2 0 2 4 /2025 | © copyright | This work may not be copied for profit gain Excel!
MFT National Exam Questions and
Correct Answers the Latest Update and
Recommended Version
MRI Primary Contributors
→ Bateson, Jackson, Satir, Haley, Weakland, Watzlawick
MRI Therapy Structure
→ 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
→ Instructing the clients to engage in behavioral change outside of the session as
opposed to in session.
MRI Prescribing the Symptom
→ 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
→ 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
→ Paradoxical intervention of pushing a family member further into the absurdity of their
initial position, thereby making them realize their own absurdity.
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,2 0 2 4 /2025 | © copyright | This work may not be copied for profit gain Excel!
MRI Paradoxical Intervention
→ 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
→ Limited to 10 sessions, less if problem is solved.
MRI Therapy Goals
→ Resolve current problem, provide symptoms relief and create second-order change.
MRI Diagnosing
→ Non-pathologizing and systemic.
MRI Assessment
→ Get description of problem. Understand the problem, then therapist identifies the
behavioral patterns that maintain that pattern.
MRI Symmetrical Relationship
→ Based on equality, behavior of one mirrors that of the other.
MRI Complementary Relationship
→ Based on differences that fit together.
MRI Metacommunication
→ Communicating about communicating. Essentially refers to non-verbals going on in the
room that have an impact on what is being said verbally.
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MRI Report and Command Functions
→ Every communication has 2 components:
→ Report- Content of the message.
→ Command- A message about the relationship.
MRI More of the Same
→ 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
→ The problem is not the problem, the attempted solutions to fix the problem reinforces
the interactional behavioral sequence.
MRI First-Order Change
→ Changes in family patterns that occur at the behavioral level.
MRI Second-Order Change
→ Changes in family patterns of interaction that occurs at the level of beliefs or rules.
Object-Relations Diagnosing
→ Non-pathologizing.
Object-Relations Therapy Goals
→ 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
1|Page| GradeA+ | 2 0 0 2 5
, 2 0 2 4 /2025 | © copyright | This work may not be copied for profit gain Excel!
→ 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
→ 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.
Object-Relations Introject
→ Internalized objects become introjects, and are split into being either all-good or all-
bad.
Object-Relations Countertransference
→ The therapist's tendency to attribute qualities that reflect unresolved grievances from a
previous relationship onto a client.
Object-Relations Transference
→ Tendency of individuals to attribute qualities to other individuals that reflect unresolved
grievances from a previous relationship.
Object-Relations Interpretation
→ Therapist's hypothesis about the influence of the client's past experiences on their
current behaviors and struggles.
Object-Relations Working Through
1|Page| GradeA+ | 2 0 0 2 5
MFT National Exam Questions and
Correct Answers the Latest Update and
Recommended Version
MRI Primary Contributors
→ Bateson, Jackson, Satir, Haley, Weakland, Watzlawick
MRI Therapy Structure
→ 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
→ Instructing the clients to engage in behavioral change outside of the session as
opposed to in session.
MRI Prescribing the Symptom
→ 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
→ 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
→ Paradoxical intervention of pushing a family member further into the absurdity of their
initial position, thereby making them realize their own absurdity.
1|Page| GradeA+ | 2 0 0 2 5
,2 0 2 4 /2025 | © copyright | This work may not be copied for profit gain Excel!
MRI Paradoxical Intervention
→ 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
→ Limited to 10 sessions, less if problem is solved.
MRI Therapy Goals
→ Resolve current problem, provide symptoms relief and create second-order change.
MRI Diagnosing
→ Non-pathologizing and systemic.
MRI Assessment
→ Get description of problem. Understand the problem, then therapist identifies the
behavioral patterns that maintain that pattern.
MRI Symmetrical Relationship
→ Based on equality, behavior of one mirrors that of the other.
MRI Complementary Relationship
→ Based on differences that fit together.
MRI Metacommunication
→ Communicating about communicating. Essentially refers to non-verbals going on in the
room that have an impact on what is being said verbally.
1|Page| GradeA+ | 2 0 0 2 5
,2 0 2 4 /2025 | © copyright | This work may not be copied for profit gain Excel!
MRI Report and Command Functions
→ Every communication has 2 components:
→ Report- Content of the message.
→ Command- A message about the relationship.
MRI More of the Same
→ 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
→ The problem is not the problem, the attempted solutions to fix the problem reinforces
the interactional behavioral sequence.
MRI First-Order Change
→ Changes in family patterns that occur at the behavioral level.
MRI Second-Order Change
→ Changes in family patterns of interaction that occurs at the level of beliefs or rules.
Object-Relations Diagnosing
→ Non-pathologizing.
Object-Relations Therapy Goals
→ 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
1|Page| GradeA+ | 2 0 0 2 5
, 2 0 2 4 /2025 | © copyright | This work may not be copied for profit gain Excel!
→ 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
→ 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.
Object-Relations Introject
→ Internalized objects become introjects, and are split into being either all-good or all-
bad.
Object-Relations Countertransference
→ The therapist's tendency to attribute qualities that reflect unresolved grievances from a
previous relationship onto a client.
Object-Relations Transference
→ Tendency of individuals to attribute qualities to other individuals that reflect unresolved
grievances from a previous relationship.
Object-Relations Interpretation
→ Therapist's hypothesis about the influence of the client's past experiences on their
current behaviors and struggles.
Object-Relations Working Through
1|Page| GradeA+ | 2 0 0 2 5
