Chapter 37: Quiz

1. The first step in evaluating a self-help book is: - A) Reading reviews on Amazon - B) Checking the author's credentials — do they have relevant training, research experience, and clinical practice? - C) Seeing if your friends recommend it - D) Checking the bestseller ranking

Answer: B. Credentials don't guarantee quality but are a useful starting signal.

2. A red flag in a self-help book's citation practices is: - A) A substantial bibliography of peer-reviewed sources - B) Vague references ("research shows") without specific citations, or no citations at all - C) Too many citations - D) Citations to meta-analyses

Answer: B. Vague or absent citations suggest the claims are not grounded in research.

3. The "Proprietary System" warning sign describes: - A) A book that cites peer-reviewed research - B) A branded, trademarked framework that doesn't appear in peer-reviewed literature — a product, not a discovery - C) A well-known therapy approach - D) A book by a university professor

Answer: B. If the framework exists only in the author's books and courses (not in independent research), it's marketing, not science.

4. Burns' Feeling Good is recommended because: - A) It's a bestseller - B) It's CBT-based and is one of the few self-help books with RCT evidence showing it reduces depression symptoms - C) It has the most celebrity endorsements - D) It was written by a celebrity

Answer: B. Feeling Good has actual trial evidence supporting its effectiveness — rare for a self-help book.

5. The chapter's overall message about self-help is: - A) All self-help is bad - B) All self-help is good - C) Some self-help is evidence-based and genuinely helpful; much is not — and the evaluation framework helps you distinguish between them - D) Only therapists can help you

Answer: C. The chapter provides tools for discrimination, not blanket endorsement or rejection.