Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) Practice Exam

What is the term for the average of a set of scores?

1. Median

2. Mode

3. Mean

4. Range

The correct answer is: Mean

The term for the average of a set of scores is referred to as the mean. To calculate the mean, you sum all the individual scores and then divide that total by the number of scores. This provides a measure that reflects the overall central tendency of the data set. It is a widely used statistical measure in various fields, including counseling, as it helps to condense a large amount of data into a single value that represents the group as a whole. In contrast, the median represents the middle value when the scores are arranged in ascending or descending order, and the mode indicates the most frequently occurring score in the data set. The range refers to the difference between the highest and lowest scores, which provides insights into the distribution but does not represent an average. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for interpreting data accurately in counseling contexts.