Deck 4: Competence to Practice: Building a Foundation for Doing Good and Avoiding Harm

Question 1

Describe the three major components of professional competence and the approaches that licensing and credentialing agencies use to evaluate applicants' accomplishments in each component.

Answer 1

No Answer

Question 2

What are the advantages and disadvantages of mandating continuing education for counselors, psychologists and other therapists?

Answer 2

No Answer

Question 3

Explain what the following statement means, "Competence is defined by performance not capability."
Also, provide an example of how a capable professional might still be found guilty of incompetent practice.

Answer 3

No Answer

Question 4

What are the issues that a rural practitioner may face in practicing within the boundaries of his or her competence in that environment?

Question 5

When licensed professionals wish to expand their areas of competence, what are the steps they need to take to become competent in a new specialty? Use examples to illustrate your points.

Question 6

Because all interpersonal interactions are to some extent multicultural, what criteria should counselors and therapists use to determine whether a particular multicultural counseling situation is within or outside the boundaries of their competence?

Question 7

Explain what the "clean, well-lit room standard is and give at least two examples of its appropriate use.

Question 8

Describe the characteristics of the burnout syndrome and the symptoms counselors should recognize when they are at the initial stages of burnout.

Question 9

Identify at least four different strategies mental health professionals should use to prevent or reduce the symptoms of burnout.

Question 10

Define the four major criteria for a successful malpractice lawsuit and give an example of a circumstance that meets and fails to meet each one.

Question 11

The knowledge component of competence implies:

A) Training in research
B) Training in the history of mental health
C) Training in theories of counseling and psychotherapy
D) All of the above
E) None of the above.

Question 12

Clinical skill (in the context of professional competence) means:

A) Use of appropriate interviewing skills
B) Use of a variety of diagnostic techniques
C) Understanding of the DSM
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 13

Technical skill is defined as:

A) The ability to score and interpret psychological tests
B) The ability to terminate an interview effectively
C) The ability to provide empathic responses to client expressions of emotion
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 14

The threshold level of competence required by professional ethics is:

A) The knowledge and skill needed to avoid harming clients
B) The ability to offer services not compromised by fatigue, illness or impairment
C) The provision of service that is highly likely to benefit the client
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 15

The codes make the individual professional responsible for the following:

A) Obtaining personal counseling or psychotherapy
B) Developing competence to work with a range of populations
C) Completing their graduate coursework in a program accredited by APA, CACREP or related organization.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 16

The role of a license is to:

A) Protect the public from frauds without professional education
B) Ensure that all citizens who seek mental health services get adequate care
C) Help licensed professionals earn a fair income for their expertise
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 17

Which of the following are symptoms of compassion fatigue or secondary post traumatic stress:

A) insomnia
B) More attention to outside-of-work activities than to responsibilities at work
C) Loss of boundaries with clients
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 18

In which of the following situations is a duty of care to a client NOT established:

A) When a colleague phones to ask you to see a client, you agree and schedule an appointment which the client later cancels.
B) When you consult with a parent for one session about the night terrors his client is experiencing
C) When a person is a member of a group that you lead for people with social phobias and social discomfort
D) All of the above
E) None of the above