MFT PRACTICE SET COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
2026 SOLVED QUESTIONS
◉ MRI Therapy Structure. Answer: 1. Intro to treatment setup. 2.
Inquiry and definition of problem. 3. Estimation of the solution (pos.
feedback) maintaining. 4. Setting goals for treatment. 5. Selecting
and making behavioral or strategic interventions.
6. Termination
◉ MRI Out-of-Session Directive. Answer: Instructing the clients to
engage in behavioral change outside of the session as opposed to in
session.
◉ MRI Prescribing the Symptom. Answer: Paradoxical intervention
where one instructs the client to intentionally engage in the
behavior they wish to change. Client may rebel and experience
desired change or comply and realize they have control.
◉ MRI Restraining the Progress of Change. Answer: Paradoxical
intervention where clients come into session and report that they
are experiencing change so therapist encourages them to slow down
and be cautious about changing too fast.
,◉ MRI Positioning. Answer: Paradoxical intervention of pushing a
family member further into the absurdity of their initial position,
thereby making them realize their own absurdity.
◉ MRI Paradoxical Intervention. Answer: Used to address that
families are naturally resistant to change. Involves instructing fam
not to change or to change in ways that contradict their desired
change.
◉ MRI Treatment Duration. Answer: Limited to 10 sessions, less if
problem is solved.
◉ MRI Therapy Goals. Answer: Resolve current problem, provide
symptoms relief and create second-order change.
◉ MRI Diagnosing. Answer: Non-pathologizing and systemic.
◉ MRI Assessment. Answer: Get description of problem. Understand
the problem, then therapist identifies the behavioral patterns that
maintain that pattern.
◉ MRI Symmetrical Relationship. Answer: Based on equality,
behavior of one mirrors that of the other.
,◉ MRI Complementary Relationship. Answer: Based on differences
that fit together.
◉ MRI Metacommunication. Answer: Communicating about
communicating. Essentially refers to non-verbals going on in the
room that have an impact on what is being said verbally.
◉ MRI Report and Command Functions. Answer: Every
communication has 2 components:
Report- Content of the message.
Command- A message about the relationship.
◉ MRI More of the Same. Answer: Problem when families fail to
appropriately respond to normal life circumstances, families will do
more of the failed solution as opposed to trying a different solution.
◉ MRI Problem as Attempted Solution. Answer: The problem is not
the problem, the attempted solutions to fix the problem reinforces
the interactional behavioral sequence.
◉ MRI First-Order Change. Answer: Changes in family patterns that
occur at the behavioral level.
, ◉ MRI Second-Order Change. Answer: Changes in family patterns of
interaction that occurs at the level of beliefs or rules.
◉ Object-Relations Diagnosing. Answer: Non-pathologizing.
◉ Object-Relations Therapy Goals. Answer: Develop insight and
work through unresolved conflict. Eventually, individuals develop
healthy egos and begin to relate to others maturely without
projection.
◉ Object-Relations Therapy Structure. Answer: 1. Assess early
childhood experiences and current and past relationships. Explore
current relationship style.
2. Foster insight and begin working through.
3. Individual begins to experiment with developing new behaviors
and ways to interact. Fosters later experiences that can re-shape
internalized objects.
◉ Object-Relations Assessment. Answer: Non-Structured. Explores:
-Early childhood experiences and the clients' interpretations of
them.
-Past and present relationship with caregivers.
-Current relationship style and where they are struggling with
healthy relationships.
2026 SOLVED QUESTIONS
◉ MRI Therapy Structure. Answer: 1. Intro to treatment setup. 2.
Inquiry and definition of problem. 3. Estimation of the solution (pos.
feedback) maintaining. 4. Setting goals for treatment. 5. Selecting
and making behavioral or strategic interventions.
6. Termination
◉ MRI Out-of-Session Directive. Answer: Instructing the clients to
engage in behavioral change outside of the session as opposed to in
session.
◉ MRI Prescribing the Symptom. Answer: Paradoxical intervention
where one instructs the client to intentionally engage in the
behavior they wish to change. Client may rebel and experience
desired change or comply and realize they have control.
◉ MRI Restraining the Progress of Change. Answer: Paradoxical
intervention where clients come into session and report that they
are experiencing change so therapist encourages them to slow down
and be cautious about changing too fast.
,◉ MRI Positioning. Answer: Paradoxical intervention of pushing a
family member further into the absurdity of their initial position,
thereby making them realize their own absurdity.
◉ MRI Paradoxical Intervention. Answer: Used to address that
families are naturally resistant to change. Involves instructing fam
not to change or to change in ways that contradict their desired
change.
◉ MRI Treatment Duration. Answer: Limited to 10 sessions, less if
problem is solved.
◉ MRI Therapy Goals. Answer: Resolve current problem, provide
symptoms relief and create second-order change.
◉ MRI Diagnosing. Answer: Non-pathologizing and systemic.
◉ MRI Assessment. Answer: Get description of problem. Understand
the problem, then therapist identifies the behavioral patterns that
maintain that pattern.
◉ MRI Symmetrical Relationship. Answer: Based on equality,
behavior of one mirrors that of the other.
,◉ MRI Complementary Relationship. Answer: Based on differences
that fit together.
◉ MRI Metacommunication. Answer: Communicating about
communicating. Essentially refers to non-verbals going on in the
room that have an impact on what is being said verbally.
◉ MRI Report and Command Functions. Answer: Every
communication has 2 components:
Report- Content of the message.
Command- A message about the relationship.
◉ MRI More of the Same. Answer: Problem when families fail to
appropriately respond to normal life circumstances, families will do
more of the failed solution as opposed to trying a different solution.
◉ MRI Problem as Attempted Solution. Answer: The problem is not
the problem, the attempted solutions to fix the problem reinforces
the interactional behavioral sequence.
◉ MRI First-Order Change. Answer: Changes in family patterns that
occur at the behavioral level.
, ◉ MRI Second-Order Change. Answer: Changes in family patterns of
interaction that occurs at the level of beliefs or rules.
◉ Object-Relations Diagnosing. Answer: Non-pathologizing.
◉ Object-Relations Therapy Goals. Answer: Develop insight and
work through unresolved conflict. Eventually, individuals develop
healthy egos and begin to relate to others maturely without
projection.
◉ Object-Relations Therapy Structure. Answer: 1. Assess early
childhood experiences and current and past relationships. Explore
current relationship style.
2. Foster insight and begin working through.
3. Individual begins to experiment with developing new behaviors
and ways to interact. Fosters later experiences that can re-shape
internalized objects.
◉ Object-Relations Assessment. Answer: Non-Structured. Explores:
-Early childhood experiences and the clients' interpretations of
them.
-Past and present relationship with caregivers.
-Current relationship style and where they are struggling with
healthy relationships.
