Exam 12: Improving Relationships

What is a main task of a behaviorally oriented therapist?

Sally and Manuel are in couples therapy working on a conflict regarding Sally returning to work after maternity leave. Sally is upset about returning to work, and Manuel is angry at her for being so upset. To successfully intervene, a traditional behavior couples therapist would use the technique of ________.

Regarding marriage enhancement, or prevention programs, which of the following statements is true?

Which is an example of a secondary emotion?

What is the primary goal of an emotion-focused therapist?

13.A friend of yours is planning to marry next spring. She asks if it would be worthwhile for her to go to an enhancement and prevention workshop that focuses on skill building. What would you tell her, and why?

According to your textbook authors, which of the following is the best analogy for a good intimate relationship?

1.You are a research scientist working for a government agency that funds social sciences research. You are developing guidelines for funding, and your group is arguing that research focusing on preventing relationship distress and dissolution should be receiving priority for funding instead of couples therapy. Discuss reasons to support the funding of preventive interventions for couples. Make sure your points are based on the empirical literature, not speculation or supposition, and focus on the question of prevention instead of therapy.

Growing up, Bernardo had a difficult relationship with his father, as his father was very demanding and had high expectations. If Bernardo failed to achieve what was expected, his father was likely to be angry and to demean Bernardo's efforts. Given an object relations perspective, what do you think is most likely about Bernardo's current intimate relationship?

Danica describes her mother as a caring and supportive person who was generally available for her when she was a child. She also says the way in which her mother treated her made her expect that others would also be trustworthy and available. In object relations terms, what would we call Danica's views and beliefs about her mother?

7.Compare the explanation for relationship distress with the behavioral model and the emotion-focused model.

12.What were the four models of couples therapy described in your text? Describe the source of relationship distress from each perspective.

Taslim constantly seeks reassurance from her intimate partner that he loves and cares for her. From an object relations perspective, this need could reflect:

Bertie is angry at his wife, Maddy, for talking with other men at a party, and she is sick and tired of his jealousy. What might a therapist using a systems perspective say in response to this situation?

8.Compare the interventions in the original behavioral couples therapy model and the interventions in the cognitive-behavioral therapy model.

Bob tells his therapist, ÒMarie-Claire doesn't really care much about me anymore; there is no point in talking with her about my feelings, because she'll just accuse me of being Ôtoo sensitive.' Ó Of the following statements, which one is accurate?

Which of the following is NOT a strategy or technique used in the original behavioral couples therapy?

11.Describe the stage model used in emotion-focused couples therapy.

A therapist who asks a couple to start doing nice things for each other and to give each other time away from the kids and who works on communication skills is most likely practicing from a ________ perspective.

In the text the authors distinguish between effectiveness studies (which are designed to find out whether a therapy works in the real, day-to-day clinical practice) and efficacy studies. How are effectiveness studies different from efficacy studies?