EDCO 820: ASSESSMENT IN MARITAL
AND FAMILY COUNSELING -
COMPREHENSIVE FINAL QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
1. When conducting a systemic assessment, which concept describes the shift from focusing
on the individual’s symptoms to the interactions between family members?
A. Linear Causality
B. Homeostasis
C. Circular Causality
D. Morphogenesis
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Circular causality is the systemic concept where behaviors are
seen as part of a feedback loop rather than a simple cause-and-effect chain.
2. In a standard genogram, how is a conflictual relationship between two family members
represented?
A. A dashed line
B. A double solid line
,C. A jagged or zigzag line
D. A line with three cross-bars
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: In genogram symbology, a jagged or zigzag line typically
represents a conflictual or high-tension relationship.
3. Olson’s Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems utilizes the FACES IV instrument
to measure which two primary dimensions?
A. Power and Control
B. Communication and Resilience
C. Cohesion and Flexibility
D. Differentiation and Integration
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: The Circumplex Model focuses on family cohesion (emotional
bonding) and family flexibility (ability to change leadership/roles).
4. According to Bowenian theory, what is the primary goal of assessing a family’s
‘differentiation of self’?
A. To count the number of triangles in the multigenerational system
B. To determine the level of emotional maturity and ability to distinguish thought from
feeling
, C. To evaluate the family’s socioeconomic stability
D. To measure the intensity of the nuclear family’s emotional process
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Differentiation of self refers to an individual’s ability to maintain
their own sense of self while remaining emotionally connected to the group, distinguishing
between intellectual and emotional functioning.
5. Which assessment tool is specifically designed to measure the impact of a family member’s
drinking on the family system?
A. CAGE-AID
B. The Family Environment Scale (FES)
C. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale
D. The CAST (Children of Alcoholics Screening Test)
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The CAST is a specific screening tool used to assess the impact of
parental alcohol use on children and the family system.
6. In the context of assessment, what does ‘Joining’ refer to in Structural Family Therapy?
A. Merging two different families into one session
B. The therapist’s process of establishing a therapeutic alliance with the family system
C. The act of a child aligning with one parent against another
AND FAMILY COUNSELING -
COMPREHENSIVE FINAL QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
1. When conducting a systemic assessment, which concept describes the shift from focusing
on the individual’s symptoms to the interactions between family members?
A. Linear Causality
B. Homeostasis
C. Circular Causality
D. Morphogenesis
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Circular causality is the systemic concept where behaviors are
seen as part of a feedback loop rather than a simple cause-and-effect chain.
2. In a standard genogram, how is a conflictual relationship between two family members
represented?
A. A dashed line
B. A double solid line
,C. A jagged or zigzag line
D. A line with three cross-bars
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: In genogram symbology, a jagged or zigzag line typically
represents a conflictual or high-tension relationship.
3. Olson’s Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems utilizes the FACES IV instrument
to measure which two primary dimensions?
A. Power and Control
B. Communication and Resilience
C. Cohesion and Flexibility
D. Differentiation and Integration
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: The Circumplex Model focuses on family cohesion (emotional
bonding) and family flexibility (ability to change leadership/roles).
4. According to Bowenian theory, what is the primary goal of assessing a family’s
‘differentiation of self’?
A. To count the number of triangles in the multigenerational system
B. To determine the level of emotional maturity and ability to distinguish thought from
feeling
, C. To evaluate the family’s socioeconomic stability
D. To measure the intensity of the nuclear family’s emotional process
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Differentiation of self refers to an individual’s ability to maintain
their own sense of self while remaining emotionally connected to the group, distinguishing
between intellectual and emotional functioning.
5. Which assessment tool is specifically designed to measure the impact of a family member’s
drinking on the family system?
A. CAGE-AID
B. The Family Environment Scale (FES)
C. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale
D. The CAST (Children of Alcoholics Screening Test)
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The CAST is a specific screening tool used to assess the impact of
parental alcohol use on children and the family system.
6. In the context of assessment, what does ‘Joining’ refer to in Structural Family Therapy?
A. Merging two different families into one session
B. The therapist’s process of establishing a therapeutic alliance with the family system
C. The act of a child aligning with one parent against another
