Counseling Couples and Families Exam Questions and Answers

Sample Questions and Answers

Question 1:

Which of the following is a primary focus of family systems theory?
A) Individual behavior and traits
B) The interactions and relationships within the family unit
C) Socioeconomic status of family members
D) Personality disorders of family members
Answer: B

Question 2:

According to Bowen’s Family Systems Theory, which concept refers to the degree to which individuals are able to separate their emotions from their thoughts?
A) Emotional cutoff
B) Differentiation of self
C) Triangulation
D) Multigenerational transmission
Answer: B

Question 3:

Which of the following is a key element of Structural Family Therapy?
A) Exploring unconscious processes within the family
B) Identifying and altering family subsystems and boundaries
C) Focusing on cognitive distortions in individuals
D) Using psychodynamic interpretation to analyze the past
Answer: B

Question 4:

What does “triangulation” in family counseling refer to?
A) The process of reducing conflict between two people by introducing a third party
B) A method for assessing family relationships
C) A coping mechanism for families dealing with crises
D) A strategy for improving communication between family members
Answer: A

Question 5:

In a genogram, which of the following symbols is typically used to represent a male family member?
A) A circle
B) A square
C) A triangle
D) A line
Answer: B

Question 6:

What is the primary goal of narrative therapy in family counseling?
A) To identify and change dysfunctional behavioral patterns
B) To reframe negative family stories into empowering narratives
C) To improve the family’s financial situation
D) To create rigid family boundaries
Answer: B

Question 7:

Which approach emphasizes communication patterns and problem-solving skills within the family?
A) Structural Family Therapy
B) Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy
C) Strategic Family Therapy
D) Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Answer: B

Question 8:

Which of the following is NOT a concept in Bowenian Family Therapy?
A) Emotional triangles
B) Differentiation of self
C) Multigenerational transmission
D) Operant conditioning
Answer: D

Question 9:

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy focuses on:
A) The root causes of family dysfunction
B) Developing solutions to current problems
C) Exploring the family’s emotional history
D) Identifying unconscious conflicts
Answer: B

Question 10:

What term describes rigid, diffuse, or overly permeable boundaries in families?
A) Fusion
B) Boundaries
C) Enmeshment
D) Differentiation
Answer: C

Question 11:

Which of the following is a hallmark of Strategic Family Therapy?
A) Problem-focused interventions
B) Long-term therapeutic engagement
C) Free association techniques
D) Emphasis on exploring childhood memories
Answer: A

Question 12:

The “identified patient” in family therapy refers to:
A) The family member who is the focus of treatment
B) The family member who avoids conflict
C) The person who facilitates therapy sessions
D) The individual who pays for counseling
Answer: A

Question 13:

In Structural Family Therapy, boundaries that are overly rigid may lead to:
A) Enmeshment
B) Disengagement
C) Fusion
D) Cohesion
Answer: B

Question 14:

Which of the following interventions involves assigning paradoxical tasks to clients?
A) Solution-Focused Therapy
B) Strategic Therapy
C) Bowenian Therapy
D) Narrative Therapy
Answer: B

Question 15:

What does the term “scapegoating” mean in the context of family counseling?
A) Blaming an outside factor for the family’s problems
B) Focusing on one family member as the cause of the family’s issues
C) Avoiding discussions about family conflict
D) Creating alliances within the family to solve problems
Answer: B

Question 16:

Circular questioning is a technique most often used in which approach?
A) Narrative Therapy
B) Milan Systemic Family Therapy
C) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
D) Structural Therapy
Answer: B

Question 17:

What is the focus of experiential family therapy?
A) Behavioral patterns within the family system
B) Improving emotional expression and spontaneity
C) Cognitive distortions in family members
D) Establishing clear family roles and rules
Answer: B

Question 18:

What is a key feature of psychoanalytic family therapy?
A) Behavioral modification
B) Exploration of unconscious processes
C) Addressing power imbalances
D) Goal-setting
Answer: B

Question 19:

Which therapeutic approach focuses on helping families find exceptions to their problems?
A) Narrative Therapy
B) Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
C) Structural Family Therapy
D) Experiential Family Therapy
Answer: B

Question 20:

A “healthy family” is often described as one that:
A) Has completely rigid boundaries
B) Encourages independence while maintaining connections
C) Avoids conflict at all costs
D) Has no clear hierarchy or roles
Answer: B

Question 21:

Reframing is a technique used in which family therapy approach?
A) Bowenian Therapy
B) Structural Family Therapy
C) Strategic Family Therapy
D) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Answer: C

Question 22:

The concept of “fusion” in family systems theory refers to:
A) Emotional over-involvement between family members
B) Conflict resolution strategies in families
C) Behavioral independence among family members
D) Disengagement within the family system
Answer: A

Question 23:

The therapist’s role in Structural Family Therapy includes:
A) Acting as an objective observer
B) Joining and restructuring the family system
C) Avoiding direct involvement in family conflicts
D) Interpreting unconscious processes
Answer: B

Question 24:

The primary purpose of a genogram is to:
A) Identify financial issues within a family
B) Map family relationships and patterns
C) Teach parenting skills
D) Resolve immediate family conflicts
Answer: B

Question 25:

Family sculpting is most commonly associated with:
A) Strategic Family Therapy
B) Structural Family Therapy
C) Experiential Family Therapy
D) Narrative Therapy
Answer: C

Question 26:

Which of the following is a goal of Bowenian therapy?
A) Resolving unresolved childhood trauma
B) Differentiating from the family of origin
C) Modifying irrational thoughts
D) Identifying past abusive relationships
Answer: B

Question 27:

What is the focus of the Milan approach in family therapy?
A) Identifying family members’ roles and alliances
B) Addressing unconscious family dynamics
C) Focusing on communication patterns and power dynamics
D) Short-term goal setting
Answer: C

Question 28:

Which theory emphasizes that family members mutually influence one another in a reciprocal manner?
A) Attachment Theory
B) Systems Theory
C) Social Learning Theory
D) Behaviorism
Answer: B

Question 29:

In family therapy, which of the following is an example of a first-order change?
A) Adjusting the family’s structure to resolve systemic issues
B) Changing the rules but not the underlying system
C) Increasing family cohesion through shared goals
D) Addressing intergenerational patterns of dysfunction
Answer: B

Question 30:

A therapist using Structural Family Therapy would likely focus on:
A) Clarifying family roles and addressing conflicts in hierarchy
B) Identifying unconscious family patterns
C) Focusing on individual traumas within the family
D) Discussing abstract future goals
Answer: A

 

Question 31:

Which of the following is a goal of family therapy?
A) Eliminating all family conflicts
B) Helping family members improve communication and resolve conflicts
C) Establishing rigid roles within the family system
D) Encouraging family members to function independently without connections
Answer: B

Question 32:

In Satir’s Experiential Family Therapy, what is the primary focus of the intervention?
A) Examining past generational patterns
B) Increasing self-esteem and improving communication
C) Changing cognitive distortions
D) Establishing strict family hierarchies
Answer: B

Question 33:

A therapist observes that a child is acting out because their parents are in constant conflict. This behavior is an example of:
A) Emotional cutoff
B) Scapegoating
C) Triangulation
D) Enmeshment
Answer: C

Question 34:

Which therapeutic approach is best known for its use of the “miracle question”?
A) Narrative Therapy
B) Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
C) Strategic Therapy
D) Structural Therapy
Answer: B

Question 35:

Which of the following best describes enmeshment in family systems?
A) Clear and healthy emotional boundaries
B) Overly close and intrusive relationships
C) Emotional disengagement among family members
D) Clear hierarchies and leadership within the family
Answer: B

Question 36:

What does the term “homeostasis” refer to in family systems theory?
A) The tendency of family systems to seek stability and resist change
B) A family’s ability to adapt quickly to crises
C) Emotional isolation within family subsystems
D) The degree of autonomy within family members
Answer: A

Question 37:

In which approach would a therapist focus on “externalizing the problem”?
A) Structural Family Therapy
B) Narrative Therapy
C) Bowenian Family Therapy
D) Experiential Family Therapy
Answer: B