CPCE Test Questions
Counselors should be familiar with the distribution of test scores within the normal, bell shaped curve. Which of these correctly describes this distribution? A. 68% makes up one standard deviation from the mean, 13.5% makes up two, 4% makes up three B. 13.5% makes up one standard deviation from the mean, 68% makes up two, and 99% makes up three C. 95% makes up one standard deviation from the mean, 68% makes up two, and 13.5% makes up three D. 99% makes up one standard deviation from the mean, 95% makes up two, and 68% makes up three
A
Four broad stages of development in the first three years of life are identified in Object Relations Theory. What is the correct chronological order of these four stages? A. Fusion with mother; Symbiosis with mother; separation/individuation; constancy of self and object B. Symbiosis with mother; fusion with mother; separation/individuation; constancy of self and object C. Constancy of self and object; Separation/individuation; symbiosis with mother; fusion with mother D. Separation/individuation; constancy of self and object; symbiosis with mother; fusion with mother
A
If a therapist has a good ability to perceive and appreciate their client's subjective reality (emotions and cognition) the therapist is said to have A. empathetic understanding B. congruence C. unconditional positive regard D. reflection
A
Career counseling based on Bandura's social cognitive theory emphasizes all of these concepts EXCEPT A. Personal agency B. positive uncertainty C. self-efficacy D. vicarious learning
B
Changes in human growth and development that are qualitative are A. changes in number, degree, or frequency B. changes in structure or organization C. Changes which are sequential D. changes which are discontinuous
B
Daniel Levinson's work has been criticized as being too limited because A. his developmental life stages did not include any transitional periods B. he only studied the structure of life for males and excluded females C. he believed that there is a midlife crisis, but many do not see a crisis D. he stated that people question their lives but did not include careers
B
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross identified five stages that grieving people experience. Which of these accurately identifies these five stages? A. Shock, panic, sorrow, depression, acceptance B. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance C. Depression, fear, bargaining, stoicism, acceptance D. Fear, withdrawal, bargaining, resignation, peace
B
For a therapy group composed of adults with a single group leader, what is generally considered to be the optimum group size? A. 3 B. 8 C. 5 D. 10
B
If you give two tests and the correlation between them is .80, what is the true variance they have in common? A. 40% B. 64% C. 16% D. 80%
B
In Donald Super's developmental approach to careers, which vocational developmental task did Super associate with the period of ages 18 to 21? A. Crystallization B. Specification C. Implementation D. Stabilization
B
In existential therapy, what do umwelt, mitwelt, and eigenwelt mean respectively? A. identity of self, physical system, relationships B. physical system, relationships, identity of self C. relationships, identity of self, physical system D. identity of self, relationships, physical system
B
Pat's therapist tells her that "self-talk" and "crooked thinking" cause emotional disturbances. He believes we all have the potential to think rationally. He uses techniques like role-playing and imagery to help Pat work through some of her issues. He also follows an A-B-C-D-E system. Pat's therapist believes that we are not influenced by the events we experience, but by our interpretation of them. Pat's therapist subscribes to which therapeutic approach? A. Existential therapy (May, Frankl, Yalom) B. Rational emotive behavior therapy (Ellis) C. Reality therapy (Glasser) D. Multimodal therapy (Lazarus)
B
Raphael's family has just moved to a new neighborhood where he is now culturally in the minority. In his old neighborhood, Raphael's culture was the predominant one. Now Raphael is felling uncertain about his sense of self. He feels some conflict between depreciation and appreciation of his self. According to the Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model, Raphael is experiencing: A. conformity B. dissonance C. resistance and immersion D. introspection
B
The sensorimotor period is part of whose developmental stage theory? A. Freud B. Piaget C. Erkison D. Kohlberg
B
What is the difference between confidentiality and privileged communication? A. Confidentiality is a legal concept, and privileged communication is an ethical concept B. Confidentiality is an ethical concept and privileged communication is a legal concept C. Confidentiality and privileged communication are both legal and are the same thing D. confidentiality and privileged communication are ethical concepts and are the same
B
Which is the most accurate regarding homogeneous vs. heterogeneous therapy groups? A. Homogeneous groups are too much alike to experience effective group dynamics B. Heterogeneous groups may have more difficulty being able to relate to each other C. Heterogeneous groups are not as similar to the real world as homogeneous groups D. Homogeneous groups are more likely to simulate interactions among the members
B
Which is true of open vs. closed therapy groups? A. In an open group, anyone is allowed to join the group B. In an open group, members who leave are replaced C. In a closed group, only certain members may join D. In a closed group, members who leave are replaced
B
Which of the following Neo-Freudian theorists most strongly believed that behavior can be understood best in terms of social interactions and interpersonal relationships? A. Erich Fromm B. Harry Stack sullivan C. Wilhelm reich D. Karen Horney
B
Which of the following best represents the belief and practices of Carl Rogers? A. Psychoanalyst is directive and in charge of giving advice, teaching, and interpreting B. Focus of counseling is based on client's phenomenological world and feelings C. Therapeutic process is holistic, focused in the present, and it is existentially based D. Counseling process is focused upon helping clients to gain insights into themselves
B
Which of the following is NOT true about purposeful sampling? A. it may be comprehensive with every case or instance being selected B. the researchers intend to generalize their findings to the population C. The researchers may select examples of only the most extreme cases D. the researchers may select examples of only the most typical cases
B
Which of the following is the best synonym for the term appraisal? A. assessment B. evaluation C. measurement D. testing
B
Which of the following is true about the correlation coefficient? A. A perfect correlation coefficient can be a positive one but cannot be negative B. A correlation coefficient shows the relationship between two sets of numbers C. A correlation coefficient shows a cause and effect relationship between variables D. With a strong correlation, knowing one score will not help to predict another score
B
Which of the following tools/ methods are characteristic of experimental research designs? A. Survey questionnaires and interviews B. Control groups and randomization C. Use of the correlation and coefficient D. Use of numbers to describe groups
B
Which of these is NOT a common role for a member of a therapy group? A. Facilitate B. Autocratic C. maintenance d. blocking
B
Which of these is true about professional liability insurance for the counselors? A. this insurance is always required by law in every state B. this insurance is required by law in some states, but not in others C. This insurance is not required by law and is an unnecessary expense D. This insurance is not recommended since it invites litigation
B
Who of the following is known for person-centered counseling? A. Rollo May B. Carl Rogers C. Fritz Perls D. Aaron Beck
B
Which of the following does NOT use John Holland's typology for determining a person's career type? A. The vocational preference inventory B. The self-Directed search C. The career pattern study D. the career assessment inventory
C
Which of the following is NOT true of standard deviation? A. Standard deviation describes the variability within a distribution of scores B. Standard deviation is basically the mean of all the deviations from the mean C. Standard deviation is a term of quantity, which is equal to the term variance D. Standard deviation is an excellent way to measure the dispersion of scores
C
Which of these books was authored by Eric Berne? A. I'm Ok- You're OK B. In and out of the garbage can C. Games people play D. On becoming a person
C
Which of these is true of qualitative research? A. This kind of research assumes social elements have a single objective reality B. This kind of research tends to study groups, such as samples or populations C. This kind of research assumes that different realities are socially constructed D. This kind of research tries to avoid influencing its data collection instruments
C
Which of these is true regarding the licensure of counselors? A. Licensure can be at state level or at the national level B. Licensure requirements are the same in every US state C. Licensure is possible in several different states at once D. Licensure is portable from one US state to another
C
Which of these is/are NOT considered underlying principles of ethical decision-making? A. Beneficence and nonmaleficence B. Justice (fairness,) fidelity (faithfulness) C. Informed consent and confidentiality D. Autonomy and self-determination
C
All of these are characteristics of test reliability EXCEPT A. stability B. equivalence C. Internal consistency D. predictive
D
Ann Roe believed that all BUT which of these elements influenced occupational selection? A. genetic factors B. environmental influences C. parent-child relationships D. cognitive development
D
Developmental chagnes occur in all but which of the following broad areas? A. Physical development B. Cognitive development C. Psycho-social development D. Sociocultural development
D
In the landmark 1976 Tarasoff case, the California court ruled that failure to warn an intended victim is professionally irresponsible. Out of what even did the ruling come? A. A university psychologist by the name of Tarasoff was murdered by one of his clients B. A client named Tarasoff, under the care of a university psychologist, was murdered C. A university psychologist murdered his client, Tatiana Tarasoff, and her family sued D. A client of a university psychologist murdered Tatiana Taraoff and her family sued
D
Intervention performed with three or more clients at a time is known as A. Group cohesion B. group practice C. Group dynamics D. Group Therapy
D
Managing a counseling program requires skills in these areas? A. Program design and development B. marketing and public relations C. budgeting D. All of these
D
People born after the year 1976 in America are commonly referred to as: A. Baby Boomers B. Baby busters C. Generation X D. Milennials
D
Sallie attends two different therapy groups in an attempt to find one that suits her. In Group A, the leader uses high levels of emotional stimulation, frequently uses caring functions, and uses low amounts of executive direction. In Group B, the leader uses low amounts of emotional stimulation, low amounts of caring functions, high use of executive behavior, and low amounts of meaning attributions. According to Yalom, which group leader is more effective? A. group A's leader is more effective B. Group B's leader is more effective C. it depends which Sallie likes better D. Neither leader is more effective
D
What is meant by the term "regression towards the mean"? A. it means that most individuals are more likely to score near the mean on most standardized tests B. It meas that most individuals' standardized test scores will go down from a pretest to a posttest C. It measn that those individuals scoring near the mean on a pretest will score lower on a posttest D. it measnt hat most scoring very high or low on a pretest will score nearer the mean on a posttest
D
What is the difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning? A. there is no real difference; they are simply different names for the same essential process B. Classical conditioning involves a stimulus while operant conditioning involves a response C. Classical conditioning is concrete operational while operant conditioning is formal operational D. Classical conditioning evokes involuntary responses; operant evokes voluntary responses
D
Which group shows suggested minimum sample sizes for the kinds of research named? A. 25 for experimental, 10 for correlational, 50 for survey B. 5 for experimental, 15 for correlational, 25 for survey C. 20 for experimental, 30 for correlational, 1000 for survey D. 15 for experimental, 30 for correlational, and 100 for survey
D
Which is most accurate statement regarding the duration of a therapy group? A. when a therapy group is first formed, nobody knows exactly how long the group will exist or run B. when a therapy group is first formed, it is generally accepted that it will run for about six months C. When a therapy group is first formed, the group members decide on how long they want it to run D. When a therapy group is first formed, the leader should set its duration and advise the members
D
Which of the following is NOT considered a specialty counseling certification from the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC)? A. National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) B. Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) C. Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) D. National Certified Counselor (NCC)
D
Which of the following is the most accurate statement regarding integrative counseling? A. integrative counseling the same type of counseling as eclectic counseling B. Integrative counseling begins with techniques and ends with the therapist's personal theory C. Integrative counseling is a highly generalized theory that makes much use of incongruence D. Integrative counseling synthesizes processes and techniques from various theoretical views
D
Which of the following is true of either inductive or deductive research? A. Deductive research is practical and begins with the real world B. Inductive research originates from previously established theory C. Deductive research is descriptive, correlational, and historical D. Inductive research often tends to lead to the building of theory
D
Which of the following pairs does NOT represent two of John Holland's six personality types? A. Realistic and investigative B. Artistic and social C. Enterprising and conventional D. Exploratory and directive
D
Which of these is true of quantitative research? A. This kind of research tends to use naturalistic observation of individual behaviors B. This kind of research tends to use impressions, feelings, or judgements of researchers C. This kind of research has as its primary goal the description of the nature of reality D This kind of research tends to investigate with a goal of finding causal relationships
D
Jenny recently lost her job and fell behind in her mortgage payments, so now she is facing foreclosure. She is seeing a counselor to help her cope with the stress in her life. She feels like a failure and wants her self-esteem to be higher, and she feels that she is not living up to her potential. Her counselor tells her that her first priorities are to fulfill her more basic needs, such as applying for food stamps so she will not go hungry and getting help with her housing situation so that she meets her needs for safety and physical security. The counselor tells her that once she has addressed these basic needs, she can then address her higher-order needs for self-esteem and fulfilling her potential as a person. Which theorist has most influenced Jenny's counselor? A. Abraham Maslow B. edward thorndike C. Erik erikson D. Harry stack sullivan
A
Justin has not always had problems, but currently needs some help adjusting to changes in college. His therapist sets specific goals right away. She tells him that he does not necessarily need to entirely understand his problems in order to find solutions. She also uses a scale of 1-10 to measure changes. What type of therapy is Justin undergoing? A. solution focused brief therapy B. rational emotive behavior therapy C. person-centered/ client-centered therapy D. social constructionist narrative therapy
A
The Eskimo word "piblokto" refers to "arctic hysteria," characterized by uncontrolled screaming and crying that is often accompanied by running through the snow naked. This is an example of what kind of disorder? A. Culture-specific B. Culture shock C. Culture free D. Cross-cultural
A
What are the coefficient of determination and the coefficient of non determination? A. the coefficient of determination is the degree of common variance, and the coefficient of non determination is the error variance or unique variance B. the coefficient of determination is the degree of unique, variance and the coefficient of non determination is the degree of common variance C. the coefficient of non determination is the result of squaring the correlation, and the coefficient of determination is the remainder after subtracting the coefficient of non determination D. The coefficient of determination is equal to the correlation, and the coefficient of non determination is equal to the difference between the correlation and 100%
A
Which is NOT true of assigning diagnostic codes to clients solely for the purpose of insurance reimbursement? A. it is a legally mandated practice B. It may constitute insurance fraud C. It is unethical D. It is illegal
A
Which is the correct chronological order of the five stages of development identified by Sigmund Freud? A. Oral, anal phallic, latency, genital B. Oral, phallic, anal, genital, latency C. Oral, latency, anal, genital, phallic D. Oral, anal genital, latency, phallic
A
Which of these groups does NOT represent three of Donald Super's nine major life roles? A. mentor, employer, advisor B. child, student, citizen C. Spouse, homemaker, parent D. worker, leisurite, pensioner
A
Which of these is NOT a measure of central tendency? A. Norm B. Median C. Mean D. Mode
A
Which of these is correct regarding a release of information? A. this document is signed by the client before confidential information can be given to another professional or agency B. this document is signed by the counselor and given to the client to disclose procedures before the counseling relationships starts C. this document is signed by another professional or agency before a counselor can give confidential information tot hem D. this document is signed by the client and given to the counselor before another professional or agency can give the counselor information
A
Who established the very first psychological laboratory in history? A. Wihelm Wundt B. Sigmund Freud C. Jesse Davis D. Clifford Beers
A
Would Freud's psychodynamic approach and Albert Ellis' REBT favor the emic or the etic approach? A. they would both favor the etic approach B. they would both favor the emic approach C. Freud would favor the etic approach and Ellis the emic D. Freud would favor the emic approach and Ellis the etic
A
A survey researcher has asked Larry and Carol about their attitudes toward obeying laws. They are asked what they would do in certain hypothetical situations. For example, fi the only way to help someone and/or to avoid harming someone would involve breaking the law. "Law, schmaw, what's important is doing the right thing," said Carol. "True, we should do what's right, but we've also made an agreement with society to follow its rules. We should try to do that too, but I agree that a lot of it depends on the situation," said Larry. How did Larry and Carol fit in Kohlberg's stages of moral development? A. Larry is in stage 1 and Carol is in stage 2 B. Larry is in stage 4 and Carol is in stage 3 C. Larry is in stage 5 and Carol is in stage 6 D. Larry is in stage 4 and Carol is in stage 5
C
According to Ginzberg, Ginsburg, Axelrad, and Herma's developmental theory, occupational choice passes through three periods. Which is NOT one of the main periods they identified? A. Fantasy B. Tentative C. transition D. realistic
C
According to Linda Gottfredson, young children around age 6 tend to choose occupations based upon A. their social values B. their ability levels C. their sex or gender D. their personal traits
C
Becky is an elementary school student who displays a number of attention-seeking behaviors which are disruptive in the classroom. Her teacher was approached by a local university researcher to refer students for an experiment. The teacher and her parents ask Becky if she would like to participate in the study and she agrees. The research team has collected baseline behavioral data on Becky from the teacher. Early in the study, they find that her behavior is much improved compared to the baseline. What is the most likely explanation for Becky's better behavior during the experiment? A. Rosenthal effect B. Pygmalion effect C. Hawthorne effect D. Placebo effect
C
Christine's new therapist believes that clients' problems have social and political sources, and that one's personal and social identities are interconnected. The therapist also believes that the therapeutic relationship is a collaborative process between equals, and that androgenic norms are to be rejected. To what type of theory does Christine's therapist likely adhere? A. solution focused brief therapy B. narrative therapy C. feminist therapy D. Reality therapy
C
Eric's counselor uses narrative therapy. Eric has written a "story" to describe his life as his counselor asked him to do. Now the therapist helps Eric to find exceptions and strengths to describe a new story that fits better with how Eric would like his life to be. This therapeutic technique is an example of A. clarification B. deconstruction C. re-authoring D. documentation
C
How does consultation differ from counseling? A. It uses different skills than counseling does B. It is for resolving, not preventing problems C. It is a voluntary, work-related process D. It is process-oriented, not content-oriented
C
Jim decides to go for counseling and makes an appointment. When he gets there, the counselor gives him a statement of disclosure. Which is true regarding this document? A. statement of disclosure is required by law in every state in the US B. statement of disclosure is never required by law, but is highly recommended C. statement of disclosure may be required by law in some states and not others D. statement of disclosure should be given to a client after a course of therapy
C
Jim's new therapist believes int he uniqueness of each person. She talks about the importance of social influences on an individual. She tells Jim that everybody has a sense of inferiority, and as a result is always striving to attain superiority. Her counseling goals are to help Jim understand his lifestyle, or unified life plan, which gives meaning to his experiences, and to help him identify social and community interests most appropriate for him. She also wants to help explain Jim to himself. The techniques she uses in her therapy include life histories, homework assignments, and paradoxical intentions. The therapeutic modality that best describes this therapist's approach is A. client-centered therapy B. Gestalt therapy C. Individual psychology D. Transactional analysis
C
Presenting stimuli in different sequences to reduce "order of presentation" influences in an experiment is called A. coutertransference B. Counterculture C. Counterbalancing D. Countercounseling
C
Research that compares findings across many studies is known as A. quasi-experiment B. Survey method C. Meta-analysis D. Comparative research
C
Roger Gould believed that there were different "protective devices" people have. What is an accurate definition of protective devices according to Gould? A. coping strategies B. defense mechanisms C. False assumptions D. absolute truths
C
What is reciprocity? A. the counselor and client take turns at speaking during counseling B. each member of a therapy group takes an equal turn at speaking c. one agency accepts another credentials as equivalent to its own D. one state board grants license to a counselor from another state
C
What is stratified sampling? A. selecting naturally occurring groups of individuals B. selecting samples of convenience or of volunteers C. selecting from major subgroups of the population D. selecting so that all individuals have equal chance
C
When did the state of Virginia pass the first general practice counselor license law? A. 1954 B. 1962 C. 1976 D. 1981
C
Which demographic is projected about the US population by the year 2050? A. the numbers of Hispanic Americans will exceed the number of White Americans B. The largest numbers of Americans in the US population will be Non Hispanic Whites C. All of the minority groups combined will outnumber the Non-Hispanic White population D. Non Hispanic Whites will outnumber all the minority groups combined in the population
C
Which is NOT an example of restive individual or group behavior that would impede progress in a therapy group? A. Being unable to set goals B. Talking too much or too little C. Discussing members' problems D. Arriving late to group meetings
C
Which of the following are four core elements in building a helping relationship? A. friendship, knowledge, cultural foundations, direction B. Leadership, skills, empathy, emotional influence C. Human relations, social influence, skills, theory D. assertiveness, social influence, knowledge, theory
C
