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Quizzes > Health & Medicine

NCE practice questions: 50 exam-style items to check your skills

Quick, free NCE practice test with instant scoring and answer review.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Aidan UlianUpdated Aug 23, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration promoting free NCE practice test on a golden yellow background

This quiz helps you practice NCE practice questions and check your counseling knowledge before test day. Work through 50 exam-style items, get instant scoring, and review what to study next. Looking at other licensing exams too? Try a free eppp practice test or a nursing entrance exam practice test.

In the transtheoretical model of change, which stage is characterized by no intention to act within the next 6 months?
Maintenance
Action
Preparation
Precontemplation
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Which ethical principle primarily guides a counselor to do good for the client?
Fidelity
Justice
Autonomy
Beneficence
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In-person informed consent in counseling must include which element to be valid?
Names of all past clients
Diagnoses of family members
A guarantee of cure
Risks and benefits of treatment
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In cognitive behavioral therapy, a thought record is primarily used to target which process?
Cognitive distortions
Family roles
Free association
Dream analysis
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In group counseling, which stage is typically marked by conflict, testing boundaries, and power struggles?
Forming
Adjourning
Norming
Storming
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Tarasoff-related duties generally refer to a counselor's obligation to warn or protect identifiable third parties from credible threats posed by a client.
False
True
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Which intervention is most consistent with solution-focused brief therapy?
Miracle question
Empty-chair technique
Free association
Systematic desensitization
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A counselor using REBT would most likely dispute which client process?
Family myths
Attachment styles
Irrational beliefs
Unconditional positive regard
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In supervision, the primary ethical responsibility for client welfare ultimately rests with the supervisor when the supervisee is not fully licensed and practicing under supervision.
False
True
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Which documentation style organizes notes into Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan?
DAP
PIE
SOAP
BIRP
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Which statistical coefficient is most commonly used to estimate internal consistency for a scale with items scored on Likert-type responses?
Cohen's d
Cronbach's alpha
Eta squared
Phi coefficient
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In ethical decision-making, which model step typically comes first?
Document only if harm occurs
Identify the problem and stakeholders
Consult ethical codes after implementing a decision
Generate possible courses of action
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A stanine of 9 corresponds most closely to which portion of the distribution?
Exactly the 90th percentile
The lowest decile
The median area
The highest range near the top 4%
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In structural family therapy, an enmeshed boundary is most likely to produce which pattern?
High autonomy and minimal conflict
Clear hierarchical leadership
Overinvolvement and diffuse roles
Rigid disengagement
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A z-score of -2.0 indicates the raw score is two standard deviations below the mean in a normal distribution.
True
False
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A counselor can diagnose and treat any mental disorder in any jurisdiction as long as they are licensed in one state.
True
False
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Which research design best supports causal inference when ethical and feasible?
Cross-sectional survey
Randomized controlled trial
Case study
Single posttest only without control
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Item discrimination in test construction refers to an item's ability to differentiate between high and low scorers on the overall test.
False
True
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Which statement best reflects the concept of incremental validity for a new assessment instrument?
It looks valid to test-takers
It correlates with itself over time
It measures multiple constructs at once
It adds predictive power beyond existing measures
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In couples counseling, demand-withdraw patterns are often conceptualized as part of a negative interaction cycle maintained by both partners' behaviors.
False
True
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0

Study Outcomes

  1. Analyze Counseling Concepts -

    Apply core counseling theories and techniques to real-world scenarios in this nce practice test, reinforcing your grasp of essential principles.

  2. Evaluate Ethical Scenarios -

    Assess and select appropriate responses to ethics-based questions, bolstering your ability to navigate professional guidelines confidently.

  3. Apply Assessment Strategies -

    Identify the correct use of standardized assessment tools and procedures, enhancing your competency in selecting and administering tests.

  4. Interpret Client Data -

    Practice interpreting case data and diagnostic criteria, sharpening your decision-making skills under exam-like conditions.

  5. Track Your Performance -

    Use instant feedback and scoring from this free nce practice test to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, guiding an effective study plan.

  6. Boost Exam Confidence -

    Develop test-taking strategies and time-management skills through a stress-free format that mirrors the official exam environment.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Ethical Standards and ACA Code of Ethics -

    When tackling an nce practice test, master the ACA Code of Ethics by focusing on core principles like autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice and fidelity. Use the mnemonic "A-B-C-N-J-F" to recall these values quickly under time pressure. Reviewing real-world case studies on the American Counseling Association website ensures you apply ethics correctly in exam scenarios.

  2. Reliability vs. Validity in Assessment -

    Understanding the difference between reliability (consistency) and validity (accuracy) is crucial for nce practice questions on assessment tools. Remember the formula for Cronbach's alpha (α = [k/(k - 1)] × [1 - Σσ²_item/σ²_total]) to evaluate internal consistency in sample tests. Checking resources from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) can deepen your grasp of psychometric properties.

  3. Major Counseling Theories and Techniques -

    Be fluent in major theories - like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy - as these appear frequently in nce sample test items. A simple mnemonic, "B-P-S" (Behavioral, Person-centered, Solution-focused), helps organize your study sessions. Refer to journal articles from the Journal of Counseling & Development for evidence-based interventions that align with official exam content outlines.

  4. Human Development and Lifespan Stages -

    Review Erikson's eight psychosocial stages and Piaget's four cognitive stages, since questions often link theory to client age and behavior. Use the phrase "Trust You, Autonomy Show, Initiative Grow…" to sequence Erikson's stages from infancy through adolescence. Official summaries from university developmental psychology departments provide clear charts and examples.

  5. Career Development Models and Assessment -

    Memorize Holland's RIASEC model (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional) and try matching sample client profiles to each code in your free nce practice exam. A quick rhyme - "RIASCE spells career success" - can cement the six types in your memory. The National Career Development Association offers free practice questions and case studies to hone your application skills.

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