COMP XM EXAM FINAL SCRIPT 2026 FULLY
SOLVED MATERIAL
◉ Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy: Key Concepts. Answer: ●
Focus on the recipient of the behavior as well as the agent of
behavior
● Fundamental differences between partners and some emotional
sensitivities that partners demonstrate are unlikely to change very
quickly or drastically
● Increased acceptance in one partner may at times also mediate
increased changed
● Reaction to an offending behavior is as much a problem as the
offending behavior itself
◉ Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy: Case Conceptualization.
Answer: ● Psychoeducation
● Schemas
● CBT but with Couples and including emotions
◉ Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy: Interventions. Answer: ●
Acceptance through Empathic Joining
,● Acceptance through Unified Detachment
● Tolerance Building
○ Pointing out positive aspects of negative behavior
○ Practicing negative behavior in the therapy session
○ Faking negative behaviors at home between sessions
○ Promoting tolerance through Self-Care
◉ Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy: Role of the Therapist.
Answer: ● Be comfortable with a high degree of flexibility and
change
● Play role of a teacher or coach
● Maintain focus on the case formulation
● Balanced mediator
○ Nonconfrontational validation and compassionate stance
● Attend to and highlight the function of behaviors
● Use language that "hits home"
◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Major Figures. Answer: John and Julie
Gottman, and Robert Levenson
,◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Key Concepts. Answer: ● Most
relationship conflict is not solvable, but it is "perpetual" based on
lasting personality differences between partners
● Gridlocked conflict is not about negative affect reciprocity, but
about its escalation from mild negative affects to more extreme 4
Horsemen of the Apocalypse
● Escalating conflict may characterize couples that divorce early, but
a second destructive, emotionally disengaged interaction pattern
involves the absence of both negative and positive affect during
conflict
● A gentle approach distinguishes the masters from the disasters of
relationships, as do neutral interactions
● Physiological soothing verse diffuse physiological arousal is
predictive of improvement
● The basis for a "dialogue" with a perpetual issue lies in dealing
with its core existential nature
● Building general positivity in the relationship is essential to
ensure lasting change
● Friendship processes control the effectiveness and thresholds of
the repair of problematic interaction
● The couple's construction of a "shared meaning system" facilitates
stability and happiness
● All three systems need to be understood (conflict,
friendship/intimacy/positive affect, and shared meaning) and they
interact bidirectionally
, ◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Case Conceptualization. Answer: ●
Use presence of "Four Horsemen" in relationship to predict
separation and/or divorce
◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Interventions. Answer: ● Build a Love
Map
● Aftermath of a Fight or Regrettable Incident
◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Role of the Therapist. Answer: Serving
as a validating, compassionate emotion coach, and as a "translator"
of the feelings and needs of each person in the interaction
◉ Suicide Assessment: SAD PERSONS. Answer: ■ Sex
■ Age
■ Depression
■ Prior History
■ Ethanol Abuse
■ Rational Thinking Loss
■ Support System Loss
■ Organized Plan
■ No Significant Other
■ Sickness
SOLVED MATERIAL
◉ Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy: Key Concepts. Answer: ●
Focus on the recipient of the behavior as well as the agent of
behavior
● Fundamental differences between partners and some emotional
sensitivities that partners demonstrate are unlikely to change very
quickly or drastically
● Increased acceptance in one partner may at times also mediate
increased changed
● Reaction to an offending behavior is as much a problem as the
offending behavior itself
◉ Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy: Case Conceptualization.
Answer: ● Psychoeducation
● Schemas
● CBT but with Couples and including emotions
◉ Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy: Interventions. Answer: ●
Acceptance through Empathic Joining
,● Acceptance through Unified Detachment
● Tolerance Building
○ Pointing out positive aspects of negative behavior
○ Practicing negative behavior in the therapy session
○ Faking negative behaviors at home between sessions
○ Promoting tolerance through Self-Care
◉ Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy: Role of the Therapist.
Answer: ● Be comfortable with a high degree of flexibility and
change
● Play role of a teacher or coach
● Maintain focus on the case formulation
● Balanced mediator
○ Nonconfrontational validation and compassionate stance
● Attend to and highlight the function of behaviors
● Use language that "hits home"
◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Major Figures. Answer: John and Julie
Gottman, and Robert Levenson
,◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Key Concepts. Answer: ● Most
relationship conflict is not solvable, but it is "perpetual" based on
lasting personality differences between partners
● Gridlocked conflict is not about negative affect reciprocity, but
about its escalation from mild negative affects to more extreme 4
Horsemen of the Apocalypse
● Escalating conflict may characterize couples that divorce early, but
a second destructive, emotionally disengaged interaction pattern
involves the absence of both negative and positive affect during
conflict
● A gentle approach distinguishes the masters from the disasters of
relationships, as do neutral interactions
● Physiological soothing verse diffuse physiological arousal is
predictive of improvement
● The basis for a "dialogue" with a perpetual issue lies in dealing
with its core existential nature
● Building general positivity in the relationship is essential to
ensure lasting change
● Friendship processes control the effectiveness and thresholds of
the repair of problematic interaction
● The couple's construction of a "shared meaning system" facilitates
stability and happiness
● All three systems need to be understood (conflict,
friendship/intimacy/positive affect, and shared meaning) and they
interact bidirectionally
, ◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Case Conceptualization. Answer: ●
Use presence of "Four Horsemen" in relationship to predict
separation and/or divorce
◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Interventions. Answer: ● Build a Love
Map
● Aftermath of a Fight or Regrettable Incident
◉ Gottman Therapy Couples: Role of the Therapist. Answer: Serving
as a validating, compassionate emotion coach, and as a "translator"
of the feelings and needs of each person in the interaction
◉ Suicide Assessment: SAD PERSONS. Answer: ■ Sex
■ Age
■ Depression
■ Prior History
■ Ethanol Abuse
■ Rational Thinking Loss
■ Support System Loss
■ Organized Plan
■ No Significant Other
■ Sickness
