CPCE Core Counseling Theories 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In object relations theory, 'splitting' is described as:
- A client dividing session time between two therapists
- The tendency to view self and others as all-good or all-bad (Correct answer)
- The separation of cognition and emotion in processing trauma
- A technique used to resolve ambivalence in motivational interviewing
Correct answer: The tendency to view self and others as all-good or all-bad
Splitting is a primitive defense mechanism in object relations theory where the individual cannot integrate positive and negative aspects of the self or others.
Question 2: Glasser's Choice Theory posits that all human behavior is driven by:
- Unconscious drives toward pleasure and the avoidance of pain
- Environmental reinforcement contingencies
- Five basic genetic needs including love, power, freedom, fun, and survival (Correct answer)
- Irrational beliefs about self-worth and perfectionism
Correct answer: Five basic genetic needs including love, power, freedom, fun, and survival
Glasser's Choice Theory holds that we are internally motivated by five basic needs and that we choose our behavior to meet those needs.
Question 3: Which term describes the Jungian concept of the part of the unconscious mind that contains universal archetypes shared across humanity?
- Personal unconscious
- Collective unconscious (Correct answer)
- Shadow self
- Anima/Animus complex
Correct answer: Collective unconscious
Jung proposed the collective unconscious as a layer of the unconscious shared by all humans, containing archetypes inherited across generations.
Question 4: In feminist therapy, the concept of 'the personal is political' implies that:
- Clients should be encouraged to engage in political activism
- Individual psychological problems are often rooted in social and political oppression (Correct answer)
- Therapists must remain neutral on social justice issues
- Political ideology should guide diagnosis and treatment planning
Correct answer: Individual psychological problems are often rooted in social and political oppression
Feminist therapy holds that personal distress often reflects systemic oppression, and healing requires understanding the social context of the client's experience.
Question 5: A counselor trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) would PRIMARILY use which of the following strategies?
- Free association and dream interpretation
- Balancing acceptance and change through validation and skill-building (Correct answer)
- Confronting cognitive distortions through Socratic questioning alone
- Exploring early recollections and birth order
Correct answer: Balancing acceptance and change through validation and skill-building
DBT, developed by Linehan, balances acceptance-based strategies (mindfulness, validation) with change-based strategies (skills training) to treat emotional dysregulation.
Question 6: The concept of 'congruence' in person-centered therapy means the therapist:
- Agrees with the client's worldview without judgment
- Is genuine and transparent, not hiding behind a professional facade (Correct answer)
- Uses empathic reflection to mirror the client's emotions accurately
- Maintains consistent theoretical orientation across all client cases
Correct answer: Is genuine and transparent, not hiding behind a professional facade
Rogers defined congruence (genuineness) as the therapist's authentic presence — being real and not playing a role — one of the three core conditions.
Question 7: In behavioral therapy, 'stimulus generalization' occurs when:
- A conditioned response is elicited by stimuli similar to the original conditioned stimulus (Correct answer)
- A behavior decreases due to the absence of reinforcement
- A fear response is paired with relaxation to reduce anxiety
- Multiple reinforcers are used to maintain a target behavior
Correct answer: A conditioned response is elicited by stimuli similar to the original conditioned stimulus
Stimulus generalization refers to the tendency for a conditioned response to be triggered by stimuli that resemble the original conditioned stimulus.
CPCE Core Counseling Theories 3
In object relations theory, 'splitting' is described as: