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MFT Exam Study Questions Answered 2024
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MFT Exam Study Questions Answered 2024
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MFT Exam Study Questions Answered 2024A behavioral therapist would be most likely to say that symptoms are the result of which
of the following?
Select one:
a. underlying conflicts
b. irrational thoughts and beliefs
c. learning
d. physiological processes - ANSWER-Behavior therapists view symptoms (maladaptive
behaviors) as the result of earlier learning and, therefore, believe that symptoms can be
unlearned. The foundation of all behavioral treatments is the application of scientifically-
generated principles of learning to the modification of behavior.Answer C is CORRECT:
As indicated above, this is the right answer.Answer A is incorrect: This would be
characteristic of a psychoanalytic therapist.Answer B is incorrect:This would be of
interest to a rational emotive therapist.Answer D is incorrect:This concern is
characteristic of Hull, who believed that learning does not occur unless drive (basic
physiological needs such as thirst, hunger, and sex) is reduced. He felt that only those
behaviors and responses that result in drive reduction become learned behaviors and
responses.
The correct answer is: learning
A client is angry at his neighbor for cutting down a large tree that gave the client privacy
in his backyard. The client is agitated and tense as he describes this event and says
that he and the neighbor had a heated argument about it the day before, in which the
neighbor called him a "loser." The client has a history of poor impulse control, including
stealing and excessive alcohol use. He has been arrested on several occasions for bar
fights, which he initiated, and has spent time in jail. Which of the following is the BEST
predictor of the potential that this client may act violently toward his neighbor?
Select one:
a. The nature of the recent provocation
b. The client's poor impulse control
c. The client's agitation and tension
d. The client's past violent behavior - ANSWER-Answer D is correct: All of the factors
listed in the answers are indicators of an increased risk for violent behavior, but the best
predictor of future violent behavior is past violent behavior.
The correct answer is: The client's past violent behavior
A client is late for a session. He has been working on issues of self esteem and self
defeating behavior. This is the 5th time he has been late in three months. At this point,
you're feeling resentful and you want to tell him. You should:
Select one:
a. tell him
b. not tell him
c. be cold to him
, d. tell him only if you feel he is able to deal with it - ANSWER-The issue of
countertransference is important in all therapeutic relationships, regardless of the
therapist's orientation. Harboring resentment toward a client can adversely affect the
therapeutic relationship.
Answer A is CORRECT: This seems like the response that will have the most
therapeutic value. Being up front -- i.e., appropriately assertive -- with this client would
probably lead to greater trust and also serve as a good model of openness for the client.
Answer B is incorrect: If you do not tell the client about your resentment, he might pick
up on it through your metacommunication. The client and the therapeutic relationship
would benefit from your honesty rather than your deceit.
Answer C is incorrect: This passive-aggressive approach will be immediately perceived
by your client and could be shaming and hurtful to him.
Answer D is incorrect: This issue has already affected the therapeutic relationship and,
therefore, needs to be discussed. And, you cannot know the client's ability to "deal with"
this issue unless you bring it up. Although he may react with anger or hurt feelings, that
can be dealt with in therapy and might lead to his growth.
The correct answer is: tell him
A couple is referred by the court for domestic violence episodes. They have been
working hard on anger management and "fair fighting," and the man recently joined a
batterers group. During this session, the man seems withdrawn and tense. He was just
laid off and he's very angry about it. They begin arguing about money and the man
becomes increasingly volatile quickly. Given this man's history of violence, the first thing
you should do is:
Select one:
a. Call the police.
b. Remind the husband of his progress with self-control.
c. Leave the room with the wife.
d. Ask him to leave immediately. - ANSWER-Answer C is correct: Your first priority is
safety, both your client's and your own. Leaving the room with the wife takes both of you
out of immediate danger and gives the husband an opportunity to cool down.
Answer A is incorrect: You may want to call the police if you feel the danger of violence
is imminent. However, the question asks what you would do FIRST, which is remove
yourself and the wife from danger.
Answer B is incorrect: Reminding the husband of his progress with self-control runs the
risk of being seen as confrontational or condescending. This may only upset the
husband further.
Answering D is incorrect: Asking the husband to leave runs the risk of being interpreted
as confrontational, which is not advisable in a potentially violent situation.
The correct answer is: Leave the room with the wife.
A family consisting of a mother, son, age 15, and daughter, age 16, comes for therapy.
The parents are divorced and the father will not be attending sessions. The son has
been suspended from school for possession of marijuana. In the first session, you
notice that the son is hostile toward the mother for bringing him to therapy. During the
next few sessions, you notice that the mother seems to favor the daughter. The two sit
,closely together and the mother mentions her daughter's successes and says she is
proud of her. She seems to have a hostile attitude toward her son and freely discusses
how embarrassed she is that "something like this" could happen. You begin to think that
she is projecting her negative feelings about her husband onto her son. How should you
interrupt the mother's hostile behavior toward her son?
Select one:
a. confront it directly with a therapist "I"-message such as "I notice you are extremely -
ANSWER-This question allowed you to practice your ability to pick out key information
from a long case study. Only one of these answers would be appropriate, based on the
information in the question.Answer B is CORRECT: This is the best choice. Talking
about her ex-husband will automatically deflect Mom's hostility away from her son, and
she or other family members may even see for themselves the similarity between her
feelings for her ex-husband and her feelings for her son.Answer A is incorrect:
Confronting Mom directly would be extremely threatening to her and would probably
interrupt her hostile behavior only temporarily.Answer C is incorrect: Based on the
information we have, it appears that the son probably isn't able to defend himself
adequately.Answer D is incorrect: Even though this is less direct than answer "a,"
confronting Mom by directing a sculpture would also be threatening to her and would
probably interrupt her hostile behavior only temporarily.
The correct answer is: ask the mother to tell you some more about her ex-husband
A family, consisting of Mom, Dad, and two children, a 12-year-old girl who is the
identified patient, and a 14-year-old boy, come to see you. In the first stages of therapy
as a systems theorist, you should:
Select one:
a. build rapport with each family member individually
b. observe from a neutral position
c. ask each member what is going on in the family
d. ask Mom and Dad to talk about how they would like the 12-year-old to change -
ANSWER-Notice that three of the answers suggest separating the family or sending
them to separate helping sources.
Answer A is CORRECT: This is the only answer that addresses the family issues
systemically. Again, systems theorists are interested in how the system is supporting a
problem, rather than in supporting the view that one or two individuals are creating the
problem. Therefore, the first step for a systems theorist in this situation is to gather
information from all the family members.
Answer B is incorrect: Although this is a typical intervention for a Bowenian, it is not
typical for a general systems theorist. Most systems theorists would not meet with the
parents separately since this would identify them as the "problem," or "symptom
bearers" for the family.
Answer C is incorrect: This may eventually be a useful referral but, so early in therapy, it
will only identify the girl as "sicker" and take the focus off of the system.
Answer D is incorrect: This would clearly perpetuate the girl's role as the I.P.
The correct answer is: build rapport with each family member individually
A good way to assess whether a family is ready to change is to:
, Select one:
a. review your notes
b. do a genogram
c. make a sociogram
d. talk to your colleagues - ANSWER-This is an ambiguous question, involving more
factors than can be addressed here. If you look at the answers, you'll see that you are
being asked to choose the best of four poor answers. This may also happen on the MFT
examination.Answer A is CORRECT: This is one way a therapist can determine
whether a family is ready to change and, compared to the other answers offered, is a
more complete source of information. Reviewing your notes is a way of reminding
yourself of the information you have on the family, including their reports about their
history and current conditions, your observations, the results of any assessment tools
you used, and what has happened in therapy to date, including the clients progress and
any history of change. With long-term cases, it is especially important to review your
notes from time to time, to remind yourself of past events and to use the clients history
in your consideration of future changes.Answer B is incorrect: A genogram would
provide useful information about historical patterns in the family but is a more limited
source of information than your notes on the clients (which might include genogram
information). A genogram is typically done in the early stage of treatment, primarily for
assessment purposes.Answer C is incorrect:While useful for assessment purposes, a
sociogram would be a more limited source of information than your notes on the clients
(which would include the sociogram, if you drew one). A sociogram is a graph of a
family's current state, or its sociometry, primarily in terms of its boundary relations.
When drawing a map, or sociogram, of a family, the therapist depicts his/her perception
of the distance or closeness between and among all family members. This, however, is
primarily a good assessment tool of the current conditions within the family and would
not necess
A new client comes in complaining of feeling depressed. He reports feeling hopeless,
not eating well, and having difficulty falling asleep at night. He has stopped contacting
friends and misses work when he feels too upset to get out of bed. You suspect that the
client may be self-destructive. Given that this is a new client and you are in your first
meeting with him, how would you proceed?
Select one:
a. Engage the client and continue gathering a biopsychosocial history, while also
observing the client for additional, nonverbal signs suggesting that he poses a danger to
himself at this time.
b. Identify the specific events and situations that led to the client's current distress and
ways to meet his immediate needs.
c. Conduct a structured inquiry to obtain information as a basis for determining an
appropriate plan to protect the client from hurting himself.
d. Encourage voluntary commitment to a psychiatric facilit - ANSWER-Answer C is
correct: Whenever you suspect that a client is at risk for suicide, you should address
this immediately through the use of direct questions - e.g., "Have you ever thought
about hurting yourself?" "Do you plan to hurt yourself?" When a client responds in the
affirmative to these questions, the next step is to determine his level of risk for an
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