NBC-HWC Practice Questions - All questions

A coach is a member of the exclusive group on Facebook for NBC-HWC coaches. Only those certified by the NBHWC are permitted in this group. To help a friend who has developed a new software, the coach downloads the names of each person in the group and provides them to their friend so that they can implement a marketing campaign to sell this new software to coaches. The above scenario is a violation of which part of the NBC-HWC code of ethics? A. Professional Conduct at Large B. Conflict of Interest C. Professional Conduct with Clients D. Confidentiality/Privacy

A.

During the initial or intake session, the coach will most likely be sure to: A. Gauge the client's intentions for coaching B. Review their wellness assessment C. Review the client's vision and long-term goals D. Share relevant health information to help the client gain interest in where to start with their goals. E. Establish or refine client's short-term SMART goals or action steps for what will be accomplished between sessions

A.

When a coach is applying the 5-D cycle as an application of appreciative inquiry, what might be a helpful question in a routine follow-up session with a client in the "discover" phase? A. So, what was your best learning experience since last time we met? B. What is the most important topic for us to focus on in the 30 minutes we have together? C. What possibilities generate excitement for you looking forward? D. It sounds like your priority goals of nutrition and movement really align with the vision you hold of being an active athlete for years to come. Would you like to begin to create a roadmap for getting started? E. You mentioned losing 5lbs and eating more vegetables; how do these tie into the larger vision you hold for yourself?

A.

Where does a coach need to store their notes in order to comply with HIPAA law? A. A password protected computer in a password protected file B. A filing cabinet with a lock on it C. An office with a lock on it D. In a secretly named file on a password protected computer

A.

Your client has talked about exercise. You are not sure which stage of change they're in and so ask them to complete a readiness to change assessment on how they feel about starting exercising. Which statement would NOT typically be included in a readiness to change assessment? A. I saw how exercise transformed my friend B. I may do it. C. I will do it D. I can't do it E. I am doing it

A.

A 48-year-old man comes to his second coaching session with the goal of improving his diet. Specifically, he is trying to drink more water and eat more vegetables. He has indicated he struggles with these two goals mainly during the week when he is working. Client: At work I just love eating candy to keep me focused since I am in a cubicle. Coach: Tell me more about how candy keeps you focused. Client: I don't know if it's about keeping me focused or if it's just simply craving candy. I feel like I crave it at least 3 times a day whether I am at work or home. Coach: Do you think you are a sugar addict? Do you feel like you are addicted to sugar? Client: I am not sure. Which of the following traps of engagement did the coach fall into? A. Labeling B. Expert C. Premature Focus D. Question/Answer E. Blaming

A. Labeling On Moore p7, on of Thomas Gordon's "12 ways of being that do not demonstrate a coach approach" includes "labeling".

In the coaching contract you must let your client know what the guidelines are for when you might release their personal health information to another person or organisation. What is this referred to as? A. Notice of privacy practices B. Authorisation for release of information C. Medical consent D. HIPAA

A. Notice of privacy practices

A 52-year old, male client just submitted their well-being assessment prior to their first coaching session. The client's information includes the following: Self-employed Lives with young son On medication for High Blood Pressure and Chronic Pain Sleep: Insufficient sleep 19 out of the last 30 days Blood Pressure: 112/64 Total Cholesterol: 170mg/dl BMI: 23 Physical Activity: Runs 40 minutes 5 times per week, strength training 3x per week all major muscle groups Fruits/Vegetables: 10 servings per day Which of the following would the coach possibly note for follow-up per recommended health guidelines? A: Sleep B. Blood Pressure C. Total Cholesterol D. BMI E. Physical Activity

A. Sleep

Which is the most important moment of the coaching session? A. The moment right before it starts B. The last thing the client says C. There is sustain talk D. Red flags reveal themselves

A. The moment before it starts. See CPM pp.32-35 - to equip coach to be calm, present and emotionally available so that they can best serve the client. This is the key moment.

A 32-year-old woman is on her 4th coaching session and describes to her coach that she has never been a great sleeper overall. She often gets about 4 hours of sleep per night and has trouble falling asleep. Due to her insufficient sleep, the woman is at an increased risk for which chronic diseases? A. Depression, fibromyalgia, dyslipidemia B. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression C. Depression, narcolepsy, dyslipidemia D. Diabetes, breast cancer, depression

B.

A 43-year-old woman came to coaching to help manage her stress and build her confidence. She indicates during her 5th session, that her colleague told her to apply for a new leadership position in the company. Coach: What do you think about your colleague's suggestion? Client: It may be an option. I've taken leadership training in the past, but that was a long time ago. The ability to be more creative in my job would be a plus. The long hours would not be great given all the other things in my life right now. What stage of change is the client most likely in based on her response to the coach's question? A. Precontemplation B. Contemplation C. Preparation D. Action

B.

A 49-year old man came to his 7th coaching session to continue to work with his coach on tobacco cessation. The client is struggling to make any progress on his quit plan that his doctor and partner helped him develop. Client: I just can't seem to follow through. It just seems like smoking is a part of my life. It is what it is. Coach: You are feeling like it's a part of you. Client: Yeah it's been over 20 years ya know. My partner reminds me every morning why it's important to quit. And at night we review the day together. Every. Single. Day. Coach: It seems like you don't really want to do this and it's more about your partners wants and needs. Which technique is the coach using to establish trust and rapport? A. Under-promising and Over-delivering B. Honestly sharing observations C. Honoring confidentiality D. Being humble in sharing advice

B.

A client comes to her fourth coaching session to continue working on her intent to quit smoking someday. She starts out the call by simply saying "I don't know if quitting is really worth it." Prochaska & Prochaska would define this as a statement of doubt which often leads to delay in making any change. The client is most likely in what stage of change? A. Precontemplation B. Contemplation C. Preparation D. None of the above

B.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, what is not true about what we know about meditation? A. Practicing meditation may reduce blood pressure, symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression, and insomnia. B. Practicing meditation is proven in its effectiveness for pain management and as a smoking-cessation treatment. C. Meditation has a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being. D. Most meditation practices have most have four elements in common: a quiet location with as few distractions as possible; a specific, comfortable posture, a focus of attention, and an open attitude. E. Meditation may physically change the brain and body and could potentially help to improve many health problems and promote healthy behaviors.

B.

How long should coaches keep client notes? A. 3 years minimum B. Minimum of 6 years or longer if the state law requires it. C. 2 years D. 7 years

B.

Prevention is traditionally seen as a way of minimising illness and risk factors for disease. An alternative view is that prevention by working on your health to maximise protective factors is an example of what? A. Health-related quality of life B. Wellbeing C. Life expectancy D. Resilience

B.

The three most effective interventions for preventing chronic inflammation are: A. Vigorous exercise, anti-inflammatory diet, weight loss B. Moderate exercise, anti-inflammatory diet, stress management C. Weight loss, stress management, anti-inflammatory diet D. Anti-inflammatory diet, resistance training, daily vitamin

B.

A 34-year old woman comes to coaching for her 6th session. The client is focused on trying to quit smoking. She has smoked for 10 years and wants to quit for her girlfriend but has never tried before until now. She has researched smoking cessation by reading several books on the topic and has been seeing her coach for guidance. Client: I tried so hard this week not to smoke in the evening before bed because I thought this time a day would be easiest. And in the books I read it often said this is a good place to begin the process of quitting. Coach: What did go well with choosing that time of day? Client: Nothing much but I didn't smoke before bed on Tuesday. Coach: Your commitment to reading those books helped you discover one way you might explore quitting and you were successful on Tuesday. What skill is the coach demonstrating in their last statement? A. Amplified reflection B. Affirmations C. Empathy D. Simple reflection

B. Affirmation

Two NBC coaches were meeting and one told the other the name of one of their clients as well as some personal medical information. The coach reports this colleague to her manager, who should she also report her to? A. International Coaching Federation B. National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches C. National Board of Medical Examiners D. Another colleague

B. National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches

A 46-year-old man came to his 5th coaching session to work on his goal of losing 30 pounds. Throughout the last four sessions, he continually responds with "I don't know" when asked a question and seems to be generally disengaged. Which of the following is an appropriate response by the coach? A. "It doesn't appear that coaching is working for you. Let's go ahead and cancel the rest of your sessions." B. "You don't seem to know a lot of answers to my questions." C. "I've noticed that you seem disengaged in this process." D. "On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate my coaching?"

C.

Chronic stress includes an endocrine response which is primarily driven by what? A. Sympathetic nervous system B. Parasympathetic nervous system C. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis D. Tension

C.

People at greatest risk for metabolic syndrome have all but which of the following underlying causes: A. Abdominal Obsesity B. Inactive Lifestyle C. Tobacco Use D. Insulin Resistance

C.

What is not true about the recommendations from MyPlate? A. It's important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy and fortified soy alternatives. B. Choose options for meals, beverages, and snacks that have limited added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. C. Beans, peas, and lentils are part of the Protein Group only, not the Vegetable Group. D. Select a variety of protein foods to improve nutrient intake and health benefits, including at least 8 ounces of cooked seafood per week. E. Make half your grains whole grains.

C.

You have been working with your 25-year old client toward her long-term goals of weight loss. She is a competitive athlete in powerlifting and has a competition coming up in 1 month and is trying to make a particular weight class of 63kg, in order to compete in that category. She has decided to try reducing sodium in her diet as an experiment to see how it impacts her scale weight. What might be the most appropriate first response as the coach: A. You'll need to make sure you follow the DASH diet B. The DASH diet recommends active activity-level women in your age category need 2400 calories daily. C. How will you know you're going about the sodium reduction in a safe way to support your needs? D. How are you going to track your sodium? E. You'll need to work with a registered dietician for individualized recommendations for your diet. F. Staying true to my code of ethics, I can't supervise sodium reduction.

C. The question is looking for the best "first response". F is also true, that as a coach we can't supervise sodium reduction. And while we do follow the code of ethics, it would be the scope of practice guidelines, in particular that tell us that. While answer D is also ok, it may not be the best, as the coach may want to be more curious first about what information/resources/support from a professional she has to hold the client's health and safety first and foremost. E is a close answer, and a correct safe approach for sure. C could be a way to check in first if they might already have professional guidance on this - they might already have a dietician and this would elicit what they know/have as support first.

A 35 year old woman comes to her ninth coaching session to continue to work on incorporating mindfulness into her life and some gentle yoga to reduce stress. Client: I don't have time to change my clothes and do the yoga and change back into my work clothes like I thought I would on my hour lunch break. Coach: There is just no way to engage in any type of yoga on your lunch break. What type of reflection is the coach demonstrating? A. Feeling Reflection B. Shifted-Focus Reflection C. Amplified Reflection D. Double-sided reflection

C. Amplified Reflection - Amplified reflections maximize or minimize what clients say in order to evoke disagreement from them in the direction of change talk

Decisional balance is a tool best used in which stage of change? A. Precontemplation B. Consideration C. Contemplation D. Preparation E. Action

C. Contemplation

Your client is a heavy smoker and you've identified which stage of change they are in. Which stage of change would it be MOST appropriate to ask permission to share information about some of the scientific evidence of immediate benefits of quitting smoking? A. Precontemplation B. Planning C. Contemplation D. Preparation E. Action

C. Contemplation. CPM p.97 - because in contemplation the pros and cons are equal and sharing information can help to tip the balance and create the mindset shift needed.

A 35-year old client comes to her 5th coaching session to continue to work on managing her stress and improving her water intake. Client: This week I had so much stress, I noticed my heart racing at work 3 times. I can't live like this anymore. Coach: It is important to you to decrease your stress level. Client: Well, yeah but it's not like I can change my deadlines for projects at work. I really don't have any control, so it is what it is. My boss moves up deadlines, I get stressed, and I can't change that. Coach: You believe you can't live with this level of stress anymore yet you believe there is not a lot you can do about it. It's out of your control. Which of the following technique is the coach demonstrating? A. Increasing Change Talk B. Empathy C. Developing Discrepancy D. Rolling with Resistance E. Elicit-Provide-Elicit

C. Developing Discrepancy. If a coach states both sides of the argument that the client is making (especially when you see "but" in between them) this is Developing Discrepancy. Your big clue is both sides of the coin is presented back to the client since they are arguing both sides.

Someone is defined as a short sleeper if they are getting less than how many hours of sleep a night? A. 7 B. 8 C. 6 D. 5

C. Less than 6 hours is classed as a short sleeper

Your client has been newly referred to work with you, as the health coach, from their practitioner. The client has been struggling with skin conditions that are uncomfortable, painful, and getting worse as well as daily irritable bowel symptoms. The practitioner has let the client know that it would be beneficial to consider an autoimmune protocol diet, with a fairly rigid selection of what foods are included, for at least 6-8 weeks, and then considering if and when a re-introduction process might take place. When you ask the client about their reaction to the practitioner's recommendations, she responds, sharing that this would mean a complete overhaul of every meal, and basically her entire pantry and refrigerator. She "can't see how she could even get through 3 days of eating that way" and says "I won't waste food that we have on hand". Which is not likely the most helpful approach in return, from the coach? A. Help the client know that you understand their needs, emotions, and circumstances B. Accepting the client right where they are C. Help bolster their appreciation for the pro's of changing D. Help them identify some of the possible solutions E. Help bolster hope when they are sorting through the barriers of change

D would be least helpful. "D" is an answer more closely associated with the Preparation stage of change in the transtheoretical model, whereas the other answers are more closely connected to supporting precontemplation stage

A 48 year-old, female client is on her fifth coaching session and has made some progress toward her goal to eat a serving of fruit and a serving of vegetables every day at work for lunch. She indicated that she does struggle the most whenever her co-workers go out to lunch because she either has to decline or when she goes with them she ends up not meeting her goal for that day. During the coaching session, a coach would most likely focus on: A. Building the client's willpower B. Listing the reasons why the client should not eat out C. Exploring the benefits of eating alone D. Exploring what the client feels is most important in this situation

D.

Which theory emphasizes that people have an innate psychological need for competence, relatedness, and autonomy? A. Social Cognitive Theory B. Self-efficacy Theory C. Stages of Change Theory D. Self-determination Theory

D.

The first session is one of the most important of the coaching relationship. During the first session it is essential that what, at a minimum, be included? A. Health-risk assessment results B. Establish time to regularly meet C. Discussion of medication D. A review of the coaching agreement

D. A review of the coaching agreement (establishing time to meet could be done outside of the first session e.g. via automatic scheduling)

A 35 year old woman is talking to their coach for the 4th session. She has complained of low energy and how tired she is all the time. The goal she set is to go to bed by 10pm Monday to Friday. Which of the SMART acronym components is she missing? A. Specific B. Measurable C. Relevant D. Time-bound

D. Every goal needs to have a start date and end date - this is what time-bound in the SMART means.

Which of the following could more likely be a sign of a heart attack in a woman vs. in a man? A. Jaw pain B. Chest pain C. Pain down the arm D. Nausea & fatigue

D. Nausea & fatigue. Pain down the arm is in men not women.

You are not sure what stage of change a client is in with regards to altering their drinking habits and so you use a simple readiness to change assessment. The client circles the statement that says, "I can't do it." Which stage of change are they most likely in? A. Preparation B. Ambivalence C. Contemplation D. Precontemplation E. Uncertainty

D. Precontemplation