From the options given below, which of the following are not goals of…

From the options given below, which of the following are not goals of psychotherapy.

A. Lessening emotional pressure.
B. Enhancing conditional positive regard.
C. Enhancing interpersonal relations and communications.
D. Increasing sympathy.
E. Becoming aware of one's choices in life.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 4

The correct answer is Option (4) → B and D only

A. Lessening emotional pressure. A goal of psychotherapy. Lessening emotional pressure is one of the goals that all psychotherapies aim at.

B. Enhancing conditional positive regard. Not a goal. The therapist offers unconditional positive regard: the same positive feelings towards the client whatever the client has done. Regard that depends on conditions is the very thing therapy avoids, so enhancing it cannot be a goal.

C. Enhancing interpersonal relations and communications. A goal of psychotherapy. Improving interpersonal relations and communication is among the goals of psychotherapy.

D. Increasing sympathy. Not a goal. Sympathy is compassion and pity for another’s suffering without being able to feel like that person. Therapy relies on the therapist’s empathy, which is different from sympathy, and increasing sympathy is not among its aims.

E. Becoming aware of one’s choices in life. A goal of psychotherapy. Becoming aware of one’s choices in life is one of the goals of psychotherapy.

NCERT (2025-26): “Nature and Process of Psychotherapy … All psychotherapies aim at a few or all of the following goals :

(i) Reinforcing client’s resolve for betterment.
(ii) Lessening emotional pressure.
(iii) Unfolding the potential for positive growth.
(iv) Modifying habits.
(v) Changing thinking patterns.
(vi) Increasing self-awareness.
(vii) Improving interpersonal relations and communication.
(viii) Facilitating decision-making.
(ix) Becoming aware of one’s choices in life.
(x) Relating to one’s social environment in a more creative and self-aware manner.…”

“Therapeutic Relationship … The therapist conveys by her/his words and behaviours that s/he is not judging the client and will continue to show the same positive feelings towards the client even if the client is rude or confides all the ‘wrong’ things that s/he may have done or thought about. This is the unconditional positive regard which the therapist has for the client. The therapist has empathy for the client. Empathy is different from sympathy and intellectual understanding of another person’s situation. In sympathy, one has compassion and pity towards the suffering of another but is not able to feel like the other person.…”