Mixed Deck — All LPC Topics Flashcards

Which of the subsequent describes a negative symptom of schizophrenia?

Answer: Blunt or flat affect, abolition, and reduced speech

Sharp or flat affect, lack of energy and passivity (anergia), lack of motivation and inability to initiate tasks (avolition), poor speech production and content, and sudden disruptions in speech and thought patterns, such as the client stopping speaking in the middle of an idea or losing track of what they were saying (thought stopping), are some of the negative symptoms linked to schizophrenia. Negative symptoms cause the client to struggle with communication and decision-making, which hinders social functioning and the capacity to hold down a job.

Informed consent in counseling must typically cover all of the following EXCEPT:

Answer: The specific diagnosis the counselor suspects

Counselors are not ethically required to disclose a suspected diagnosis prior to formal assessment; informed consent focuses on the nature of services, not tentative diagnoses.

The 'empty chair' technique in Gestalt therapy is primarily used to:

Answer: Work through unfinished business with an absent person or disowned aspect of self

The empty chair technique allows clients to engage in dialogue with an absent person or a disowned part of themselves, facilitating expression of unexpressed feelings and unresolved conflicts.

When a counselor attributes a client of color's distrust of the counseling system to pathological interpersonal difficulties rather than to historical experiences of racism, this exemplifies:

Answer: Cultural paranoia confusion

Confusing 'healthy cultural paranoia' (a realistic response to racism and institutional mistreatment) with pathological distrust represents a diagnostic error rooted in cultural insensitivity.

Which of the following represents a Type II error in hypothesis testing?

Answer: Failing to detect a true effect because the study was underpowered

A Type II error (false negative) occurs when a researcher fails to reject a null hypothesis that is actually false, often due to insufficient statistical power.

Which assessment approach involves gathering information from multiple sources such as interviews, standardized tests, and behavioral observations?

Answer: Multimodal assessment

Multimodal assessment gathers data from multiple sources and methods to provide a comprehensive and well-rounded picture of a client's functioning.

Structural family therapy, developed by Minuchin, focuses on changing which aspect of the family system?

Answer: Family structure — boundaries, subsystems, and hierarchies — to improve functioning

Structural family therapy focuses on reorganizing the family's structure — the patterns of interaction, boundaries, and hierarchies — to create clearer, more functional organization.

The disease model of addiction views substance use disorders as:

Answer: A chronic brain disorder with genetic, neurobiological, and environmental components

The disease model, endorsed by ASAM, NIDA, and mainstream medicine, views addiction as a chronic brain disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking despite negative consequences.

In motivational interviewing (MI), the acronym OARS refers to which set of counseling skills?

Answer: Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries

OARS stands for Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries — the core communication skills used in motivational interviewing.

A 55-year-old client is re-entering the workforce after raising children. According to Super's theory, this reflects which phenomenon?

Answer: Recycling through earlier developmental stages

Super acknowledged that adults can recycle through earlier stages (growth, exploration, establishment) when facing new career transitions at any age.

Herr, Cramer, and Niles's developmental approach to career counseling is most influenced by which broader theoretical framework?

Answer: Life-span developmental theory

Their approach draws heavily on life-span developmental theory, particularly Super's work, viewing career development as a lifelong process.

The concept of 'clinical utility' in selecting assessment instruments for treatment planning refers to:

Answer: The degree to which an instrument's results inform and improve clinical decision-making and treatment

Clinical utility refers to how useful an assessment instrument's results are for guiding clinical decisions, treatment planning, and outcome monitoring — beyond just its psychometric quality.

Which group format requires the MOST ethical caution when members know each other outside of the group?

Answer: Closed therapy group with pre-existing relationships (e.g., colleagues)

Pre-existing relationships create dual-relationship and confidentiality risks that can seriously undermine group safety.

A counselor working with a recent immigrant client notices the client avoids eye contact and speaks very softly. The culturally competent response is to:

Answer: Recognize these behaviors may reflect cultural norms rather than discomfort

Culturally competent counselors understand that nonverbal communication norms vary across cultures and avoid imposing dominant-culture standards.

A trauma survivor reports feeling as though they are watching themselves from outside their body during sessions. This experience is most consistent with:

Answer: Depersonalization

Depersonalization involves feeling detached from one's own mental processes or body, as if observing oneself from outside. It is common in trauma survivors.

The transtheoretical model (Prochaska and DiClemente) stage of 'contemplation' is characterized by:

Answer: Ambivalence — the person is considering change but not yet committed

In contemplation, individuals are aware of the problem and are considering change within the next 6 months, but have not yet made a commitment to act — ambivalence is its defining feature.

Which of the following does not represent a worry that late adulthood is often linked to?

Answer: All are common in late adulthood

While facing life changes, financial concerns, widowhood, and health issues are all common worries associated with late adulthood, the option "All are common in late adulthood" suggests that these worries are universally experienced, which may not be accurate for every individual. Each person's experience of late adulthood can vary based on various factors such as socio-economic status, support systems, and personal health. Therefore, the correct answer is "All are common in late adulthood."

Ideas regarding what constitutes appropriate behavior for men and women are referred to as _____.

Answer: gender roles

Absolutely, the ideas regarding what constitutes appropriate behavior for men and women are referred to as gender roles. These roles can vary significantly across different cultures and societies, influencing expectations and behaviors related to gender.

A client arrives at a community mental health center in a highly agitated state, pacing, speaking loudly, and clenching their fists. They are expressing extreme frustration about a recent eviction notice. What is the counselor's IMMEDIATE priority?

Answer: Ensure the safety of the client, self, and others using de-escalation techniques.

In any crisis situation involving agitation, the counselor's foremost responsibility is the immediate safety of everyone present. [31] Before any therapeutic work or information gathering can occur, the counselor must focus on lowering the emotional intensity and ensuring the environment is safe through verbal and non-verbal de-escalation techniques. [9, 14] Calling law enforcement is a secondary step, only to be taken if de-escalation fails and an imminent threat of violence persists. [6]

A counselor who can tolerate sitting with a client's pain without rushing to fix it is demonstrating:

Answer: Tolerance of ambiguity and presence

Tolerating ambiguity and sitting with discomfort is a key counselor characteristic that allows clients to process emotions at their own pace.