Exam 5

How are emotionally focused and integrative behavioral couples' therapies similar?

Both have the goal of increasing empathy in the relationship.

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

Efficacy studies involve experiments using a control group.

Which of the following statements about outcome research assessing couples' therapy is accurate?

Five years after the end of treatment, couples who received integrative behavioral couples therapy have similar relationship satisfaction compared to couples who received the original version of behavioral couples' therapy.

What conclusion can be drawn from studies on the effectiveness of educational programs for couples?

High-risk couples benefit more from educational programs than low-risk couples.

What role does neighborhood context play in the association between relationship duration and the likelihood of marital dissolution?

Marital dissolution tends to happen earlier in marriage for people who live in low-income neighborhoods than those who live in more affluent neighborhoods.

Which of the following educational programs focuses on conflict management and the expression of negative emotions?

Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP)

Grunde and Sesasi have a relatively happy marriage but have enrolled in an educational program to strengthen their relationship. In the program they are taught skills to express their needs and desires as well as to empathize with each other. What program are Grunde and Sesasi likely enrolled in?

Relationship Enhancement (RE)

Your local congressman has asserted that improving marriages is one of his priorities during his term in office. Why would the local government be interested in investing in good quality marriages?

Strengthening marriages is a means to reducing the welfare payments of single parents.

Kabil and Asher are happily married but have enrolled in an educational program to enhance their relationship. As a result of their enrollment in the program, how are they likely to view their participation in the course?

They value the program because it will serve as a reminder for the reason why they fell in love.

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

climbing a mountain

Heather has designed a new treatment for couples in distress. She has conducted several studies in which couples were randomly assigned to receive either her new treatment or another empirically supported treatment. She now wants to look at how her treatment performs when clinical practitioners administer it to couples in the community. In other words, she wants to conduct a(n):

effectiveness study.

Stress spillover is to ________ as stress crossover is to ________.

intraindividual; interpersonal

Uma and Imanol work long hours and are struggling financially. They have noticed recently that their relationship satisfaction is declining. What will most likely lead to the greatest improvements in their relationship satisfaction?

obtaining stable jobs and better wages

Reframing is to ________ as relabeling is to ________.

problems; behavior

Dr. Sarkissian offers relationship education to couples who want to strengthen their relationship before issues start to arise. What is most likely Dr. Sarkissian's goal for the couples who attend her training?

that they maintain their relationship by building on their strengths

What is social capital?

the benefits that people get from their relationships with others

If you wanted to conduct an effectiveness study of integrative behavioral couples' therapy, what would you do?

train therapists in the community to deliver integrative behavioral couples' therapy to some couples and compare the outcomes to other couples who receive treatment as usual in the community

Demont was fired at work, and, before he had the chance to tell his wife, Laticia, she began talking about her difficult day managing her coworkers. Feeling frustrated, Demont snapped at Laticia, "Why does everything always have to be about you? Don't you even care what is going on with me?" What phenomenon does Demont's outburst reflect?

tunnel vision

Which of the following issues is not only the most difficult to treat among relationship problems, but is also one of the most damaging and most common issues in a relationship?

unrealistic expectations

When are efforts to improve the lives of low-income couples most likely to succeed?

when they acknowledge the challenges couples face

________ can be defined as everything that affects a relationship outside of the couple and their interactions.

Context

Jacko criticizes Irma's cooking. Given the research on how stress affects explanations for partner behavior, what is most true?

If they are experiencing a lot of external stress, Irma will be more likely to blame Jacko for his comment.

According to the text, which is the most common theoretical model that couples therapists use?

In practice, most professionals draw from a range of perspectives when conducting marital therapy.

What is a negative consequence of the fight-or-flight response?

It weakens one's ability to do complex and deliberative tasks.

Which of the following couples is most likely to separate?

Lauren and Alejandro, who spend time with different friend groups and do not enjoy each other's families

Social networks can benefit and harm intimate relationships. What is one way in which social networks do NOT affect intimate relationships?

Shared networks provide barriers that can prevent people from leaving good but not bad relationships.

What is TRUE with regard to Bronfenbrenner's social ecological model applied to the context of relationships?

The effects of proximal factors on a relationship are affected by distal factors.

Which of the following is a strategy or technique that is used in integrative behavioral couples' therapy, but NOT behavioral couples' therapy?

acceptance training

What is NOT one of the responses of the body to stress?

dilation of blood vessels

The negative effects of stress on relationships can be offset by:

effective problem-solving skills and mutual support.

Dr. Okiro is studying social networks. One participant, Mandy, has described several individuals in her network: Sue, a casual acquaintance at work; Manuel, her best friend; and Gustavo, her cousin who lives in Venezuela but with whom she chats regularly on her computer. Which statement is correct?

Gustavo and Manuel are part of Mandy's interactive network and her psychological network.

What appears to be true about stress, stressor salience, and the health of the relationship?

High levels of stress are more noticeable, and partners are able to recognize that relationship problems are due to the stress.

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?

Maddy, do you think that Bertie's jealousy might be triggered by his fears that you no longer find him attractive?

How does an experience of acute stress and physical arousal affect memory about the details of the event?

Memory of central details of the experience is enhanced but not memory for peripheral details.

Which of the following statements is TRUE about how social networks can challenge relationships?

When partners have independent networks, close ties with others can do more harm than good to the relationship.

Which is an example of a secondary emotion?

anger

Therapists adopting an emotion-focused couples therapy approach follow distinct stages in the following order:

de-escalation of negative cycles, shaping new cycles of responsiveness and accessibility, consolidation and integration.

Annie has been married to her husband for 1 year. What is Annie likely to identify as the main stressor in her relationship?

debt brought into marriage

According to the cognitive-behavioral perspective, what is the leading cause of relationship distress?

dysfunctional relationship behaviors

Over the past four decades, attitudes toward marriage have _______, while attitudes toward alternative family forms have become_______ acceptable.

not changed; more

According to the text, the main rationale of integrative behavioral couple's therapy emphasizes that relationships will improve if:

partners learn to accept or tolerate the negative aspects of each other and of the relationship.

As described in the text, "tunnel vision" occurs when:

people experience the fight-or-flight response and have a better memory for the salient details of the threat but a poor memory for peripheral details.

Oliver often fails to call his partner, Mike, when he is going to be late coming home from work. On Tuesday, when Oliver is late yet again, Mike states, "Oliver, I really wish you would call me when you're going to be late. When I don't hear from you, I start to worry and get scared that something terrible has happened to you." Mike's statement is an example of:

primary emotional disclosure

Baljit and Tim have had difficulty adjusting to being parents. They argue constantly about what activities they are going to do with their children and hate their weekends because they are spent with each of them taking turns playing with the kids to give the other parent a break. Their therapist points out that one reason they might be so frustrated and argue so much is that the way they have been structuring their weekends leaves them little time to nurture their relationship or to be together as a family. The arguments and frustration are signals that they value and love each other and want to connect more as a couple and as a family. What technique has the therapist used?

reframing

Which is an example of a primary emotion?

shame

According to emotionally focused couples' therapy, ________ is a primary emotion, whereas ________ is a secondary emotion.

shame; anger

Chris has had a bad day at work-lots of complaints from customers and her boss gave her a deadline that she knows she will be unable to meet. When she gets home that night, she is in a bad mood and feels distant from her partner, Pat. Pat senses Chris' coolness and begins to wonder if there is trouble in their relationship. Chris' behavior that evening is an example of ________, and Pat's reaction is an example of ________.

stress spillover; stress crossover

Distal is to ________ as proximal is to ________.

the quality of the school system; household income

Bob tells his therapist, "Marie-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 'too sensitive'." Of the following statements, which one is accurate?

According to a cognitive-behavioral perspective, Bob is making a negative attribution.

_____ were an ideal group for studying stress spillover because the link between work stress and home stress could be considered unidirectional (from work to home).

Air traffic controllers

Lucian and Andrea have been married for 15 years. Which group of individuals is Lucian most likely to regard as closest to him?

Andrea's family members

Whose relationship is most likely to end?

DeAnda and Kevin's, because they have high substitutability in their social network

Whose relationship is LEAST likely to end?

Greer and Tameca's, because they have low substitutability in their social network

________ is likely a member of Antonio's psychological network, and ________ is likely a member of Antonio's interactive network.

His mother; his hairdresser

Isvel is very expressive in her relationship with Didier, whereas Didier is more analytical but tends to offer support. When Didier's mother is hospitalized, the couple begins to experience more issues in their relationship. Didier feels unsupported by Isvel and denies his feelings of pain. Isvel insists Didier must be upset, but she does not offer much support. What new rule might be helpful for this couple to improve their relationship?

Isvel must learn to set aside her feelings at times to support Didier, while Didier must learn to express his feelings and avoid overanalyzing situations.

Which of the following is an example of an assumption according to a cognitive-behavioral perspective?

Mohinder thinks that men provide support by solving problems and giving advice and that women provide support by listening and empathizing.

Which of the following statements about couples seeking therapy is FALSE?

Most often, couples seek help from professionals who specialize in therapy for couples.

Maina is conducting a daily diary study of how students' school stress affects their relationships with parents. ________ is the association between stress and the student's behavior at home, and ________ is the association between stress and the parents' behavior at home.

Stress spillover; stress crossover

Xavier and Juanita both work full-time at low-wage jobs to pay the rent on their apartment. While they are at work, Juanita's mother cares for their 18-month-old son. In this scenario, the low wages represent a ________, and Juanita's mother's care represents a ________.

Stressor; resource

Cutrona and colleagues (2003) studied the effect of neighborhoods on African American couples' marriages. What best describes their findings?

The chronic stress of living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods had chronic negative effects on marital satisfaction.

Which of the following statements about Bronfenbrenner's social ecological model is FALSE?

The direct effects of proximal and distal factors on relationships are equally large.

Sandeep gives Amy the silent treatment when she fails to clean up the kitchen after dinner (it is one of her household jobs). After this happens a few times, Amy tries to remember to clean up more regularly, but, over time, she slips up and the cycle repeats. Which is an accurate statement about this situation?

The end of the silent treatment is an example of a negative reinforcer.

According to research described in the text, what happens to the effects of external stress on intimate relationships when the source of the stress becomes more noticeable?

The more salient the external sources of moderate stress in relationships, the less they affect feelings about the relationship.

After census data revealed that Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee were among the states with the highest divorce rates, various political figures were pressed to explain the finding. What is the best explanation for the divorce rates being higher in these conservative states?

The overall quality of life in these states is poorer compared to other states, making marriage challenging.

In a study of couples where one partner was studying for the New York State bar exam, how did the stress crossover effect change in the 4 weeks immediately preceding the exam date?

The stress crossover effect became weaker-the closer to the exam date, the less the examinee's stress affected the partner's mood.

Some stressors affect both partners at the same time, such as being physically separated. Which of the following findings about long-distance relationships is accurate?

There is no research support for the idea that absence makes the heart grow fonder; physical distance between partners is a significant source of stress for relationships.

What led to the development of behavioral models of couple's therapy?

There was a need for systematic treatments that could measure the effectiveness of the intervention.

Belinda and Roy rent an apartment in a somewhat run-down area of town. They have a few friends, but their immediate families live in another state. They barely manage to pay their bills each month; Roy has a steady job but no health benefits, and Belinda stays home to care for their two young boys. While playing in the park, one of the boys falls from the swings and breaks his arm. Belinda knows that paying for the emergency care and follow-up doctor visits is going to put their family into a difficult financial position. According to Hill's (1949) ABC-X model of family stress, what do you predict will happen?

There will be an interaction between the acute and chronic stressors, making it even harder for the couple to cope with the new financial burden and their son's broken arm.

In a study to learn more about how arousal affects cognition and behavior, you ask couples experiencing stress to complete a series of cognitive tasks. How are the couples likely to perform on the tasks?

They are likely to do well on simple reflexive tasks, but poorly on complex deliberative tasks.

According to the chapter, which of the following is NOT a reason low-income couples experience more difficulties in maintaining enduring relationships?

They do not value marriage as an institution.

Cohan and Cole (2002) studied the effects of Hurricane Hugo on births, divorces, and marriages by examining the rates in the 14 years prior to the hurricane and the 8 years following. What did they find?

They found increases in birth, marriage, and divorce rates; people evaluated their commitments, leading some to increase their levels of involvement and others to end their relationships.

After 23 years of marriage, Kayla and Fred have decided to seek marital therapy. Which of the following is most likely true?

They have likely been experiencing relationship distress for a while before seeking help.

Katie gets mad at Adam because he has forgotten to pay an important bill. When she brings up the problem, he doesn't say much and begins to sulk. Katie backs down and says she'll take care of the problem. Then she changes the subject and begins to tell him funny stories about her bad day at work, which he finds amusing and eventually the two of them are laughing while they make fun of her inept coworker. According to a systems perspective, what is the "rule" underlying their relationship dynamic?

When problems are raised, Adam withdraws and Katie backs down.

Socioeconomic status has many effects on relationships. What is NOT one of them?

Women who have less than a high school education are less likely to marry than women who have more education.

Can stress ever be good for relationships?

Yes, especially when couples have the resources and skills to meet the challenge successfully.

According to couples' therapists (summarized in the text), one of the most common problems they see in therapy is ________, and one of the least common problems involves ________.

a power struggle; serious personal issues

Sarita is extremely close to her older sister, Magdalena, and spends hours talking to her sister on the phone about every aspect of her life, including her marriage. Sarita's husband is not as thrilled about Sarita's close relationship with her sister because Magdalena does not think that he is good enough for Sarita and takes every opportunity to let him know it. In this situation, Sarita's relationship with her sister would be considered:

a resource for Sarita but not for her husband.

Angela arrives home late from work. Her husband begins to wonder if she is having an affair. This is an example of:

an attribution.

What has helped improve relationship quality among low-income couples?

antipoverty programs that offer job training or cash assistance

Benedicta is unhappy in her relationship with Yingyue. She says to her therapist, "A relationship between two women is simply doomed. We just cannot seem to be able to make any decisions because neither of us is assertive." Benedicta's response reveals which of the following underlying interpretive processes?

assumptions

Miko has been married to his wife for 1 year. What is Miko likely to identify as the main stressor in his relationship?

balancing his job and marriage

The Spouse Observation Checklist (SOC)is a tool used in _____ couples' therapy.

behavioral

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.

behavioral couples' therapy

Bernardo and Danica are attending their second session of couple's therapy. Their therapist gives them a homework assignment to improve the way in which they communicate with each other. What theoretical models is their therapist most likely drawing upon?

behavioral models

Research on chronic and acute stressors shows that:

both are associated with negative relationship outcomes, but the kinds of outcomes that result from each type of stressor differ.

Penelope has been dating Umberto throughout college. How did Penelope most likely meet Umberto?

by being introduced to him by a friend

Sally and Manuel are in couples therapy working on a conflict regarding Sally's 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:

communication training.

According to the chapter, which model is one of the three common theoretical approaches to couples' therapy?

emotion

Bob and Mike are in couples' therapy because they have many fights about how much time Bob spends at work. To intervene successfully, an integrative behavior couple's therapist would use the technique of:

empathic joining around the problem.

According to a systems perspective, what is required for couples to make improvements in their relationship?

establishing new flexible relationship rules

Sally and Manuel are in couples therapy working on their conflict regarding Sally's returning to work after maternity leave. Sally is upset about returning to work, and Manuel is angry with her for being so upset. To intervene successfully, an emotion-focused therapist would work on:

expressing primary emotions.

Trina is a couple's therapist who primarily draws upon the systems model. What does she most likely emphasize in her practice?

identifying unspoken rules that guide undesirable patterns of interaction among couples

Which of the following models of couple's therapy focuses on having couples engage in empathic joining and tolerance building for resolving differences?

integrative behavioral

After 23 years of marriage, Kayla and Fred have decided to seek marital therapy. Their satisfaction with their marriage has decreased over time, to the point where both are feeling quite unhappy. They hardly talk to each other except to argue about the children or finances, and neither can remember when they last had debased on material presented in the chapter about improving relationships, which of Kayla and Fred's problems would a couple's therapist find most difficult to treat?

lack of loving feelings

Mia and Georges have been married for 2 years. Georges works long hours in a high paying job so that they can afford their home, while Mia spends her time taking care of their newborn son and completing the household chores. Because of their schedules, they do not spend a lot of time together. What attribute of their relationship is a powerful predictor of divorce?

lack of shared leisure time

Stressor is to ________ as resource is to ________.

losing a job; satisfactory income

Stress external to a relationship can affect stress internal to the relationship. Specifically, external stressors:

lower a couple's capacity to deal with problems effectively.

Wives are likely to experience _____ stress crossover when their marriages are_____.

more; most satisfying

Dr. Lew is a couple's therapist. Which of the following relationship problems would Dr. Lew consider the MOST damaging?

physical abuse

Empathic joining is to ________ as unified detachment is to ________.

removing blame; talking without charged emotion

In considering the source of relationship functioning, a systems perspective is to ________ as a behavioral perspective is to ________.

repetitive patterns of interaction; rewarding and punishing behaviors

Karamo is unhappy in his relationship with Erik. When Karamo comes home from work Erik has already prepared dinner. As soon as he enters the kitchen, Karamo exclaims, "It smells awful in here! Did you burn something? You never remember to turn the fan on. Next time, just order dinner if you're going to keep burning our dinner." Karamo's response reveals which of the following underlying interpretive processes?

selective attention

From a cognitive-behavioral perspective, many processes determine how we interpret the words and behaviors of others. These processes include:

selective attention, assumptions, expectations, standards, and attributions.

Maite is explaining why she is unhappy in her relationship. She says to her therapist, "Partners should never go to bed angry. If there's an issue, it should be hashed out immediately rather than wait for it to fester." Maite's complaint reveals which of the following underlying interpretive processes?

standards

Joe's job is very stressful. When he comes home, he often feels grouchy, and he yells at his dog. Joe's wife, Karen, gets upset wondering what Joe will be like when he comes home at the end of the workday. She worries that she is starting to get a bit depressed by this. His dog is also starting to ignore him. This situation is an example of:

stress crossover and stress spillover.

Joe's job is very stressful. When he comes home, he often feels grouchy, and he yells at his dog. Joe's wife, Karen, gets upset wondering what Joe will be like when he comes home at the end of the workday. She worries that she is starting to get a bit depressed by this. His dog is also starting to ignore him. Karen's worries about Joe would be considered an example of:

stress crossover.

Joe's job is very stressful. When he comes home, he often feels grouchy, and he yells at his dog. Joe's wife, Karen, gets upset wondering what Joe will be like when he comes home at the end of the workday. She worries that she is starting to get a bit depressed by this. His dog is also starting to ignore him. Joe's grouchiness at home and the effects on his relationship with his wife and dog would be considered an example of:

stress spillover.

Upon walking into class, you realize you forgot that you had an exam. Your heart starts racing and you immediately start to have a pain in your stomach. Which bodily system or axis has been active in response to your stress?

sympathetic adrenal medullary system

Dr. Roberts helps couples to make explicit (known)the rules that guide their relationship behavior and to establish new rules that are more flexible and adaptive. What model of couple's therapy does she practice?

systems therapy

According to Bronfenbrenner's social ecological theory, which of the following elements is most distal in context for a couple living in Chicago?

the couple's cultural background and gender norms

What is a main task of a behaviorally oriented therapist

to determine the function of problematic behavior

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

to explore, and bring into focus, primary emotions