LPC Research and Program Evaluation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A counselor wants to determine whether a new group therapy program actually caused a reduction in client anxiety. Which research design best supports causal inference?
- Randomized controlled trial with pre/post measures (Correct answer)
- Single-subject A-B design
- Cross-sectional survey
- Qualitative focus group
Correct answer: Randomized controlled trial with pre/post measures
Randomized controlled trials with random assignment allow the strongest causal inferences by controlling for confounding variables.
Question 2: In program evaluation, formative evaluation is BEST described as:
- Assessing program outcomes after completion
- Monitoring and improving a program while it is ongoing (Correct answer)
- Comparing two programs to determine which is more cost-effective
- Measuring long-term client outcomes one year post-discharge
Correct answer: Monitoring and improving a program while it is ongoing
Formative evaluation occurs during program implementation to provide feedback for ongoing improvement, unlike summative evaluation which assesses final outcomes.
Question 3: A researcher reports a p-value of 0.03. What does this most accurately mean?
- There is a 3% chance the null hypothesis is true
- There is a 97% probability the alternative hypothesis is correct
- If the null hypothesis were true, results this extreme would occur 3% of the time by chance (Correct answer)
- The effect size is moderate
Correct answer: If the null hypothesis were true, results this extreme would occur 3% of the time by chance
A p-value represents the probability of obtaining results at least as extreme as observed, assuming the null hypothesis is true.
Question 4: Which sampling method would be MOST appropriate when studying a rare population such as counselors who specialize in treating torture survivors?
- Simple random sampling
- Systematic sampling
- Snowball sampling (Correct answer)
- Stratified random sampling
Correct answer: Snowball sampling
Snowball sampling is ideal for rare or hidden populations because existing participants recruit others from their networks.
Question 5: An LPC evaluates a school counseling program and finds a statistically significant improvement in attendance but a very small effect size (d=0.08). The BEST conclusion is:
- The program should be immediately expanded system-wide
- The statistical significance is meaningless without clinical significance (Correct answer)
- The program has a practically meaningful impact on attendance
- The study should be discarded due to the small effect size
Correct answer: The statistical significance is meaningless without clinical significance
Statistical significance with a very small effect size suggests the result may not be clinically or practically meaningful, especially with large samples.
Question 6: Which ethical principle is MOST directly violated when a researcher publishes only the positive findings from a study while withholding null results?
- Beneficence
- Autonomy
- Fidelity and responsibility (Correct answer)
- Justice
Correct answer: Fidelity and responsibility
Selective reporting violates fidelity and responsibility because it constitutes a form of dishonesty that undermines trust in the research enterprise.
Question 7: A counselor uses a needs assessment to plan community outreach services. Which step should come FIRST in this process?
- Selecting the intervention model
- Identifying the target population and their needs (Correct answer)
- Evaluating program outcomes
- Securing funding for services
Correct answer: Identifying the target population and their needs
Identifying the target population and their specific needs is the foundational first step before any program planning or intervention selection can occur.
LPC Research and Program Evaluation 2
A counselor wants to determine whether a new group therapy program actually caused a reduction in client anxiety.
Which research design best supports causal inference?