therapist who can help the client when she is discriminated against in the teaching field B. The counselor should carefully point the client in the direction of a career that is more accepting of transgender employees C. The counselor should gently inform the client that discrimination by some employers, particularly in teaching and caretaking professions, can be very strong and they should suggest that the client feel supported by friends and family as she plans to pursue this career D. The counselor should ignore the fact that the client is transgender, as it is illegal to bring this up in career counseling C What is an example of face validity? A. A test that predicts outcomes accurately B. A test that measures a phenomenon accurately C. A test that looks valid D. A test that covers certain content accurately C Which of the following is false regarding family counseling? A. Family counseling leads to stronger and healthier families B. Family counselors believe that the power of relationships can heal and stabilize the family unit C. Nuclear families make the best family counseling clients D. Family counseling aims to increase communication between family members C Career counselors often assess the ways individuals use their free time. Which of the following theories is commonly used to determine what types of leisure activities people engage in? A. Present vs. Future B. Personal vs. Social C. Internal vs. External D. Compensatory vs. Spillover D A client says, "I never knew what to expect from my father growing up. Sometimes he would explode and beat me and my sisters for no reason, and other times he would be the most loving dad in the world." According to Carkhuff, what would be a Level 1 response to this statement? A. "You look like this bothers you for some reason." B. "You look very worried when thinking about your dad's unpredictability." C. "Why do you think he did that?" D. "Your uncertainty about your dad's reactions to you and your siblings has contributed to your anxiety today and why you might feel so afraid of getting into a serious relationship with someone." C "Why do you think he did that?" is a Level 1 response, as it fails to address the client's affect and focuses only on the content by asking a blunt question about the client's father's behavior. "You look like this bothers you for some reason" is a Level 2 response because it subtracts from the client's affect. "You look very worried when thinking about your dad's unpredictability" is a Level 3 response, as it can be interchangeable with the client's affect and content. The best response would be, "Your uncertainty about your dad's reactions to you and your siblings has contributed to your anxiety today and why you might feel so afraid of getting into a serious relationship with someone." This is a Level 4 or 5 response as it adds to the client's affect and meanings. What is the main difference between emotion and mood? A. Emotions are temporary, while moods are persistent B. Emotions are less intense than moods C. Emotions are defense mechanisms that individuals use to avoid mood D. Moods usually precede emotions A.