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Cheat sheet

CPCE Cheat Sheet

Practice QuestionsStudy Guide

Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice

12-13%of exam

EthicsCredentialingAdvocacySupervisionSelf-Care

Social and Cultural Diversity

12-13%of exam

Multicultural ModelsPowerPrivilegeOppressionHumility

Human Growth and Development

12-13%of exam

LifespanLearningPersonalityTraumaResilience

Career Development

12-13%of exam

Career TheoriesWork RolesO*NETInterestsValues

Counseling and Helping Relationships

12-13%of exam

Counseling TheoriesCase ConceptTreatment PlansCrisisSuicide

Group Counseling and Group Work

12-13%of exam

Group StagesTherapeutic FactorsScreeningLeadershipBlocking

Assessment and Testing

12-13%of exam

ReliabilityValidityNormsRiskStatistics

Research and Program Evaluation

12-13%of exam

Research MethodsNeeds AssessmentOutcomesEvidenceEthics

Quick Facts

Exam
CPCE
Owner
CCE
Format
160 MCQ
Scored
136 items
Pretest
24 items
Time
4 hr 15 min
Pass
Program sets
Delivery
APB/CBT/OnVUE

Ethics Six

Do good, avoid harm, honor choice.

BeneficenceNonmaleficenceAutonomyJusticeFidelityVeracity

Ethics Picker

  1. Client danger→Protect safety(Duty first)
  2. Abuse suspected→Report legally(Mandated)
  3. Consent unclear→Clarify rights(Ongoing)
  4. Boundary concern→Consult supervisor(Document)
  5. Culture cue→Explore meaning(Avoid assumptions)
  6. Competence gap→Refer/consult(Scope)
  7. Records request→Check law(Confidentiality)
  8. Technology session→Review risks(Telehealth)

Exam Logistics

Total items
160 MCQ
Scored items
136 total
Per domain
17 scored
Pretest items
24 unscored
Time limit
4 hr 15 min
Cut score
Institution set
Score report
Domain scores
Retakes
Program authorized

Ethics Core

Beneficence
Promote welfare
Nonmaleficence
Avoid harm
Autonomy
Respect choice
Justice
Fair access
Fidelity
Keep trust
Veracity
Tell truth
Consent
Ongoing process
Consultation
Use expertise

Competence vs Humility

Competence

  • Knowledge skills
  • Cultural patterns
  • Practice ability

Humility

  • Lifelong learning
  • Self-reflection
  • Power awareness

Skill plus stance

Diversity Cues

Culture
Shared meanings
Identity
Multiple memberships
Privilege
Unearned advantage
Oppression
Systemic barriers
Microaggression
Subtle invalidation
Encapsulation
Single worldview
Acculturation
Cultural adaptation
Advocacy
Barrier removal

Development Theories

Piaget
Cognitive stages
Erikson
Psychosocial crises
Kohlberg
Moral reasoning
Bowlby
Attachment bonds
Maslow
Needs hierarchy
Bandura
Social learning
Vygotsky
Social cognition
Bronfenbrenner
Ecological systems

RIASEC

Real people investigate artistic social enterprise conventions.

RealisticInvestigativeArtisticSocialEnterprisingConventional

Interest vs Aptitude

Interest

  • Likes
  • Preferences
  • Strong inventory

Aptitude

  • Ability
  • Potential skill
  • Performance predictor

Want vs can

Career Theories

Holland
RIASEC fit
Super
Self-concept lifespan
Parsons
Trait-factor match
Krumboltz
Learning happenstance
SCCT
Efficacy outcomes
Savickas
Career construction
O*NET
Occupation data
Strong
Interest inventory

WDEP

Want, do, evaluate, plan.

WantsDoingEvaluationPlanning

Theory Picker

  1. Need empathy→Person-centered(Core conditions)
  2. Distorted thoughts→CBT(Restructure)
  3. Irrational beliefs→REBT(Dispute)
  4. Avoided fear→Exposure(Gradual)
  5. Values stuck→ACT(Flexibility)
  6. Family pattern→Systems(Context)
  7. Choice focus→Reality therapy(WDEP)
  8. Awareness gap→Gestalt(Here-now)

Helping Theories

Person-centered
Core conditions
CBT
Thought-behavior link
REBT
Dispute beliefs
Gestalt
Here-now awareness
Adlerian
Lifestyle goals
Reality
Choices needs
ACT
Values flexibility
Family systems
Relational patterns

Task vs Counseling Group

Task

  • Work product
  • Decision focus
  • Agenda driven

Counseling

  • Personal change
  • Process focus
  • Therapeutic factors

Product vs process

Group Work

Screening
Fit and readiness
Orientation
Norms and consent
Storming
Conflict testing
Cohesion
Trust building
Universality
Not alone
Altruism
Helping others
Scapegoating
Unfair blame
Blocking
Stop harm

Reliability vs Validity

Reliability

  • Consistent scores
  • Less error
  • Repeatable results

Validity

  • Correct meaning
  • Proper use
  • Supported inference

Consistent vs accurate

Assessment Picker

  1. Compare peers→Norm-referenced(Percentile)
  2. Check standard→Criterion-referenced(Mastery)
  3. Need consistency→Reliability(Repeatability)
  4. Need accuracy→Validity(Meaning)
  5. Immediate danger→Risk assessment(Safety)
  6. Program gap→Needs assessment(Planning)

Assessment Basics

Reliability
Score consistency
Validity
Measures intended
Norm-referenced
Compares people
Criterion-referenced
Compares standard
Mean
Arithmetic average
Median
Middle score
Mode
Most frequent
SD
Score spread

Norm vs Criterion

Norm

  • Compares people
  • Percentiles
  • Standard scores

Criterion

  • Compares standard
  • Mastery
  • Cut scores

Others vs standard

Risk Assessment

Suicide risk
Ideation plan means
Homicide risk
Threat target means
Abuse
Mandated reporting
Trauma
Safety first
MSE
Current functioning
Diagnosis
Pattern plus impairment
Observation
Behavioral evidence
Referral
Outside scope

Error Types

One sees ghosts; two misses signals.

Type IFalse positiveType IIFalse negative

Formative vs Summative

Formative

  • During program
  • Improve process
  • Early feedback

Summative

  • After program
  • Judge outcome
  • Final impact

Improve vs judge

Research Basics

Quantitative
Numbers testing
Qualitative
Meaning themes
Mixed methods
Numbers plus themes
Internal validity
Causal confidence
External validity
Generalizability
Type I
False positive
Type II
False negative
Power
Detect true effect

Common Traps

Confidentiality Exceptions

Privacy promise ≠ Safety/legal exceptions

Familiar Theory Term

Recognized label ≠ Stem-specific action

Culture Shortcut

Group stereotype ≠ Client meaning

Score Confusion

Raw domain score ≠ Program pass rule

Reliability Trap

Consistent measure ≠ Valid interpretation

Research Error Trap

Reject true null ≠ Miss false null

Last Minute

  1. 1.Each domain equals 12.5%
  2. 2.160 items; 136 scored
  3. 3.Program sets passing score
  4. 4.Safety overrides confidentiality
  5. 5.Consent is ongoing process
  6. 6.Reliability before validity
  7. 7.Norm compares people
  8. 8.Criterion compares standard
  9. 9.Super means self-concept
  10. 10.Holland means RIASEC
  11. 11.Formative improves; summative judges
  12. 12.Answer every pretest item

CPCE Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination

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