Research and Program Evaluation Flashcards
7 cards from real LPC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Research and Program Evaluation flashcards as text
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?
Answer: Randomized controlled trial with pre/post measures
Randomized controlled trials with random assignment allow the strongest causal inferences by controlling for confounding variables.
In program evaluation, formative evaluation is BEST described as:
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.
A researcher reports a p-value of 0.03. What does this most accurately mean?
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.
Which sampling method would be MOST appropriate when studying a rare population such as counselors who specialize in treating torture survivors?
Answer: Snowball sampling
Snowball sampling is ideal for rare or hidden populations because existing participants recruit others from their networks.
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:
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.
Which ethical principle is MOST directly violated when a researcher publishes only the positive findings from a study while withholding null results?
Answer: Fidelity and responsibility
Selective reporting violates fidelity and responsibility because it constitutes a form of dishonesty that undermines trust in the research enterprise.
A counselor uses a needs assessment to plan community outreach services. Which step should come FIRST in this process?
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.