Question 1

Transference refers to a client's

Accepted Answer

Transference refers to the transfer of feelings and attitudes from one person (often a significant figure from the past) onto another person (often a therapist). In therapy, the client may project onto the therapist feelings that were originally directed at a parent or other significant figure. These feelings may be negative or positive and can provide important insights into the client's past relationships and current struggles. The therapist can use this transference to help the client work through unresolved issues and achieve greater emotional insight and growth. Option A is an incorrect definition of somatization, option C refers to altruism, and option D refers to dream analysis. Transference is a psychological phenomenon where a client unconsciously projects feelings, attitudes, or behaviors from past significant relationships onto their therapist. This can include positive or negative feelings. This can be useful in therapy, as it provides an opportunity for the therapist to address and work through these unresolved issues in a safe and controlled environment.

Question 2

Which form of psychotherapy is LEAST likely to occur in therapist-led small groups?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which form of psychotherapy is LEAST likely...

Question 3

The placebo effect refers to

Accepted Answer

The placebo effect refers to the beneficial consequences of merely expecting that a treatment will be effective, even if the treatment is inert or not actually treatment for the condition being treated. It is not related to relief from symptoms without psychotherapy (A) or the use of drugs in the therapeutic treatment of psychological disorders (C). While exercise can have a positive effect on depression and anxiety (B), this is not specifically related to the placebo effect.

Question 4

The placebo effect typically leads us to ________ the effectiveness of therapy, and regression toward the mean typically leads us to ________ the effectiveness of therapy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The placebo effect typically leads us to...

Question 5

Which drugs appear to produce therapeutic effects by blocking receptor sites for dopamine?

Accepted Answer

Antipsychotic drugs, also known as neuroleptics, work by blocking the dopamine receptor sites in the brain. This can reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, which are believed to be caused by overactivity of dopamine in certain parts of the brain. Antianxiety, antidepressant, and mood-stabilizing drugs do not typically work by blocking dopamine receptor sites. Antipsychotic drugs are known to block receptor sites for dopamine in the brain, particularly in the mesolimbic pathway. By doing this, they help reduce the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions. Other drugs, such as mood stabilizers, anti-anxiety medications, and antidepressants, do not typically target dopamine receptor sites.

Question 6

Training people to actively dispute their own self-defeating ideas best illustrates

Accepted Answer

This technique is a hallmark of cognitive therapy, which focuses on changing negative, self-defeating thought patterns. Psychoanalysis emphasizes exploring the unconscious, behavior therapy focuses on changing behaviors, and client-centered therapy emphasizes providing empathy and acceptance. Training people to actively dispute their own self-defeating ideas is a central component of cognitive therapy, which aims to change maladaptive patterns of thinking and beliefs. Psychoanalysis focuses on uncovering unconscious conflicts and emotions, behavior therapy focuses on changing behavior through conditioning, and client-centered therapy emphasizes empathy and unconditional positive regard from the therapist.

Question 7

When Murli told his therapist, "I came to see what you could do for me," the therapist responded, "It sounds like you're feeling you need some help. Am I right?" The therapist's response illustrates the technique of

Accepted Answer

The therapist's response of paraphrasing Murli's statement shows that the therapist is actively listening and trying to understand Murli's perspective. This technique is known as active listening, and it is often used in therapy to demonstrate empathetic understanding and to help the client feel heard and validated. The therapist's response exemplifies active listening, which involves paying careful attention to what the speaker is saying and paraphrasing their experiences to show that you understand and validate their feelings.

Question 8

Unusual ESP subjects who defy chance when first tested nearly always lose their "psychic powers" when retested. This decline is best explained in terms of

Accepted Answer

Regression toward the mean. This phenomenon occurs when individuals who initially perform either very well or very poorly on a task tend to perform closer to the average when tested again. Thus, the decline in performance of unusual ESP subjects can be attributed to this statistical concept rather than an actual loss of psychic powers. Regression toward the mean. This phenomenon occurs when an extreme score on a test is likely to be followed by a less extreme score on a subsequent test. Therefore, individuals who initially performed exceptionally well on ESP tests may have just experienced a temporary spike in performance and are likely to perform at a more average level upon retesting.

Question 9

Therapists' perceptions of the effectiveness of psychotherapy are more likely to be overly positive because

Accepted Answer

Therapists may have a bias towards perceiving the effectiveness of psychotherapy as overly positive because clients who achieve their therapy goals are more likely to leave therapy and emphasize their psychological well-being as a reason for leaving. On the other hand, clients who do not achieve their therapy goals may continue therapy or leave and emphasize financial reasons for doing so, which may not reflect as positively on the therapy. Therefore, therapists may be more likely to perceive their success rates as higher than they actually are due to this selection bias.

Question 10

Therapists practice ________ by using positive reinforcers to reward closer and closer approximations of a desired behavior.

Accepted Answer

The practice of using positive reinforcers to reward closer and closer approximations of a desired behavior is a technique within the field of behavior modification. Free association and progressive relaxation are techniques within psychotherapy, and unconditional positive regard is a concept within humanistic psychology. The technique described in the statement is behavior modification, which involves using positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors. Choices A, B, and D are not relevant to this technique.

Question 11

To help Claire quit smoking, a therapist delivers an electric shock to her arm each time she smokes a cigarette. The therapist is using

Accepted Answer

The therapist is using aversive conditioning, which involves associating an unpleasant response with a behavior in order to decrease that behavior. In this case, the electric shock is the unpleasant response associated with smoking, with the goal of decreasing Claire's smoking behavior. Aversive conditioning involves associating a negative or aversive stimulus with a behavior in order to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring in the future. In this case, the electric shock is the aversive stimulus and smoking is the behavior being targeted for reduction.

Question 12

Treating our mind and body as independent entities seems especially inappropriate to those who take a ________ approach to therapy.

Accepted Answer

The biopsychosocial approach to therapy recognizes that a person's physical health, psychological state, and social environment all interact with each other and cannot be treated separately. It emphasizes the importance of addressing all these factors in order to promote overall well-being. Classical conditioning, psychoanalytic, and client-centered approaches may focus more on the psychological aspects of a person's health and may not address the physical and social factors as much. The biopsychosocial approach recognizes the interconnectedness of biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to a person's well-being. This approach would reject the idea of treating the mind and body as separate entities and instead view them as integrated components of a person's overall health. Classical conditioning, psychoanalytic, and client-centered approaches do not necessarily take a holistic view of a person's health and may not address the connections between the mind and body in the same way.

Question 13

Virtual reality exposure therapy is a form of

Accepted Answer

Virtual reality exposure therapy involves gradually exposing individuals to anxiety-inducing stimuli in a controlled virtual environment. This process is similar to systematic desensitization, which gradually exposes individuals to real-life anxiety-inducing stimuli in a controlled setting. Stress inoculation training involves teaching individuals coping skills to manage stress and anxiety, while aversive conditioning involves associating an unpleasant stimulus with an undesired behavior. Transference refers to the unconscious transfer of feelings and attitudes from one person to another. Virtual reality exposure therapy is a form of systematic desensitization, which involves gradually exposing the individual to the feared object or situation in a controlled environment until they no longer experience anxiety or fear.

Question 14

Therapist Jonathan Shedler helped a patient to become aware of his adversarial stance in his relationships and to recognize that this adversarial stance had roots in the attacks he once experienced from his alcohol-dependent father. The therapist's efforts best illustrate

Accepted Answer

The therapist's efforts of bringing to awareness the patient's unconscious conflicts and past experiences leading to his current problems are characteristic of psychodynamic therapy. Shedler helped the patient recognize the roots of his adversarial stance in his past experiences with his alcoholic father, which is a central aspect of psychodynamic therapy. Stress inoculation training involves teaching coping skills to deal with stress and anxiety, systematic desensitization is a type of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, and unconditional positive regard is a component of person-centered therapy focused on accepting clients as they are without judgment. None of these approaches are reflected in the therapist's efforts with the patient in the scenario. The therapist's focus on helping the patient become aware of unconscious patterns and early childhood experiences suggests the use of psychodynamic therapy. Shedler is likely drawing on concepts associated with psychodynamic theorists such as Freud, who saw childhood experiences as shaping adult personality and behavior. Shedler is also helping the patient make new connections between past experiences and present behavior, which is a common goal in psychodynamic therapy. Stress inoculation training is focused on teaching coping skills for managing stressful situations, while systematic desensitization is a behavioral therapy designed to reduce anxiety and phobias. Unconditional positive regard is a concept associated with humanistic therapy, which involves accepting patients without judgment and creating a supportive environment for emotional growth. While Shedler may also provide a supportive and nonjudgmental environment, it is not the primary focus of his work in this case.

Question 15

There is little or no scientific support for the therapeutic effectiveness of

Accepted Answer

Rebirthing therapies have been shown to be ineffective and even dangerous, leading to several deaths of children and adolescents who underwent these therapies. The other options listed have strong scientific support for their effectiveness in treating a range of psychological disorders. Rebirthing therapies have been widely discredited and condemned by the scientific community as dangerous and ineffective. There is no evidence to support their therapeutic effectiveness, and they have been associated with several deaths of clients during therapy sessions. Choices A, B, and D have all been extensively studied and have demonstrated therapeutic effectiveness in various contexts.

Question 16

Which form of therapy has been criticized for offering interpretations that cannot be proven or disproven?

Accepted Answer

Psychoanalysis has been criticized for offering interpretations that cannot be proven or disproven. The interpretation of unconscious conflicts and desires is based on the therapist's subjective understanding, which makes verification or falsification impossible. Psychoanalysis has been criticized for offering interpretations of unconscious conflicts that cannot be proven or disproven due to the lack of empirical evidence to support them.

Question 17

When Molly told her therapist about her frightening car accident, the therapist instructed her to close her eyes and verbalize any further thoughts stimulated by this experience, even if they were scary or embarrassing. The therapist was making use of a technique known as

Accepted Answer

The therapist is instructing Molly to engage in free association, a technique commonly used in psychoanalytic therapy where the patient is encouraged to verbalize any thoughts, feelings, or memories that come to mind without censorship. This technique can allow the therapist to uncover unconscious conflicts or emotions that may be causing distress. The therapist was instructing Molly to engage in free association, which involves saying whatever comes to mind without censorship or judgment. This technique is often used in psychoanalysis and helps individuals access and process unconscious thoughts and emotions.

Question 18

The therapeutic alliance refers to

Accepted Answer

The therapeutic alliance is a bond of trust and mutual understanding between a therapist and client. It is an essential component of successful therapy and can improve treatment outcomes. Options A, B, and D are all incorrect as they do not accurately describe the therapeutic alliance. The therapeutic alliance is a bond of trust and mutual understanding between a therapist and client. It includes the client's sense of collaboration with the therapist in terms of the therapeutic goals and tasks, their sense of trust and openness with the therapist, and their belief that the therapist understands their experiences and is invested in their well-being. The therapeutic alliance has been consistently shown to be a key predictor of successful therapy outcomes.

Question 19

The value of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is in part due to the effectiveness of

Accepted Answer

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of exposure therapy that has been found to be effective for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions. EMDR involves a series of eye movements or other bilateral stimulation that helps the client reprocess traumatic memories in a less distressing way. While physical exercise and meta-analysis may have their own value in mental health treatment, they are not directly related to the effectiveness of EMDR. The double-blind technique is a research method used to control for placebo effects, and is also not directly related to the effectiveness of EMDR in clinical practice. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of exposure therapy that has been shown to be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders. While physical exercise may be beneficial for overall mental health, meta-analysis and the double-blind technique are not directly related to the effectiveness of EMDR.

Question 20

The personal strength that enables people to cope with stress and recover from adversity is called

Accepted Answer

Resilience is the ability to adapt to and bounce back from stress and adversity. It involves coping skills, social support, optimism, and a positive mindset, among other factors. Individualism, resistance, and spontaneous recovery are not directly related to coping with stress and adversity. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity or cope with stress. Individualism refers to the prioritization of individual needs over group needs. Resistance does not necessarily imply coping or recovery, and spontaneous recovery refers specifically to the sudden and unexpected recovery from a disorder or illness.

Quiz 16: Psychological Disorders