EXAMPLE ANSWERS: Q25

Q25. What is meant by the term secondary gain and give an example.

Learning outcomes: 1.10

Student answer Secondary gain is when the original (primary) reason a person performs an action is no longer the maintaining reason for doing so. An example is drinking alcohol where the primary gain was to fit in with friends but the secondary gain is to relax and when under the influence of alcohol they feel less inhibited and more outgoing with strangers. As a therapist it is important to recognise both the primary and secondary gains so that they can be addressed and not undermine the effectiveness of any suggested outcomes. This must be done delicately as the client may not be aware of them on any conscious level. Directly challenging may break any rapport that exists. Working with the secondary gain reason e.g. increasing confidence or reducing anxiety in social settings is likely to bring about more positive changes. (LO 1.10 An understanding of primary, secondary, and tertiary gain, and malingering)

Tutor feedback (DO NOT delete/edit feedback. Write amendments, additional information & thoughts underneath this table) Correct, thank you. It is important to recognise that the secondary gain may completely dominate over the primary and that those sessions where the secondary gain is not uncovered may be the ones that are not successful. You are also right to suggest a delicate approach as the client reveals or hints at a secondary gain - and finding a way to craft their acknowledgment of such is indeed a skill.

Q25. What is meant by the term secondary gain and give an example.

Learning outcomes: 1.10

(Student answer here) Further Example Student Answer:  The secondary gain is the reason a person continues a particular behaviour beyond the initial reason or gain and may not have been part of the reasoning for the client to have commenced this particular behaviour but developed as time goes by, such as a smoker now wishes to continue smoking as the act of smoking actually allows them to take extra breaks from work or from a stressful situation, they now find smoking relaxes them which is beyond the primary gain of that the clients regular friends all smoke and the client wants to continue to be part of that group, another secondary gain could be that this group are also the works gossip corner and the client wishes to continue smoking to hear the latest chatter. The hypnotist must understand and work with any secondary gains as well as the primary gains in order to bring about the changes the client requests or the secondary gains will undermine the potency of any suggestions given.

Tutor feedback (DO NOT delete/edit feedback. Write amendments, additional information & thoughts underneath this table) Q25. Correct. Additionally, remember the interesting thing about secondary gains is that the client is usually totally unaware of them and indeed often insulted by the idea of them if presented unsympathetically.

(Further student work goes here if requested through feedback)