A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for disulfiram (Antabuse) for treatment of alcohol use disorder.

The nurse informs the client the medication can cause nausea and vomiting when alcohol is consumed.

Which of the following types of therapy is this method an example of?

Choice A rationale

The working phase is the central phase of the therapeutic relationship, dedicated to problem identification, exploration of stressors, and the development and testing of new coping mechanisms. It is during this phase that the patient's identified issues are intensely explored and resolved as the nurse and patient work collaboratively towards achieving established goals.

Choice B rationale

The preorientation phase occurs before the first face-to-face encounter. The nurse's activities involve data gathering and self-assessment, such as reviewing the patient's chart, understanding the clinical context, and examining their own feelings, to prepare for the interaction. No direct patient issues are explored or resolved here.

Choice C rationale

The orientation phase is the initial period focused on establishing rapport, clarifying roles, setting goals, and establishing a contract for the relationship. While issues are identified, the in-depth work of exploring and resolving those issues has not yet begun; the foundation is merely being laid.

Choice D rationale

The termination phase is the final stage, focusing on summarizing goals achieved, reviewing the experience, and preparing for separation. The primary goal is to conclude the relationship therapeutically and ensure the patient can maintain gains, not to introduce or resolve new major issues.

Choice A rationale

Aversion therapy is a behavioral therapy that uses the principles of classical conditioning to help a client reduce or stop an undesirable behavior, such as alcohol consumption. It pairs the unwanted behavior with a noxious stimulus, which, in the case of disulfiram, is the unpleasant physical reaction (nausea, vomiting) caused by acetaldehyde accumulation from alcohol metabolism blockade. This creates a conditioned aversion to alcohol.

Choice B rationale

Biofeedback is a technique that teaches a client to control involuntary physiological responses, such as heart rate or muscle tension, by providing real-time visual or auditory feedback about these functions. It operates on the basis of operant conditioning, allowing the client to modify their responses to achieve a desired physical state, and it is not typically used to directly treat substance use disorder in this manner.

Choice C rationale

Flooding is an exposure-based behavioral therapy used primarily for anxiety disorders, such as phobias. It involves exposing the client to a maximally anxiety-provoking stimulus (the feared object or situation) for a prolonged period, preventing escape, which allows habituation and extinction of the conditioned fear response to occur. This is not the mechanism of action for disulfiram.

Choice D rationale

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapy originally developed for clients with borderline personality disorder. It combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness and emotional regulation strategies. DBT is a structured, long-term approach focusing on skills training and is distinct from the pharmacologically-induced classical conditioning of aversion therapy.