COUC 601 MIDTERM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | COUC 601
MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
the idea that events are related through a series of interacting loops is - correct answer ✔✔circular
causality
a conflict created when a person receives contradictory messages on different levels of abstraction in an
important relationship and cannot leave or comment is a - correct answer ✔✔double bind
narrative therapy differs from solution focused therapy in being more focused on ___ than ___ - correct
answer ✔✔attitudes than behavior
the greatest conceptual influence on the early development of family therapy was - correct answer
✔✔systems theory
the concept of the family life cycle was introduced to the field by - correct answer ✔✔betty carter and
Monica McGoldrick
a balanced, steady state of equilibrium is known as - correct answer ✔✔homeostasis
which is not a concept of von Baranoff’s general systems theory - correct answer ✔✔a black box
metaphor
a biological model of living systems as whole entities which maintains themselves through continuous
input and output from the environment, developed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy is known as - correct
answer ✔✔general systems theory
the stages of a family's life from separation from one's parents to marriage, having children, growing
older, retirement, and finally death are known as the - correct answer ✔✔family life cycle
which phenomena are not a focus of cybernetics, as applied to families - correct answer ✔✔family
hierarchy
what is not a primary benefits of using the genogram - correct answer ✔✔they are used for diagnosis of
mental illness
the theoretical basis for the genogram is - correct answer ✔✔bowen's concept of multigenerational
transmission of family patterns
the belief that families repeat themselves
the observation that what happens in one generation happens in the next as well
include the following information on a family genogram - correct answer ✔✔identification of the index
person
family members for three generations
dates of birth and death for each person
, who are the caretakers and the sick ones is an example of a question that will reveal what kind of
systematic information for the genogram - correct answer ✔✔family roles
genograms have symbolic representations for the following family characteristics except - correct answer
✔✔counseling goals
In systems oriented family therapy, it's important to help families shift from a linear perspective (the
symptomatic family member is the only problem) and medical model thinking (he or she is his or her
diagnosis) to _______________. - correct answer ✔✔an interactional perspective
a risk in the assessment phase of treatment is - correct answer ✔✔failing to hear each family members
description of the problem
assessment in family counseling includes all of the following except - correct answer ✔✔a systematic
context
stage of the family life cycle
>conclusive diagnosis
suspicion of substance abuse, domestic violence, abuse, or extramarital affairs
the tendency of families to resist change in order to maintain a steady state is - correct answer
✔✔homeostasis
the specific complaint clients come in with phrased in their terms is called the - correct answer
✔✔presenting problem
smaller units within the family system determined by generation and function are called - correct answer
✔✔subsystems
the way a family is organized involving closeness and distance which defines and stabilizes the shape of
relationships is - correct answer ✔✔family structure
relationships that are equal or parallel in form are described as - correct answer ✔✔symmetrical
when relationships are based on differences that fit together where the qualities of one make up for the
lacks in the other they are - correct answer ✔✔complementary
the identified patient in family counseling is called - correct answer ✔✔the symptom bearer
basic genogram information can be gleaned in just a few minutes in counseling or can be the focus on an
entire family history session - correct answer ✔✔true
when family members react negatively to questions about extended family in a genogram discussion it is
often helpful to - correct answer ✔✔redirect the focus back to the immediate situation
According to McGoldrick et al., in order to place the family's problems and current relationships in
context it is essential to learn about the family's ethnic, socioeconomic, political, and religious
background - correct answer ✔✔true
MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
the idea that events are related through a series of interacting loops is - correct answer ✔✔circular
causality
a conflict created when a person receives contradictory messages on different levels of abstraction in an
important relationship and cannot leave or comment is a - correct answer ✔✔double bind
narrative therapy differs from solution focused therapy in being more focused on ___ than ___ - correct
answer ✔✔attitudes than behavior
the greatest conceptual influence on the early development of family therapy was - correct answer
✔✔systems theory
the concept of the family life cycle was introduced to the field by - correct answer ✔✔betty carter and
Monica McGoldrick
a balanced, steady state of equilibrium is known as - correct answer ✔✔homeostasis
which is not a concept of von Baranoff’s general systems theory - correct answer ✔✔a black box
metaphor
a biological model of living systems as whole entities which maintains themselves through continuous
input and output from the environment, developed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy is known as - correct
answer ✔✔general systems theory
the stages of a family's life from separation from one's parents to marriage, having children, growing
older, retirement, and finally death are known as the - correct answer ✔✔family life cycle
which phenomena are not a focus of cybernetics, as applied to families - correct answer ✔✔family
hierarchy
what is not a primary benefits of using the genogram - correct answer ✔✔they are used for diagnosis of
mental illness
the theoretical basis for the genogram is - correct answer ✔✔bowen's concept of multigenerational
transmission of family patterns
the belief that families repeat themselves
the observation that what happens in one generation happens in the next as well
include the following information on a family genogram - correct answer ✔✔identification of the index
person
family members for three generations
dates of birth and death for each person
, who are the caretakers and the sick ones is an example of a question that will reveal what kind of
systematic information for the genogram - correct answer ✔✔family roles
genograms have symbolic representations for the following family characteristics except - correct answer
✔✔counseling goals
In systems oriented family therapy, it's important to help families shift from a linear perspective (the
symptomatic family member is the only problem) and medical model thinking (he or she is his or her
diagnosis) to _______________. - correct answer ✔✔an interactional perspective
a risk in the assessment phase of treatment is - correct answer ✔✔failing to hear each family members
description of the problem
assessment in family counseling includes all of the following except - correct answer ✔✔a systematic
context
stage of the family life cycle
>conclusive diagnosis
suspicion of substance abuse, domestic violence, abuse, or extramarital affairs
the tendency of families to resist change in order to maintain a steady state is - correct answer
✔✔homeostasis
the specific complaint clients come in with phrased in their terms is called the - correct answer
✔✔presenting problem
smaller units within the family system determined by generation and function are called - correct answer
✔✔subsystems
the way a family is organized involving closeness and distance which defines and stabilizes the shape of
relationships is - correct answer ✔✔family structure
relationships that are equal or parallel in form are described as - correct answer ✔✔symmetrical
when relationships are based on differences that fit together where the qualities of one make up for the
lacks in the other they are - correct answer ✔✔complementary
the identified patient in family counseling is called - correct answer ✔✔the symptom bearer
basic genogram information can be gleaned in just a few minutes in counseling or can be the focus on an
entire family history session - correct answer ✔✔true
when family members react negatively to questions about extended family in a genogram discussion it is
often helpful to - correct answer ✔✔redirect the focus back to the immediate situation
According to McGoldrick et al., in order to place the family's problems and current relationships in
context it is essential to learn about the family's ethnic, socioeconomic, political, and religious
background - correct answer ✔✔true
