MFT Therapy Exam Prep 2026 practice questions and answers. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q21The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) impacts marriage and family therapists in which of the following ways:
✓ Correct answer: C. Marriage and family therapists must ensure the confidentiality and security of clients' healthcare information.
Answer: Marriage and family therapists must ensure the confidentiality and security of clients' healthcare information. HIPAA requires therapists to maintain the privacy and integrity of clients' health records and sensitive information. This is a legal requirement designed to protect patient data and enforce strict confidentiality standards.
Q22John is a therapist at a private practice. He begins sessions with Elena, a 25-year-old who's struggling with her sexual orientation. During their fourth session, Elena mentions she's considering coming out to her family. John, who has strong conservative beliefs, acknowledges that his beliefs should not affect Elena's decision. Nonetheless, he provides her with materials emphasizing the potential family conflicts that may arise from coming out. In doing so, John potentially breached which ethical principle?
✓ Correct answer: D. Client autonomy
Answer: Client autonomy. By providing materials that may influence Elena's decision against coming out, John could be seen as undermining her autonomy. This situation does not indicate client abandonment, nor does it necessarily involve the therapist's personal interests inappropriately. Informed consent is not the primary issue here.
Q23In cases of suspected domestic violence, a family therapist "acts in good faith" when they:
✓ Correct answer: C. report suspected cases of domestic violence.
Answer: report suspected cases of domestic violence. Acting "in good faith" refers to reporting suspected cases of domestic violence when there is reasonable cause. Family therapists should make a proper assessment, but no state demands that reporters have absolute proof of violence before making a report.
Q24A female therapist tweets about a high-profile celebrity, alleging that this person exhibits symptoms of borderline personality disorder. In her tweet, she elaborates on behaviors she believes are indicative of this disorder. This therapist may have created a potential ethical issue by:
✓ Correct answer: B. offering a diagnosis without formally assessing the individual.
Answer: offering a diagnosis without formally assessing the individual. It is essential for mental health professionals, including therapists, to avoid diagnosing individuals without directly working with them. This principle is encapsulated in The Goldwater Rule. Additionally, making diagnoses based only on observable behaviors and without a full assessment can be considered "armchair diagnosing" and is generally frowned upon in the profession.
Q25Which of the following MOST accurately describes an ethical boundary issue in a therapeutic setting?
✓ Correct answer: A. A therapist initiating a personal relationship with a client
Answer: A therapist initiating a personal relationship with a client. Creating a personal relationship with a client can compromise the therapeutic relationship and lead to significant ethical violations. Using techniques from different modalities, attending a client's event, and referring to another therapist, under appropriate circumstances, may be professionally acceptable.
Q26You are working with a client, Lisa (30), who is undergoing therapy due to a recent job loss which has triggered her depression. During sessions, whenever the topic of finding a new job comes up, Lisa becomes visibly distressed, often crying intensely and saying, "I just can't handle this...I can't think about this." Her reaction BEST highlights:
✓ Correct answer: B. Her becoming flooded
Answer: Her becoming flooded Such hyperarousal likely indicates Lisa becoming flooded during the session. If she kept rationalizing her behavior, that might be a form of defensiveness. Although she may want to avoid talking about the topic, her intense physiological symptoms show that flooding is more likely the case than becoming avoidant. Becoming avoidant might look like intellectualizing or even minimizing the impact. Stonewalling would typically include having a stoic, detached, withdrawn stance.
Q27In which type of therapy would a therapist likely engage in individual sessions with a parent while still involving the child in the therapeutic process?
✓ Correct answer: B. Filial therapy
Answer: Filial therapy Filial therapy often involves individual sessions with a parent while still incorporating the child into the therapeutic process. This method enhances the parent's ability to address the child's emotional needs within the familial context. This approach is distinct from other models like structural family therapy, cognitive-behavioral family therapy, or multisystemic therapy, which do not typically involve individual sessions with a parent.
Q28A cognitive-behavioral therapist is working with a young adult woman experiencing anxiety. The woman reports feeling "overwhelmed by daily responsibilities and constant worrying." She believes therapy hasn't been effective in the past but wants to give it another try. This therapist would MOST LIKELY create a middle-phase treatment goal that consists of:
✓ Correct answer: C. Working with the client to develop specific coping strategies and measure their effectiveness
Answer: Working with the client to develop specific coping strategies and measure their effectiveness. This goal is common in the middle phase of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Exploring unaddressed issues is commonly done during the early phase. We do not know if the client has low self-confidence, and we also do not know that the client is uncommitted to therapy.
Q29You have been asked to provide couples counseling for a married pair who struggles to communicate effectively. During the first session, the husband attends alone and states that his wife is busy and will try to attend future sessions. As a systemic therapist, you might do all the following EXCEPT:
✓ Correct answer: B. Refuse to continue the session unless the husband agrees not to discuss his wife
Answer: Refuse to continue the session unless the husband agrees not to discuss his wife As part of systemic thinking, it is important to consider the role each partner plays in the relationship, whether they are present or not. It would not be appropriate to expect the husband to avoid discussing his wife's role in their communication problems. You may choose to continue the session and explore the husband's perspective or suggest rescheduling to ensure both partners can attend. It might also be appropriate to postpone the session until confirming future attendance by both partners, dependent on the therapy approach and presenting issues.
Q30How does the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) currently view the practice of using mindfulness techniques to treat anxiety?
✓ Correct answer: A. They support the use of mindfulness techniques as an evidence-based practice to help treat anxiety.
Answer: They support the use of mindfulness techniques as an evidence-based practice to help treat anxiety. The AAMFT endorses mindfulness techniques as they have been shown through research to be effective in reducing anxiety. These techniques are seen as complementary to other therapeutic interventions, helping clients manage symptoms and improve mental well-being. The AAMFT would not view mindfulness as simply a personal choice or require a medical professional's prescription. Additionally, they do not discourage its use due to interference concerns, but rather promote it as part of an integrative treatment plan.
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