Deck 9: Gaining Further Understanding

Question 1

A practitioner asks his client, "Don't you think it makes more sense to go to university rather than working full-time?" Why is this NOT an appropriate question?

A) This question violates ethical guidelines because it gives a point of view.
B) This question requires the practitioner to be dishonest because the practitioner does not truly believe that it is better to go to university.
C) This question is used to inform the client of the practitioner's point of view.
D) This question encourages the client to view the situation from a different perspective.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT one of the important areas to learn about in counseling situations?

A) Problems or challenges
B) The situation
C) The environment
D) How to make the client feel more relaxed

Answer 2

D

Question 3

When might closed-ended, multiple-choice questions be useful?

A) When clients who are not used to expressing or reporting on their feelings require a larger vocabulary to describe what they are experiencing.
B) When practitioners want to inhibit the client's exploration.
C) When clients have a large emotional vocabulary and require an even larger vocabulary to describe what they are experiencing.
D) When the practitioner wants to develop a rapid-fire questioning style.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Often, if you pause after making an empathic comment,

A) the client will continue discussing what is important to them without the need for a question from you.
B) there will be an awkward silence that will be difficult to fill, and the conversation will be derailed.
C) the client will ask you a question about your personal life without the need for a question from you.
D) the client will also pause and then change the subject.

Question 5

Why is it important to understand why the client decided to see the practitioner?

A) It helps to increase the self-esteem of the practitioner and makes him/her more effective.
B) "Why" questions are not appropriate and should not be asked.
C) The client may decide to see another practitioner in the future, and it is important to understand why the client chose you to be their practitioner.
D) Often there is some precipitating event that leads the person to make an appointment.

Question 6

Under which of the following circumstances is it acceptable to ask multiple-choice questions?

A) You want the client to choose from three possible responses that are in line with a particular point you want to make.
B) Your client has a large emotional vocabulary and often expresses his feelings well.
C) Your client has already described his emotional responses to various situations and you want to encourage further exploration.
D) You have already asked open-ended questions regarding your client's feelings, and she is not accustomed to expressing her feelings.

Question 7

When clients tell their story, it is up to the practitioner to notice _______ and to _______.

A) what is not being discussed; explore those areas.
B) what is being discussed; explore those areas.
C) what is not being discussed; ignore those areas.
D) What is being discussed; ignore those areas.

Question 8

A rapid-fire questioning style fits with:

A) creating cooperative, working relationships.
B) expressing understanding.
C) interrogation.
D) depression.

Question 9

What could a practitioner do if the client is giving one-word responses to open-ended questions?

A) Confront the client by saying, "You are being resistive to therapy."
B) Encourage the client by saying, "Tell me more about…"
C) Change the subject as the client is not interested in discussing the current topic.
D) Ask only closed-ended questions because those are the questions the client is comfortable answering.

Question 10

To better understand the client's challenges, it is important to explore all of the following EXCEPT:

A) the history of the problem.
B) their family tree.
C) previous attempts to solve the problem.
D) the severity and frequency of the problem.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT one of the aspects considered when learning about the situation or environment?

A) The coping strategies i.e., individual strengths) employed by the client to deal with the problem.
B) How well the client is adapting and fitting into the environment.
C) Others who are affected by the problem.
D) Any life stressors that the client is currently experiencing.

Question 12

Using closed-ended questions is

A) never appropriate as only open-ended questions should be used.
B) appropriate when the practitioner needs to obtain specific information.
C) appropriate when the practitioner wants a client to explore a topic more fully.
D) appropriate when asking the client for feedback.

Question 13

Why is it important to ask questions only after you have a thorough understanding of what the client has just said?

A) You may sound incompetent if you do not understand the client.
B) The client will not answer your questions if you ask questions without a thorough understanding.
C) If you ask questions without a thorough understanding, you may confuse the client or change the direction of the conversation inappropriately.
D) It is unethical to ask questions without a thorough understanding of what the client has just said.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT an open-ended question?

A) How have you solved this type of problem in the past?
B) Tell me about the other people helped you solve this problem?
C) How did you feel about this?
D) Do you prefer living with your mother or your father?

Question 15

Why should practitioners avoid using "why" questions?

A) "Why" questions discourage people and make them feel sad.
B) The client may think that the practitioner is incompetent because s/he does not know the answer.
C) "Why" questions are rude.
D) "Why" questions often invite people to feel defensive and are experienced as attacking.

Question 16

Asking questions without expressing understanding first may be experienced as

A) helpful and directive.
B) "grilling" or interrogating.
C) therapeutic and empathic.
D) anger and nervousness.

Question 17

Asking several questions at once invites confusion; generally clients will

A) not reply to any of the questions.
B) reply to all questions but not necessarily in the order you asked them.
C) just reply to one of the questions.
D) feel overwhelmed and not respond any further to questions.

Question 18

Your adolescent client has just told you that her mom "micromanages" her life, and it's a problem. This is the first time she has mentioned the micromanagement. Which of the following is NOT an appropriate open-ended question to ask?

A) How does it make you feel when she micromanages your life?
B) What is it about her micromanagement that makes you angry?
C) What have you done to work on this problem?
D) What happens when your mom micromanages you?

Question 19

All of the following are reasons why the use of closed-ended questions should be limited EXCEPT:

A) they do not invite clients to fully explore a topic.
B) they may indicate that the practitioner is not interested in obtaining more information.
C) they may imply a practitioner's need to be in control rather than work collaboratively with the client.
D) they may only give you the facts.

Question 20

Your adolescent client has just told you that her mom "micromanages" her life. The following are all examples of appropriate open-ended questions EXCEPT:

A) Are you frustrated when your mom does that?
B) Tell me more about how you feel when your mom micromanages your life.
C) Will you explain more about what you mean when you say "micromanage"?
D) What would your life be like if your mom did not micromanage your life?

Question 21

When does stress become a problem?

A) When the stress is negative e.g., death, illness).
B) When the stress is positive e.g., marriage, new baby).
C) When the level of stress exceeds the client's ability to cope.
D) When the level of stress exceeds the client's environment's ability to cope.

Question 22

When is asking closed-ended questions appropriate? Give three examples of closed ended questions you could ask if your 8-year-old client tells you about having no food in the house.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT one of the areas to consider to better understand the demands and stresses in a client's life i.e., to better understand the environment or situation)?

A) Number of children in the household
B) Major health challenges
C) Ways in which the client has coped in the past
D) Past traumatic events in the family or community

Question 24

List three common mistakes that occur when using questions. For each mistake, provide an example of the mistake and a more appropriate way to gain the same information.

Question 25

One of your clients is taking care of her mother, who has been seriously ill for a long time. What might be some indications that she is having trouble coping with the stress? List 5 possible indications.

Question 26

Your client has told you that she has been experiencing insomnia. The following are all questions you would want to ask to learn more about the problem EXCEPT:

A) How often do you experience insomnia?
B) What is it about the insomnia that makes you anxious?
C) On a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being very troubling, and 10 being not troubled at all, how problematic is the insomnia for you?
D) How has the insomnia affected your ability to function daily?

Question 27

Your client indicates that he has been experiencing "panic attacks" recently. List five areas you would like to explore further to learn about this particular problem. Write one questions for each area listed.

Question 28

Your client describes feeling overwhelmed this past week. Give five examples of open-ended questions you could ask.

Question 29

All else being equal when considering the situation or environment, in which of the following situations is the individual most likely to NOT be able to cope with stress?

A) A single mother from an abusive family who moved to a new city to attend school full-time and work part-time to afford tuition and support herself and her child.
B) A single mother who lives near her supportive parents who help to take care of the child) and attends school full-time on a full scholarship.
C) An upper-middle class single father who works from home to spend more time with his young child and has several friends who help him take care of the child as needed.
D) A middle-class family who cannot afford to take more than one family vacation per year.

Question 30

Clients' generally feel more comfortable when the practitioner is genuine. This means the practitioner is

A) natural and sincere.
B) asking the right questions.
C) is fully present, authentic, candid and forthright.
D) honest about his/her feelings or ideas when it benefits the client.