NCMHCE NCMHCE - National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination Family Systems and Couples Counseling

Question 1

In Bowen's Family Systems Theory, 'differentiation of self' refers to:

Accepted Answer

The capacity to maintain a stable identity while staying emotionally connected to others

Answer

Differentiation of self is Bowen's concept describing the ability to maintain one's own identity and values while remaining in emotional contact with others.

Question 2

The term 'triangulation' in family systems theory refers to:

Accepted Answer

A third person being drawn into a two-person conflict to reduce anxiety

Answer

Triangulation occurs when a dyad under stress pulls in a third party (often a child) to diffuse anxiety within the relationship.

Question 3

Salvador Minuchin's Structural Family Therapy focuses primarily on:

Accepted Answer

Reorganizing family boundaries, hierarchies, and subsystems

Answer

Structural Family Therapy aims to change the organizational patterns — boundaries and hierarchies — that maintain dysfunctional family functioning.

Question 4

In the McMaster Model of Family Functioning, 'affective involvement' refers to:

Accepted Answer

The degree to which family members show interest in and value each other

Answer

Affective involvement describes the extent and quality of family members' interest in and caring about each other's activities and well-being.

Question 5

A counselor working with a couple notices they frequently interrupt, criticize, and become defensive. According to Gottman's research, these behaviors are predictive of:

Accepted Answer

Relationship dissolution

Answer

Gottman's research identified criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling as the 'Four Horsemen' that predict relationship failure.

NCMHCE - National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination Practice Test

NCMHCE - National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination Practice Test

NCMHCE NCMHCE - National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination Family Systems and Couples Counseling