BRS Counseling, Education & Support Services 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which therapeutic approach focuses on helping clients with vision loss identify and challenge negative automatic thoughts about their disability?
- Motivational Interviewing
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (Correct answer)
- Person-Centered Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
Correct answer: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT targets maladaptive thought patterns and is widely used to address depression and anxiety related to acquired vision loss.
Question 2: A client who is newly blinded refuses all rehabilitation services and insists their sight will return despite medical evidence. This behavior BEST reflects which stage of grief?
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Denial (Correct answer)
- Depression
Correct answer: Denial
Denial is a protective mechanism in which the client refuses to accept the permanence of vision loss.
Question 3: Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which section prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs receiving federal financial assistance?
- Section 504 (Correct answer)
- Section 508
- Section 301
- Section 402
Correct answer: Section 504
Section 504 prohibits disability-based discrimination in federally funded programs and was the first major U.S. civil rights law for people with disabilities.
Question 4: When facilitating a peer support group for individuals with low vision, the BRS should PRIMARILY serve as:
- The sole decision-maker for group topics
- A facilitator who encourages member-led discussion (Correct answer)
- A lecturer providing disability information
- A counselor delivering individual therapy to the group
Correct answer: A facilitator who encourages member-led discussion
In peer support groups, the BRS facilitates rather than dominates, empowering members to share experiences and problem-solve collaboratively.
Question 5: A BRS is counseling a 70-year-old client with macular degeneration who expresses hopelessness about learning braille. The MOST appropriate response is to:
- Agree that braille may not be realistic at her age
- Explore her concerns and discuss alternative literacy options (Correct answer)
- Immediately refer her to a psychiatrist
- Dismiss her concerns and proceed with braille instruction
Correct answer: Explore her concerns and discuss alternative literacy options
Exploring concerns and presenting alternatives (e.g., audio technology, large print) validates the client's feelings while keeping rehabilitation goals attainable.
Question 6: The concept of 'adjustment to disability' in blind rehabilitation is BEST described as:
- Complete psychological acceptance occurring within six months
- A linear process ending when the client uses a white cane
- An ongoing, individualized process influenced by personal and environmental factors (Correct answer)
- A medical milestone determined by the ophthalmologist
Correct answer: An ongoing, individualized process influenced by personal and environmental factors
Adjustment to disability is non-linear, highly personal, and shaped by factors such as personality, social support, culture, and severity of vision loss.
Question 7: Which federal law guarantees students with visual impairments access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment?
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Correct answer)
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
Correct answer: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
IDEA mandates FAPE and LRE for eligible students with disabilities, including those with visual impairments, from birth through age 21.
BRS Counseling, Education & Support Services 2
Which therapeutic approach focuses on helping clients with vision loss identify and challenge negative automatic thoughts about their disability?