MGG2601
January/February 2015
MARRIAGE GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING MGG2601
Duration : 2 Hours 60 Marks
EXAMINERS:
FIRST : MS A PETTY
SECOND : MS X MAHLORI
_________________________________________________________________________
THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF () PAGES
PLUS INSTRUCTION FOR COMPLETION OF A MARK-READING SHEET
This examination paper remains the property of the University of South Africa and may not be
removed from the examination room.
This paper consists of three sections:
Section A- twenty multiple choice questions based on the included case study.
Section B- ten True of False questions.
Section C- thirty multiple-choice questions.
Please note that all questions are compulsory. All sixty questions are to be
answered on a mark-reading sheet (60 marks).
SECTION A: CASE STUDY MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Carefully read the case study presented and answer the twenty questions that
follow based on the case. Select the most appropriate answers from the options
provided.
CASE STUDY PHIL AND KATIE
Phil and Katie, a Caucasian couple in their mid-thirties, were referred to you by the Family
Court Mediation Services. The couple was seeing the court mediator as required during their
divorce proceedings for the purpose of establishing child custody, visitation, and support
payments for their only child, James, aged 3. The mediator noted that James seemed to be
having difficulties adjusting to his parents’ divorce, showing aggression towards his
classmates and parents. The boy had been expelled from two day-care centres for hitting and
biting other children. The parents reported that James’ behaviour ranged from angry rages to
clinging when making transitions between his parents’ separate homes.
Phil initiated the divorce proceedings against Katie’s’ wishes, though both report marital
problems during most of their 15-year marriage. Phil reported that the marriage had been
tolerable until the birth of their son. Prior to James’ arrival, Phil described the marriage as
“two people going our separate ways”. He said he and his wife had little in common, few
mutual friends, and different life goals. After James was born his wife became very attached to
the baby, and Phil reported having felt excluded by his wife. She wouldn’t let him hold or care
for the baby unless he insisted. In addition, she breastfed James until he was two years old,
,against her husband’s wishes. Phil now believes his ex-wife to be angry about the divorce and
especially upset that he initiated it. He describes her as “unable to move on with her life” and
to be using James to “get revenge” on him and “trying to turn James against him”. He
reported that his ex-wife is overinvolved with and overprotective of James and that
consequently James is a “Mommy’s boy, afraid of his own shadow.”
Katie denies her ex-husband’s allegations, though she does report that “they could have tried
harder to stay together”. She reports that they went to marital counselling for a few months,
but that Phil felt it was not helping and dropped out. She said that this kind of behaviour was
typical of her ex-husband; that he withdraws emotionally at any sign of conflict and that she
was “unable to establish a truly intimate relationship.” She believes that she is now teaching
James how to have a close relationship. She is fearful that Phil cannot provide an appropriate
male role model for her son. In sum, Katie feels her son’s problems stem from her ex-
husband’s inability to establish an intimate relationship, while Phil feels the problems
originate from the mother’s over involvement with James.
Read the following twenty questions and select the most appropriate answers from
the options provided. Enter your answers on the mark reading sheet provided.
1. Indicate if the following statement is true or false.
Family system therapists would interpret James’ aggression and clinging behaviour
described in paragraph 1 as a symptom of his unconscious effort to maintain the family’s
homeostasis.
1. True.
2. False.
2. Mediation is meant to be a … intervention.
1. preventive
2. remedial
3. preventive and remedial
4. legal
3. The reason why the mediator has referred the case to a family counsellor is because the
couple need to ...
1. deal with their ambivalence about their divorce.
2. redefine the custody and access issues.
3. increase their understanding of each other’s frames of reference of intimacy
and family boundaries to enable them to restructure post-divorce family life.
4. learn conflict negotiation skills.
4. Phil appears to be imposing a/an … worldview on the way their family relationships should
be conducted.
1. autocratic
2. male
3. punitive
4. None of the above.
5. Phil will describe Katie’s relationship with James as …
1. disengaged.
2. extinct.
3. resistant.
4. enmeshed.
, 6. Katie will describe Phil’s relationship with her throughout their marriage as …
1. disengaged.
2. extinct.
3. resistant.
4. enmeshed.
7. Indicate which of the following statements you agree with:
a. When Phil and Katie had James the three formed a triangle and Katie became too
involved with James which made Phil distance himself further.
b. Phil and Katie had not been successful in achieving a sense of intimacy in their
relationship because autonomy was valued and their commitment to resolving
conflict was poor thereby suggesting that they were not ready to accept their
parenting roles within the marriage.
1. Point (a).
2. Point (b).
3. Points (a) and (b).
4. Neither points (a) nor (b).
8. Divorce is a … stressor.
1. vertical
2. horizontal
3. system level
4. none of the above
9. In paragraph 2 we read that Phil believes Katie is using James to punish him because she is
angry about the divorce and is “unable to move on with her life”. As this implies that she is
reacting to being rejected, which is one of the characteristics of her needing to be assisted
with the emotional station of divorce, you as the counsellor have to create opportunities for
her to …
1. dissipate her antagonistic feelings to reclaim her life as a single person
again.
2. finalise her financial autonomy.
3. learn how parenting responsibilities can be shared between two parents.
4. learn to regain her sense of autonomy as an individual.
10. Katie’s description of her marriage with Phil was that he struggled to engage in any
emotional intimacy and shied away from talking through any of their conflicts. This suggests
that the other psychological task that this couple failed to achieve during their marriage was
…
1. establishing a sexual identity.
2. building a relationship that is fun and interesting.
3. negotiating parenthood.
4. establishing a relationship as a zone of safety and nurturance.
11. Phil described their relationship as “two people going their separate ways”. He reported
that they had few common interests, mutual friends and joint goals. According to Wallerstein’s
psychological tasks this suggests that the couple failed to …
January/February 2015
MARRIAGE GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING MGG2601
Duration : 2 Hours 60 Marks
EXAMINERS:
FIRST : MS A PETTY
SECOND : MS X MAHLORI
_________________________________________________________________________
THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF () PAGES
PLUS INSTRUCTION FOR COMPLETION OF A MARK-READING SHEET
This examination paper remains the property of the University of South Africa and may not be
removed from the examination room.
This paper consists of three sections:
Section A- twenty multiple choice questions based on the included case study.
Section B- ten True of False questions.
Section C- thirty multiple-choice questions.
Please note that all questions are compulsory. All sixty questions are to be
answered on a mark-reading sheet (60 marks).
SECTION A: CASE STUDY MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Carefully read the case study presented and answer the twenty questions that
follow based on the case. Select the most appropriate answers from the options
provided.
CASE STUDY PHIL AND KATIE
Phil and Katie, a Caucasian couple in their mid-thirties, were referred to you by the Family
Court Mediation Services. The couple was seeing the court mediator as required during their
divorce proceedings for the purpose of establishing child custody, visitation, and support
payments for their only child, James, aged 3. The mediator noted that James seemed to be
having difficulties adjusting to his parents’ divorce, showing aggression towards his
classmates and parents. The boy had been expelled from two day-care centres for hitting and
biting other children. The parents reported that James’ behaviour ranged from angry rages to
clinging when making transitions between his parents’ separate homes.
Phil initiated the divorce proceedings against Katie’s’ wishes, though both report marital
problems during most of their 15-year marriage. Phil reported that the marriage had been
tolerable until the birth of their son. Prior to James’ arrival, Phil described the marriage as
“two people going our separate ways”. He said he and his wife had little in common, few
mutual friends, and different life goals. After James was born his wife became very attached to
the baby, and Phil reported having felt excluded by his wife. She wouldn’t let him hold or care
for the baby unless he insisted. In addition, she breastfed James until he was two years old,
,against her husband’s wishes. Phil now believes his ex-wife to be angry about the divorce and
especially upset that he initiated it. He describes her as “unable to move on with her life” and
to be using James to “get revenge” on him and “trying to turn James against him”. He
reported that his ex-wife is overinvolved with and overprotective of James and that
consequently James is a “Mommy’s boy, afraid of his own shadow.”
Katie denies her ex-husband’s allegations, though she does report that “they could have tried
harder to stay together”. She reports that they went to marital counselling for a few months,
but that Phil felt it was not helping and dropped out. She said that this kind of behaviour was
typical of her ex-husband; that he withdraws emotionally at any sign of conflict and that she
was “unable to establish a truly intimate relationship.” She believes that she is now teaching
James how to have a close relationship. She is fearful that Phil cannot provide an appropriate
male role model for her son. In sum, Katie feels her son’s problems stem from her ex-
husband’s inability to establish an intimate relationship, while Phil feels the problems
originate from the mother’s over involvement with James.
Read the following twenty questions and select the most appropriate answers from
the options provided. Enter your answers on the mark reading sheet provided.
1. Indicate if the following statement is true or false.
Family system therapists would interpret James’ aggression and clinging behaviour
described in paragraph 1 as a symptom of his unconscious effort to maintain the family’s
homeostasis.
1. True.
2. False.
2. Mediation is meant to be a … intervention.
1. preventive
2. remedial
3. preventive and remedial
4. legal
3. The reason why the mediator has referred the case to a family counsellor is because the
couple need to ...
1. deal with their ambivalence about their divorce.
2. redefine the custody and access issues.
3. increase their understanding of each other’s frames of reference of intimacy
and family boundaries to enable them to restructure post-divorce family life.
4. learn conflict negotiation skills.
4. Phil appears to be imposing a/an … worldview on the way their family relationships should
be conducted.
1. autocratic
2. male
3. punitive
4. None of the above.
5. Phil will describe Katie’s relationship with James as …
1. disengaged.
2. extinct.
3. resistant.
4. enmeshed.
, 6. Katie will describe Phil’s relationship with her throughout their marriage as …
1. disengaged.
2. extinct.
3. resistant.
4. enmeshed.
7. Indicate which of the following statements you agree with:
a. When Phil and Katie had James the three formed a triangle and Katie became too
involved with James which made Phil distance himself further.
b. Phil and Katie had not been successful in achieving a sense of intimacy in their
relationship because autonomy was valued and their commitment to resolving
conflict was poor thereby suggesting that they were not ready to accept their
parenting roles within the marriage.
1. Point (a).
2. Point (b).
3. Points (a) and (b).
4. Neither points (a) nor (b).
8. Divorce is a … stressor.
1. vertical
2. horizontal
3. system level
4. none of the above
9. In paragraph 2 we read that Phil believes Katie is using James to punish him because she is
angry about the divorce and is “unable to move on with her life”. As this implies that she is
reacting to being rejected, which is one of the characteristics of her needing to be assisted
with the emotional station of divorce, you as the counsellor have to create opportunities for
her to …
1. dissipate her antagonistic feelings to reclaim her life as a single person
again.
2. finalise her financial autonomy.
3. learn how parenting responsibilities can be shared between two parents.
4. learn to regain her sense of autonomy as an individual.
10. Katie’s description of her marriage with Phil was that he struggled to engage in any
emotional intimacy and shied away from talking through any of their conflicts. This suggests
that the other psychological task that this couple failed to achieve during their marriage was
…
1. establishing a sexual identity.
2. building a relationship that is fun and interesting.
3. negotiating parenthood.
4. establishing a relationship as a zone of safety and nurturance.
11. Phil described their relationship as “two people going their separate ways”. He reported
that they had few common interests, mutual friends and joint goals. According to Wallerstein’s
psychological tasks this suggests that the couple failed to …
