CCC Research Methods & Program Evaluation

Question 1

Which research design is most appropriate when a counselor wants to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between a therapeutic intervention and client outcomes?

Accepted Answer

Randomized controlled trial

Answer

Randomized controlled trials use random assignment to experimental and control groups, which controls for confounding variables and allows causal inferences to be drawn.

Question 2

A counselor reviewing literature finds that most studies on a treatment show small but consistent positive effects. The most appropriate way to summarize this body of evidence is through a:

Accepted Answer

Meta-analysis

Answer

A meta-analysis statistically combines results from multiple studies to estimate an overall effect size and identify consistent patterns across the literature.

Question 3

In research ethics, the principle of autonomy is best protected by ensuring participants receive:

Accepted Answer

Informed consent

Answer

Informed consent protects autonomy by ensuring participants voluntarily agree to participate with full understanding of the study's purpose, risks, and their right to withdraw.

Question 4

A counseling researcher collects data by conducting in-depth interviews with 10 clients about their lived experience of grief. This approach is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Qualitative phenomenological research

Answer

Phenomenological qualitative research explores the subjective lived experiences of participants through methods such as in-depth interviews, focusing on meaning rather than measurement.

Question 5

Which statistical measure indicates the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two continuous variables?

Accepted Answer

Pearson correlation coefficient

Answer

The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) ranges from -1 to +1 and quantifies both the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two continuous variables.

CCC Practice Test

CCC Practice Test

CCC Research Methods & Program Evaluation