MFT Comprehensive Exam with
Complete Solutions
Gender Dysphoria Correct Ans-a) DSM-5 Diagnosis
b) Emotional and psychological identity to be opposite to one's biological sex
c) A child born as a girl may express a desire to be a boy, not want to get her period or wear
dresses, insist on being called by a boy's name, and want to grow up to be a man.
Wrong solution Cycle Correct Ans-a) MRI
b) How a family's "solution cycle" maintains symptoms rather than alleviating them, by doing
the same things over and over.
c) 3 WSCs: Action taken but not necessary, action necessary but not taken, taken action at the
wrong level. A wife nags her husband to do the dishes and he withdraws and does not. She
continues this every night, hoping for a different outcome.
Triadic Structures Correct Ans-a) Structural
b) Three types:
*Cross-Generational Coalition - alignment of a person from one generation with another from a
different generation against a third family member
*Detouring - parents come together to focus on a child in order to avoid dealing with their own
stress or problems
*Triangulation - each parent demands that the child side with him/her in each situation
c) Cross-Generational Coalition of a father/son that are overly close and critical of the
spouse/mother.
Strategic Therapy Correct Ans-a) Haley/Madanes, Ericsson, MRI, Milan Group
b) A model that focuses on the symptom in the pattern of interactions and how to interrupt
those patterns to alleviate the symptom and change the system
, c) A paradoxical prescription is a common strategic method
Racism Correct Ans-a) Social Justice
b) Belief that characteristics or abilities are attributable to all members of a race; Belief that one
race is superior to another.
Also, prejudice toward someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is
superior.
c) Attributing terrorism to Muslims is a racist attitude.
Therapist's use of self Correct Ans-a) Structural
b) Therapist's reflective ability in understanding his own strengths and weaknesses, worldview
and biases, and knowing what will hinder or facilitate the therapeutic process.
c) A therapist decides to share a relevant personal experience with a client in a similar situation,
seeking to normalize the experience and enhance the therapeutic bond.
System Correct Ans-a) General Systems Theory
b) Dynamic ordering or parts and processes which exist in mutual interaction. Interrelated
elements exhibiting coherent behavior as a whole.
c) In FT, a family is viewed as a system, where the behavior of one affects the entire family.
2nd law of thermodynamics Correct Ans-a) Law of Physics
b) As all entities get more complex they tend toward a state of entropy or total chaos
c) All mountains will eventually crumble. Relevant to MFT in that families temporarily subvert
this law and tend toward maximum order - or negentropy.
Qualitative Research Correct Ans-a) Research methods
b) Research that cannot be quantified with numbers but is better described with words.
Explores the meaning attributed to experiences.
c) Focus groups and In-depth Interviews
Complete Solutions
Gender Dysphoria Correct Ans-a) DSM-5 Diagnosis
b) Emotional and psychological identity to be opposite to one's biological sex
c) A child born as a girl may express a desire to be a boy, not want to get her period or wear
dresses, insist on being called by a boy's name, and want to grow up to be a man.
Wrong solution Cycle Correct Ans-a) MRI
b) How a family's "solution cycle" maintains symptoms rather than alleviating them, by doing
the same things over and over.
c) 3 WSCs: Action taken but not necessary, action necessary but not taken, taken action at the
wrong level. A wife nags her husband to do the dishes and he withdraws and does not. She
continues this every night, hoping for a different outcome.
Triadic Structures Correct Ans-a) Structural
b) Three types:
*Cross-Generational Coalition - alignment of a person from one generation with another from a
different generation against a third family member
*Detouring - parents come together to focus on a child in order to avoid dealing with their own
stress or problems
*Triangulation - each parent demands that the child side with him/her in each situation
c) Cross-Generational Coalition of a father/son that are overly close and critical of the
spouse/mother.
Strategic Therapy Correct Ans-a) Haley/Madanes, Ericsson, MRI, Milan Group
b) A model that focuses on the symptom in the pattern of interactions and how to interrupt
those patterns to alleviate the symptom and change the system
, c) A paradoxical prescription is a common strategic method
Racism Correct Ans-a) Social Justice
b) Belief that characteristics or abilities are attributable to all members of a race; Belief that one
race is superior to another.
Also, prejudice toward someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is
superior.
c) Attributing terrorism to Muslims is a racist attitude.
Therapist's use of self Correct Ans-a) Structural
b) Therapist's reflective ability in understanding his own strengths and weaknesses, worldview
and biases, and knowing what will hinder or facilitate the therapeutic process.
c) A therapist decides to share a relevant personal experience with a client in a similar situation,
seeking to normalize the experience and enhance the therapeutic bond.
System Correct Ans-a) General Systems Theory
b) Dynamic ordering or parts and processes which exist in mutual interaction. Interrelated
elements exhibiting coherent behavior as a whole.
c) In FT, a family is viewed as a system, where the behavior of one affects the entire family.
2nd law of thermodynamics Correct Ans-a) Law of Physics
b) As all entities get more complex they tend toward a state of entropy or total chaos
c) All mountains will eventually crumble. Relevant to MFT in that families temporarily subvert
this law and tend toward maximum order - or negentropy.
Qualitative Research Correct Ans-a) Research methods
b) Research that cannot be quantified with numbers but is better described with words.
Explores the meaning attributed to experiences.
c) Focus groups and In-depth Interviews
