Deck 11: Reality Therapy

Question 1

Define Quality World. How does it fit in with the reality therapy version of psychological health and dysfunction?

Answer 1

Quality World is a concept in reality therapy that refers to an individual's unique collection of wants, needs, and desires that represent their ideal life. These wants, needs, and desires are the things that bring joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment to a person's life. According to reality therapy, individuals are constantly striving to fulfill their Quality World by making choices and taking actions that align with their wants and needs.

In the context of reality therapy, an individual's psychological health and dysfunction can be understood through the lens of their Quality World. When a person's choices and actions are in line with their Quality World, they experience psychological health and well-being. On the other hand, when there is a disconnect between their behavior and their Quality World, psychological dysfunction can occur. This misalignment can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction, frustration, and unhappiness.

Therefore, reality therapy emphasizes the importance of helping individuals identify and understand their Quality World in order to make choices and take actions that lead to a fulfilling and satisfying life. By aligning behavior with their Quality World, individuals can experience psychological health and well-being. Conversely, when there is a lack of alignment, a therapist can work with the individual to help them make choices and take actions that are more in line with their Quality World, ultimately promoting psychological health and wellness.

Question 2

What are the basic human needs, according to reality therapy? Which is most important and why?

Answer 2

According to reality therapy, the basic human needs are: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. These needs are seen as essential for human beings to lead a fulfilling and satisfying life.

The most important of these needs, according to reality therapy, is love and belonging. This is because as social beings, humans have an innate need to feel connected to others, to feel loved and to belong to a community. Without this need being met, individuals can experience feelings of loneliness, isolation, and a lack of purpose.

Love and belonging are considered fundamental for mental and emotional well-being, as they provide a sense of support, acceptance, and validation. Without love and belonging, individuals may struggle to form meaningful relationships, experience low self-worth, and have difficulty finding joy and fulfillment in life. Therefore, reality therapy emphasizes the importance of this need and encourages individuals to seek out healthy and supportive relationships in order to meet this fundamental human need.

Question 3

Describe choice theory and external control theory. Give an example of an interaction between a father and a child that is based upon each.

Answer 3

Choice theory, developed by William Glasser, is a psychological theory that posits that all of our behavior is chosen and driven by our desire to fulfill five basic human needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. According to choice theory, we are all responsible for our own behavior and choices, and we have the power to make choices that will lead to fulfilling our needs.

On the other hand, external control theory, also known as control theory, emphasizes the role of external factors in shaping behavior. This theory suggests that behavior is largely influenced by external forces such as rewards, punishments, and societal pressures, and individuals have less control over their actions than choice theory suggests.

An example of an interaction between a father and a child based on choice theory might be the father giving the child the freedom to choose their own extracurricular activity, allowing the child to fulfill their need for freedom and autonomy. In contrast, an example of an interaction based on external control theory might be the father using rewards or punishments to enforce a specific behavior, such as offering a reward for good grades or punishing the child for not completing chores.

Overall, choice theory emphasizes personal responsibility and autonomy, while external control theory emphasizes the influence of external factors on behavior.

Question 4

Describe William Glasser's views on assessment and diagnosis.

Question 5

What are the strengths and weaknesses of realty therapy in terms of working with clients from diverse backgrounds?

Question 6

I believe I know what is right for my sister, and tell her very often that she should be more responsible and make better choices. According to reality therapy, I am acting on the basis of:

A) relationship needs
B) choice theory
C) survival needs
D) external control theory

Question 7

Nick is having great difficulty getting over his breakup with Chad, his intimate partner of 2 years. According to reality therapy,

A) Nick is making a bad choice
B) Nick has unfinished business
C) Chad was in Nick's quality world
D) Nick is responding to society rules

Question 8

According to reality therapy, humans are motivated by

A) aggressive impulses
B) the need to maximize pleasure and minimize pain
C) conditioned stimuli
D) conditions of worth

Question 9

Glasser's construct of Total Behavior is MOST similar to the key constructs of which of the following theories:

A) Behaviorism
B) Interpersonal theory
C) REBT
D) Gestalt therapy

Question 10

The "diagnosis" in reality therapy is:

A) A DSM V diagnosis
B) Unfinished business
C) Rigid and extreme interpersonal relationships
D) None of the above

Question 11

In reality therapy, the length of therapy

A) typically lasts 4 - 6 weeks, if the client is seen once per week
B) depends upon the client
C) depends upon the relationship between therapist and client
D) typically lasts 4 - 6 years, and the client must be seen twice per week

Question 12

The explanation of human motivation as explained by choice therapy most sharply contrasts with that of:

A) Person-centered Therapy
B) Behaviorism
C) Psychoanalysis
D) Solution-focused therapy

Question 13

Which of the following goals is MOST likely to be included in a client's treatment plan who is receiving reality therapy?

A) the client will make more effective choices
B) the client will re-establish satisfying relationships in his or her life
C) the client will accept all aspects of self and no longer attend to conditions of worth
D) both a and b are true

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a technique that is used by a reality therapist?

A) interpretation
B) meditation
C) metaphor
D) humor

Question 15

Reality therapy has received criticism for

A) being overly complex
B) being too theoretical and not very practical
C) lack of attention to the influence of environmental factors
D) both a and b are true

Question 16

Stephen is in therapy with Bob, and they decide that Stephen should, over the next week, meet one new person every day. When Stephen comes to his next session, he has met only 3 new people. Bob asks what Stephen will do over the next week to meet 7 new people. Bob is MOST likely to be a

A) Gestalt therapist
B) Interpersonal therapist
C) Family systems therapist
D) Reality therapist

Question 17

According to reality therapy, the reason we get depressed is that:

A) we are unhappy
B) we are unhappy with ourselves
C) we have unsatisfied needs for fun
D) we are unhappy with our job

Question 18

Researchers who have investigated the efficacy of reality therapy have generally reported that reality therapy is

A) as effective as a placebo
B) generally effective
C) more effective than cognitive therapy
D) more effective than treatment with medication

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of a question that a reality therapist is likely to ask a client?

A) "If tonight while you are sleeping something happened that made everything better, how would you know?"
B) "What is your earliest recollection of your mother and father?"
C) "What will happen if you continue doing what you have been doing up until now?"
D) "What has worked for you in the past to solve the problem that you are having right now?"

Question 20

A common criticism of the findings of reality therapy outcome research is that the:

A) findings are not generalizable due to the strict analog research designs that are used
B) treatment time is too long
C) samples are not drawn from diverse populations
D) findings are not typically published in mainstream journals

Question 21

According to reality therapy theory, personality is

A) the relative strengths of a person's basic needs
B) not fully fixed until adulthood
C) heavily influenced by parental reactions
D) easily changed

Question 22

Reality Therapy advocates advise that parents should evaluate their parenting behavior according to whether:

A) their kids adopt good values
B) it brings them closer to their kids
C) it meets the kids' needs
D) it meets the parents' needs

Question 23

"Never give up" would be the mantra of the _______ therapist

A) Gestalt
B) Family systems
C) Reality
D) Interpersonal

Question 24

The key difference between the Cognitive Therapist's and Reality Therapist's idea of the need for power is that Cognitive Therapists assert that _____ and Reality Therapist's assert that ___________

A) humans want power for the sake of having it; power is a means to an end of survival
B) power is a means to an end of survival; humans want power to satisfy aggressive urges
C) humans want power to compensate for their irrational beliefs; power satisfies the need for superiority
D) power is a means to an end of survival; humans want power for the sake of having it

Question 25

The focus of reality therapy on personal choice makes it a:

A) difficult theory to use with clients who are from minority and disadvantaged cultures
B) useful theory for working with clients who are from minority and disadvantaged cultures
C) difficult theory to use with clients from the majority culture
D) useful theory for working with clients who are physically disabled

Question 26

Which of the following is a central construct of reality therapy?

A) Quality time
B) Basic needs
C) Basic mistakes
D) Organismic valuing

Question 27

According to reality therapy theory, a counselor who talks about transference is

A) using a theoretically realistic construct
B) transferring her own issues onto the client
C) avoiding responsibility for the relationship
D) meeting her own needs for power

Question 28

The philosophy of humans that is adopted by reality therapists asserts that humans

A) are subject to environmental influences
B) have no desire to have control over their lives
C) are drive by a variety of internal impulses
D) are able to make choices to exert more control over their lives

Question 29

Glasser asserts that human behavior is a function of the

A) drive to satisfy basic needs
B) environmental constraints that are placed on the individual
C) parental influence that remains over them
D) extent that they are involved in interpersonal relationships

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT one of Reality Therapy's basic needs?

A) love
B) sex
C) friendship
D) food

Question 31

Wubbholding (2011a) describes three stages of healthy and unhealthy behaviors. Positive symptoms tend to appear in the ____________ of healthy, or growth progression.

A) first stage
B) second stage
C) third stage
D) None of the above

Question 32

_____________ characterizes the first stage of ineffective behavior

A) Negative symptoms
B) giving up
C) positive symptoms
D) None of the above

Question 33

According to Wubbholding (2011a) positive addiction characterizes the _______ stage of healthy, growth progression.

A) first
B) second
C) third
D) None of the above

Question 34

Reality therapy uses which of the following forms of client assessment?

A) structured interview
B) standardized testing
C) DSM criteria
D) No assessment or formal diagnosis