Lance's counselor encourages him to become more involved with his friendship group. Lance's counselor is using the Adlerian principle of:

• A. Social interests
• B. Inferiority feelings
• C. Striving for superiority
• D. Individual psychology

Answer: (A)

Social interest is the Adlerian idea that mental health flourishes when a person feels connected to others and contributes to the welfare of their community. Encouraging Lance to engage more with his friendship group targets this sense of belonging and cooperative participation—building social bonds and a sense of shared purpose. By fostering these connections, the counselor helps Lance experience supportive relationships and a healthier social world, which Adler viewed as central to well-being. Inferiority feelings are about perceived personal inadequacies; striving for superiority is the inner drive to overcome those feelings, sometimes in more individualistic ways; and individual psychology is the broader framework Adler proposed. The intervention described specifically centers on enhancing social connectedness, i.e., social interest.