Chapter 1 2 Feminist Therapy

Question 1

Using male-oriented constructs
to draw conclusions about human, including female,
nature.

Answer 1

Androcentric

Question 2

These feminists believe oppression
stems from society’s devaluation of women’s
strength, values, and roles. They believe the
solution to oppression lies in feminization of the
culture so that society becomes more nurturing,
intuitive, subjective, cooperative, and relational.
development.

Answer 2

Cultural feminists

Question 3

Assumes that personality patterns
and behavior are fi xed at an early stage of

Power should be balanced
in a relationship. In feminist therapy the
voices of the oppressed are acknowledged as authoritative
and valuable sources of knowledge.

Answer 3

Deterministic

Egalitarian relationship

Question 4

The idea that one’s own cultural
group is superior to others and that other
groups should be judged based on one’s own
standards.

Answer 4

Ethnocentrism

Question 5

Uses concepts
and strategies that apply equally to individuals
and groups regardless of age, race, culture,
gender, ability, class, or sexual orientation.

Answer 5

Flexible–multicultural perspective

Question 6

Believing that there are two separate
paths of development for women and men.
Gender-fair approaches Explain differences
in the behavior of women and men in terms of
socialization processes rather than on the basis
of our “innate” natures, thus avoiding stereotypes
in social roles and interpersonal behavior.

Answer 6

Gendercentric

Question 7

Explains differences
in the behavior of women and men in terms of
socialization processes rather than viewing gender
differences as fi xed in nature.

Answer 7

Gender-neutral theory

Question 8

Used to help clients understand
the impact of gender-role expectations
in their lives. Some feminist therapists prefer to
use the term “social identity analysis” rather than
gender-role analysis, to refl ect the importance of
assessing all relevant aspects of a client’s identity.

Answer 8

Gender-role analysis

Question 9

Provides clients
with insight into the ways social issues affect
their problems.

Answer 9

Gender-role intervention

Question 10

An organized set of mental associations
people use to interpret their perceptions
about gender.

Answer 10

Gender schema

Question 11

This approach
takes a worldwide perspective and seeks
to understand the ways in which racism, sexism,
economics, and classism affect women in different
countries.

Answer 11

Global/international feminism

Question 12

Views a heterosexual orientation
as normative and desirable and devalues samesex
relationships.

Answer 12

Heterosexist

Question 13

Concepts specifi c to the thinking,
feeling, and behaving dimensions of human
experience that account for contextual and environmental
factors.

Answer 13

Interactionist

Question 14

Attributing behavior
to internal causes, which often results in blaming
the victim and ignoring sociocultural and political
factors.

Answer 14

Intrapsychic orientation

Question 15

This group of feminists
views women’s oppression as related to heterosexism
and sexualized images of women.

Answer 15

Lesbian feminists

Question 16

These feminists focus on
helping individual women overcome the limits
and constraints of traditional gender-role socialization
patterns; they argue for a transformation
from accepting traditional gender roles to creating
equal opportunities for both women and men.

Answer 16

Liberal feminists

Question 17

Assumes that human
development is a lifelong process and that personality
patterns and behavioral changes can
occur at any time.

Answer 17

Life-span perspective

Question 18

Individuals’ personal
problems have social and political causes. Therapy
is aimed at helping clients change their
own behavior and become active participants in
transforming society.

Answer 18

Personal is political

Question 19

This group of feminists
provides a model for critiquing other traditional
and feminist approaches, addressing the issue of
what constitutes reality and proposing multiple
truths as opposed to a single truth.

Answer 19

Postmodern feminists

Question 20

Emphasis is on the power
difference between men and women in society.
Clients are helped to recognize different kinds
of power they possess and how they and others
exercise power.

Answer 20

Power analysis

Question 21

This group of feminists focuses
on the oppression of women that is embedded
in patriarchy and seek to change society
through activism and equalizing power.

Answer 21

Radical feminists

Question 22

A technique whereby the counselor
changes the frame of reference for looking at an
individual’s behavior. There is a shift from an intrapersonal
(or “blaming the victim”) stance to
a consideration of social factors in the environment
that contribute to a client’s problem.

Answer 22

Reframing

Question 23

An intervention that changes the
label or evaluation applied to the client’s behavioral
characteristics. Generally, the focus is
shifted from a negative to a positive evaluation.

Answer 23

Relabeling

Question 24

A perspective suggesting
that a woman’s sense of identity and selfconcept
develop in the context of relationships.

Answer 24

Relational-cultural theory

Question 25

The idea that a woman’s sense
of self depends largely on how she connects with
others.

Answer 25

Self-in-relation

Question 26

Participating in some activity
outside of the therapy office (such as some
kind of volunteer work in the community) that
is likely to empower clients by helping them see
the link between their personal experiences and
the social context in which they live.

Answer 26

Social action

Question 27

These feminists aim to
transform social relationships and institutions.
They focus on multiple oppressions and believe
solutions to society’s problems must include considerations
of class, race, sexual orientation, economics,
nationality, and history.

Answer 27

Socialist feminists

Question 28

An invisible package of unearned
assets White people enjoy that are not extended
to people of color.

Answer 28

White privilege

Question 29

This group of feminists
believes it is essential that feminist theory
be broadened and made more inclusive by addressing
multiple oppressions, taking into consideration
privilege and power, and emphasizing
activism.

Answer 29

Women of color feminists

Question 30

1. Although feminist therapy addresses
social and political issues
pertaining to gender-role stereotyping,
this approach does not address
most other forms of oppression.

Answer 30

f

Question 31

T F 2. One of the goals of feminist therapy
is to help women understand how
sexist and oppressive societal beliefs
and practices infl uence them in
negative ways.

Answer 31

t

Question 32

T F 3. A criticism of feminist therapy is
that it was developed by White,
middle-class, heterosexual women.

Answer 32

t

Question 33

T F 4. Therapist self-disclosure is rarely
used in feminist therapy.
.

Answer 33

f

Question 34

T F 5. Gender-role analysis involves a cooperative
exploration by client and
therapist of the impact of gender on
the client’s distress.

Answer 34

t

Question 35

T F 6. In feminist therapy, clients are
viewed as active participants in redefi
ning themselves in the context of
the therapeutic relationship, rather
than the therapist being viewed as
the best or “expert” source

Answer 35

t

Question 36

7. Feminist therapy is an approach
   that is applicable to women but not
   to men.

Answer 36

f

Question 37

T F 8. Instead of being diverse, feminist
practice is a single and unified
approach to therapy.

Answer 37

f

Question 38

T F 9. Women now are assuming positions
of leadership in government
and business, and this can be interpreted
to mean that women no
longer have difficulty making life
choices.

Answer 38

f

Question 39

T F 10. It is probably accurate to say that
in today’s society barriers no longer
stand in the way of gender equity.

Answer 39

f

Question 40

11. Which branch of feminist therapy
provides a model for critiquing the
value of other traditional and feminist
approaches?
a. postmodern feminism
b. women of color feminism
c. lesbian feminism
d. global/international feminism
e. none of the above

Answer 40

a

Question 41

12. All of the following are considered
aspects of the “third wave” of feminist
perspectives except for
a. postmodern feminism.
b. women of color feminism.
c. lesbian feminism.
d. cultural feminism.
e. global/international feminism.

Answer 41

d

Question 42

13. All of the following are ways feminist
therapy differs from traditional
therapy except for
a. viewing problems in a sociopolitical
and cultural context.
b. demystifying the therapeutic
process.
c. accepting the premise that diagnosis
is a basic prerequisite for
effective treatment.
d. creating a therapeutic relationship
that is egalitarian.
e. recognizing that clients
know what is best for their
life and are experts in their
own life.

Answer 42

c

Question 43

14. Which of the following interventions
is least likely to be used by a
feminist therapist?
a. analysis and interpretation of
transference
b. sex-role analysis and intervention
c. power analysis and intervention
d. encouraging clients to take
social action
e. assertiveness training

Answer 43

a

Question 44

15. Which of the following is considered
to be a major contribution feminists
have made to the fi eld of counseling?
a. pioneering research in the therapy
process
b. creating a brief, solution-focused
therapy approach
c. integrating a diagnostic perspective
in counseling practice
d. paving the way for gender-sensitive
practice

Answer 44

d

Question 45

16. A goal of feminist therapy is to empower
all people to create a world
of equality that is refl ected at which
of the following levels?
a. individual and interpersonal
b. institutional
c. national
d. global
e. all of the above

Answer 45

e

Question 46

17. Feminist therapists refer to
    a. women’s problems as a refl ection
    of hormonal imbalances.
    b. distress rather than psychopathology.
    c. feelings of emptiness and invisibility
    as defi cits in one’s psychic
    structure.
    d. women’s anger as a refl ection of
    the aggressive drive.

Answer 46

b

Question 47

18. The feminist philosophy that emphasizes
the differences between
women and men and views the goal
of therapy as being the infusion of
cooperative values in society is
a. liberal feminism.
b. cultural feminism.
c. postmodern feminism.
d. social feminism.

Answer 47

b

Question 48

19. The feminist philosophy that emphasizes
helping individual women
overcome the limits and constraints
of their socialization problems is
a. liberal feminism.
b. cultural feminism.
c. global/international feminism.
d. social feminism.

Answer 48

a

Question 49

20. This approach to feminism focuses
on multiple oppressions and has the
goal of transforming social relationships
and institutions.
a. liberal feminism
b. cultural feminism
c. radical feminism
d. social feminism

Answer 49

d

Question 50

21. Feminist therapists use self-disclosure
to
a. equalize the client–therapist
relationship.
b. normalize women’s collective
experiences.
c. empower clients.
d. establish informed consent.
e. all of the above

Answer 50

e

Question 51

22. Part of the feminist critique of assessment
and diagnosis is that these
procedures
a. are often based on sexist
assumptions.
b. minimize the effect of environmental
factors that infl uence
behavior.
c. provide different treatments to
women and men who display
similar symptoms.
d. tend to reinforce gender-role stereotypes
and encourage adjustment
to the status quo.
e. do all of the above.

Answer 51

e

Question 52

23. Which of the following is not considered
to be a basic principle of
feminist therapy?
a. All types of oppression are recognized.
b. Commitment to social change.
c. Defi nitions of psychological
distress and mental illness are
based on the DSM-IV-TR.
d. Counseling is based on a relationship
that is egalitarian.
e. The personal is political.

Answer 52

c

Question 53

24. What perspective calls for feminist
theory to include an analysis of
multiple identities and their relationship
to oppression?
a. postmodern feminism
b. lesbian feminism
c. radical feminism
d. cultural feminism
e. liberal feminism

Answer 53

b

Question 54

25. Which of the following statements
about feminist therapy is not true?
a. Therapy is relatively short term.
b. The model underlying practice
tends to be static.
c. A goal is to replace the current
patriarchal system with feminist
consciousness.
d. Women are encouraged to defi ne
themselves rather than being defi
ned by societal demands.
e. Feminist therapy differs from
traditional therapy in a number
of ways.

Answer 54

b