Getting Started and Starting Play

GETTING STARTED AND STARTING PLAY: THE PSYCHOTHERAPIST’S STANCE AND THE BEGINNING PHASE OF THERAPY

CHAPTER 2 Multiple Choice Questions

One of the basic premises of psychodynamic child psychotherapy is the dynamic 1. point of view which assumes that :

Children’s behavior is mediated by mental states, like thoughts, feelings, A. needs and desires Most of the motives of children’s behavior are unconscious B. Children’s behavior, however ;painful, bizarre or maladaptive, is meaningful C. and intentional A & C D. All of the above E.

Repression 2.

Is only present in neurotic adults A. Is a defensive process by which attention is shifted away from painful or B. conflictive mental states Results in procedural patterns of feelings and response that are not C. accessible to subjective experience A & C D. All of the above E.

The developmental premise of psychodynamic child psychotherapy 3. Informs an aim of therapy: to help children free themselves from being “stuck” A. in repeating patterns of coping and experience Provides a goal of therapy: to reinstate children in the path of development B. Suggest that the currents of feelings, needs and conflict from past C. relationships will be transferred to the current relationship with the therapist A & C D. All of the above E.

Resistance to change 4.

Is best understood as the consequence of children’s experience of trauma A. Is best managed by reassuring children that their fear of change is not B. rational Is an expectable consequence of how behavior – including symptomatic C. behavior – is typically the child’s best effort to cope with his conflicts and environment A & C D. All of the above E.

Among the pioneers of psychodynamic child psychotherapy 5.

Hermine Hug-Helmuth was the first to use children’s spontaneous play to gain A. access to children’s inner world of subjective experience Melanie Klein used play to interpret children’s fantasies as experienced in the B. relationship with the therapist Anna Freud focused on understanding children’s conflicts and defenses and C. educating parents and teachers A & C D. All of the above E. Play can communicate 6.

Experiences of the past, the present and the relationship with the therapist A. Mostly an effort of children to distract themselves from their conflicts, thus the B. therapist should gently guide children to replace playing with the direct communication in words A central therapeutic mechanism of psychodynamic therapy which is C. achieved by promoting children’s capacity to engage in reciprocal, symbolic play A & C D. All of the above E.

The “stance” of the therapist in psychodynamic child psychotherapy 7.

Communicates interest in engaging with the child, validates his/her A. experience and follows the child’s leads Should reflect neutrality, no gratification, and the anonymity necessary to B. promote the development of a transference relationship Helps children understand the unconscious meaning of his/her play by C. vigorously interpreting with an attitude of confidence and conviction that helps children feel safe A & C D. All of the above E.

To start a psychodynamic child psychotherapy session the therapist 8.

Follows the child’s lead A. Is tentative in his understanding and interpretation B. Sets “rules of playing” designed to make the expression of feelings safe C. A & C D. All of the above E. Signs of breakdown in the reciprocal and symbolic quality of the child’s play 9.

Are marked by a breakdown of give – and – take, turn – taking, coherence or A. “making sense” of the narrative of the play, and more coercive behavior, rigidity Are an indication for the therapist to set limits and reassure the child B. Are an indication for the therapist to interpret resistances the child C. experiences in the transference A & C D. All of the above E.

To promote engagement and symbolic, reciprocal play 10.

Therapists talk uses simple, brief, jargon-free language that is not patronizing A. but is respectful of children’s capacities Asks questions that encourage elaboration, exploration and expression of B. thoughts and feelings in the play Notices and highlights when children recognize, express, and/or link thoughts C. and feelings to actions and problems A & C D. All of the above E.

**For answers to the test, refer to “Answers to Test.Chapter 2” on the website