NCE Practice Exam Samples from Dr. Helwig’s Study Guide

NCE Practice Exam sample questions

This is a sample of the Practice Exam provided in Dr. Andrew Helwig’s Study Guide for the National Counselor Examination and CPCE.

(Number in parenthesis after each item indicates to which section the test question most closely relates)


  1. Following receipt of a bachelor’s degree in sociology, Yolanda joined the Peace Corps. Now, at 25 years of age, she is reviewing her employment options by examining her personal needs and goals, interests, abilities, and opportunities and has made a tentative occupational choice. In light of Super’s developmental stages, Yolanda is
    1. in exactly the right stage.
    2. head of expectations.
    3. behind expectations.
    4. not in any of Super’s stages.

    2. (5)


  2. In a person-centered approach to groups, which of the following dynamics or process patterns is NOT likely to occur?
    1. Expression of negative feelings.
    2. Confrontation.
    3. Cracking of facades.
    4. Practicing disputing.

    3. (4)


  3. Defense mechanisms help control anxiety by protecting the ego from demands made by the id and superego. Which of the following is a defense mechanism?
    1. Reaction formation.
    2. Dependence.
    3. Transference.
    4. Diffusion.

    4. (1)


  4. In a private mental health agency, your supervisor asks you to take an individual into counseling who has been her acquaintance for some years. After seeing the ‘acquaintance’ three times, the supervisor asks to see your file since she made the referral to you to begin with. You
    1. give your supervisor a ‘skeleton’ file.
    2. stop seeing the client and refer the client elsewhere.
    3. ask the client for written permission so you can talk to your supervisor if she has a legitimate ‘need to know.’
    4. report your supervisor to an ethics grievance committee.

    5. (8)


  5. With the pressure for accountability, many mental health agencies ask their clients to complete evaluation forms following counseling. In assessing this self-report data, it is important to be aware of
    1. scale deficiencies.
    2. ‘halo’ effect.
    3. normative comparisons.
    4. interrater reliability.

    6. (7)


  6. A counselor is about to begin a short-term group for whom generating insight is NOT an issue. The counselor is most likely to choose
    1. psychoanalytical or TA approaches.
    2. behavioral or reality approaches.
    3. client-centered or Gestalt approaches.
    4. Adlerian or cognitive approaches.

    7. (4)


  7. A change in the forces in one part of a closed system affects the entire system. This can be accurately applied to
    1. the Holland hexagon.
    2. a support group.
    3. force-field analysis.
    4. Johari window.

    8. (3)


  8. Which of the following statements is NOT accurate?
    1. Some counselor behaviors may be specified in an ethical code but not in a legal code.
    2. Some counselor behaviors may be specified in a legal code but not in an ethical code.
    3. Some counselor behaviors may be specified in neither the legal nor ethical codes.
    4. A good code of ethics covers all counselor behaviors.

    9. (8)


  9. In her career development theory, Linda Gottfredson identified four stages of development experienced by children. During the second stage, children begin to rule out some jobs as not appropriate for them. This stage is characterized by an orientation of children to
    1. sex roles.
    2. internal, unique characteristics of self.
    3. size and power.
    4. social valuation.

    10. (5)


  10. Jaime, a sixteen year old sophomore, has developed a pattern of skipping classes. His homework is seldom completed and when it is, it does not represent his ability level. His parents have begun to look for an appropriate counselor for him. Although they don’t know all the approaches available, Jaime might be helped best with a counselor using theoretical concepts from
    1. behavioral and existential.
    2. person-centered and rational emotive behavior.
    3. Adlerian and psychoanalytic.
    4. Gestalt and reality.

    11. (3)

ANSWERS: 45. (C); 46. (D); 47. (A); 48. (C); 49. (B); 50. (B); 51. (D); 52. (D); 53. (A); 54. (D)