Which therapy is brief, outcome-oriented, and centers on the client's future behavior?

• A. Cognitive therapy
• B. Reality therapy
• C. Solution-focused therapy
• D. Existential therapy

Answer: (C)

The main idea tested is a therapy approach that is brief, focuses on outcomes, and centers on what the client will do in the future. Solution-focused therapy fits this perfectly because it is designed to be short-term and highly goal-driven. The therapist collaborates with the client to identify clear, future-based goals and then works backward from those goals to determine practical steps the client can take next. Instead of dwelling on past problems, it uses future-oriented questions—like asking what would be different if a miracle happened overnight or how the client would notice progress on a scale—to uncover concrete actions and resources. Progress is judged by what the client can do or change moving forward, which keeps the work focused on real, actionable outcomes.

Other approaches tend to center on different aspects. For example, some therapies emphasize changing distorted thoughts and may involve longer, more structured work; others focus on present choices and accountability without the same explicit emphasis on short-term, future behavior, or may explore broader questions of meaning. But the solution-focused approach stands out for its brevity, concrete future goals, and emphasis on the client’s next steps toward desired change.