1. The primary difference between a boundary crossing and a boundary violation is ______.
a. everyone agrees when a boundary has been violated, whereas it is hard to reach agreement as to whether a boundary has been crossed
b. a violation involves a sexual relationship
c. a crossing occurs in almost every counseling session, while violations are less frequent
d. in a crossing, a boundary is shifted to meet the needs of the counselor, making sure the client is not harmed in the process.
e. a violation involves a serious breach of the code of ethics that results in a client being harmed
2. To be a culturally sensitive counselor, when a client from a different culture offers a counselor a gift, the counselor ______.
a. should never accept the gift
b. should always accept the gift
c. should take into primary consideration the monetary value of the gift
d. should evaluate the meaning the client attaches to the offering of the gift
e. should consider offering a similar gift in return
3. A counselor's self-disclosure in a counseling session ______.
a. may be acceptable if the counselor believes the disclosure will benefit the client
b. is acceptable if the client is not uncomfortable with the counselor's disclosure
c. is encouraged to demonstrate that the counselor is genuine and human
d. usually results in harm to the client
e. is a practice that is universally accepted by counseling professionals
4. Counselors who hug their clients ______.
a. would never get into trouble as long as the counselor can justify the hug as part of the therapeutic process
b. are doing what almost all counselors do at some point in their careers
c. will never be able to obtain professional liability insurance
d. expose themselves to serious claims of ethical violations because of the prohibition against touching clients in the professional literature
e. should be cautious and ensure the client is comfortable with the touching
5. The typical counselor who enters into a sexual relationship with a client is ______.
a. one who has had a number of ethical complaints filed against him/her in the past
b. is a professionally isolated male counselor who is experiencing distress or crisis in his personal life
c. is a male counselor under the age of 30
d. is a counselor who has few friends and who has low self-esteem
e. is a person who has a number of emotional problems and who has been in counseling for a number of years
6. Alice is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has counseled Thomas for several months. An issue to which they have devoted considerable time is Thomas' fear of failure, particularly in terms of his ability to succeed academically and complete his G.E.D. When Thomas learns that he has passed his G.E.D. exam, he asks Alice to attend the ceremony at which he will receive his G.E.D. diploma, and she accepts the invitation. This is an example of ______.
a. poor professional judgment
b. a boundary violation
c. a boundary crossing
d. a detrimental dual relationship
e. a violation of the code of ethics standard on non-professional relationships
7. Counselors may view a client's social media profile ______.
a. never
b. when the client has given the counselor consent to view the information
c. if the counselor has concerns about a client's safety
d. to determine whether the client shares acquaintances with the counselor
e. to verify a client's identity
8. The following are true of distance counseling services EXCEPT:
a. it can provide clients with greater access to counseling services
b. it can present issues related to licensure and the ability to practice across state and international boundaries
c. is controversial because the ACA Code of Ethics does not address this practice
d. credentialing is available for counselors interested in distance counseling
e. counselors must take steps to verify clients' identities
9. In distance counseling, informed consent should include ______.
a. the type of software used, guarantee of confidentiality and privacy, and consent to view client social media
b. consent to waive the right to confidentiality and privacy, as it cannot be guaranteed in distance counseling
c. consent to waive counselor liability in the event of a client crisis, as the counselor may be in a different time zone or otherwise inaccessible
d. the same information as typical face-to-face informed consent
e. distance counseling credentials, cultural/language differences, time zone differences, emergency procedures to follow if the counselor is not available, anticipated response time, and possible denial of insurance
10. In distance counseling, counselors may be subject to ______.
a. only the ethical standards developed by the state counseling association in which the client resides
b. ethical standards developed by ACA and state licensing boards, and the laws and regulations of both the counselor's and the client's physical locations
c. ethical standards, but not legal requirements, as laws do not yet address distance counseling
d. only the ethical standards developed by the state counseling association in which the counselor resides
e. only ethical standards developed by NBCC for credentialed distance counselors
11. All of the following are challenges associated with distance counseling, EXCEPT:
a. loss of body language, inflection, and other cues to communication
b. licensing concerns relative to practicing across state and international boundaries
c. limited effectiveness of counseling services that are not delivered face-to-face
d. reimbursement by insurance providers
e. need to continuously update ethical codes to address distance counseling
12. When communicating with clients over the phone, counselors should ______.
a. inform the client that he or she must speak to the counselor face-to-face because phone communication of confidential issues is unethical
b. assume that the conversation cannot be intercepted due to encryption software on cell phones
c. acknowledge that the client is receiving services to unknown callers reporting that they know the client
d. state information off the record and informally if the client and counselor have good rapport
e. attempt to verify the client's identity, and demonstrate caution and professionalism when discussing confidential information
13. When reporting suspected child abuse in good faith, counselors should review their particular state statute to determine all of the following EXCEPT:
a. who must make the report
b. when the report must be made
c. counselor liability for defamation of character
d. whether past abuse must be reported
e. whether a written report is required in addition to an oral report
14. Dual relationships in school settings ______.
a. seldom cause problems
b. don't usually create misunderstandings
c. help students gain trust and respect for the counselor if the counselor has disciplinary functions in the noncounseling relationship
d. generally should be avoided
e. rarely occur when dealing with child abuse issues
15. As a professional counselor, you are required by law in all states to report ______.
a. a client's threat to commit a burglary
b. suspected child abuse or neglect
c. unethical behavior of a colleague
d. knowledge that a client has tested positive for HIV
e. all of the above
16. When it comes to determining who has the right to make decisions regarding a child's life, the law favors ______.
a. the adult with whom the child is living
b. grandparents, if they are raising the child
c. biological parents
d. the child himself or herself
e. the child's adult sibling
17. Each of the following groups might be considered to be vulnerable adults who are protected from abuse in some states by statute EXCEPT:
a. developmentally disabled adults
b. severely mentally ill adults
c. elderly adults
d. physically disabled adults
e. emotionally distressed adults
18. The 2014 ACA Code of Ethics advises counselors to ______.
a. uphold the confidentiality rights of their minor clients even when parents object
b. avoid legal liability by including parents in counseling sessions with their children
c. avoid legal liability by disclosing to parents any risky behavior of a minor client, such as experimenting with drugs or alcohol
d. establish collaborative relationships with parents
e. obtain minor clients' legal informed consent for counseling services
19. A counselor who is beginning a group ______.
a. should require all group members to sign a pledge to keep information from the group confidential
b. should explain that nothing is confidential because group members do not have the same obligation as professional counselors to keep information private
c. should explain that while the counselor will keep things confidential, there is no guarantee others in the group will do the same
d. should guarantee all information in the group will remain private
e. should explain that group members who violate the confidentiality of other group members will be reported to the counselor licensure board.
20. Pre-screening of group members ______.
a. is a good idea, but is not required by the ACA Code of Ethics
b. is required by the ACA Code of Ethics
c. is recommended, but not required by the ACA Code of Ethics
d. is an ethical practice that all counselors adhere to
e. is an ethical standard that is meant to protect counselors from being sued
21. Because children cannot give their legal consent to participate in family counseling ______.
a. parental consent should be obtained in writing from both biological parents
b. they should not be included in family counseling prior to age 18
c. it is illegal to include them in a family counseling session unless their parents have consented in writing
d. a court order should be obtained before including a child in a family counseling situation
e. they should be informed of the process of family counseling and their consent should be secured even though it is not legally required