Social Work Examination Services (SWES) Human Behavior Practice Test

Supportive therapy is least appropriate when a client is seeking what?

1. Self-awareness

2. Emotional stability

3. Peer support

4. Behavioral change

The correct answer is: Self-awareness

Supportive therapy primarily aims to provide emotional support, enhance coping mechanisms, and foster a positive therapeutic relationship. It is particularly effective in helping clients deal with immediate emotional distress and providing a safe space for expressing feelings. However, when a client is seeking self-awareness, they are typically looking for deeper insights into their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, often requiring more theoretically rigorous or exploratory approaches, such as insight-oriented therapy or psychodynamic therapy. These methods actively help clients understand their underlying motivations and the roots of their behaviors. In contrast, clients seeking emotional stability, peer support, or behavioral change may find supportive therapy more aligned with their needs. Emotional stability comes from the kind of environment supportive therapy provides, fostering a sense of security. Peer support, similarly, is inherent in the supportive therapy framework, as it encourages a sense of belonging and understanding. Lastly, while supportive therapy might not specifically focus on behavioral change, it can provide the stability and encouragement necessary for clients to eventually pursue changes in their behavior. Therefore, the least appropriate context for supportive therapy is when a client is focused on achieving self-awareness, as this requires a more in-depth exploratory approach.