PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH MULTIPLE
MODALITIES FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
1. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which cognitive distortion involves the patient
making a broad conclusion based on a single incident or a piece of evidence?
A. Catastrophizing
B. Overgeneralization
C. Personalization
D. Selective Abstraction
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Overgeneralization is a cognitive distortion where an individual
applies the outcome of a single event to all other future events, whereas selective
abstraction focuses on a detail taken out of context.
2. Which of the following represents one of Irvin Yalom’s therapeutic factors in group therapy
where members realize they are not alone in their suffering?
A. Catharsis
,B. Altruism
C. Universality
D. Existential Factors
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Universality is the recognition that one’s experiences and
feelings are shared by others, which helps reduce feelings of isolation and shame.
3. In Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), the therapist uses a strategy known as ‘validation’
primarily to:
A. Agree with everything the client says or does
B. Communicate that the client’s responses make sense within their context
C. Strengthen the client’s maladaptive behaviors
D. Avoid confrontation during sessions
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Validation in DBT is not about agreement with dysfunction, but
about acknowledging the validity of the patient’s emotional experience given their history
and current situation.
4. According to Murray Bowen’s family systems theory, ‘triangulation’ occurs when:
A. Three generations live in the same household
B. A child becomes the leader of the family
, C. A third person is brought into a two-person relationship to reduce tension
D. A therapist joins the family to fix communication
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Triangulation is a process where a two-person system, under
stress, recruits a third person to stabilize the system and redirect the anxiety.
5. A therapist using Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) would focus most heavily on which of
the following areas?
A. Childhood trauma and unconscious drives
B. Behavioral reinforcement schedules
C. Systemic family structures and hierarchies
D. Current social roles and relationship conflicts
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: IPT is a time-limited therapy that focuses on interpersonal
triggers for depression, such as role disputes, role transitions, grief, and interpersonal
deficits.
6. In the context of psychodynamic therapy, ‘countertransference’ is best defined as:
A. The patient’s emotional reaction to the therapist
B. The mechanism of projecting past feelings onto a spouse
C. The patient’s resistance to changing their behavior
MODALITIES FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
1. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which cognitive distortion involves the patient
making a broad conclusion based on a single incident or a piece of evidence?
A. Catastrophizing
B. Overgeneralization
C. Personalization
D. Selective Abstraction
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Overgeneralization is a cognitive distortion where an individual
applies the outcome of a single event to all other future events, whereas selective
abstraction focuses on a detail taken out of context.
2. Which of the following represents one of Irvin Yalom’s therapeutic factors in group therapy
where members realize they are not alone in their suffering?
A. Catharsis
,B. Altruism
C. Universality
D. Existential Factors
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Universality is the recognition that one’s experiences and
feelings are shared by others, which helps reduce feelings of isolation and shame.
3. In Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), the therapist uses a strategy known as ‘validation’
primarily to:
A. Agree with everything the client says or does
B. Communicate that the client’s responses make sense within their context
C. Strengthen the client’s maladaptive behaviors
D. Avoid confrontation during sessions
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Validation in DBT is not about agreement with dysfunction, but
about acknowledging the validity of the patient’s emotional experience given their history
and current situation.
4. According to Murray Bowen’s family systems theory, ‘triangulation’ occurs when:
A. Three generations live in the same household
B. A child becomes the leader of the family
, C. A third person is brought into a two-person relationship to reduce tension
D. A therapist joins the family to fix communication
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Triangulation is a process where a two-person system, under
stress, recruits a third person to stabilize the system and redirect the anxiety.
5. A therapist using Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) would focus most heavily on which of
the following areas?
A. Childhood trauma and unconscious drives
B. Behavioral reinforcement schedules
C. Systemic family structures and hierarchies
D. Current social roles and relationship conflicts
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: IPT is a time-limited therapy that focuses on interpersonal
triggers for depression, such as role disputes, role transitions, grief, and interpersonal
deficits.
6. In the context of psychodynamic therapy, ‘countertransference’ is best defined as:
A. The patient’s emotional reaction to the therapist
B. The mechanism of projecting past feelings onto a spouse
C. The patient’s resistance to changing their behavior
