Final Exam Study Guide (Human Services)

These flashcards cover key concepts from the Human Services final exam study guide.

Group Dynamics

The patterns of interaction between group members, including roles, communication styles, power dynamics, and influence.

Self-Awareness

Awareness of your own emotions, biases, and reactions in a group.

Scapegoating

When one member is unfairly blamed for group issues, often reflecting unresolved group tension.

Tuckman’s Stages

A model describing the stages of group development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.

Group Counseling Advantages

Benefits of group counseling such as universality, altruism, interpersonal learning, feedback, and cost-effectiveness.

Self-Disclosure

Sharing personal experiences to promote growth; should be appropriate, relevant, and not harmful.

Leader Characteristics

Important traits for leaders including empathy, genuineness, active listening, and ethical awareness.

Systems / Ecological Perspective

The view that individuals are influenced by multiple interacting systems like family, school, and culture.

General Systems Theory

A theory stating that systems are interrelated and change in one part affects the whole.

Homeostasis

The tendency of a system to maintain balance, even if it is dysfunctional.

Boundaries

Different types of boundaries: Rigid (closed), Permeable (overly open), and Semipermeable (healthy balance).

Hierarchy

The power and authority structure within a system.

Family Rules

Rules that can be either overt (explicit) or covert (implicit) in a family system.

Dysfunctional Patterns

Negative patterns such as enmeshment, disengagement, poor communication, and role confusion.

Adler's Focus

Emphasized the importance of birth order, social interest, and family influence.

Satir's Communication Styles

Different styles of communication: placating, blaming, computing, distracting, and congruent.

Minuchin's Structural Family Therapy

Therapy focusing on boundaries, hierarchy, and subsystems within families.

Confidentiality

The protection of client information with exceptions for danger to self or others.

Scope of Practice

The limit to which services professionals can perform based on their training.

Competence

The necessity to maintain skills through continued education and supervision.

Informed Consent

A process ensuring clients understand the services and their limitations.

Multiple Relationships

Avoiding dual roles that impair professional objectivity.

Pre-group Screening

The process of assessing readiness and fit for a counseling group.

Ethical Termination

Ending a relationship in a planned manner, including referrals, to avoid client abandonment.

Individual Therapy Indications

Situations where individual therapy is indicated, such as severe mental health issues.

Consultation

A collaborative process for improving another professional’s effectiveness.

Triadic Relationship

A relationship involving a consultant, consultee, and client/system.

Prevention Types

Different levels of prevention: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary.

Supervision

An evaluative relationship focused on skill development.

Community Systems

Communities organized with roles, norms, and structures.

Organizational Climate

The culture and atmosphere within an agency.

8 Steps of Change

The process to manage change involving collaboration and assessment.

Qualitative Data

Subjective and descriptive data collected from interviews and observations.

Quantitative Data

Numerical data that can be analyzed statistically.

Ethnographic Study

Research focused on the study of cultures or groups.

Needs Assessment

A process for identifying community needs.

Formative Evaluation

Assessment of an ongoing program.

Test Types

Methods used to evaluate abilities and psychological characteristics.

Rorschach Test

A projective psychological test using inkblots.

Validity

The measure of whether a test measures what it is supposed to.

Reliability

The consistency of results from a test.

Norm-Referenced Tests

Tests that compare individual scores to a larger group.

Career Development

A lifelong process involving various roles and work experiences.

Trait & Factor Theory

A method of matching individual traits to suitable jobs.

Psychodynamic Approach

A perspective emphasizing early life influences on career.

Super's Stages of Career Development

Stages include Growth, Exploration, Establishment, Maintenance, and Decline.

SCCT

Social Cognitive Career Theory focusing on self-efficacy and environmental factors.

Holland's RIASEC

A model categorizing career interests into six types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.

Informational Interviews

Conversations with professionals to learn about their career paths.

Career Counseling

A process of aligning an individual’s values, interests, and goals.

Grad School Preparation

Researching programs, meeting requirements, and preparing application materials.