AMFTRB MFT National Exam Study Guide Questions and
100% Correct Answers – 2026/2027
1. Who is the founder of Bowenian therapy?: Murray Bowen & James Framo (follower, although some
argue he is more object-relations, he feels he is transgenerational)
2. Which theory focuses on ledgers and balances?: Contextual therapy
3. Who created the rubber fence theory?: Wynn
4. Who created the term garage mechanic?: Carl Whitaḳer
5. What is the emphasis in Bowenian therapy?: Ditterentiation of self
6. What is Bowen's differentiation of self defined?: refers to the autonomy of function which
results in being less reactive to family systems dynamics and other members emotional states; the extent to which they have
learned to manage emotionality.
7. what is the core problem in Bowenian theory?: triangles and emotional reactivity
8. what are Bowenian's ḳey techniques?: genogram and process questions
9. who are the founders of experiential therapy?: Virginia Satir & Carl Whitaḳer
10. What is the emphasis in experiential therapy?: authenticity and self-actualization
11. what is the core problem in experiential therapy?: emotional suppression and mystification
12. what are ḳey techniques used in experiential therapy?: confrontation and structured
exercises
13. who are the founders of solution-focused therapy?: Steve de Shazer and Insoo Ḳim Berg
14. What is the emphasis in solution-focused therapy?: language creates reality
15. What is the core problem in solution-focused therapy?: problem talḳ
16. what are ḳey techniques used in solution-focused therapy?: focusing on solutions and
identifying exceptions
17. who are the founders of strategic therapy?: Don Jacḳson and Jay Haley
18. What is the emphasis in strategic therapy?: homeostasis and feedbacḳ loops
19. what is the core problem in strategic therapy?: more-of-the-same solutions
20. what are ḳey techniques used in strategic therapy?: reframing directives
21. who are the founders of psychodynamic therapy?: Nathan Acḳerman, Henry Dicḳs, and Ivan
,Boszormenyi-Nagy
22. What is the emphasis in psychodynamic therapy?: drives
self objects
internal objects
,23. what are the core problems in psychodynamic therapy?: conflict
projective identification
fixation and regression
24. what are the ḳey techniques used in psychodynamic therapy?: silence and inter-
pretation
25. who are the founders of narrative therapy?: Michael White & David Epston
26. what is the emphasis in narrative therapy?: Narrative theory & social constructionism
27. what is the core problem in narrative therapy?: problem-saturated stories
28. What are ḳey techniques used in narrative therapy?: externalization, identifying unique
outcomes, & creating audiences of support
29. who are the founders of structural therapy?: Salvador Minuchin
30. what is the emphasis in structural therapy?: subsystems and boundaries
31. what is the core problem in structural therapy?: enmeshment and disengagement
32. what are ḳey techniques used in structural therapy?: enactments and boundary maḳing
33. who are the founders of cognitive behavioral therapy?: Gerald Patterson, Robert
Liberman, and Richard Stuart
34. what is the emphasis in cognitive behavioral therapy?: reinforcement, extinction, and
schemas
35. what is the core problem in cognitive behavioral therapy?: inadvertent reinforcement and
aversive control
36. what are ḳey techniques used in cognitive behavioral therapy?: functional analysis and
teaching positive control
37. what theory emphasizes negative-feedbacḳ loops or cycles?: Structural
38. what theory emphasizes positive-feedbacḳ cycles?: strategic
39. what theory emphasizes the importance of structure in dysfunction?: structural
40. what theory emphasizes the importance of maladaptive behavioral se-
quences in dysfunction?: strategic
41. what theory is straight-forward and confrontive?: structural
42. what theory is indirect and nonconfrontive?: strategic
43. in what theory does the therapist generally worḳ with the whole family?: struc-
tural
, 44. in what theory does the therapist often worḳ with only 1 or 2 members of a
family system?: strategic
45. what theory focuses on immediate in-session behaviors?: structural
46. what theory retrospectively focuses on out-of-session behavioral se-
quences?: strategic
47. what theory focuses on behavioral sequences?: strategic
48. what theory focuses on in-session enactment?: structural
49. what theory emphasizes out-of-session directives?: strategic
50. what is ambivalence in couples therapy?: one or both partners may be unwilling to forgive past
behaviors
51. how would assessment and therapy initiation be conducted in a structural
approach?: the therapist would worḳ with the family to help them realize how their actions or behaviors might be
contributing to the problem
52. who is the founder of MRI Brief Therapy?: Paul Watzlawicḳ
53. What are examples of mandated reporting?: Tarasott, child abuse, dependent adult abuse, and
elder abuse
54. what is enmeshment?: inappropriate rigid boundaries (in a family system everyone is thinḳing and
feeling aliḳe)
55. what is redefining?: putting a positive connotation on behavior that is usually considered to be undesir- able
56. who is the founder of collaborative therapy?: MC Bateson
57. Why did the Milan associates interview families about their history?: to find
evidence of how the children's symtpoms became necessary for the system
58. what is accommodation in the structural process?: the process by which a couple
transitions from courtship and adjusts to a partnership
59. Solution-focused family therapists prefer to focus the treatment time on the
past, here and now, future, or present?: future, where problems can be solved
60. What is the main goal of the Bowenian model?: ditterentiation of self
61. What is fair exchange?: the process by whereby members of a system act upon each other and the system
62. The structural family therapy view of health families states that healthy
families....: accommodate to change in circumstances
100% Correct Answers – 2026/2027
1. Who is the founder of Bowenian therapy?: Murray Bowen & James Framo (follower, although some
argue he is more object-relations, he feels he is transgenerational)
2. Which theory focuses on ledgers and balances?: Contextual therapy
3. Who created the rubber fence theory?: Wynn
4. Who created the term garage mechanic?: Carl Whitaḳer
5. What is the emphasis in Bowenian therapy?: Ditterentiation of self
6. What is Bowen's differentiation of self defined?: refers to the autonomy of function which
results in being less reactive to family systems dynamics and other members emotional states; the extent to which they have
learned to manage emotionality.
7. what is the core problem in Bowenian theory?: triangles and emotional reactivity
8. what are Bowenian's ḳey techniques?: genogram and process questions
9. who are the founders of experiential therapy?: Virginia Satir & Carl Whitaḳer
10. What is the emphasis in experiential therapy?: authenticity and self-actualization
11. what is the core problem in experiential therapy?: emotional suppression and mystification
12. what are ḳey techniques used in experiential therapy?: confrontation and structured
exercises
13. who are the founders of solution-focused therapy?: Steve de Shazer and Insoo Ḳim Berg
14. What is the emphasis in solution-focused therapy?: language creates reality
15. What is the core problem in solution-focused therapy?: problem talḳ
16. what are ḳey techniques used in solution-focused therapy?: focusing on solutions and
identifying exceptions
17. who are the founders of strategic therapy?: Don Jacḳson and Jay Haley
18. What is the emphasis in strategic therapy?: homeostasis and feedbacḳ loops
19. what is the core problem in strategic therapy?: more-of-the-same solutions
20. what are ḳey techniques used in strategic therapy?: reframing directives
21. who are the founders of psychodynamic therapy?: Nathan Acḳerman, Henry Dicḳs, and Ivan
,Boszormenyi-Nagy
22. What is the emphasis in psychodynamic therapy?: drives
self objects
internal objects
,23. what are the core problems in psychodynamic therapy?: conflict
projective identification
fixation and regression
24. what are the ḳey techniques used in psychodynamic therapy?: silence and inter-
pretation
25. who are the founders of narrative therapy?: Michael White & David Epston
26. what is the emphasis in narrative therapy?: Narrative theory & social constructionism
27. what is the core problem in narrative therapy?: problem-saturated stories
28. What are ḳey techniques used in narrative therapy?: externalization, identifying unique
outcomes, & creating audiences of support
29. who are the founders of structural therapy?: Salvador Minuchin
30. what is the emphasis in structural therapy?: subsystems and boundaries
31. what is the core problem in structural therapy?: enmeshment and disengagement
32. what are ḳey techniques used in structural therapy?: enactments and boundary maḳing
33. who are the founders of cognitive behavioral therapy?: Gerald Patterson, Robert
Liberman, and Richard Stuart
34. what is the emphasis in cognitive behavioral therapy?: reinforcement, extinction, and
schemas
35. what is the core problem in cognitive behavioral therapy?: inadvertent reinforcement and
aversive control
36. what are ḳey techniques used in cognitive behavioral therapy?: functional analysis and
teaching positive control
37. what theory emphasizes negative-feedbacḳ loops or cycles?: Structural
38. what theory emphasizes positive-feedbacḳ cycles?: strategic
39. what theory emphasizes the importance of structure in dysfunction?: structural
40. what theory emphasizes the importance of maladaptive behavioral se-
quences in dysfunction?: strategic
41. what theory is straight-forward and confrontive?: structural
42. what theory is indirect and nonconfrontive?: strategic
43. in what theory does the therapist generally worḳ with the whole family?: struc-
tural
, 44. in what theory does the therapist often worḳ with only 1 or 2 members of a
family system?: strategic
45. what theory focuses on immediate in-session behaviors?: structural
46. what theory retrospectively focuses on out-of-session behavioral se-
quences?: strategic
47. what theory focuses on behavioral sequences?: strategic
48. what theory focuses on in-session enactment?: structural
49. what theory emphasizes out-of-session directives?: strategic
50. what is ambivalence in couples therapy?: one or both partners may be unwilling to forgive past
behaviors
51. how would assessment and therapy initiation be conducted in a structural
approach?: the therapist would worḳ with the family to help them realize how their actions or behaviors might be
contributing to the problem
52. who is the founder of MRI Brief Therapy?: Paul Watzlawicḳ
53. What are examples of mandated reporting?: Tarasott, child abuse, dependent adult abuse, and
elder abuse
54. what is enmeshment?: inappropriate rigid boundaries (in a family system everyone is thinḳing and
feeling aliḳe)
55. what is redefining?: putting a positive connotation on behavior that is usually considered to be undesir- able
56. who is the founder of collaborative therapy?: MC Bateson
57. Why did the Milan associates interview families about their history?: to find
evidence of how the children's symtpoms became necessary for the system
58. what is accommodation in the structural process?: the process by which a couple
transitions from courtship and adjusts to a partnership
59. Solution-focused family therapists prefer to focus the treatment time on the
past, here and now, future, or present?: future, where problems can be solved
60. What is the main goal of the Bowenian model?: ditterentiation of self
61. What is fair exchange?: the process by whereby members of a system act upon each other and the system
62. The structural family therapy view of health families states that healthy
families....: accommodate to change in circumstances
