Behavioral Modification Strategies Flashcards

A post-bariatric surgery patient reports eating quickly and experiencing frequent dumping syndrome. Which behavioral strategy should the counselor recommend first?

Answer: Mindful eating with timed pauses between bites

Mindful eating with paced bites directly slows eating speed, the primary behavioral trigger of dumping syndrome.

In stimulus control for weight management, which intervention best reduces environmental cues to overeat?

Answer: Keeping high-calorie snacks out of visible areas at home

Stimulus control targets environmental triggers, such as removing visible high-calorie foods, to reduce cued eating.

A patient says, 'I already broke my diet at lunch, so the whole day is ruined.' This cognitive distortion is best described as:

Answer: All-or-nothing thinking

Viewing one lapse as total failure reflects all-or-nothing (dichotomous) thinking.

Which self-monitoring practice is most consistently associated with sustained weight loss after bariatric surgery?

Answer: Daily food journaling

Consistent daily food logging is one of the strongest behavioral predictors of long-term weight maintenance.

A counselor helps a patient plan how to handle a buffet at an upcoming wedding. This strategy is an example of:

Answer: Relapse prevention planning

Anticipating high-risk situations and rehearsing coping responses is the core of relapse prevention.

According to behavioral principles, rewarding a patient with a non-food treat after meeting a weekly exercise goal is an example of:

Answer: Positive reinforcement

Adding a desirable reward to increase a behavior's frequency is positive reinforcement.

A patient consistently eats in response to work stress rather than hunger. The most appropriate initial behavioral intervention is:

Answer: Teaching alternative stress-coping responses to replace eating

Substituting adaptive coping behaviors for emotional eating addresses the functional trigger directly.