,Chapter 1: The Evolution of Family Therapy
Multiple-Choice Questions (1–60)
Question 1: The primary difference between family therapy and individual therapy is that family therapy:
A) Focuses on the unconscious mind
B) Views problems as located within the family system rather than within the individual
C) Relies exclusively on medication
D) Treats only children
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Family therapists believe that the dominant forces in our lives are located externally, in the
family, and therapy is directed at changing the organization of the family rather than focusing solely on
the individual .
Question 2: The “Myth of the Hero” refers to:
A) The belief that therapists are heroes
B) The cultural emphasis on individual achievement and autonomy
C) The belief that families should be led by one hero
D) The idea that one family member causes all problems
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: While our culture celebrates the uniqueness of the individual and the search for an
autonomous self, this myth obscures our fundamental connectedness to each other .
Question 3: Which of the following was NOT one of the historical movements that contributed to the
development of family therapy? A) Small group dynamics
B) Child guidance movement
C) Marriage counseling
D) Behavioral genetics
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The historical roots of family therapy include small group dynamics, the child guidance
movement, marriage counseling, and research on schizophrenia .
Question 4: The two most influential approaches to psychotherapy that were predicated on the
assumption that therapy should be conducted in private were:
A) Freud’s psychoanalysis and Carl Rogers’s client-centered therapy
B) Bowen family systems and structural family therapy
C) Cognitive-behavioral therapy and strategic therapy
D) Narrative therapy and solution-focused therapy
Correct Answer: A
,Rationale: Both Freud’s psychoanalysis and Carl Rogers’s client-centered therapy assumed problems
were best addressed in a confidential relationship between patient and therapist .
Question 5: Family therapy is often preferable for treating:
A) Problems with children
B) Complaints about relationships
C) Symptoms that develop around a major family transition
D) All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A family approach is often preferable for treating problems with children, complaints about
relationships, or symptoms that develop around the time of a major family transition .
Question 6: Individual therapy may be more useful when:
A) The problem involves family relationships
B) People identify something about themselves they’ve tried in vain to change while their social
environment remains relatively stable C) Children are the identified patients
D) There is a major family transition
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Individual therapy may be more useful when people identify something about themselves
that they’ve tried in vain to change while their social environment remains relatively stable .
Question 7: The power of family therapy derives from:
A) Excluding family members with significant impact
B) Including people with a significant impact on the identified patient and influencing their interactions
C) Relying solely on the client’s account of relationship problems
D) Focusing exclusively on the individual
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The power of family therapy derives from including people with a significant impact on the
identified patient and influencing their interactions, rather than relying on a client’s account .
Question 8: A potential downside of including other family members in therapy is:
A) It always leads to faster progress
B) Individuals may blame each other for problems and quarrel about responsibility
C) It prevents any change from occurring
D) It eliminates the need for a therapist
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: The downside of inclusion is that other family members may blame each other for problems
and quarrel about who is responsible .
Question 9: Today, family therapy is best understood as:
A) A technique applied only to families
B) An orientation rather than a technique
C) A replacement for individual therapy
D) A brief intervention only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Today, family therapists treat individuals, recognize the impact of psychopathology, and see
family therapy as an orientation rather than a technique .
Question 10: The schizophrenia research that contributed to family therapy examined:
A) Genetic causes only
B) Family dynamics and communication patterns
C) Medication effects only
D) Individual personality traits only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Research on schizophrenia examined family dynamics and communication patterns as
contributing factors .
Question 11: The “psychotherapeutic sanctuary” refers to:
A) The idea that therapy should be conducted in private, isolated from stressful relationships
B) A type of family therapy technique
C) A hospital setting for therapy
D) A group therapy approach
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The psychotherapeutic sanctuary was the assumption that therapy should be conducted in
private, isolated from stressful relationships .
Question 12: The family therapy movement emerged partly as a response to:
A) The limitations of individual therapy for certain problems
B) The success of individual therapy
C) Government mandates
D) Insurance requirements
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Family therapy emerged partly because individual therapy was limited in addressing problems
rooted in family dynamics .
Multiple-Choice Questions (1–60)
Question 1: The primary difference between family therapy and individual therapy is that family therapy:
A) Focuses on the unconscious mind
B) Views problems as located within the family system rather than within the individual
C) Relies exclusively on medication
D) Treats only children
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Family therapists believe that the dominant forces in our lives are located externally, in the
family, and therapy is directed at changing the organization of the family rather than focusing solely on
the individual .
Question 2: The “Myth of the Hero” refers to:
A) The belief that therapists are heroes
B) The cultural emphasis on individual achievement and autonomy
C) The belief that families should be led by one hero
D) The idea that one family member causes all problems
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: While our culture celebrates the uniqueness of the individual and the search for an
autonomous self, this myth obscures our fundamental connectedness to each other .
Question 3: Which of the following was NOT one of the historical movements that contributed to the
development of family therapy? A) Small group dynamics
B) Child guidance movement
C) Marriage counseling
D) Behavioral genetics
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The historical roots of family therapy include small group dynamics, the child guidance
movement, marriage counseling, and research on schizophrenia .
Question 4: The two most influential approaches to psychotherapy that were predicated on the
assumption that therapy should be conducted in private were:
A) Freud’s psychoanalysis and Carl Rogers’s client-centered therapy
B) Bowen family systems and structural family therapy
C) Cognitive-behavioral therapy and strategic therapy
D) Narrative therapy and solution-focused therapy
Correct Answer: A
,Rationale: Both Freud’s psychoanalysis and Carl Rogers’s client-centered therapy assumed problems
were best addressed in a confidential relationship between patient and therapist .
Question 5: Family therapy is often preferable for treating:
A) Problems with children
B) Complaints about relationships
C) Symptoms that develop around a major family transition
D) All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A family approach is often preferable for treating problems with children, complaints about
relationships, or symptoms that develop around the time of a major family transition .
Question 6: Individual therapy may be more useful when:
A) The problem involves family relationships
B) People identify something about themselves they’ve tried in vain to change while their social
environment remains relatively stable C) Children are the identified patients
D) There is a major family transition
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Individual therapy may be more useful when people identify something about themselves
that they’ve tried in vain to change while their social environment remains relatively stable .
Question 7: The power of family therapy derives from:
A) Excluding family members with significant impact
B) Including people with a significant impact on the identified patient and influencing their interactions
C) Relying solely on the client’s account of relationship problems
D) Focusing exclusively on the individual
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The power of family therapy derives from including people with a significant impact on the
identified patient and influencing their interactions, rather than relying on a client’s account .
Question 8: A potential downside of including other family members in therapy is:
A) It always leads to faster progress
B) Individuals may blame each other for problems and quarrel about responsibility
C) It prevents any change from occurring
D) It eliminates the need for a therapist
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: The downside of inclusion is that other family members may blame each other for problems
and quarrel about who is responsible .
Question 9: Today, family therapy is best understood as:
A) A technique applied only to families
B) An orientation rather than a technique
C) A replacement for individual therapy
D) A brief intervention only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Today, family therapists treat individuals, recognize the impact of psychopathology, and see
family therapy as an orientation rather than a technique .
Question 10: The schizophrenia research that contributed to family therapy examined:
A) Genetic causes only
B) Family dynamics and communication patterns
C) Medication effects only
D) Individual personality traits only
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Research on schizophrenia examined family dynamics and communication patterns as
contributing factors .
Question 11: The “psychotherapeutic sanctuary” refers to:
A) The idea that therapy should be conducted in private, isolated from stressful relationships
B) A type of family therapy technique
C) A hospital setting for therapy
D) A group therapy approach
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The psychotherapeutic sanctuary was the assumption that therapy should be conducted in
private, isolated from stressful relationships .
Question 12: The family therapy movement emerged partly as a response to:
A) The limitations of individual therapy for certain problems
B) The success of individual therapy
C) Government mandates
D) Insurance requirements
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Family therapy emerged partly because individual therapy was limited in addressing problems
rooted in family dynamics .
