MC Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the MC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 MC Exam Format at a Glance
📚 MC Topics to Study (45)
✍️ Sample MC Questions & Answers
1. What term describes an approach that focuses on differences, includes aspects from multiple approaches, but is not advisable due to a lack of integration?
An eclectic approach involves selecting and applying techniques from various therapeutic orientations without a unifying theoretical framework. While it acknowledges differences and draws from multiple sources, it is often criticized for lacking the coherent integration found in an 'integrative' approach. This lack of integration can lead to a disjointed practice, as interventions may not be consistently grounded in a single theoretical understanding.
2. According to the ACA Code of Ethics, counselors must take which action when they suspect a colleague is engaging in unethical behavior?
The ACA Code recommends attempting to resolve ethical concerns informally with the colleague first, when doing so does not risk harm to others.
3. A p-value of 0.03 in a counseling study means:
A p-value represents the probability of obtaining the observed results (or more extreme) if the null hypothesis were true; p < 0.05 is conventionally considered statistically significant.
4. The GAF (Global Assessment of Functioning) scale, previously used on DSM-IV Axis V, rated client functioning on a scale of:
The GAF used a 1–100 scale, with higher scores indicating better psychological, social, and occupational functioning.
5. The concept of 'informed consent' in counseling requires that clients understand all of the following EXCEPT:
Informed consent requires disclosure of the counseling process, risks, benefits, and limits of confidentiality, but does not require sharing the counselor's personal history with their theoretical orientation.
6. Which of the following instances for refusing services would NOT qualify as discrimination?
Discrimination typically involves refusing services based on protected characteristics such as age, ethnicity, or culture, which are inherent to a person's identity and often legally protected. Refusing services due to a client's smell, while potentially uncomfortable, is generally not considered discrimination because it relates to a changeable personal hygiene issue rather than a protected group characteristic. However, therapists should still approach such situations with sensitivity and explore underlying causes if appropriate.