M.Ed Professional School Counselor 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school counselor notices a student who was previously outgoing has become withdrawn and stops attending lunch. What is the FIRST appropriate action?
- Notify the student's parents immediately
- Schedule a private check-in with the student (Correct answer)
- Refer the student to a mental health clinic
- Alert the school principal
Correct answer: Schedule a private check-in with the student
A private check-in allows the counselor to assess the situation directly and build rapport before escalating or involving others.
Question 2: Which ethical principle requires a school counselor to act in the best interest of the student, even when it conflicts with institutional demands?
- Fidelity
- Justice
- Beneficence (Correct answer)
- Nonmaleficence
Correct answer: Beneficence
Beneficence means actively promoting the well-being of clients, which sometimes requires advocating for students over institutional convenience.
Question 3: Under the ASCA National Model, which of the following is an example of a Tier 2 intervention?
- Classroom guidance lessons for all students
- Individual counseling for a student in crisis
- Small-group counseling for students with similar needs (Correct answer)
- Systemic advocacy at the school board level
Correct answer: Small-group counseling for students with similar needs
Tier 2 interventions target students with identified needs through small-group counseling and similar targeted supports.
Question 4: A 10th-grade student discloses they are being cyberbullied by classmates. The counselor's BEST initial response is to:
- Discipline the cyberbullying students immediately
- Document the disclosure and assess the student's safety (Correct answer)
- Advise the student to delete their social media accounts
- Contact law enforcement about the cyberbullying
Correct answer: Document the disclosure and assess the student's safety
Documentation and safety assessment are foundational first steps before determining the appropriate intervention plan.
Question 5: Which term describes the process by which school counselors examine how their own cultural background may influence their interactions with students?
- Transference
- Cultural humility (Correct answer)
- Countertransference
- Multicultural competence
Correct answer: Cultural humility
Cultural humility involves ongoing self-reflection and awareness of how one's own culture shapes perceptions and interactions.
Question 6: A student reveals they have been stealing food from the cafeteria because there is no food at home. The counselor should FIRST:
- Report the theft to the principal
- Connect the family with school-based food assistance resources (Correct answer)
- Contact Child Protective Services
- Counsel the student on honesty
Correct answer: Connect the family with school-based food assistance resources
Addressing the immediate basic need is the priority, and school counselors serve as connectors to community and school resources.
Question 7: Which data type do school counselors use to demonstrate that their programs are closing achievement gaps?
- Perception data
- Process data
- Outcome data (Correct answer)
- Anecdotal data
Correct answer: Outcome data
Outcome data (also called results data) measures changes in student achievement, behavior, and attendance that result from counseling programs.
M.Ed Professional School Counselor 2
A school counselor notices a student who was previously outgoing has become withdrawn and stops attending lunch.
What is the FIRST appropriate action?