2021 Version

National Counselor Exam (NCE) Certification Test

Take this free NCE certification practice exam to see what types of questions appear on the NCE certification exam. Certification typically leads to professional growth and increased wages. If you need to prepare for the NCE, try our 300 question Practice Exam Kit for the National Counselor Exam.

View Answers as You Go

View 1 Question at a Time

Human Growth and Development

1.	Which of the following is not a factor in the sleep patterns of adolescents?
		a. Biorhythm changes
		b. Defiance
		c. Increased need for sleep
		d. Increased academic and social demands
Teens require more sleep than the average adult due to their rapid growth. A teen's decreased sleep patterns do not generally stem from defiant behavior. Teens have biorhythm changes, making them more likely to stay up late and sleep later. They are inundated with academic and social demands which may impair the amount or quality of their sleep. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

2.	Which of the following is a stage of Erikson's psychosocial development?
		a. Identity vs. Role Confusion
		b. Universal principals
		c. Concrete operations
		d. Self-actualization
Identity vs. role confusion is the psychosocial stage of adolescence. Universal principals is from Kohlberg's third level of moral reasoning. Concrete operations is from Piaget's theory of cognitive development and self-actualization is from Maslow. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

3.	The time that premature babies spend in the neonatal intensive care units can have the most impact on their sense of:
		a. Trust
		b. Identity
		c. Autonomy
		d. Generativity
Trust is developed during the first year of life, and any interruption that makes life unreliable, unpredictable or inconsistent, can develop a sense of mistrust which is then carried into the world. While the unsuccessful development of an earlier stage certainly impairs those that follow, trust is the factor most directly impaired. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Social and Cultural Foundations

4.	In terms of cultural bias in American psychology:
		a. Much of it is intentional.
		b. Much of it is done by people who see themselves as moral, just, and fair-minded professionals.
		c. They may have malicious intentions.
		d. They know they are racists.
Most of the cultural bias in American psychology is done unintentionally by people who see themselves as good, who have good intentions and deny their racism. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

5.	Approximately ___________ of people worldwide use some form of alternative therapy, while _______________ of Americans do.
		a. 30%, 40%
		b. 60%, 20%
		c. 80%, 30%
		d. 70%, 50%
Eighty percent of people worldwide use some form of alternative treatment, while 1/3 of Americans and 50% of Europeans do. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

6.	Which of the following are the proper steps for developing cultural competency?
		a. Do a needs assessment of awareness and knowledge only
		b. Identify specific objectives at the skill level only
		c. Learn and practice new behaviors
		d. Automatically repeat steps b-c
The steps to developing cultural competency are: 1. Do a needs assessment of skill, knowledge and awareness; 2. identify specific objectives in each area; 3. learn and practice new behaviors; and 4. evaluate skill, knowledge and awareness. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Fundamentals of Counseling / Helping Relationships / Clinical & Programmatic Interventions

7.	Ego defense mechanisms in and of themselves are:
		a. Normal
		b. Pathological
		c. Operate on the unconscious level
		d. Both a and c
Ego defense mechanisms work to control anxiety and work on the unconscious level. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

8.	David is obsessed with doing all he can to interrupt the gay rights movement. Unconsciously, however, David has sexual attractions to his best friend and roommate. This is:
		a. Compensation
		b. Sublimation
		c. Rationalization
		d. Reaction formation
Reaction formation is exhibited when the individual expresses the opposite feeling, emotion or impulse of that which causes the anxiety. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

9.	Which of the following is not a technique associated with Freud and psychodynamic therapy?
		a. Cognitive restructuring
		b. Free association
		c. Dream analysis
		d. All of the above are derived from Freud
Cognitive restructuring is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique, developed by Beck. In addition to the analysis of transference and resistance, b and c are Freudian techniques. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Group Work / Group Counseling / Clinical and Programmatic Interventions

10.	Of the following, which is NOT a curative factor of group, as outlined by Yalom?
		a. Universality
		b. Instillation of hope
		c. Intrapersonal learning
		d. Group cohesiveness
Interpersonal learning, not intrapersonal learning, is a curative factor. Interpersonal learning occurs when a person tries out new behaviors in group. Group is seen as a microcosm of the real world. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Mike, a group member in his 20s, tells a group member about a support group and a coping strategy he finds beneficial.

11.	This is an example of which curative factor?
		a. Imparting of information
		b. Catharsis
		c. Imitative behavior
		d. Group cohesiveness
When group members and leaders offer useful information for group participants about mental health, they are imparting information. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

12.	A group member or leader terminating attendance at a group is a one-time event on their last day of attendance.
		True
		False
False - Termination is a process, not a one-day event. It has is its own unique stage and can be a learning and growing experience for all. Termination in group often brings up issues around grief for participants, and this should be considered and processed over time accordingly. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Career and Lifestyle Development / Assessment and Career Counseling

13.	Jerod is a successful lawyer who often is in the courtroom. Of the following, which set of letters would most likely correspond to his profession, using Holland's criteria?
		a. EIS
		b. CRA
		c. RAS
		d. ERC
Lawyers tend to fall into the 'enterprising' category. They are also 'investigative' and being in the courtroom might mean Jerod is more 'social' than those that research the law. Generally speaking, people with 'realistic,' 'artistic' and 'conventional' traits work with machines, art and rote tasks, respectively. Although 'conventional' is a strong possibility, the 'R's' listed in the answers above would be inaccurate. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

14.	Which of the following are developmental career theorists?
		a. Ginzberg
		b. Holland
		c. Super
		d. Both a and c
Both Ginzberg and Super are developmental theorists. Holland is a personality career theorist. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

15.	Which of the following conclusions is supported by research?
		a. Men make more than women and dual income families make more than single income families
		b. Men make more than women but dual income families do not make more than single-income families
		c. Women and men make equal amounts for the same job, but dual income families make more money than single-income families
		d. Women have surpassed men in terms of income, but dual income families make more than single-family incomes
Men do make more than women, and dual income families make more than single-income families. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Professional Orientation & Ethics & Professional

16.	Your client self-pays and has forgotten his payment for the last three sessions, despite reminding and request. He has always paid and he has denied change in financial circumstances when you have asked him about it. In terms of ethics, you:
		a. Must continue to see him, even if without payment, to avoid abandonment.
		b. Must continue to see him if he pays something, even if a small amount.
		c. Can terminate his treatment with appropriate referral, until he pays you.
		d. Should reduce your fee for the past due amounts and move forward
Therapists can terminate treatment if clients are not paying them. They still must provide appropriate referral, however. Answer a is untrue if an appropriate referral is provided, as is b. Answer d does not make sense since the client has not expressed financial hardship when asked. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

17.	When considering whether or not to accept a gift from a client, which of the following is not a consideration?
		a. The amount of the gift
		b. The client's motivation for giving the gift
		c. The type of gift (practical vs. impractical)
		d. The counselor's motivation for wanting to accept or decline a gift
Answers a, b and d are all listed as things to consider when receiving gifts in the ACA Code of Ethics. The type of gift is virtually irrelevant. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

18.	You had a session today, and you just can't stop thinking about it. You realize there is an ethical question. Your best action is:
		a. To call the client and ask them what they think about the ethical dilemma
		b. To mull it over, and then sleep on it; time and continued analysis are the best solutions
		c. Call a colleague and consult with them about the case
		d. Ask the office staff their opinion
The ACA Code of Ethics states that: "Counselors take reasonable steps to consult with other counselors or related professionals when they have questions regarding their ethical obligations or professional practice." The client (answer a) may have a biased opinion. Asking the office staff (answer d) solicits an unprofessional opinion and breaches confidentiality. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Appraisal

19.	A newly-developed intelligence test is said to have a high correlation with the WAIS-III. What does this mean?
		a. It has low concurrent validity.
		b. It has no concurrent validity.
		c. It has high concurrent validity.
		d. It has high concurrent reliability.
Having high concurrent validity means the test in question has a high validity correlation to an already valid test. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

20.	The reliability co-efficient of 0.60 means:
		a. That 40% of the scores are accurate
		b. That 60% of the scores are accurate
		c. That 4% of the scores are inaccurate
		d. That 60% of the questions will be answered correctly
A 0.60 reliability co-efficient means that 60% of the scores are accurate. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

21.	What was Binet attempting to do when he founded the first intelligence test in 1907?
		a. Gain esteem with colleagues.
		b. Determine his daughters' intelligence and tutor them appropriately.
		c. Discern between intelligent children and those needing alternative education methods.
		d. Use as a measure of how group tests perform.
Binet was appointed by the French government to develop and lead a commission to identify children in need of enhanced education. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Research and Program Evaluation

22.	Studying behavior under controlled conditions to test a hypothesis, looking at cause and effect and making predictions is called:
		a. Quantitative research
		b. Qualitative research
		c. Subjective research
		d. Parsimonious research
Quantitative research involves being very objective, creating controls and comparing the experimental group with the control group in order to conclude something. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

23.	Setting the acceptable level of error too high can result in:
		a. Type I errors
		b. Type II error
		c. Both Type I and Type II errors
		d. None of the above
Type I errors occur when the level of error is set too high. Conversely, Type II errors can occur if the level of error is lowered. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

24.	Your client tells you he has a PhD in pharmacy. You know that people with higher education levels tend to end up in jail less than those with lower educational levels. This is an example of a:
		a. Negative correlation
		b. Positive correlation
		c. Paired correlation
		d. There is no correlation
Negative correlation occurs when variables are inversely related, and one variable moves in one direction with the second variable moving in the opposite direction. There is no such thing as a "paired correlation" and there is indeed a correlation (i.e. relationship pattern) here, even though they are inversely related. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Quality starts with who wrote the material.

Our practice exam writer

Diane Dean, LPC, RN-BC, MA,

is a licensed professional counselor and educator with over 20 years experience in healthcare. She has taught at many colleges and universities, including the University of Pittsburgh.

Stacy Fruhling, LCPC, LCADC, NCC, MAC,

is an adjunct professor in psychology and counseling at the Ann Arundel Community College and the Community College of Baltimore.

Lisa Slade, MS, LPC, NCC,

is an adjunct professor in psychology, counseling, sociology and human services at Caldwell University in the Graduate School of Psychology, at the University of Bridgeport and at the Housatonic Community College.

OUR PRACTICE EXAM COVERS THE ACTUAL NCE DOMAINS:

The NCE contains 200 multiple-choice, non-sectioned questions. There are different versions of the test. Test questions come from a pool of questions that have been extensively reviewed and researched for content accuracy and clarity.

Below are the eight domains tested by the NBCC on the NCE:

• Human Growth and Development

• Social and Cultural Diversity

• Helping Relationships

• Group Counseling

• Career Counseling

• Assessment and Testing

• Research and Program Evaluation

• Professional Orientation and Ethics

Five work behaviors are also tested:

• Fundamentals of Counseling

• Counseling Process

• Diagnostic and Assessment Services

• Professional Practice

• Professional Development, Supervision and Consultation

Bookmark Page