Questions that Make My Brain Hurt!

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"All of the following are true EXCEPT?"

"Which of the these interventions is the LEAST appropriate?"

"What is NOT likely in this situation?"

These are my most difficult questions. The ones in which are worded in negative ways such as LEAST, EXCEPT, NOT... I have found that sometimes my eyes will simply overlook the negative word and I am left confused because then the question or options provided don’t make sense. Other times, I am spending too much time going back and forth between the options and question trying to flip the meaning of the question in my brain until I feel like my brain is literally hurting! Have you felt this way before with answering questions? I think it is because these questions are hard! We spend the vast majority of this exam trying to find the correct answer, then every so often we are asked to find the wrong answer, or the one that isn’t like the others.

So first read the question below:

All of the following are true statements about dual relationships EXCEPT?

a. Dual relationships have the potential to blur the boundaries between a therapist and client.

b. Dual relationships are prohibited by the code of ethics.

c. Dual relationships enhance the potential for exploitation and abuse of power.

d. Dual relationships can cause a conflict of interest.

So again, we are looking for the one that doesn’t fit. The best strategy I have found is flipping the question around to a positive. For example, in my head, I would change the question to “Which of the three options below are true statements about dual relationships?” I see that A is an example of one since it could definitely blur the boundaries. I see that option C is true for dual relationships as well, as it does increase the potential for exploitation and abuse of power. Option D is correct because we know that dual relationships can cause a conflict of interest. That leaves B for me to consider. We know that not all dual relationships are considered unethical or unavoidable, therefore they would not be prohibited by our code of ethics. Since this is the answer that doesn’t fit, it is the correct answer! I hope this helps. Try out this strategy when you see these types of questions. I think it will save you time and headache! 

If you know of any other strategies that help with these types of questions, share your tips below in the comments!