Question 1

Therapists have a legal, professional, and ethical obligation to assess whether clients may:
A) become completely healthy mentally within six sessions of treatment, never needing therapy again.
B) be covered by insurance only.
C) complete a treatment plan, including their goals for therapy, before the initial assessment.
D) pose a danger to themselves or others.

Accepted Answer

Therapists have a duty to assess whether clients may harm themselves, harm others, or be in danger. This obligation is not only ethical but also legal in most jurisdictions. Therefore, it is crucial for therapists to assess the risk of harm and take appropriate actions to protect clients and others. The other options (A, B, and C) are not relevant or necessary obligations for therapists.

Question 2

It is important to understand the common used in your profession, even if you choose not to use them in your practice.
A) diagnoses
B) assessment tools
C) confidentiality
D) informed consent

Accepted Answer

Understanding common assessment tools is crucial in any profession as it helps in evaluating, diagnosing, and planning interventions or strategies effectively, even if one chooses not to use them directly in their practice.

Question 3

______________________is the process of distinguishing one form of mental disorders from another by determining which of two (or more) disorders with similar symptoms the person is suffering from.
A) Differential diagnosis
B) Psychological diagnosis
C) Assessment
D) Psychometric testing

Accepted Answer

Differential diagnosis is specifically related to mental disorders, and involves differentiating between two or more similar disorders based on their distinguishing characteristics. Psychological diagnosis and assessment are broader terms that can refer to any type of evaluation or diagnosis related to mental health or functioning. Psychometric testing refers specifically to the administration and analysis of standardized psychological tests, which may or may not be used as part of the differential diagnosis process.

Question 4

The acronym DSM-5 stands for:
A) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: 5th Edition
B) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases: 5th Edition
C) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Muscle Disorders: 5th Edition
D) Deviant Syndromes Manual: Treatment and Remediation: 5th Edition

Accepted Answer

The correct acronym for DSM-5 is Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: 5th Edition. The DSM-5 is a publication of the American Psychiatric Association that provides standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders.

Question 5

______________________consists of evaluating the relevant factors in a client's life to identify themes for further exploration.
A) Differential diagnosis
B) Psychological diagnosis
C) Assessment
D) Psychometric testing

Accepted Answer

Assessment is the process of evaluating the relevant factors in a client's life, including their current functioning, history, strengths, and challenges, in order to identify themes for further exploration. Differential diagnosis involves ruling out or identifying other possible diagnoses, and psychological diagnosis involves identifying a specific mental health condition or disorder. Psychometric testing involves administering standardized tests to evaluate specific aspects of a client's functioning, such as intelligence or personality.

Question 6

The clinical interview serves all of the following purposes EXCEPT:
A) providing information on a client's presenting problems.
B) giving glimpses of historical factors that may be contributing to the client's condition.
C) providing a framework for making a differential diagnosis to determine whether an individual suffers from a particular mental disorder.
D) providing the actual outcome of treatment.

Accepted Answer

The clinical interview is not designed to provide the actual outcome of treatment. Its purpose is to gather information on the client's presenting problems, historical factors contributing to the condition and aid in making a differential diagnosis.

Question 7

The movement toward grounding psychotherapy practice on a scientific foundation led to the concept of:
A) differential diagnosis.
B) psychometric testing.
C) psychological diagnosis.
D) empirically supported treatments.

Accepted Answer

The concept of grounding psychotherapy practice on a scientific foundation is best represented by the use of empirically supported treatments (ESTs). ESTs are interventions that have been rigorously tested and shown to be effective through scientific research, which helps ensure that psychotherapy is based on evidence rather than personal opinion or belief. Differential diagnosis (A) and psychological diagnosis (C) are related to the process of identifying and labeling mental health disorders, while psychometric testing (B) refers to the use of standardized tests to measure psychological functioning. While these concepts may also be important in psychotherapy practice, they do not directly relate to the goal of grounding therapy on a scientific foundation.

Question 8

______________________believe that many symptoms stem from problems within the system rather than originating in the individual.
A) Cognitive behavioral therapists
B) Cognitive therapists
C) Family systems therapists
D) Psychoanalysts

Accepted Answer

Family systems therapists believe that symptoms and problems arise from within the family system and not just from an individual's behavior or beliefs. They focus on identifying and addressing patterns of communication, relationships, and interactions within the family that may contribute to the development and maintenance of symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapists and cognitive therapists tend to focus more on individual beliefs and maladaptive thought patterns. Psychoanalysts focus on unconscious conflicts and early childhood experiences as the root of psychological problems.

Question 9

A assigned to clients can have implications for their employment or future employability status.
A) diagnosis
B) empirically supported treatment
C) assessment
D) treatment manual

Accepted Answer

A diagnosis is a formal classification of a specific medical or mental health condition. Being diagnosed with certain conditions or disorders can have implications for employment, such as being disqualified from certain jobs or industries, or facing discrimination in the workplace. It could also affect future employability status, as employers may be hesitant to hire someone with a history of certain diagnoses.

Question 10

Katie has just accepted her first position as a counselor in a community agency. An agency policy requires her to conduct an intake interview with each client, determine a diagnosis, and establish a treatment plan - all in the first session. Once a diagnosis is established, clinicians have a maximum of five more sessions with a given client. What ethical and legal standards are possibly broken?
A) Ethical and legal standards requiring professionals to assess a client for at least five sessions before diagnosing
B) Ethical and legal standards requiring professionals to carefully assess and accurately diagnose clients before commencing any intervention
C) Ethical and legal standards requiring professionals to forgo diagnosing a client in order to properly treat the problem
D) Ethical and legal standards requiring professionals to pick a diagnosis that fits a criteria in order for insurance reimbursement

Accepted Answer

By requiring counselors to diagnose and establish a treatment plan in just one session, the agency policy potentially violates ethical and legal standards that mandate careful assessment and accurate diagnosis of clients before any intervention. Rushing to diagnosis can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. A more thorough and comprehensive assessment is typically required to make a proper diagnosis.

Question 11

Practitioners who favor the use of diagnostic procedures argue that such procedures enable the therapists to:
A) attach a label to the client, which stigmatizes them.
B) identify a diagnosis that will follow the client for the rest of their life, possibly keeping them from being accepted by any future insurance company.
C) identify a particular emotional or behavioral disorder, which helps in designing an appropriate treatment plan.
D) pick and choose which symptoms truly fit the client's problems in order to create a diagnosis that will be reimbursed by insurance and remain on the client's record for possible future problems.

Accepted Answer

Diagnostic procedures can help the therapist identify a particular emotional or behavioral disorder, which would then inform the design of an appropriate treatment plan. This can increase the likelihood of successful therapy outcomes. However, labeling the client with a disorder or diagnosis can also have negative consequences, such as stigmatization or difficulty obtaining insurance in the future. Therefore, it is important for therapists to use diagnostic procedures carefully, and to always prioritize the well-being of the client.

Question 12

Which of the following statements has NOT been supported by research?
A) Therapy is helpful to the majority of clients.
B) Most people achieve some change relatively quickly in therapy.
C) Generally speaking, therapies achieve similar outcomes.
D) People change more due to specific factors.

Accepted Answer

This statement has not been supported by research as studies show that people change due to a combination of factors, including the therapeutic relationship, the client's motivation, and the techniques used in therapy.

Question 13

Developing an approach to counseling is an ongoing and fluid process. Counselors in training tend to be drawn to a particular theory initially but modify it as they gain experience. Ultimately, your counseling orientation and style must:
A) include some aspects of psychoanalytic theory.
B) be appropriate for the unique needs of your clients and for the type of counseling you do.
C) be a combination of all theories in the counseling field.
D) be appropriate for some clients; other clients will change to fit your counseling orientation and style.

Accepted Answer

It is important for counselors to have an approach that is flexible and adaptable to the individual needs of their clients and the type of counseling they are doing. While having an understanding of various theories is important, it is not necessary to incorporate every aspect of them into one's approach. It is also not appropriate to expect clients to change to fit the counselor's orientation and style.

Question 14

Some practitioners may over-diagnose, under-diagnose, or misdiagnose clients from marginalized groups. In order to avoid these issues, counselors need to:
A) carefully consider all aspects of clients' culture without considering clients' past and present life circumstances.
B) carefully consider the clients' past and present life circumstances only.
C) carefully consider the clients' decisions in life with no regard of culture.
D) carefully consider all aspects of clients' culture in conjunction with clients' past and present life circumstances.

Accepted Answer

Counselors need to be aware of the cultural background of their clients but also need to consider their past and present life circumstances. A holistic approach is important in working with marginalized clients to understand all factors that may impact their mental health. Focusing solely on culture or solely on life circumstances may result in over-diagnosis, under-diagnosis, or misdiagnosis.

Question 15

______________________were developed for a wide range of psychological disorders. Their success ushered in the movement toward empirically supported treatments and evidence-based practice.
A) Family systems therapies
B) Cognitive therapies
C) Treatment manuals
D) Behavioral therapies

Accepted Answer

Treatment manuals were developed for a wide range of psychological disorders, providing standardized guidelines for therapy. Their effectiveness in producing measurable outcomes contributed significantly to the movement toward empirically supported treatments and evidence-based practice.

Quiz 10: Issues in Theory and Practice

Therapists have a legal, professional, and ethical obligation to assess whether clients may:

It is important to understand the common used in your profession, even if you choose not to use them in your practice.

______________________is the process of distinguishing one form of mental disorders from another by determining which of two (or more) disorders with similar symptoms the person is suffering from.

The acronym DSM-5 stands for:

______________________consists of evaluating the relevant factors in a client's life to identify themes for further exploration.

The clinical interview serves all of the following purposes EXCEPT:

The movement toward grounding psychotherapy practice on a scientific foundation led to the concept of:

______________________believe that many symptoms stem from problems within the system rather than originating in the individual.

A assigned to clients can have implications for their employment or future employability status.

Practitioners who favor the use of diagnostic procedures argue that such procedures enable the therapists to:

Which of the following statements has NOT been supported by research?

Developing an approach to counseling is an ongoing and fluid process. Counselors in training tend to be drawn to a particular theory initially but modify it as they gain experience. Ultimately, your counseling orientation and style must:

Some practitioners may over-diagnose, under-diagnose, or misdiagnose clients from marginalized groups. In order to avoid these issues, counselors need to:

______________________were developed for a wide range of psychological disorders. Their success ushered in the movement toward empirically supported treatments and evidence-based practice.