MFT Ultimate Marital and Family Therapy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In structural family therapy, what term describes the invisible rules that govern how family members interact with one another?
- Boundaries (Correct answer)
- Triangles
- Subsystems
- Coalitions
Correct answer: Boundaries
Boundaries are the invisible rules in structural family therapy that define who participates in interactions and how, shaping family organization.
Question 2: A couple argues that their therapist is 'taking sides' after the therapist empathizes with the wife's perspective. This reaction most likely reflects which therapeutic concept?
- Countertransference
- Negative therapeutic reaction
- Therapist neutrality challenge (Correct answer)
- Detouring
Correct answer: Therapist neutrality challenge
Couples frequently test therapist neutrality; when one partner perceives empathy toward the other as bias, it represents a neutrality challenge the therapist must address.
Question 3: Which theorist developed the concept of 'differentiation of self' as central to healthy family functioning?
- Salvador Minuchin
- Murray Bowen (Correct answer)
- Jay Haley
- Virginia Satir
Correct answer: Murray Bowen
Murray Bowen developed differentiation of self, describing the ability to maintain one's identity and emotional autonomy while staying connected to the family.
Question 4: A therapist notices that every time the parents in therapy discuss their conflict, the adolescent son begins acting out. This is best described as:
- Parentification
- Triangulation (Correct answer)
- Enmeshment
- Disengagement
Correct answer: Triangulation
Triangulation occurs when a third person (the son) is pulled into a dyadic conflict to reduce tension between the original pair.
Question 5: In emotionally focused therapy (EFT) for couples, the primary goal of Stage 1 is to:
- Restructure negative interaction cycles (Correct answer)
- Build new bonding events
- Consolidate gains and prevent relapse
- Identify attachment injuries
Correct answer: Restructure negative interaction cycles
Stage 1 of EFT focuses on de-escalating the negative interaction cycle by helping partners recognize and interrupt their destructive patterns.
Question 6: An MFT is working with a family where the grandmother insists on attending all sessions. The therapist should first:
- Refuse, as it disrupts the identified family system
- Explore the family's cultural norms around extended family involvement (Correct answer)
- Refer the case to a geriatric specialist
- Ask the grandmother to wait in the lobby
Correct answer: Explore the family's cultural norms around extended family involvement
Cultural competence requires the therapist to explore whether extended family inclusion reflects normative and culturally valued patterns before making structural decisions.
Question 7: Which technique involves the therapist joining the family by temporarily adopting their communication style and pace to reduce resistance?
- Reframing
- Mimesis (Correct answer)
- Enactment
- Paradoxical intention
Correct answer: Mimesis
Mimesis, used in structural family therapy, involves the therapist mirroring the family's tone, posture, and style to build rapport and reduce defensiveness.
MFT Ultimate Marital and Family Therapy 2
In structural family therapy, what term describes the invisible rules that govern how family members interact with one another?