Counselor Education Comprehensive Exam (CECE) Practice Exam

Which therapeutic approach is linked to the concepts of inferiority complex and birth order?

1. Alfred Adler

2. Carl Jung

3. Sigmund Freud

4. Harry Stack Sullivan

The correct answer is: Alfred Adler

The therapeutic approach linked to the concepts of inferiority complex and birth order is primarily associated with Alfred Adler. Adlerian psychology emphasizes the importance of social interest and community feeling, positing that individuals are motivated by a desire to overcome feelings of inferiority that stem from their childhood experiences and relative social standing. Adler introduced the idea of the inferiority complex, suggesting that feelings of inadequacy can lead to various psychological issues if not addressed. He also explored how one's position within the family, particularly birth order, can significantly influence personality development and behavior. For example, firstborns, middle children, and youngest siblings are believed to develop differing characteristics as a response to their unique familial positions. In contrast, while Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Harry Stack Sullivan made significant contributions to psychology, their theories do not emphasize the concepts of inferiority complex or birth order in the same way that Adler's work does. Jung focused on archetypes and the collective unconscious, Freud concentrated on psychoanalysis and the influence of unconscious processes, and Sullivan examined interpersonal relationships, but none specifically connect to Adler's notions regarding inferiority and family dynamics.