What is a plausible reason a client may have difficulty implementing an action plan?

What is a plausible reason a client may have difficulty implementing an action plan?

• A. The action may be undesirable from the client's viewpoint.
• B. The action may have been desirable from the client's viewpoint but too novel to carry out, and the client may be reluctant to give up the rewards associated with the old behavior.
• C. The client lacks the cognitive ability to plan.
• D. The client is not motivated to change at all.

Answer: (B)

People often struggle to carry out an action plan when the plan is appealing but new, and the old behavior still delivers rewards. If the change is desirable, motivation is present, but the novelty of the new approach creates uncertainty and extra effort. The client may be reluctant to abandon the familiar routine that currently provides predictable rewards, making it hard to start or sustain the new behavior. This combination of desirability with unfamiliarity and the pull of the old habit’s rewards is a common, plausible barrier to implementation, which is why this option fits best. In contrast, actions that are undesirable, or cases depicting clear cognitive impairment, don’t capture the typical real-world barrier counselors observe when clients try to implement a plan; lack of motivation could apply in some situations, but the key hurdle described here—novelty plus old-reward pull—often explains the difficulty most clients face.

People often struggle to carry out an action plan when the plan is appealing but new, and the old behavior still delivers rewards. If the change is desirable, motivation is present, but the novelty of the new approach creates uncertainty and extra effort. The client may be reluctant to abandon the familiar routine that currently provides predictable rewards, making it hard to start or sustain the new behavior. This combination of desirability with unfamiliarity and the pull of the old habit’s rewards is a common, plausible barrier to implementation, which is why this option fits best. In contrast, actions that are undesirable, or cases depicting clear cognitive impairment, don’t capture the typical real-world barrier counselors observe when clients try to implement a plan; lack of motivation could apply in some situations, but the key hurdle described here—novelty plus old-reward pull—often explains the difficulty most clients face.