CBC Behavioral Modification Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A bariatric client says, "I want to lose weight, but I love eating out with friends." According to motivational interviewing, what is this an example of?
- Denial
- Resistance
- Precontemplation
- Ambivalence (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Ambivalence
Holding two conflicting motivations at once is ambivalence, the central target of motivational interviewing.
Question 2: Which self-monitoring practice is most strongly associated with sustained weight loss after bariatric surgery?
- Annual lab work review
- Monthly photo comparisons
- Consistent food journaling (Correct answer)
- Weekly body measurements
Correct answer: Consistent food journaling
Regular food logging increases awareness of intake and is one of the strongest behavioral predictors of long-term weight maintenance.
Question 3: A client repeatedly eats when bored in the evening. Which behavioral technique directly targets the environmental trigger?
- Cognitive restructuring
- Flooding
- Contingency contracting
- Stimulus control (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Stimulus control
Stimulus control modifies cues in the environment, such as removing snacks from view, to reduce triggered eating.
Question 4: In the Transtheoretical Model, a client who scheduled bariatric surgery and started attending nutrition classes is in which stage of change?
- Contemplation
- Maintenance
- Preparation (Correct answer)
- Precontemplation
Correct answer: Preparation
Taking concrete steps toward change within the next month, like scheduling surgery, defines the preparation stage.
Question 5: Which counselor response best exemplifies a reflective listening statement to a client who says, "I blew my diet again this weekend"?
- "Why did you let that happen?"
- "You need to try harder next weekend."
- "Everyone slips up; don't worry about it."
- "It sounds like you're frustrated with how the weekend went." (Correct answer)
Correct answer: "It sounds like you're frustrated with how the weekend went."
Reflective listening mirrors the client's feeling or meaning without judgment, advice, or reassurance.
Question 6: A client rewards herself with a manicure after each week of meeting her exercise goal. This is an example of which behavioral principle?
- Negative reinforcement
- Extinction
- Punishment
- Positive reinforcement (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Positive reinforcement
Adding a pleasant consequence to increase a desired behavior is positive reinforcement.
Question 7: Which goal statement best follows SMART goal criteria for a post-bariatric client?
- "Exercise a lot more than before."
- "Get healthier soon."
- "Walk 20 minutes after dinner, five days a week, for the next month." (Correct answer)
- "Try to move whenever possible."
Correct answer: "Walk 20 minutes after dinner, five days a week, for the next month."
The goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, meeting all SMART criteria.
CBC Behavioral Modification Techniques 2
A bariatric client says, "I want to lose weight, but I love eating out with friends." According to motivational interviewing, what is this an example of?