CBC Behavioral Counseling Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A bariatric patient says, "I want to lose weight, but I don't think I can give up late-night snacking." Which motivational interviewing technique best addresses this ambivalence?
- Prescribing a strict no-snacking rule
- Confronting the patient about denial
- Referring the patient to a support group immediately
- Developing discrepancy between goals and current behavior (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Developing discrepancy between goals and current behavior
Developing discrepancy helps the patient see the gap between their weight-loss goal and current snacking behavior, strengthening motivation to change.
Question 2: In cognitive behavioral therapy for weight management, which tool is most commonly used to identify triggers for emotional eating?
- A weekly weigh-in only
- A resting metabolic rate test
- A self-monitoring food and mood diary (Correct answer)
- A body composition scan
Correct answer: A self-monitoring food and mood diary
Self-monitoring diaries link eating episodes to emotions and situations, revealing patterns and triggers of emotional eating.
Question 3: A counselor asks a post-surgical bariatric patient, "On a scale of 0 to 10, how confident are you that you can follow your protein intake plan?" This is an example of which technique?
- Administering a diagnostic depression screen
- Performing a nutritional assessment
- Setting a SMART goal
- Using a confidence ruler to assess self-efficacy (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Using a confidence ruler to assess self-efficacy
Scaling questions like the confidence ruler measure self-efficacy and open discussion about what would raise the patient's confidence.
Question 4: According to the transtheoretical model, a patient who says "I've started walking three times a week for the past month" is most likely in which stage of change?
- Precontemplation
- Contemplation
- Action (Correct answer)
- Maintenance
Correct answer: Action
The action stage involves actively performing a new behavior for less than six months.
Question 5: Which counselor response best demonstrates reflective listening when a patient says, "I'm terrified I'll regain the weight after surgery"?
- "Don't worry, most patients do fine."
- "Why would you think that?"
- "You should focus on the positives instead."
- "It sounds like you're worried the changes won't last." (Correct answer)
Correct answer: "It sounds like you're worried the changes won't last."
Reflective listening restates the patient's underlying feeling without judgment, reassurance, or interrogation.
Question 6: A patient repeatedly eats in response to work stress. Which behavioral strategy directly replaces the eating response with an alternative activity?
- Stimulus generalization
- Negative punishment
- Extinction burst
- Counterconditioning (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Counterconditioning
Counterconditioning substitutes a healthier behavior, such as a walk or breathing exercise, for the problem behavior in response to the same trigger.
Question 7: When a bariatric counselor helps a patient remove high-calorie snacks from the home and keep cut vegetables visible, which behavioral technique is being applied?
- Aversion therapy
- Cognitive restructuring
- Stimulus control (Correct answer)
- Systematic desensitization
Correct answer: Stimulus control
Stimulus control modifies the environment to reduce cues for problem eating and increase cues for healthy choices.
CBC Behavioral Counseling Techniques 2
A bariatric patient says, "I want to lose weight, but I don't think I can give up late-night snacking." Which motivational interviewing technique best addresses this ambivalence?