References
These are the sources behind our study materials. Every practice question is original. They are drafted with AI assistance and then reviewed and approved by a marriage and family therapist.
Exam content and professional standards
Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards. (2026). Marital and family therapy national examination: Handbook for candidates (2027 ed.). Professional Testing Corporation.
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceAmerican Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (2026). AAMFT code of ethics.
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceAssociation of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards. (2021). Teletherapy & telesupervision guidelines II.
Official standard or guidelineVerified against source
Diagnosis and assessment
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceBernstein, R., & Jacobs, E. (2022). DSM-5-TR overview: QuickStudy digital reference guide. BarCharts Publishing.
Secondary summaryVerified against sourcePosner, K., Brown, G. K., Stanley, B., Brent, D. A., Yershova, K. V., Oquendo, M. A., Currier, G. W., Melvin, G. A., Greenhill, L., Shen, S., & Mann, J. J. (2011). The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale: Initial validity and internal consistency findings from three multisite studies with adolescents and adults. American Journal of Psychiatry, 168(12), 1266–1277. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10111704
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Alcohol use disorder: A comparison between DSM-IV and DSM-5. https://niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-use-disorder-comparison-between-dsm
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceBabor, T. F., Higgins-Biddle, J. C., Saunders, J. B., & Monteiro, M. G. (2001). AUDIT: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test: Guidelines for use in primary care (2nd ed.). World Health Organization.
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceGraham, J. M., Liu, Y. J., & Jeziorski, J. L. (2006). The Dyadic Adjustment Scale: A reliability generalization meta-analysis. Journal of Marriage and Family, 68(3), 701–717.
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceAssociation of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry. (n.d.). Mental status exam: Definitions. https://admsep.org/
Secondary summaryVerified against source
Family therapy models
Watters, Y., & Adamson, D. (Eds.). (2024). Foundational concepts and models of family therapy. Routledge.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceGriffin, W. A., & Greene, S. M. (1999). Models of family therapy: The essential guide. Routledge.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceNichols, M. P., & Davis, S. D. (2021). Family therapy: Concepts and methods (12th ed.). Pearson.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceA 13th edition (Davis & Nichols, 2027) came out in July 2026. Our content hasn't been checked against it yet.
Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and family therapy. Harvard University Press.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceJohnson, S. M. (2020). The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy: Creating connection (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceRussell, W. P., Breunlin, D. C., & Sahebi, B. (2023). Integrative systemic therapy in practice. Routledge.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceGottman, J. M. (2024). What predicts divorce? The relationship between marital processes and marital outcomes (Reissue ed.). Routledge.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceMcGoldrick, M., Gerson, R., & Petry, S. (2020). Genograms: Assessment and treatment (4th ed.). W. W. Norton.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourcePitta, P. (2015). Solving modern family dilemmas. Routledge.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceMinuchin, S., & Fishman, H. C. (1981). Family therapy techniques. Harvard University Press.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceChecked against Chapter 3, Joining.
Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (2015). The seven principles for making marriage work (Rev. ed.). Harmony Books.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceThe clinician confirmed the 69% figure for perpetual problems in a library ebook on 2026-11-08. Other details haven't been checked against this book.
Goldberg, R. M. (2017). Gottman method couples therapy. In J. Carlson & S. B. Dermer (Eds.), The SAGE encyclopedia of marriage, family, and couples counseling. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483369532
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourcePapernow, P. L. (2013). Surviving and thriving in stepfamily relationships: What works and what doesn't. Routledge.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceLebow, J. L., Chambers, A. L., & Breunlin, D. C. (Eds.). (2019). Encyclopedia of couple and family therapy. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49425-8
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceChecked entry by entry for the items that cite it, not read cover to cover.
Moini, S., & Jarvinen, M. (2019). Pseudomutuality in family systems. In J. L. Lebow, A. L. Chambers, & D. C. Breunlin (Eds.), Encyclopedia of couple and family therapy (pp. 2367–2369). Springer.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceRoddy, M. K., Nowlan, K. M., Doss, B. D., & Christensen, A. (2016). Integrative behavioral couple therapy: Theoretical background, empirical research, and dissemination. Family Process, 55(3), 408–422. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12223
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourcePayne, M. (2006). Narrative therapy: An introduction for counsellors (2nd ed.). SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446213322
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceNielsen, A. C. (2022). Integrative couple therapy in action: A practical guide for handling common relationship problems and crises. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/b22905
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceHartman, A. (1995). Diagrammatic assessment of family relationships. Families in Society, 76(2), 111.
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceEarnshaw, E. (2024). How stress affects relationships. The Gottman Institute. https://www.gottman.com/blog/how-stress-affects-relationships/
Secondary summaryVerified against sourceFredman, S. J., Vorstenbosch, V., Wagner, A. C., Macdonald, A., & Monson, C. M. (2014). Partner accommodation in posttraumatic stress disorder: Initial testing of the Significant Others' Responses to Trauma Scale (SORTS). Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(4), 372–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.04.001
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceCampbell, S. B., Renshaw, K. D., Kashdan, T. B., Curby, T. W., & Carter, S. P. (2017). A daily diary study of posttraumatic stress symptoms and romantic partner accommodation. Behavior Therapy, 48(2), 222–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2016.04.006
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceLebowitz, E. R., Marin, C., Martino, A., Shimshoni, Y., & Silverman, W. K. (2020). Parent-based treatment as efficacious as cognitive-behavioral therapy for childhood anxiety: A randomized noninferiority study of Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(3), 362–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2019.02.014
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceAbramowitz, J. S., Baucom, D. H., Boeding, S., Wheaton, M. G., Pukay-Martin, N. D., Fabricant, L. E., Paprocki, C., & Fischer, M. S. (2013). Treating obsessive-compulsive disorder in intimate relationships: A pilot study of couple-based cognitive-behavior therapy. Behavior Therapy, 44(3), 395–407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2013.02.005
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceLe Grange, D., Crosby, R. D., Rathouz, P. J., & Leventhal, B. L. (2007). A randomized controlled comparison of family-based treatment and supportive psychotherapy for adolescent bulimia nervosa. Archives of General Psychiatry, 64(9), 1049–1056. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.64.9.1049
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceMeyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674–697. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.5.674
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceHeatherington, L., Friedlander, M. L., & Escudero, V. (2019). Balancing alliances with couples and families. Psychotherapy Bulletin, 54(3), 21–24.
Secondary summaryVerified against sourceNational Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.). Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. https://www.nctsn.org/interventions/trauma-focused-cognitive-behavioral-therapy
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceCBT+ Initiative. (2011). Trauma-focused CBT A-PRACTICE checklist. University of Washington.
Secondary summaryVerified against sourceWalrath, R. (2011). Extinction burst. In S. Goldstein & J. A. Naglieri (Eds.), Encyclopedia of child behavior and development (pp. 626–627). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_1073
Secondary summaryVerified against sourceAdministration for Children and Families. (n.d.). Multisystemic therapy. Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse. https://preventionservices.acf.hhs.gov/programs/1019/show
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceMcDowell, T., Knudson-Martin, C., & Bermudez, J. M. (2023). Socioculturally attuned family therapy: Guidelines for equitable theory and practice (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003216520
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceOnly the sections used on this site were checked, in Chapters 2 and 3.
Tatarko, A., & Berry, J. W. (2024). Acculturation strategies and psychological adaptation of two generations of the same ethnic minority group in different sociopolitical contexts. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 100, Article 101970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2024.101970
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceFaber, A. J., Willerton, E., Clymer, S. R., MacDermid, S. M., & Weiss, H. M. (2008). Ambiguous absence, ambiguous presence: A qualitative study of military reserve families in wartime. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(2), 222–230.
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against source
Violence, crisis, and safety
Stith, S. M., McCollum, E. E., & Rosen, K. H. (2011). Couples therapy for domestic violence: Finding safe solutions. American Psychological Association.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceGlass, N., Laughon, K., Campbell, J., Block, C. R., Hanson, G., Sharps, P. W., & Taliaferro, E. (2008). Non-fatal strangulation is an important risk factor for homicide of women. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 35(3), 329–335.
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceBrymer, M., Jacobs, A., Layne, C., Pynoos, R., Ruzek, J., Steinberg, A., Vernberg, E., & Watson, P. (2006). Psychological first aid: Field operations guide (2nd ed.). National Child Traumatic Stress Network and National Center for PTSD. https://www.nctsn.org/resources/psychological-first-aid-pfa-field-operations-guide-2nd-edition
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceHobfoll, S. E., Watson, P., Bell, C. C., Bryant, R. A., Brymer, M. J., Friedman, M. J., Friedman, M., Gersons, B. P. R., de Jong, J. T. V. M., Layne, C. M., Maguen, S., Neria, Y., Norwood, A. E., Pynoos, R. S., Reissman, D., Ruzek, J. I., Shalev, A. Y., Solomon, Z., Steinberg, A. M., & Ursano, R. J. (2007). Five essential elements of immediate and mid-term mass trauma intervention: Empirical evidence. Psychiatry, 70(4), 283–315.
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceRose, S. C., Bisson, J., Churchill, R., & Wessely, S. (2002). Psychological debriefing for preventing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (2), Article CD000560. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000560
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceKlonsky, E. D., May, A. M., & Glenn, C. R. (2013). The relationship between nonsuicidal self-injury and attempted suicide: Converging evidence from four samples. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 122(1), 231–237. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030278
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceStanley, B., & Brown, G. K. (2012). Safety planning intervention: A brief intervention to mitigate suicide risk. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 19(2), 256–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2011.01.001
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA's concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach (HHS Publication No. SMA 14-4884).
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceChild Welfare Information Gateway. (2019). Mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau.
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceChecked against the 2019 edition. A 2023 update is available, and state laws change, so check your own state.
Administration for Community Living. (2026). What if I suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://acl.gov/programs/protection-and-advocacy-systems/what-if-i-suspect-abuse-neglect-or-exploitation
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceAdministration for Community Living. (n.d.). National Center on Elder Abuse. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://acl.gov/programs/elder-justice/national-center-elder-abuse
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). First aid for seizures. https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/first-aid-for-seizures/index.html
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceMedlinePlus. (2026). Anaphylaxis. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000844.htm
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceMedlinePlus. (n.d.). Bulimia. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000341.htm
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Lifesaving naloxone. https://www.cdc.gov/stop-overdose/caring/naloxone.html
Official standard or guidelineVerified against source988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. (n.d.). 988 Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/
Official standard or guidelineVerified against source
How people learn
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceCepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceRoediger, H. L., III, & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceRohrer, D., Dedrick, R. F., Hartwig, M. K., & Cheung, C.-N. (2020). A randomized controlled trial of interleaved mathematics practice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(1), 40–52. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000367
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against source
Laws and regulations
Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Enforcement, and Breach Notification Rules, 78 Fed. Reg. 5566 (Jan. 25, 2013).
Law or regulationVerified against sourceOffice for Civil Rights. (2003). Summary of the HIPAA privacy rule. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Law or regulationVerified against sourceU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Summary of the HIPAA security rule. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/laws-regulations/index.html
Law or regulationVerified against sourceU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Covered entities and business associates. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/covered-entities/index.html
Law or regulationVerified against sourceDefinitions, 45 C.F.R. § 164.501.
Law or regulationVerified against sourceUses and disclosures to carry out treatment, payment, or health care operations, 45 C.F.R. § 164.506.
Law or regulationVerified against sourceUses and disclosures for which an authorization is required, 45 C.F.R. § 164.508.
Law or regulationVerified against sourceUses and disclosures for which an authorization or opportunity to agree or object is not required, 45 C.F.R. § 164.512(e).
Law or regulationVerified against sourceAccess of individuals to protected health information, 45 C.F.R. § 164.524.
Law or regulationVerified against sourceU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024). Fact sheet: 42 CFR Part 2 final rule. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/regulatory-initiatives/fact-sheet-42-cfr-part-2-final-rule/
Law or regulationVerified against sourceU.S. Department of Education & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2019). Joint guidance on the application of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to student health records. https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/resources/joint-guidance-application-ferpa-and-hipaa-student-health-records
Law or regulationVerified against sourceJaffee v. Redmond, 518 U.S. 1 (1996).
Law or regulationVerified against sourceTarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, 17 Cal. 3d 425 (1976).
Law or regulationVerified against sourceUtah Code Ann. § 58-60-114 (2023).
Law or regulationVerified against sourceAnti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b).
Law or regulationVerified against sourceLimitation on Certain Physician Referrals (Stark Law), 42 U.S.C. § 1395nn.
Law or regulationVerified against sourceFalse Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733.
Law or regulationVerified against sourceRecupero, P. R., & Rainey, S. E. (2007). Liability and risk management in outpatient psychotherapy supervision. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 35(2), 188–195.
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against source
Treatment, medication, and research
National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Fluoxetine tablets: Prescribing information [Boxed warning: Suicidal thoughts and behaviors]. DailyMed. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=a04a5bed-d051-4bb4-ae20-b09b10d5c181
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceU.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Lithium: Prescribing information.
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2012). SAMHSA's working definition of recovery (Publication No. PEP12-RECDEF).
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceAPA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice. (2006). Evidence-based practice in psychology. American Psychologist, 61(4), 271–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.61.4.271
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceUnicomb, R., Colyvas, K., Harrison, E., & Hewat, S. (2015). Assessment of reliable change using 95% credible intervals for the differences in proportions: A statistical analysis for case-study methodology. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 58(3), 728–739. https://doi.org/10.1044/2015_JSLHR-S-14-0158
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceMiller, R. B., & Johnson, L. N. (Eds.). (2026). Advanced methods in family therapy research: A focus on validity and change (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Clinical or theoretical textVerified against sourceKratochwill, T. R., Hitchcock, J., Horner, R. H., Levin, J. R., Odom, S. L., Rindskopf, D. M., & Shadish, W. R. (2010). Single-case design technical documentation (Version 1.0, pilot). What Works Clearinghouse.
Official standard or guidelineVerified against sourceMiller, S. D., Duncan, B. L., Brown, J., Sorrell, R., & Chalk, M. B. (2006). Using formal client feedback to improve retention and outcome: Making ongoing, real-time assessment feasible. Journal of Brief Therapy, 5(1), 5–22.
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceRoozen, H. G., de Waart, R., & van der Kroft, P. (2010). Community reinforcement and family training: An effective option to engage treatment-resistant substance-abusing individuals in treatment. Addiction, 105(10), 1729–1738. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03016.x
Peer-reviewed researchVerified against sourceNevada Medicaid. (2026). Outpatient mental health treatment plan components and documentation: Fact sheet. https://www.medicaid.nv.gov/
Official standard or guidelineVerified against source
What the labels mean
Each source has two labels: what kind of evidence it is, and whether we've verified our content against it.
Type of evidence
- Peer-reviewed research
- Studies, systematic reviews, and articles published in peer-reviewed journals.
- Official standard or guideline
- The exam handbook, the AAMFT Code, the DSM-5-TR, and guidance from professional bodies and government agencies.
- Law or regulation
- Statutes, regulations, and court decisions, along with official summaries of them.
- Clinical or theoretical text
- Books by the developers of a model or by leading clinicians and scholars. Foundational theory texts are the primary source for how a model works.
- Secondary summary
- A summary of another source, used only alongside the original.
Verification
- Verified against source
- We compared specific questions and study content with this source, or the relevant part of it.
- Cited, not yet verified
- Content cites this source, but we haven't yet compared it with the original. Treat it as a pointer for further study.
Please keep in mind
- Listing a source doesn't mean its authors or publishers endorse MFT Study Buddy.
- We don't host copies of these works. Please use the publisher, a library, or a purchased copy.
- AMFTRB doesn't recommend study materials beyond its own handbook and practice test.
- Laws vary by state and change over time, so check your own jurisdiction. This page isn't legal advice.