Techniques and Intervention Strategies Flashcards
7 cards from real CBT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Techniques and Intervention Strategies flashcards as text
Which technique involves the therapist guiding the client to conduct a real-world test of a negative prediction to gather empirical data?
Answer: Behavioral experiment
Behavioral experiments are hypothesis-testing activities designed to gather direct evidence that challenges or confirms a client's dysfunctional belief.
The 'downward arrow' (vertical arrow) technique is primarily used to:
Answer: Uncover core beliefs underlying automatic thoughts
The downward arrow technique repeatedly asks 'What would that mean about you?' to drill beneath surface automatic thoughts and reveal underlying core beliefs.
A therapist helps a client with OCD refrain from hand-washing after touching a doorknob. This intervention combines exposure with:
Answer: Response prevention
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) pairs confronting the feared stimulus with blocking the compulsive ritual, allowing anxiety to habituate naturally.
A therapist uses role-play in which they model assertive communication and then the client practices it. This technique is BEST labeled:
Answer: Behavior rehearsal with modeling
Behavior rehearsal with modeling combines therapist demonstration with client practice to develop and reinforce new skills in a safe environment.
In CBT for depression, 'activity scheduling' primarily targets which maintaining factor?
Answer: Behavioral withdrawal and reduced reinforcement
Activity scheduling counters the behavioral withdrawal cycle by re-engaging clients in pleasurable and mastery activities to restore positive reinforcement.
A therapist instructs the client to rate their anxiety on a 0–10 scale before, during, and after exposure tasks. This is BEST described as:
Answer: Subjective units of distress (SUDS) monitoring
SUDS monitoring uses a numerical scale to track anxiety levels across exposure trials, helping both therapist and client observe habituation.
Which technique involves identifying specific thoughts that precede angry outbursts and replacing them with more balanced self-talk before responding?
Answer: Anger inoculation training
Anger inoculation training (stress inoculation applied to anger) teaches clients to catch anger-provoking thoughts and use coping self-statements before reacting.