MC Master of Counseling: Psychological Theories and Therapeutic Approaches 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In person-centered therapy, Carl Rogers' concept of 'unconditional positive regard' means the counselor:
- Agrees with everything the client says to avoid conflict
- Accepts the client's worth without placing conditions on that acceptance (Correct answer)
- Avoids confronting the client about harmful behaviors
- Maintains a positive attitude regardless of the client's progress
Correct answer: Accepts the client's worth without placing conditions on that acceptance
Unconditional positive regard is a non-judgmental, consistent acceptance of the client as a worthwhile person, separate from approval of all their behaviors.
Question 2: Which defense mechanism involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to another person?
- Reaction formation
- Displacement
- Projection (Correct answer)
- Rationalization
Correct answer: Projection
Projection is the unconscious process of attributing one's own anxiety-provoking impulses or traits to someone else.
Question 3: In behavior therapy, 'response cost' is best described as:
- The effort required to perform a target behavior
- Removal of a positive reinforcer contingent on an undesired behavior (Correct answer)
- The cost of implementing an exposure hierarchy
- Adding an aversive stimulus following an unwanted behavior
Correct answer: Removal of a positive reinforcer contingent on an undesired behavior
Response cost is a form of negative punishment in which a valued reinforcer is removed after the occurrence of a target problem behavior.
Question 4: A counselor practicing narrative therapy helps a client identify a 'unique outcome.' This refers to:
- A breakthrough moment in which the client experiences a new emotion
- An exception to the problem-saturated story that opens space for a new narrative (Correct answer)
- The client's ultimate therapeutic goal stated in their own words
- An intervention unique to that individual client's cultural background
Correct answer: An exception to the problem-saturated story that opens space for a new narrative
Unique outcomes (or sparkling moments) are times when the problem did not dominate the client's life, used to co-author a more empowering alternative story.
Question 5: According to Bowlby's attachment theory, 'internal working models' are best described as:
- Neurological templates for emotional regulation developed in therapy
- Mental representations of self and others based on early attachment experiences (Correct answer)
- Cognitive schemas that govern information processing speed
- Scripts developed in family systems to manage conflict
Correct answer: Mental representations of self and others based on early attachment experiences
Internal working models are cognitive-affective representations of early caregiving relationships that shape expectations in future close relationships.
Question 6: In psychoanalytic theory, the 'reality principle' governs the functioning of which psychic structure?
- Id
- Ego (Correct answer)
- Superego
- Preconscious
Correct answer: Ego
The ego operates according to the reality principle, mediating between the id's demands and the constraints of the external world.
Question 7: A counselor using Multimodal Therapy (Arnold Lazarus) assesses a client across the BASIC ID framework. Which modality does the 'I' represent?
- Intuition
- Imagery (Correct answer)
- Interpersonal relationships
- Identity
Correct answer: Imagery
In Lazarus's BASIC ID, 'I' stands for Imagery — the mental pictures, fantasies, and visualizations that influence a client's functioning.
MC Master of Counseling: Psychological Theories and Therapeutic Approaches 4
In person-centered therapy, Carl Rogers' concept of 'unconditional positive regard' means the counselor: