Fundamentals of Counseling covers the material taught in a one-semester college course. Questions on the exam test:

• Knowledge of basic facts and terms
• Understanding of concepts and principles
• Ability to apply the knowledge to specific case problems

Topics covered in this course are:

• Historical Development
  • Historical elements
  • Significant influences
  • Significant people
  
  
• Counselor Roles and Functions
  • Counseling as a profession
  • Role expectations in different counseling settings
  • Professional associations
  • Consultation
  • Group approaches
  • Family counseling
  • Self-help groups
  • Advocacy
  • Environment
  
  
• The Counseling Relationship
  • Verbal and nonverbal behavior
  • Personal characteristics, lifestyles and capabilities
  • Authenticity, empathy, and confidentiality
  • Ethical and legal issues
  
  
• Theoretical Approaches
  • Psychodynamic
  • Humanistic and phenomenological
  • Cognitive–behavioral
  • Behavioral
  • Systems
  • Eclectic
  • Spiritual/Holistic
  
  
• Social and Cultural Foundations
  • Multicultural issues (e.g., religion, race, ethnicity, socioeconomics)
  • Discrimination issues (e.g., gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, AIDS, managed care)
  • Societal concerns (e.g., substance abuse, person abuse, stress, violence)
  
  
• Career Development
  • Theories
  • Decision making
  • Information sources
  
  
• Human Growth and Development
  • Personal development
  • Social development
  
  
• Assessment and Appraisal Techniques
  • Testing
  • Measurement
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV)

(Taken from "Fundamentals of Counseling," DSST/Dantes Subject Standardized Tests, Capstar/The Chauncey Group International.)