Which technique is aimed at giving the client coping tools to restructure thoughts leading to stress and to rehearse the behavior changes in order to solve emotional problems?

• A. Aloneness
• B. Polarized Thinking
• C. Role-playing
• D. Stress-inoculation training

Answer: (D)

Stress-inoculation training builds coping tools to reshape how a person thinks about stress and to practice the behaviors that reduce emotional problems. It combines cognitive strategies—like reframing stressful thoughts and developing problem-solving plans—with behavioral rehearsal, so clients can apply these skills in real-life situations. A hallmark of this approach is practicing the new responses under guided, simulated stress, which helps transfer the skills to everyday life. Developed by Meichenbaum, it typically unfolds in stages: psychoeducation about stress, skills acquisition and rehearsal (including cognitive coping, relaxation, and problem-solving), and real-world application. While role-playing is a technique often used within this framework, the overall method described—providing coping tools, restructuring thoughts, and rehearsing behavior changes to tackle emotional issues—is stress-inoculation training.