Behavioral Coaching Flashcards
7 cards from real ACSM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Behavioral Coaching flashcards as text
A previously active client stops exercising after a knee injury. This represents which behavioral concept?
Answer: A lapse that may become a relapse
An injury-induced cessation is a lapse; without coaching support and coping strategies it can progress into a full relapse to sedentary behavior.
Which SMART goal criterion is missing from this statement: 'I will exercise more often next month'?
Answer: Specific and Measurable
'More often' lacks specificity (no frequency/type) and measurability (no quantifiable target), making the goal difficult to track or evaluate.
An exercise physiologist notices a client consistently uses negative self-talk after a difficult workout. The most appropriate behavioral response is to:
Answer: Teach cognitive reframing to challenge and replace negative thoughts
Cognitive reframing is the evidence-based technique for helping clients replace counterproductive self-talk with constructive interpretations.
The 'pros and cons' exercise used in decisional balancing is most useful for clients in which TTM stage?
Answer: Precontemplation or Contemplation
Decisional balancing is most effective early in the change process when clients have not yet committed, helping them weigh benefits against costs.
A client sets a process goal of 'attending three exercise classes per week' rather than 'losing 10 pounds.' What is the primary advantage of process goals?
Answer: They focus on controllable behaviors rather than unpredictable outcomes
Process goals target behaviors within the client's direct control, which supports consistent action regardless of slower-moving outcome changes.
Which interviewing skill involves repeating back a slightly extended version of what a client said to deepen understanding?
Answer: Complex reflection
Complex reflections add meaning or feeling beyond what the client explicitly said, demonstrating deeper empathic understanding and often eliciting further disclosure.
A client has maintained a 5-day-per-week exercise habit for 14 months. According to the Transtheoretical Model, the most important coaching priority is:
Answer: Relapse prevention and identity consolidation as an exerciser
Clients in the Maintenance stage benefit most from strategies that prevent relapse and reinforce an internalized identity as a regular exerciser.