NCE National Counselor Exam Prep 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Erik Erikson, the primary conflict of adolescence is:
- Industry vs. Inferiority
- Identity vs. Role Confusion (Correct answer)
- Intimacy vs. Isolation
- Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
Correct answer: Identity vs. Role Confusion
Erikson's fifth stage (adolescence) centers on developing a coherent sense of self versus experiencing role confusion.
Question 2: A counselor using the Adlerian concept of 'social interest' is focusing on:
- The client's unconscious drives
- The client's sense of belonging and contribution to society (Correct answer)
- The client's early childhood trauma
- The client's cognitive distortions
Correct answer: The client's sense of belonging and contribution to society
Adler's Gemeinschaftsgefühl (social interest) reflects an individual's sense of community feeling and desire to contribute to the greater good.
Question 3: In group counseling, 'universality' refers to:
- The leader applying the same rules to all members
- Members realizing their problems are not unique (Correct answer)
- Using interventions from multiple theoretical orientations
- Applying universal ethical standards
Correct answer: Members realizing their problems are not unique
Yalom identified universality as a therapeutic factor in which members gain relief by recognizing others share similar struggles.
Question 4: The Holland Occupational Themes (RIASEC) model is used primarily in:
- Diagnosing personality disorders
- Career counseling and vocational assessment (Correct answer)
- Measuring intelligence
- Assessing family systems
Correct answer: Career counseling and vocational assessment
Holland's RIASEC model categorizes personalities and work environments into six types to facilitate career decision-making.
Question 5: A client repeatedly arrives late and forgets homework assignments. A psychodynamically oriented counselor would most likely interpret this as:
- Poor time management skills
- Resistance (Correct answer)
- A learning disability
- Lack of motivation due to depression
Correct answer: Resistance
In psychodynamic theory, resistance refers to unconscious processes that obstruct therapeutic progress, often manifesting as lateness or forgetting.
Question 6: Which measure of central tendency is most affected by extreme scores (outliers)?
- Mode
- Median
- Mean (Correct answer)
- Range
Correct answer: Mean
The mean incorporates all values in its calculation, so extreme scores pull it significantly up or down.
Question 7: The ACA Code of Ethics requires counselors to provide clients with informed consent that includes:
- A guarantee of positive treatment outcomes
- Information about the counselor's theoretical orientation, fees, and limits of confidentiality (Correct answer)
- The names of all other clients in the practice
- Detailed session notes upon request at any time
Correct answer: Information about the counselor's theoretical orientation, fees, and limits of confidentiality
Informed consent must cover the nature of counseling, credentials, fees, confidentiality limits, and clients' rights.
NCE National Counselor Exam Prep 2
According to Erik Erikson, the primary conflict of adolescence is: