Family Solutions Institute AMFTRB Practice Exam | Questions & Answers (100 %Score)
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Mrs. S. came to therapy complaining that she has been unhappy & abnormal all her life. The therapist
asked, "How do you know you are unhappy?" Mrs. S. expressed being unhappy with friendships & in her
relationships with her family. The therapist then asked how Mrs. S. knew those unhappy feelings were
not normal. Mrs. S. then mentioned some days in which she did feel happy. This attempt by the
therapist to help Mrs. S. to identify exceptions is a technique used in:
a. the Structural model.
b. the Strategic model.
c. the Solution-focused model.
d. the Contextual model. - ✔✔c. the Solution-focused model.
Finding the exception to times when the problem occurs is a Solution-Focused technique.
Whose clinical model uses the following terms: placater, blamer, avoider?
a. Communication - Watzlawick
b. Communication - Haley
c. Communication - Satir
d. Communication - White - ✔✔c. Communication - Satir
Although Satir, Watzlawick & Haley are all associated with communication theory, Satir is the one who
uses the terms placater, blamer, avoider (also leveler & computer). White is not associated with
communication theory, he is associated with a Narrative approach.
Paradoxical tasks given by the Strategic therapist are:
a. expected to be thought of as ridiculous.
b. expected to provide insight.
,c. expected to be resisted.
d. expected to be particularly helpful in child management. - ✔✔c. expected to be resisted.
Erickson's experience as a hypnotherapist convinced him that people could change quickly. Erickson saw
his job as finding ways to bypass or use "resistance." Many paradoxical techniques came out of
Erickson's application of hypnotic principles to avoid creating resistance in patients or to use their
resistance to benefit therapy (Nichols & Schwartz, 3rd. ed. p. 412). The other answers can be eliminated
as follows: Ridiculous - Paradoxical tasks are generally presented in a context in which they make sense.
Insight - Paradox is not intended to provide insight. It is expected that change will come from the
dilemma the client is placed in, rather than from a new cognitive understanding of oneself. Helpful for
child management - Paradox is not intended to be any more or less helpful with parent-child issues than
with any other.
A family therapist begins to map the various ways in which a family is organized. This technique is most
associated with:
a. Constructivist therapists.
b. Solution-focused therapists.
c. Transgenerational therapists.
d. Structural therapists. - ✔✔d. Structural therapists.
Mapping is a concept specifically associated with the Structural model. Specific symbols are used to
designate such things as boundaries, coalitions, enmeshment, etc. (Exam tip: Know all the Structural
mapping symbols!)
Some Feminist family therapists are critical of Minuchin's emphasis on family hierarchies because they
believe:
a. it upsets the parental subsystem.
b. it places women in conflict with their children.
c. it reinforces gender stereotypes.
d. it gives parents excessive power. - ✔✔c. it reinforces gender stereotypes.
,Feminist Family Therapists have outlined three major mistakes of mainstream family therapy theory.
These mistakes are: 1) overlooks gender, one of the major building blocks of any theory of family; 2)
overlooks power as a valid construct of family systems within generations (although noted power issues
cross-generationally); 3) supports the main bias in our culture, that autonomy & the differentiation of
self is valued more than relational competence & affiliation. Feminist thought equally values autonomy,
differentiation of self, competence, & affiliation (Hare-Mustin, 1989).
A Facebook friend asks you to be their therapist having heard from her many friends what a great &
helpful therapist you are.The most ethical response is to:
a. accept the client because he is a friend of a friend & you would be able to commence therapy in a way
that would address or erase any boundary blurs.
b. decline the request & delete their friend status.
c. close out your Facebook page.
d. refer the client to a colleague. - ✔✔d. refer the client to a colleague.
The best & most ethical response would be to refer out. As a friend on Facebook, this person is able to
see personal information about your life & would qualify as a dual relationship. Some social network
websites allow therapists to maintain a professional profile online where one can attract clients through
the internet. This separates the therapist's personal life from their professional one therefore creating
clearer boundaries for their practice & yet could still violate HIPAA if your LinkedIn profile only consists
of your clients. Again, rule of thumb, most conservative answer is always best in legal & ethical
questions.
An MFT works as a 1/3 time employee of a local high school. His primary responsibility is to meet with
students together with their family members to help them understand & coordinate educational goals
with teachers & guidance personnel. Occasionally, the MFT will hold a series of family therapy sessions
when school guidance counselors indicate they believe the student & their families are in conflict about
the student's school activities. During the remainder of his work hours, the MFT has a solo private
practice in which he bills insurance companies for his services, making use of a billing clearinghouse
service. In this situation... - ✔✔c. Whether the MFTs work in the school is considered healthcare
depends on the understanding created with each family, as to whether educational counseling or family
therapy is being provided.
The definition of what service is provided comes from the understanding a licensed clinician has with
each client. At the onset of services contracting should occur, along with full disclosure of what, if any,
confidentiality protections are provided. It is at that point that the definition of the service is created.
, The type of service can be changed, so long as there is a new understanding created by between the
clinician & the client family members, with changes in the contract & updated disclosures as may be
needed. It is possible that incomplete contracting can lead clients to be misinformed about the nature of
the services being offered. For example, if the clinician provides educational counseling but hands out a
business card that states 'Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist' without clarification that therapy is not
being offered, the family can easily & perhaps correctly assume that therapy is being offered & have a
reasonable expectation of the HIPAA & state confidentiality protections that go along with that service.
Clinicians are advised to state clearly both verbally & in writing, 'this is not therapy & the usual
confidentiality protections may not apply'.
A mother calls the therapist sounding very panicky, wanting an immediate appointment. At the first
session, the mother states that her 12-year old son Sam has just been caught in the bathroom of a
neighbor's home with a 6-year old boy. The 6-year old says that Sam was playing with his "bum" &
kissing his penis. When confronted by his mother, Sam admitted to having "played" with the boy on 4
previous occasions. The neighbor boy's parents have banned Sam from their home & informed other
parents & the school about his "perversion". Sam's mother called a psychiatrist prior to calling you who
she says stated, "You can put him into therapy & give him drugs, but it's probably already too late." (...)
In your first meeting with this family, you begin by speaking for a time with each member of the family,
asking them about themselves. This engagement technique might be used in which school of family th -
✔✔b. Strategic / Haley.
This is an example of how Haley conducts his Structured Initial Interview as explained in his book,
Problem Solving Therapy Theory.
Systemic therapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of:
a. encopresis & conduct problems in children.
b. anxiety disorders & OCD in adolescents.
c. adult personality disorders & associated family problems.
d.schizophrenia & bipolar disorder. - ✔✔a. encopresis & conduct problems in children.
Family Systems therapy has been show to be particularly effective in working with encopresis & conduct
disorders in children.
An MFT is using a differentiation approach in treating an internet affair. After completing an assessment
of the couple & the circumstances of the affair the therapist will:
