Preparation Manual

Domain I—Understanding Students

Competency 001—(Human Development): The school counselor understands processes of human development and applies this knowledge to provide a developmental guidance program, including counseling services, that meets the needs of all students.

1. According to Erik Erikson, the developmental stage that occurs immediately before adolescence is

1. initiative versus guilt.
2. industry versus inferiority.
3. identity versus role confusion.
4. intimacy versus isolation.

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Option B is correct because industry versus inferiority occurs in late childhood or in the preteen years, just prior to adolescence. Option A is incorrect because initiative versus guilt occurs during the preschool or toddler years. Option C is incorrect because identity versus role confusion occurs in adolescence. Option D is incorrect because intimacy versus isolation occurs in early adulthood.

2. According to Sigmund Freud’s theory of psychosexual development, which of the following stages defines sexual maturity?

1. Phallic
2. Genital
3. Latency
4. Oral

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Option B is correct because Sigmund Freud identifies the genital stage, which typically occurs in adolescence, as the period in which people reach sexual maturity. Options A, C and D are incorrect. Each is a stage of Freud’s theory, but not the stage of sexual maturity.

3. What primary difference among students should the school counselor keep in mind when preparing a lesson on bullying for third graders and a similar lesson on bullying for eighth graders?

1. Physical development
2. Cognitive and language development
3. Family of origin
4. Bullying incidences in the classroom

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Option B is correct because the third graders and eighth graders will have different language and cognitive skills so the lesson would need to be presented at a different cognitive level for the two grades. Option A is incorrect because the students will not be doing physical activities during the presentation. Option C is incorrect because the families of origin should be similar in third and eighth grade. Option D is incorrect because bullying incidents in the classroom may affect the topics covered in the lesson, but they do not constitute a primary difference between the two grades: both grades can have bullying.

4. Jose, a 5 year old, is attending school for the first time. Each morning when he arrives at school he screams, throws his backpack, and cries for his mother to take him home. Based on this scenario, the professional school counselor should do which of the following?

1. Tell Jose’s mother that Jose might be too young for school and she should wait to send him until the following year
2. Recommend that Jose see an outside therapist or physician to help with his separation anxiety
3. Reassure Jose’s mother that his behavior is age appropriate and with time he will begin to feel comfortable at school
4. Encourage Jose’s mother to look at alternative school placements that may better suit Jose’s needs

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Option C is correct. Many children feel anxiety about separating from their parent and entering an unfamiliar environment with new expectations when entering school for the first time. Option A is incorrect because an additional year at home may not address the issue of transitioning from the home environment to the school setting. Options B and D are incorrect because without additional information and Jose’s lack of prior school experience, it is unfair to assume that his behavior is disordered.

Competency 002—(Student Diversity): The school counselor understands human diversity and applies this knowledge to ensure that the developmental guidance and counseling program is responsive to all students.

5. The parents of a first grader consult the school counselor about their daughter, Kathryn. Although Kathryn exhibits no significant delays in language or cognitive development, she shows marked impairment in the use of facial expressions and body posture. She does not enjoy interacting with members of her peer group and is often preoccupied with the faces of dolls. In addition, her parents have noticed that Kathryn seems to enjoy repetitive movements, such as spinning. The observations about Kathryn are consistent with which of the following?

1. Down syndrome
2. Oppositional defiant disorder
3. Pica disorder
4. Autism spectrum disorder

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Option D is correct because the symptoms identified in the scenario, including impairment in social interactions, body movements and facial expressions, along with self-stimulating behaviors and no developmental language impairment are typical of autism spectrum disorder without language impairments. Option A is incorrect because children diagnosed with Down syndrome have language delays or delays in cognitive development. Option B is incorrect because children with oppositional defiant disorder often show angry outbursts and argue with authorities and other children. Option C is incorrect because children with pica compulsively eat items that have no nutritional value.

6. Of the following, which is most widely believed to be a characteristic of a gifted child?

1. A large vocabulary and strong reading skills
2. A high level of ability and a strong motivation to focus in a specific area
3. A tendency to learn one piece of information well before moving on to the next
4. A preference for concrete thinking over abstract thinking

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Option A is correct because most gifted children have strong vocabulary and reading skills. Option B is incorrect because many gifted children have a variety of interests. Option C is incorrect because most gifted children can learn about different topics simultaneously. Option D is incorrect because gifted children are often more interested in abstract rather than concrete information.

7. Joel, a high school senior, missed a final exam; as a result, he failed mathematics, which he needed to graduate. Joel tells the school counselor that he celebrated a religious holiday on the day of the exam, that he notified his teachers ahead of time and that all the teachers except the mathematics teacher made arrangements for him to take final exams on other days. Joel is concerned that his parents are going to claim that he was discriminated against because of his religion. He is afraid of the consequences if he has to retake mathematics with the same teacher. Which of the following is the best course of action for the counselor to take?

1. Enroll Joel in night school to resolve the conflict
2. Talk to the principal, teacher, and Joel’s parents to try to resolve the conflict
3. Report to the principal that the mathematics teacher has practiced religious discrimination
4. Support the mathematics teacher because teachers have the right to set firm exam times

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Option B is correct because the best way to resolve the conflict is to meet with all parties who are involved in order to fully understand what happened. Option A is incorrect because enrolling Joel in a night course would be avoiding the conflict rather than resolving it. Taking a night course would be an inconvenience for Joel, and his parents would probably still be angry. Options C and D are incorrect because reporting the teacher or supporting the teacher would increase the conflict rather than resolve it.

8. Lyla, a 13-year-old middle school student, identifies as bisexual. As a result of her sexual orientation, she has experienced verbal harassment from her peers over the past year and was recently physically harassed. Which of the following interventions is most appropriate for a school counselor to implement to help Lyla?

1. Advocating for the inclusion of issues important to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) youth in the curriculum
2. Teaching social skills to the student population through guidance curriculum and responsive services
3. Identifying possible LGBT youth to provide Lyla with a supportive peer group
4. Providing Lyla with a referral for social services support that is relevant to LGBT youth

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Option D is correct because providing Lyla with a referral for social services is an example of a school counselor providing counseling and responsive services directly to the student. Option A is incorrect because while advocating for the inclusion of issues important to diverse groups of students is appropriate for implementing change on a systems level, it does not directly or individually address Lyla’s situation. Option B is incorrect because there is an immediate student need that requires attention prior to implementing a curriculum at a systems level. Option C is incorrect because identifying other students’ sexual orientation is breaking confidentiality and is unethical. Students must make the decision of when and to whom they want to come out on their own.

Competency 003—(Factors Affecting Students): The school counselor understands factors that may affect students’ development and school achievement and applies this knowledge to promote students’ ability to achieve their potential.

9. The school counselor is concerned that a very competent senior is not pursuing college. Her English teacher has complained that she would not write a college admissions essay for a class lesson. The student tells the counselor that her father has been deported and she is working to help support the family; she no longer sees the point of going to college. What can the counselor do to help the student?

1. Place the student in a group to raise her self-esteem
2. Explain to the teacher that this is an example of learned helplessness
3. Call an immigration attorney to help the student’s father
4. Discuss with the student how going to college might help her family in the long run

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Option D is correct because the student wants to help her family and realistically increasing her earning potential will help her family in the long run. Option A is incorrect because the issue is not the student’s self-esteem. Option B is incorrect because, while the student may be experiencing learned helplessness, telling the teacher will not help the problem and is a breach of confidentiality. Option C is incorrect because it is outside of the counselor’s area of competence.

10. The friends of John, a high school student, complain to the school counselor that his girlfriend is abusing him. They say she punches him and frequently shows up at their houses looking for him. They also report that every time he says he is going to break up with her, she tells him she is pregnant. The counselor says she will talk to John, but his friends say he would never admit to the situation. Which of the following actions should the counselor take?

1. Tell the friends that they need to bring John in or the counselor will be forced to report the abuse
2. Ask the friends if they have ever been abused because minimizing the importance of abuse is a sign they have experienced abuse themselves
3. Tell the friends that due to societal norms people often are embarrassed to say anything about abuse, but getting professional help is important
4. Tell the friends to have the girlfriend come to see the counselor if she thinks she is pregnant

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Option C is correct because John needs to get professional help even if he finds it embarrassing. Option A is incorrect because the friends cannot be held responsible for John, and the counselor should not use threats to gain compliance. Options B and D are incorrect because they don’t deal directly with helping John.

11. Which of the following is most likely to affect the academic success of a student being bullied at school?

1. The student may develop a learning disability due to an inability to focus on academic work.
2. The student may avoid socializing with classmates and begin to self-isolate.
3. The student may need specialized services that provide classroom accommodations.
4. The student may have a difficult time concentrating during class due to feeling insecure and anxious.

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Option D is correct because safety, or the sense of feeling safe, can affect student learning. If a student is being bullied, he or she will not feel safe. Option A is incorrect because learning disabilities are neurologically based processing problems, and being a victim of bullying cannot cause the student to develop such a disability. Option B is incorrect because avoiding socialization has no bearing on academic achievement. Option C is incorrect because specialized services are provided to students with disabilities.

Domain II—Planning and Implementing the Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program

Competency 004—(Program Management): The school counselor understands how to plan, implement and evaluate a developmental guidance program, including counseling services, that promotes all students’ success.

12. Which of the following aspects of a school counseling program can demonstrate alignment with both the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and the Texas School Counselor Association (TSCA) models?

1. Use of data
2. Support from the learning community
3. Faculty and staff knowledge of counselor responsibilities
4. Monetary contributions from the community

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Option A is correct because the components of a comprehensive school counseling program can be measured by data analysis and compared to the guidelines of the ASCA and TSCA. Options B, C and D are incorrect because support from the learning community, faculty knowledge of counselor responsibilities and monetary contributions are helpful, but will not demonstrate alignment with the ASCA or TSCA models.

13. Ms. Frances began a series of lessons on college readiness. She based her topic on the district’s vision and mission statements. As she worked with her tenth-grade class, she introduced the topic and told students that they would be looking up colleges or universities that she had selected as examples. In groups of three per computer, students spent the class period browsing campus sites.

Which of the following components of a developmental guidance program was the school counselor providing?

1. Guidance curriculum
2. Responsive services
3. Individual planning
4. System support

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Option A is correct because the lessons help students develop skills in using a computer for an academic search. Option B is incorrect because responsive services focus on an immediate need of the student. Option C is incorrect because the lessons are geared toward developing skills rather than planning for an individual student’s future. Option D is incorrect because system support refers to management activities, such as consultation, collaboration and supervision.

14. Which of the following will best help a counselor establish and maintain a comprehensive guidance counseling program?

1. Daily update meetings with the administrative team
2. Daily e-mails summarizing the day’s events
3. Monthly progress reports summarizing guidance lessons and students/groups counseled
4. A yearly calendar with critical deadlines and trainings highlighted, with updates as necessary

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Option D is correct because a yearly calendar will allow for planning. Option A is incorrect because daily meetings are time consuming and are not the most efficient way of sharing information. Options B and C are incorrect because they are methods of summarizing what has already happened and do not help with planning.

15. At the beginning of the school year, the professional school counselor sends a questionnaire to teachers to determine what areas they perceive as the greatest concerns for their students. Which of the following most likely characterizes the school counselor’s motivation for sending out the questionnaire?

1. Conducting a statistical analysis of type of teacher concern by grade level
2. Making sure that counseling lessons are of interest to the students
3. Conducting a needs assessment to target counseling lessons to the areas of greatest need
4. Enabling the counselor to include all student demographics in counseling lessons

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Option C is correct because the counselor wants to make sure that the programs and lessons in the guidance program are ones that are of importance to the students and staff in the school. Option A is incorrect because there is no indication from the information given that the counselor is conducting a statistical analysis. Option B is incorrect because although the professional school counselor would probably like the lessons to be of interest the students, the questionnaire is directed at teachers. Therefore, the counselor’s primary motivation is most likely more closely related to identifying the teachers’ needs. Option D is incorrect because the counselor is likely not concerned with targeting lessons to specific demographics of students, based on the description of the questionnaire.

16. Which of the following actions is considered part of the organizing step of the development cycle of a school counseling program?

1. Adopting the school counseling program model
2. Evaluating the school counseling program
3. Establishing and planning the transition to the desired program
4. Identifying leadership for program improvement efforts

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Option D is correct because identifying program leadership falls under the organizing step of the program development cycle. It should be completed before all other steps listed as options. Option A is incorrect because it falls under the planning step of the program. Option B is incorrect because it falls under the evaluation step of the program. Option C is incorrect because it falls under the designing step of the program.

Competency 005—(Developmental Guidance Program): The school counselor knows how to provide a comprehensive developmental guidance program that promotes all students’ personal growth and development.

17. The most effective method of ensuring that the goals for the developmental guidance curriculum are met is to

1. provide teachers with activities to conduct in their classrooms.
2. purchase a schoolwide curriculum that addresses the goals of the school’s guidance program.
3. collaborate with teachers to determine opportunities to integrate the guidance curriculum into the academic curriculum.
4. establish a regular schedule for guidance lessons.

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Option C is correct because the guidance curriculum is most effective when it is integrated into the academic curriculum. Option A is incorrect because it is better for the school counselor and the teacher to collaborate so that they can share their expertise. Option B is incorrect because it is difficult to find a packaged curriculum that matches the school’s academic curriculum. Option D is incorrect because it is better to schedule guidance lessons so that they coincide with the academic curriculum rather than have the lessons adhere to a regular schedule.

18. Mr. Contreras is a new counselor at South High School who wants his classroom lessons to have an impact on student behavior during the academic year. He hopes to address issues that will carry over from the classroom into the students’ personal lives. Which of the following is the most effective way for Mr. Contreras to gather the data he needs to provide student-focused and relevant lessons?

1. Polling the teachers and administrators on behavioral issues occurring regularly in the school
2. Talking with parents regarding concerns they have about student behavior
3. Asking community members for ways to increase student involvement in civic affairs
4. Holding meetings with students and involving them in creating the lessons

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Option D is correct because the best way to understand the needs of the students and create a curriculum that meets those needs is to talk with students. Options B, C and D are incorrect because they are indirect ways to identify students’ needs and are not as effective as talking directly to the students.

19. A school counselor is creating a guidance curriculum to address self-confidence development for second-grade students. Based on A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools, which of the following competencies should the lessons address for second-grade students?

1. Developing awareness of personal traits and characteristics that contribute to the uniqueness of each individual
2. Acknowledging, accepting, and appreciating their own uniqueness
3. Identifying similarities and differences between themselves and others
4. Identifying things that are helpful and things that are harmful to their physical, intellectual, and emotional health

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Option A is correct because A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools: A Guide for Program Development Pre-K-12^thGrade indicates that, developmentally, students at a first through third grade level are able to develop an awareness of personal traits that contribute to the uniqueness of individuals. Option B is incorrect because the model indicates that acknowledging, accepting, and appreciating one’s own uniqueness is more appropriate developmentally for students in seventh through ninth grades. Option C is incorrect because the model indicates that identifying likenesses and differences between people is more appropriate developmentally for prekindergarten students. Option D is incorrect because the model indicates that identifying things that are helpful and things that are harmful to physical, intellectual, and emotional health is more appropriate developmentally for students in seventh through ninth grades.

20. Christian, a fifth-grade student, is referred to the school counselor for issues in dealing with fellow classmates. Christian is easily aggravated and becomes verbally and physically aggressive with other students when he feels as if things are not going his way. The school counselor is asked to help Christian come up with a plan to develop interpersonal effectiveness that can be implemented inside and outside of the classroom. Which of the following should be the focus of the counselor’s plan?

1. Helping Christian understand and use a variety of ways to solve conflicts with others inside and outside of the classroom
2. Helping Christian’s parents locate an outside therapist because Christian’s issues are outside of a professional counselor’s scope of practice
3. Helping Christian describe his own culture’s customs and expectations
4. Helping Christian develop awareness of when it is appropriate to generalize his behavior to contexts outside of the classroom

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Option A is correct because Christian’s main problem is dealing with the students that he feels are not treating him fairly. Therefore, he needs to have a plan that will allow him ways to work through conflicts with fellow students. Option B is incorrect because although Christian’s actions affect others, teaching him to control his anger and providing him with a toolbox of conflict-resolution skills will enable him to improve his relationship with others more easily and effectively. Option C is incorrect because Christian’s understanding of his cultural customs and expectations is not central to the resolution of his problem. Option D is incorrect because Christian’s ability to generalize his behavior is not central to the resolution of his primary problem.

Competency 006—(Counseling): The school counselor understands how to provide effective counseling services to individuals and small groups.

21. A fifth-grade boy is referred to the school counselor because he has received behavioral referrals every week for the past month due to minor altercations with classmates on the playground. The student tells the counselor that he would like the other students to be his friends, but he is having difficulty getting their attention without “making them angry.” The counselor asks the student to imagine that, while he is sleeping, a magic wand sweeps over his head and in the morning he awakens and his behaviors that make the students angry are gone. She asks the student what would be the first change that his mother would observe as he joined her for breakfast. This magic-wand technique is an important part of which of the following therapies?

1. Reality
2. Rational-emotive behavioral
3. Systems
4. Solution-focused brief

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Option D is correct because the use of a magic wand or pill to rid the student of symptoms is often part of solution-focused brief therapy. Option A is incorrect because reality therapy focuses on the here and now, goal setting and determining whether current behavior will get the student closer to the goal. Option B is incorrect because rational-emotive behavior therapy focuses on confronting irrational beliefs that underlie negative behavior. Option C is incorrect because systems theory focuses on how negative behavior is part of the family system.

22. According to rational-emotive behavior therapy, “I must pass this exam, or I will be a total failure” is an example of

1. wishful thinking.
2. an irrational belief.
3. disputation.
4. self-pity.

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Option B is correct because someone who fails an exam is not a total failure; that is an irrational belief. Option A is incorrect because no one would wish that they were a total failure. Option C is incorrect because disputation is when the counselor uses direct questioning to dispute a fact. Option D is incorrect because self-pity is a feeling of pity for yourself because of a belief that you have suffered more than is fair or reasonable.

23. A professional school counselor has received several self-referrals from fourth-grade girls who are having difficulty with their friends. After meeting with each girl individually, the counselor realizes that the referrals are dealing primarily with relational aggression within a friend group. The counselor decides to conduct some small-group counseling sessions with all of the girls to help resolve their issues. The framework developed by which of the following theorists is most appropriate to guide the counselor’s practice with the girls?

1. Carl Rogers
2. Albert Ellis
3. Erik Erikson
4. Alfred Adler

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Option A is correct because the question describes a Rogerian student-centered resolution group. The girls will need to figure out how to work on their friendship with little help from the counselor, who should function primarily as a monitor and facilitator. Option B is incorrect because Ellis’ rational-emotive behavior therapy is a more active-directive type of therapy that is often practiced individually rather than in small groups, and to treat more severe psychological conditions rather than conflicts resolved in school counseling situations. Option C is incorrect because Erikson focused largely on developmental theory and the roles of culture and society on the conflicts within the ego rather than the conflicts that take place interpersonally. Option D is incorrect because Adler focused on individual psychology rather than small-group counseling or interpersonal relations.

24. A professional school counselor started a group consisting of five tenth-grade boys who had experienced the loss of a parent within the past year. At the most recent session, each of the boys claimed that his loss was more significant than the others’. According to Bruce Tuckman’s group development model, which stage of group dynamics are the boys in?

1. Performing
2. Norming
3. Storming
4. Forming

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Option C is correct because in the storming stage of group development, members often argue with each other or the group leader. Option A is incorrect because in the performing stage of group development, the group is usually working smoothly. Option B is incorrect because in the norming stage of group development, formal and informal rules are being developed. Option D is incorrect because in the forming stage of group development, members are just getting acquainted and are courteous to one another.

Competency 007—(Assessment): The school counselor understands principles of assessment and is able to use assessment results to identify students’ strengths and needs, monitor progress and engage in planning to promote school success.

25. Which of the following types of assessments could provide qualitative data to help determine the effectiveness of a school counseling program?

1. Parent surveys
2. Career assessment outcomes
3. State assessment exam results
4. Disciplinary reports

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Option A is correct because a survey that is completed by parents can include descriptive data, which is qualitative. Options B and C are incorrect because career assessments and state exam results are quantitative and numbers oriented, rather than descriptive. Option D is incorrect because disciplinary reports are more quantitative and are not direct measures of the effectiveness of a counseling program.

26. An academic team and the school counselor want to use the data collected from the eighth-grade state assessment exam to identify students who need tutoring. Which of the following is the most helpful way to use the data?

1. Tallying the total number of questions that each student missed
2. Partitioning the data for each subject
3. Isolating each classroom’s aggregated data
4. Aggregating the data from the entire eighth grade

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Option B is correct because partitioning data allows the counselor to identify specific areas in which individual students need tutoring. Option A is incorrect because knowing the total number of missed questions provides some idea of who needs tutoring, but does not indicate the specific subject areas in which they need tutoring. Options C and D are incorrect because using aggregate data does not allow the counselor to identify individual students who need tutoring.

27. Which of the following methods for enlisting student participation will result in the greatest student participation?

1. Asking students to complete a survey mailed to their homes
2. Asking students to stay after school to complete a survey
3. Providing tables in the hallways during lunch so that students can complete a written survey
4. Bringing students into the computer center during class time to complete an online survey

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Option D is correct because students will be more likely to complete a survey during class time and on the computer. Options A, B and C are incorrect because students are not likely to read the mail, are unlikely to stay after school and are unlikely to want other students to see them filling out a survey in the hall.

28. Mike, a sixth-grade student, scored well below average for his grade level on standardized academic testing. The professional school counselor meets with Mike’s parents and teacher to develop a plan to prepare Mike for the upcoming benchmark testing. Which of the following interventions will best support Mike in improving his performance?

1. Requiring Mike to receive tutoring before or after school
2. Assigning Mike additional homework at his grade level to complete as test preparation
3. Using the test results to set instructional goals for Mike and monitoring his progress
4. Initiating a referral for evaluation for special education services

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Option C is correct because the professional school counselor is able to use the test results to set instructional goals for Mike and monitor his progress, which allows him or her to work collaboratively with Mike’s parents and teachers to enhance Mike’s academic performance. Option A is incorrect because although it may benefit Mike to receive additional tutoring, the professional school counselor cannot require Mike to be at school early or to stay late, as there may be family or logistical considerations that prevent his attendance at tutoring sessions. Option B is incorrect because assigning additional homework at Mike’s grade level is not likely to be an effective intervention, given that Mike did not score well at grade level on the standardized testing. Option D is incorrect because initiating a referral for special education services may not be warranted for Mike and is a decision that should be made by a child study team based on multiple sources of information. One set of poor test scores is not necessarily enough to determine whether a student is eligible for or requires special education services.

29. Using a scale, Sam weighs a bag of salt for an experiment. Kallie weighs the same bag with the same scale but gets a different answer. Tim uses the same scale and bag and also gets a different answer. The scale most likely has a problem with

1. bias.
2. statistical significance.
3. reliability.
4. confidence level.

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Option C is correct because reliability refers to whether an instrument (in this case, the scale) produces the same measurement every time it is used. Option A is incorrect because bias occurs when an instrument produces higher scores for one group than for another, which is not the case for the scale. Option B is incorrect because statistical significance is the level at which a person can be sure that the results are really due to the manipulation of variables rather than random chance. Option D is incorrect because confidence level refers to the probability that the results the instrument is producing are not due to chance.

Domain III—Collaboration, Consultation and Professionalism

Competency 008—(Collaboration with Families): The school counselor knows how to communicate effectively with families and establish collaborative relationships that enhance work with students.

30. A parent tells a high school counselor that her freshman daughter’s grandmother is terminally ill and that the student is struggling to deal with the situation. The student has been irritable and short-tempered at home, and the parent is concerned about her daughter’s performance in two classes. In response to the parent’s concern, the counselor agrees to speak with the student and the two teachers, as well as refer the student to a community grief-support group for teens. The counselor’s activity is best described as

1. individual counseling.
2. group counseling.
3. consultation.
4. accountability.

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Option C is correct because the counselor is speaking with the mother and the teachers for the benefit of the student. Options A and B are incorrect because in the scenario the counselor is not providing direct services to the student and options A and B are both examples of direct services. Option D is incorrect because in the scenario the counselor is not collecting data about or assessing the guidance program.

31. Which of the following actions is most likely to encourage parents to become actively engaged in their child’s education?

1. Assigning them to classrooms as parent volunteers
2. Assigning them to the library as aides
3. Asking them to select from a list of areas in which the school needs help
4. Asking them to help design a unit of study for students

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Option C is correct because parents are more likely to get involved when they are given a choice of what to do. Options A and B are incorrect because parents would rather choose than be assigned a volunteer task. Option D is incorrect because most parents are not qualified to design a unit of study for students.

32. A school counselor who is skilled at establishing partnerships of trust and mutual respect between homes and the school community has developed which of the following competencies?

1. Human development
2. Factors affecting students
3. Program management
4. Collaboration with families

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Option D is correct because the collaboration with families competency focuses on the counselor’s skills at communicating effectively with families to establish collaborative relationships to enhance their work with students. Option A is incorrect because the human development competency focuses on understanding developmental processes and how those processes affect students’ social, emotional, behavioral and academic performance. Option B is incorrect because the factors affecting students competency focuses on understanding environmental, social and cultural factors that may affect students’ development and academic achievement. Option C is incorrect because the program management competency focuses on planning, implementing, and evaluating a developmental guidance program to meet students’ needs.

Competency 009—(Collaboration with Others in the School and Community): The school counselor understands how to work collaboratively with other professionals and with community members to promote positive change and to facilitate student learning.

33. Stephanie is a high school junior who was formally diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder at age 12 and placed on an antidepressant. Her mother has contacted the school counselor expressing concern about Stephanie’s recent declining grades and excessive sleeping. She also requests that the counselor meet with her daughter on an individual basis, since she cannot afford a private therapist. Which of the following would be the most ethical action for the counselor to take?

1. Assisting the parent in making an appointment with a mental health facility that bases charges on income
2. Agreeing to see Stephanie on a weekly basis due to the counselor’s interest in depression in adolescents
3. Locating a peer tutor to help Stephanie several times a week with her academic assignments
4. Referring Stephanie for psychological assessment to determine eligibility for special education services

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Option A is correct because making an appointment to ensure that Stephanie receives appropriate mental health care is most important. Option B is incorrect because Stephanie’s mental health issues are beyond the role of a school counselor. Options C and D are incorrect because Stephanie’s need for mental health services is not addressed by getting a tutor or by being assessed for special education services. Addressing the mental health issues may resolve the academic problems.

34. The eighth graders at the Little Creek Middle School are scheduled to take the state assessment test. The mathematics teacher is concerned about her section I class due to poorer performance on the practice tests when compared to sections II and III of the same course. Class grades are similar in all three sections. In order to assist the teacher and students, the counselor could offer to

1. present a unit on test-taking strategies and anxiety-reduction techniques to section I.
2. begin referrals to special education services for students with the lowest practice test scores.
3. offer to provide academic tutoring to the students with the lowest practice test scores.
4. call the parents of students in section I and encourage them to help their students with mathematics homework.

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Option A is correct because the counselor can help improve the students’ scores by improving test-taking skills. Option B is incorrect because the decision to place students in special education should not be made based on a practice test. Options C and D are incorrect because the students perform well in mathematics class.

35. Upper elementary school counselors often attend teacher grade-level meetings to share, learn about the campus, and stay apprised of specific issues. For the past few months, the school counselor has been hearing reports from the fifth-grade teachers about cliques being formed among the fifth-grade girls and put-downs occurring between girls in the classrooms. In light of the information, the school counselor should begin by

1. reporting to the assistant principal and requesting disciplinary action.
2. phoning parents and requesting conferences.
3. conducting classroom guidance on friendship issues and small-group sessions on communication, bullying, and decision making.
4. asking teachers to document specific instances and provide concrete data.

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Option C is correct because it is best to design an intervention for the students where the problems are occurring. Options A and B are incorrect because they do not directly address the students’ behavior. Option D is incorrect because a number of teachers were reporting the same behaviors so it is not necessary to collect additional data.

36. During a consultation, the school counselor, Mr. Wynne, gives Jacob’s teachers several strategies to help them deal with Jacob’s inappropriate behavior. Which of the following modes of consultation is Mr. Wynne using?

1. Collaborative
2. Initiative
3. Provisional
4. Prescriptive

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Option D is correct because in prescriptive consultation, the consultant plays an expert role and advises the consultee what to do with the client. Option A is incorrect because in collaborative consulting, the consultant and consultee work together to identify solutions to the problem. Option B is incorrect because in the initiative mode of consultation, the consultant approaches the consultee after identifying a problem so that the consultant is actually initiating the consultation. Option C is incorrect because in provisional consultation, the consultant works directly with the client because the consultee is either unwilling or unable to do so.

37. Ms. Philipp, a third-grade teacher, consults with the school counselor about one of her students, Andrew. Andrew has been caught stealing pencils, clothing items, and snacks from his classmates. Ms. Philipp has tried discussing the situation with Andrew and taking away his recess privileges when he is caught stealing, but she reports to the school counselor that these interventions have been unsuccessful in changing his behavior. Ms. Philipp has discussed the situation with Andrew’s mother, who also reports being overwhelmed by Andrew’s behavior. What is the most appropriate initial step for the school counselor to take?

1. Reporting Andrew’s misconduct immediately to the school principal for disciplinary action
2. Meeting with Andrew to determine the reason for his stealing and the consequences for his stealing and to brainstorm solutions with him and his mother
3. Contacting Child Protective Services (CPS) because Andrew is stealing food and clothing, which indicates neglect
4. Recommending behavioral and/or psychological evaluations by the Child Study Team (CST) to place Andrew in a more appropriate program for his behavior

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Option B is correct because the nature of the stealing is an important consideration for determining next steps of either assisting Andrew’s mother with seeking social assistance for food and clothing since the items Andrew is stealing are basic needs or directing her to work with Andrew if the stealing requires a behavioral intervention. Option A is incorrect because while reporting Andrew’s thefts to the administration should be considered, reporting his misconduct is not the primary concern of the school counselor and is therefore not the counselor’s most appropriate primary action. In order for students to feel comfortable coming to talk to school counselors, it is best if school counselors can stay away from disciplinary actions. Option C is incorrect because the items that Andrew is stealing do not necessarily indicate neglect; therefore, more information needs to be obtained before making a report to CPS. Option D is incorrect because more information needs to be gathered about Andrew’s behavior, his academic performance, his social functioning, and the interventions tried before determining that Andrew needs an evaluation and/or a change of placement.

Competency 010—(Professionalism): The school counselor understands and complies with ethical, legal and professional standards relevant to the profession.

38. An eleventh-grade student informs the school counselor that he was asked by the local public health department to take a blood test to rule out HIV and he is awaiting the results. A former girlfriend, who had tested positive, had given the department his name as one of the individuals with whom she had sex. The student indicates that his parents are aware that he took the blood test. What is the counselor’s ethical responsibility at this point?

1. Inform a campus administrator that the student may test positive for HIV
2. Notify the student’s current girlfriend’s parents
3. Send the student to the nurse to discuss alternative treatments
4. Await the results of the test

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Option D is correct because it is best to wait for the results of the test before taking action. Options A and B are incorrect because notifying other people violates the student’s right to confidentiality. Option C is incorrect because decisions regarding treatment should be made by the student’s doctor if and when such decisions are necessary.

39. Corina, a tenth-grade student, comes to the guidance counselor in distress. She reveals that the previous evening, she attended a party where she was given something to drink. Afterward, she was disoriented, then remembers nothing until she woke up in bed, undressed, with a young man she met at the party. The next morning, she found blood on her sheets and experienced pain and bruising on her body. She is terrified to tell her parents. What is the best first action for the counselor to take?

1. Send Corina back to class
2. Find a lawyer for Corina
3. Notify Corina’s teacher
4. Contact Corina’s parents

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Option D is correct because Corina is a minor and her parents need to be aware of the situation. Option A is incorrect because Corina requires immediate intervention due to the seriousness of the situation. Option B is incorrect because this does not address the immediate need, and legal issues are outside the counselor’s expertise. Option C is incorrect because this does not meet the immediate need, and telling the teacher would be a violation of confidentiality.

40. Johanna, a ninth-grade student, is distraught. She tells the professional school counselor that her parents were fighting and her father was arrested. Johanna says she is scared and has no family she can talk to about what happened. Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the school counselor to take?

1. Informing Johanna’s teacher about the situation
2. Calling Johanna’s mother to verify Johanna’s claims
3. Explaining confidentiality to Johanna and listening to her concerns
4. Contacting the police station for a copy of the incident report

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Option C is correct because the counselor should maintain confidentiality unless the student is at risk of harming herself or others, unless the student gives permission for confidentiality to be broken, or unless a court order has been obtained. None of these exceptions apply to Johanna’s situation, so she can discuss her situation confidentially with the professional school counselor. Options A, B and D are incorrect because they involve breaking confidentiality, which is not required of the professional school counselor in this instance, since Johanna is not in any imminent risk of harm.