Which term describes the process of helping a client work through irrational beliefs by practicing new behaviors?

• A. Role-playing
• B. Selective abstraction
• C. Stress-inoculation training
• D. Aloneness

Answer: (A)

Role-playing is a technique from cognitive-behavioral approaches that lets clients rehearse new responses to real-life situations in a safe setting. By acting out scenarios, they can test irrational beliefs in the moment and notice how alternative behaviors lead to different, more adaptive outcomes. This experiential practice helps solidify new ways of thinking and behaving, making it easier to apply them outside therapy.

Selective abstraction is a cognitive distortion that focuses on a single negative detail, not a behavioral rehearsal. Stress-inoculation training is a broader CBT method that builds coping skills and gradually exposes clients to stressors, not specifically about practicing new beliefs through role play. Aloneness isn’t a therapy technique.