2026/2027 Walden University
Course: NURS 6640
University: Walden University
Assessment: Final Exam
Area: Psychotherapy With Individuals
1.
What is the primary goal of supportive psychotherapy?
A) Strengthen coping abilities and improve current functioning
B) Recover all unconscious childhood memories
C) Eliminate every negative emotion
D) Interpret every dream
Answer: A) Strengthen coping abilities and improve current
functioning
Rationale: Supportive psychotherapy emphasizes strengthening adaptive
coping, improving functioning, maintaining defenses, and providing
emotional support.
2.
Which intervention is most characteristic of supportive psychotherapy?
A) Reinforcing strengths and adaptive coping
B) Intensive free association
C) Dream interpretation as the primary intervention
D) Systematic exposure to feared stimuli
Answer: A) Reinforcing strengths and adaptive coping
Rationale: Supportive therapy focuses on helping patients use existing
strengths and develop practical ways to manage current difficulties.
3.
A patient with chronic depression feels overwhelmed by multiple recent
stressors. Which intervention best fits supportive psychotherapy?
A) Help the patient identify existing strengths and develop practical coping
strategies
B) Explore only unconscious childhood conflicts
,C) Avoid discussing current stressors
D) Immediately confront cognitive distortions
Answer: A) Help the patient identify existing strengths and develop
practical coping strategies
Rationale: Supportive therapy is especially useful when patients need
stabilization, encouragement, coping assistance, and improved functioning.
4.
Which feature distinguishes supportive psychotherapy from psychodynamic
psychotherapy?
A) Greater emphasis on current functioning and strengthening coping
B) Exclusive emphasis on unconscious conflicts
C) Exclusive use of free association
D) Avoidance of emotional support
Answer: A) Greater emphasis on current functioning and
strengthening coping
Rationale: Supportive psychotherapy generally focuses more directly on
maintaining or improving present functioning and adaptive coping.
5.
A therapist tells a patient, "You've handled several difficult situations
successfully in the past. Let's look at what helped you then." Which
technique is being used?
A) Reinforcement of strengths
B) Interpretation of resistance
C) Free association
D) Exposure
Answer: A) Reinforcement of strengths
Rationale: Identifying previous successes helps reinforce adaptive coping
and self-efficacy.
6.
Which patient is particularly appropriate for supportive psychotherapy?
A) A patient experiencing significant stress with limited coping resources
B) A patient seeking only dream interpretation
C) A patient needing exposure therapy for a specific phobia
D) A patient requiring emergency medical stabilization
, Answer: A) A patient experiencing significant stress with limited
coping resources
Rationale: Supportive psychotherapy can be particularly useful for patients
who need stabilization and strengthening of coping abilities.
7.
Interpersonal psychotherapy primarily focuses on:
A) Current interpersonal relationships and life transitions
B) Biological neurotransmitter abnormalities only
C) Dream symbolism only
D) Exposure to feared objects
Answer: A) Current interpersonal relationships and life transitions
Rationale: IPT focuses on interpersonal problems related to areas such as
grief, role transitions, interpersonal disputes, and social deficits.
8.
Which is a central IPT problem area?
A) Role transition
B) Hallucination removal
C) Medication titration
D) Exposure hierarchy development
Answer: A) Role transition
Rationale: IPT commonly targets grief, interpersonal disputes, role
transitions, and interpersonal deficits.
9.
A patient recently retired and is struggling with loss of identity and changes
in relationships. Which IPT focus is most appropriate?
A) Role transition
B) Thought insertion
C) Exposure
D) Dream analysis
Answer: A) Role transition
Rationale: Retirement can create a significant change in social role and
identity, making role transition an appropriate IPT focus.