Q&A Hero

Q: Some studies have shown that clients are not very concerned about privacy or confidentiality when they seek counseling services. What do you think about such findings?

Q: Supervision agreements between a clinical supervisor and supervisee a. must be in writing to be legal. b. should not be in writing, to avoid the appearance of a relationship that is too formal. c. should be in writing so both parties understand the terms of the relationship clearly. d. are required by federal law to be in writing. e. can be modified once they begin only if they are in writing.

Q: What do you think are the distinctions among the terms "privacy," "confidentiality," and "privileged communication?

Q: When administrative and clinical supervisors give corrective feedback to supervisees, that feedback a. must be followed by the supervisee. b. should be broad and general, avoiding specifics. c. must be given very gently to avoid distressing the supervisee. d. should be given only at specified intervals, such as once a month or once a quarter. e. should be ongoing, coupled with periodic evaluation and opportunities to correct deficiencies.

Q: Under what circumstances do you think it would be acceptable to terminate counseling services to a client?

Q: Clinical supervision is the process whereby the work of counselors is reviewed by other mental health professionals, usually with the goal of a. ensuring that counselors' services are delivered in a manner that satisfies the counselors' employers. b. increasing the counselors' effectiveness. c. increasing the counselors' knowledge of the counseling literature. d. ensuring that counselors perform their job functions appropriately. e. helping counselors practice in an ethical manner.

Q: What kinds of information do you think clients need, in order to be able to give their fully informed consent to enter into a counseling relationship? When does the information given become too much information so that it inhibits clients from entering into counseling relationships?

Q: The gatekeeping responsibilities of counselor educators may involve all of the following EXCEPT a. developing a professional development plan for a student whose counseling skills are deficient b. dismissing a student from the training program after observing due process c. providing periodic feedback and evaluation of professional development d. providing a formal hearing if a student is dismissed for academic reasons e. documenting decisions to dismiss students

Q: Do you believe a counselor should be allowed to refuse to provide counseling services to some groups of people who request them? If so, which groups and in what circumstances?

Q: The professional literature suggests that students often believe they receive inadequate preparation in the content area of a. ethics b. technology c. social justice and advocacy d. group counseling e. counseling theories

Q: What are some steps that counselors should take to safeguard the welfare of their clients?

Q: Students who have not been able to demonstrate the skills needed to be effective counselors a. must be given opportunities to remediate their deficiencies before a dismissal decision is made b. are required by CACREP to repeat the practicum course c. are required to switch to a different major d. should be endorsed by faculty for graduation but not for employment as counselors e. should be required to take a year's leave of absence from the training program

Q: How can you ensure that you are competent to provide counseling services to the culturally diverse clients who may seek your assistance?

Q: As a result of recent developments in technology, counselor education faculty are advised to a. teach students how to use digital videorecording equipment to record their practice counseling sessions b. teach some courses over the Internet c. emphasize confidentiality of audo- and videotaped counseling sessions of student interns d. require students to have university e-mail accounts e. develop and publish policies regarding student conduct on social networking sites

Q: How would you define "social justice"?

Q: Counselor educators have an ethical obligation to a. teach ethics as a separate and discrete course in the curriculum. b. infuse multicultural material into all courses in the curriculum. c. restrict their teaching of theories to traditional, widely accepted models that have proven effective in counseling clients. d. grade counseling students on their level (but not the content of) their self disclosure. e. assign letter grades to students in all field experience courses.

Q: In what ways is cultural competence an ethical issue?

Q: While you are a counseling graduate student a. you have a different code of ethics from the one of practicing counselors. b. you must follow the same code of ethics as practicing counselors. c. you will not be held accountable for making ethical mistakes. d. the ethical standards you are held to are less rigorous than those imposed on practicing counselors. e. you do not have a code of ethics that applies to you.

Q: What do you see as the characteristics of a "culturally competent counselor"?

Q: Studies of women who have been involved in sexual relationships with their professors indicate a. that at first the women believed the relationship was consensual, but in retrospect they viewed it as more coercive. b. the women suffered no negative consequences from those relationships. c. the women most often initiated the relationships. d. the women suffered serious psychological damage from the relationships. e. the women later had sexual relationships with their own students.

Q: What are some of the major challenges facing the counseling profession today?

Q: Sexual relationships between counselor educators and their students a. are not expressly forbidden in the ACA Code of Ethics. b. are expressly forbidden in the ACA Code of Ethics. c. are not forbidden because students are not in a vulnerable position in their relationships with professors. d. should be avoided, but can be justified in some circumstances. e. are expressly forbidden by most universities.

Q: How do you think the wellness model of mental health espoused by counselors is different from the illness model or medical model of mental health?

Q: Flexibility in relationship boundaries between counselor educators and students may be more acceptable than between counselors and clients because in counselor educator/student relationships, the student a. cannot be harmed. b. is near the same age. c. is an adult. d. eventually becomes a colleague. e. does not need protection from abuse.

Q: How do you respond when your friends and relatives ask you what you are studying in graduate school?

Q: In matters of student evaluations or dismissals from academic programs, courts a. carefully review the basis upon which professors made their decisions and determine whether or not it was a reasonable decision, given the circumstances. b. defer to the judgment of professors, unless the professors failed to use an acceptable number system in making their decisions. c. defer to the judgment of professors, unless the professors used only subjective decision-making. d. defer to the judgment of professors, unless established procedures were violated or the evaluations were clearly unfair. e. usually reverse the decisions of professors because students do not sue unless they have been treated unfairly.

Q: How should you get legal advice when a legal issue presents itself?

Q: When counselor educators evaluate the performance of a student's counseling skills, the counselor educators a. may apply subjective standards as long as they do not abuse their discretion. b. may apply subjective standards, but the process of evaluation must be pre-approved by CACREP. c. must grade the student using number-based objective evaluations. d. must have a team evaluate the student's performance, rather than evaluating the performance on their own. e. must evaluate the student individually, taking into consideration his or her individual situation, avoiding applying absolute standards.

Q: What resources can you use when you need help in resolving an ethical dilemma?

Q: One of the most ethically sensitive components of counselor training that has generated considerable debate is a. job placement after graduation. b. self-growth experiences. c. class presentations. d. subjective grading in counseling skills classes. e. relationships with peers.

Q: What are the differences among legal standards, ethical standards, and best practice?

Q: When making graduate program admissions decisions, counselor educators a. must use objective information such as grade point averages and test scores. b. may balance their program by admitting certain numbers of individuals based on their gender, race, and religion. c. must have a minimum cut-off score if a standardized test, such as the GRE, is used. d. may deviate from their published procedures if fairness demands that they do that. e. may use their subjective judgment regarding a number of factors.

Q: Assuming that you are a moral and responsible person (as are most counselors), why do you think it is important for you to study ethical and legal principles and the decision-making process?

Q: Which of the following is NOT information that must be provided to prospective students before they enter a program? a. evaluation criteria and procedures. b. program subject matter. c. faculty advisor assignment. d. dismissal policies and procedures. e. length of time for program completion.

Q: How do relationships in counselor education, supervision, and training differ from clinical relationships? a. they are easier because they are indirect. b. they are tripartite. c. they are complex. d. they involve a university. e. they have more equal power dynamics.

Q: All of the following are fraudulent health care practices EXCEPT a. continuing to see a client at risk of harming self for counseling free of charge after his or her health care benefits have run out. b. providing family counseling services (which are not reimbursable) and reporting that individual counseling services are being provided (which are reimbursable). c. waiving the co-payment when a co-payment is required. d. billing for a missed session and indicating the client attended the session because missed sessions are not reimbursable. e. reporting that an approved professional is providing direct services to a client when the services actually are being provided by a counselor who is not approved.

Q: When a counselor must render a DSM-5 diagnosis before a client may be reimbursed for mental health care services, the counselor a. should avoid rendering a diagnosis that might stigmatize the client. b. should always choose a diagnosis that is reimbursable by the health care organization. c. must render a diagnosis that is consistent with the diagnoses that have been rendered previously by other health care providers. d. must render the proper diagnosis, whether or not the client will be reimbursed. e. may choose one of the diagnoses that is reimbursable by the health care organization if necessary.

Q: A preferred provider organization (PPO) a. must accept all counselors who apply to be added to their list of providers of health care services. b. must accept counselors as providers of mental health services. c. may not accept counselors as providers of mental health services and can limit the number of providers on their list of providers. d. have to accept counselors as providers of mental health services if the counselors are licensed by their state. e. may not limit the number of providers on their list of providers.

Q: Freedom of choice legislation allows health care consumers to choose a. the insurance company they prefer. b. the physician they prefer under their state authorized health care plans. c. the hospital they prefer for health care treatment. d. the state managed health care facility they prefer. e. the type of health care provider they prefer under state authorized health care plans.

Q: Health care plans in the United States a. must, by federal law, include mental health services benefits. b. are available to 99% of the population. c. often are unavailable to the working poor. d. provide health care, including mental health care, to all individuals who are not covered by Medicaid. e. are the best in the world and ensure that all Americans receive the health care they need.

Q: According to the United State Small Business Administration, the percentages of business that fail are a. over 5% fail in the first year, and 15% fail within the first 5 years. b. over 50% fail in the first year, and 95% fail within the first 5 years. c. over 10% fail in the first year, and 25% fail within the first 5 years. d. over 95% fail in the first year, and 99% fail within the first 5 years. e. over 15% fail in the first year, and 35% fail within the first 5 years.

Q: In the event a counselor has a client with a large bill for services that is several months late, the counselor should a. sue the client. b. threaten the client with a law suit if payment is not made. c. report the client to the state licensure board. d. forget the bill and take steps in the future to prevent these bills from developing. e. pay a bill collector to collect the money due.

Q: A "sliding scale" in counseling refers to a. a chart that indicates the degree to which a client is functioning. b. a system of rotation that determines when a counselor is "on call" for the weekend. c. a fee structure based on the client's family income and family size. d. a fee structure based on the net worth of the individual. e. the degree to which a counselor is willing to render a diagnosis to meet the requirements of an insurance company or third party payer.

Q: Problems with corporations include all of the following EXCEPT a. the personal assets of owners are at risk. b. meetings have to be held periodically and annual reports have to be filed or the corporation will cease to exist legally. c. income is taxed to the corporation and is taxed again when it is distributed to owners. d. accountants and lawyers must be retained on a continuous basis to ensure the corporation is functioning properly. e. corporations are very expensive to form initially.

Q: The most structured form of collaboration between counselors and other health professionals is a. coordination of services b. consultation c. teamwork. d. medication monitoring e. conferring

Q: All of the following steps are suggested when counselors open private practices, EXCEPT a. obtain a federal tax ID number if there are any employees. b. apply and obtain a business license. c. purchase liability, property damage, or other types of insurance. d. form a corporation, because it is the only way to protect your personal assets. e. obtain a professional license if one is required in the state to practice counseling independently.

Q: If a counselor were to purposefully make false oral statements that damaged the reputation of another mental health professional, the counselor could be sued for a. slander. b. libel. c. malicious harm. d. absolute privilege. e. insubordination.

Q: If you believe your supervisor at your work setting is forcing you to act in what you consider to be an unethical manner, you should a. report your supervisor to the state licensing board. b. report your supervisor to the American Counseling Association Ethics Committee. c. resign your position immediately to avoid being held in violation of your professional code of ethics. d. hire an attorney who will attempt to force your employer to allow you to practice in an ethical manner. e. try to work with your supervisor to resolve the problem.

Q: Which of the following behaviors would constitute insubordination? a. refusing to carry out a directive of a psychiatrist who works for a different company. b. refusing to carry out a directive of a police officer who is investigating a crime at your place of work.. c. refusing to carry out a directive of your co-worker who has seniority. d. refusing to carry out a directive of your immediate supervisor when that directive does not violate any laws or company policies. e. refusing to carry out a directive of a state inspector who is visiting your work site to perform a legally required inspection.

Q: All of the following statements are true, EXCEPT a. employers cannot force employees to take actions that are illegal. b. employees do not have to do anything they consider to be unethical. c. when disputes arise between employer and employees, the law generally favors the employer. d. by accepting a job, an employee agrees to perform the tasks assigned. e. counselors have a legal right to be free in the workplace of discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age and disabilities.

Q: When a member expresses a desire to drop out of an ongoing group, the counselor should a. persuade the member to stay in the group for the good of the group b. bring the group to a close and start over with members who wish to continue c. encourage the member to discuss the decision with the group d. notify the remaining members in writing of that member's decision e. assume that the group is dysfunctional

Q: Counselors who intend to conduct family counseling as part of their professional practice should a. complete a degree program in marriage and family counseling rather than in counseling b. disclose their own family of origin issues as part of the informed consent process c. advocate for the preservation of a couple's marriage d. seek separate licensure as Marriage and Family Therapists e. gain specific training in marriage and family counseling, including supervised experience

Q: When counseling victims of domestic violence, counselors should a. avoid encouraging the victim to leave the relationship until safety can be assured b. report the abuser to the police c. try to persuade the victim to leave the abuser d. remember that the abuser is probably himself or herself a victim of abuse e. never see the members of the couple separately, to avoid deceit

Q: Informed consent in group counseling should include a. a reassurance that the counselor will not allow any events to occur that might put group members at physical or psychological risk. b. a clear statement that there is no confidentiality in group settings. c. an explanation that once the group starts, no one will be allowed to exit the group for the first month. d. an explanation of ways the group may be congruent and incongruent with individual members' cultural values. e. an explanation that the members themselves are fully responsible for setting the goals, purpose, and ground rules of the group.

Q: In the process of explaining informed consent in family counseling, counselors should a. describe possible changes in family relationships that could occur as a result of family counseling. b. explain that one family member will be designated as the "identified patient" for insurance reimbursement purposes. c. assure family members that any changes made in family functioning as a result of counseling will be acceptable to all family members. d. counsel separately, on an individual basis, any family member who expresses reluctance to participate in family counseling. e. require each family member to sign a confidentiality pledge and agree not to discuss topics raised in session during the intervals between sessions.

Q: In order for a counselor to be competent to engage in group work, the counselor a. must be a member of ASGW. b. must have the training outlined in the ASGW Professional Standards for the Training of Group Workers. c. must have had a minimum of group work preparation and supervised experience. d. must be certified by ASGW. e. must have had at least two graduate courses in group work and have completed a 600 hour internship in group counseling.

Q: When one spouse in a married couple demands that a counselor testify in court as to what occurred in counseling sessions, and the other spouse insists that the counselor not testify, the best course of action is for the counselor a. to agree to testify because one spouse is demanding that. b. refuse to testify because one spouse is insisting that the counselor not testify. c. call the state licensure board for advice. d. contact the ACA Ethics Committee and request an opinion. e. consult with an attorney and follow his or her advice.

Q: Because children cannot give their legal consent to participate in family counseling a. parental consent should be obtained in writing from both biological parents. b. they should not be included in family counseling prior to age 18. c. it is illegal to include them in a family counseling session unless their parents have consented in writing. d. a court order should be obtained before including a child in a family counseling situation. e. they should be informed of the process of family counseling and their consent should be secured even though it is not legally required.

Q: Pre-screening of group members a. is a good idea, but is not required by the ACA Code of Ethics. b. is required by the ACA Code of Ethics. c. is recommended, but not required by the ACA Code of Ethics. d. is an ethical practice that all counselors adhere to. e. is an ethical standard that is meant to protect counselors from being sued.

Q: A counselor who is beginning a group a. should require all group members to sign a pledge to keep information from the group confidential. b. should explain that nothing is confidential because group members do not have the same obligation as professional counselors to keep information private. c. should explain that while the counselor will keep things confidential, there is no guarantee others in the group will do the same. d. should guarantee all information in the group will remain private. e. should explain that group members who violate the confidentiality of other group members will be reported to the counselor licensure board.

Q: When married couples divorce, a. almost all states allow joint custody and in a few state courts, joint custody is the preferred arrangement; while in some other state courts, joint custody is avoided if possible. b. all states prefer joint custody. c. joint custody is preferred by judges in all state courts except for Montana. d. although almost all states allow joint custody, only one state court favors joint custody as the preferred arrangement. e. judges in almost all states prefer joint custody.

Q: Regarding the law of privileged communication in relation to family and group counseling, a. most privilege laws cover all family members and group members who are being counseled at one time. b. privilege among group or family members in counseling is the same as it is between the counselor and individual clients. c. generally, privilege is waived if there is a third party present during counseling. d. privilege never exists during family or group counseling in any state. e. privilege always exists during family or group counseling in all states.

Q: A family counselor who uses paradoxical directives or interventions could get into trouble because clients who follow their prescriptions for behavior may be a. confused. b. harmed. c. engaging in illegal activities. d. suspicious of the counselor's motives. e. distracted.

Q: If a counselor wants a person other than a biological parent (such as a step-parent or grandparent) to have confidential information regarding a child client, a simple solution is to a. tell the step-parent or grandparent to go to court and get a court order giving them access to the information. b. get a signed statement from the step-parent or grandparent that they will not reveal the information to anyone else once it is given to them. c. get a signed statement from the child allowing the counselor to disclose information to the step-parent or grandparent. d. get a signed statement from one of the biological parents allowing the counselor to disclose information to the step-parent or grandparent. e. ask the step-parent or grandparent to prove the child is living with them and then it is acceptable to give them access to confidential information regarding the child.

Q: Family counselors often view the family system as their client and treat the family as one entity, as opposed to treating individual family members, and our laws a. favor the rights of families as a whole over the rights of individual family members. b. support family counselors by also viewing the family system as one entity. c. create a "fiction" that a family is a person under the law. d. view family members as having separate and distinct rights and responsibilities that are individual in nature. e. do not recognize that families exist in our society.

Q: Research has shown that school counselors are unanimous in believing that a. confidentiality must be breached when students reveal they are using cocaine b. "delicate cutting" is such risky behavior that parents must be notified c. even young children are capable of giving informed consent to counseling d. suicidal behavior poses a level of threat that requires breaching confidentiality e. they should refer all children with serious depression when possible

Q: With respect to counseling minor clients who are considering abortion a. counselors should be aware that most teens avoiding talking to their parents about pregnancy because adolescents need to rebel against parental authority b. that these clients may need to process issues of abuse, loss, love, and hopes for the future c. counselors should advocate their own moral position regarding abortion d. counselors should exercise care when assisting a minor to obtain an abortion e. counselors should immediately refer these clients to medical professionals

Q: The current ACA Code of Ethics a. contains few standards specifically related to counseling children b. advises counselors to develop specialty competences before attempting to counsel children c. advises counselors to consider that adolescents are more concerned about privacy than adult clients d. requires counselors to notify parents or guardians when teens disclose they have used marijuana e. advises counselors to report to police any instances of "sexting" among adolescents

Q: When counseling clients who are terminally ill and wish to explore end-of-life decisions, counselors should always do all of the following EXCEPT a. help the clients clarify their thoughts and feelings about end-of-life choices. b. assist the clients to deal with grief and loss issues. c. examine their own values and beliefs about death and dying before agreeing to counsel terminally ill clients. d. ensure that they have the competencies needed to work with terminally ill clients. e. inform the terminally ill client's family that the client is considering various end of life options, and involve the family in the decision making process.

Q: The 2014 ACA Code of Ethics advises counselors to a. uphold the confidentiality rights of their minor clients even when parents object. b. avoid legal liability by including parents in counseling sessions with their children. c. avoid legal liability by disclosing to parents any risky behavior of a minor client, such as experimenting with drugs or alcohol. d. establish collaborative relationships with parents. e. obtain minor clients' legal informed consent for counseling services.

Q: Each of the following groups might be considered to be vulnerable adults who are protected from abuse in some states by statute EXCEPT a. developmentally disabled adults. b. severely mentally ill adults. c. elderly adults. d. physically disabled adults. e. emotionally distressed adults.

Q: When it comes to determining who has the right to make decisions regarding a child's life, the law favors a. the adult with whom the child is living. b. grandparents, if they are raising the child. c. biological parents. d. the child himself or herself. e. the child's adult sibling.

Q: As a professional counselor, you are required by law in all states to report a. a client's threat to commit a burglary. b. suspected child abuse or neglect. c. unethical behavior of a colleague. d. knowledge that a client has tested positive for HIV. e. all of the above.

Q: Dual relationships in school settings a. seldom cause problems. b. don't usually create misunderstandings. c. help students gain trust and respect for the counselor if the counselor has disciplinary functions in the noncounseling relationship. d. generally should be avoided . e. rarely occur when dealing with child abuse issues.

Q: When reporting suspected child abuse in good faith, counselors should review their particular state statute to determine all of the following EXCEPT a. who must make the report. b. when the report must be made. c. counselor liability for defamation of character. d. whether past abuse must be reported. e. whether a written report is required in addition to an oral report.

Q: Many states have laws requiring reports of suspected abuse of all of the following EXCEPT a. children. b. elderly persons. c. incompetent persons. d. abused spouses or domestic partners . e. developmentally disabled persons.

Q: School counselors have a legal obligation to do all of the following EXCEPT a. obtain written parental permission before counseling students in most circumstances. b. report child abuse if it is suspected. c. inform parents if the counselor determines the child is at risk for suicide. d. inform parents if the counselor determines the child is a danger to others. e. secure parents' informed consent before providing unusual counseling services.