Assessing and Diagnosing Abnormality Practice Exam

Assessing and Diagnosing Abnormality Practice Exam

 

• What is the primary goal of clinical assessment?
  • Answer: To gather comprehensive information to understand a client’s symptoms and underlying causes to form a diagnosis and treatment plan.

 

• What is reliability in the context of psychological assessment?
  • Answer: It refers to the consistency of a test in measuring what it intends to over time.

 

• What is the difference between the DSM-5 and ICD-10?
  • Answer: The DSM-5 focuses on mental disorders, mainly used in the U.S., while the ICD-10 includes all health conditions and is used internationally.

 

• What are projective tests, and name two examples?
  • Answer: Tests like the Rorschach Inkblot Test and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) use ambiguous stimuli to explore unconscious thoughts and feelings.

 

• Define validity in psychological assessments.
  • Answer: Validity measures if a test accurately assesses what it is supposed to.

 

• What are neuropsychological tests used for?
  • Answer: To detect cognitive deficits such as issues with memory or brain injuries.

 

• Name two key strengths and weaknesses of intelligence tests.
  • Answer: Strength: Assesses intellectual ability (e.g., verbal reasoning). Weakness: Cultural and socioeconomic biases.

 

• What is self-monitoring in clinical assessment?
  • Answer: A method where clients record the frequency of specific behaviors.

 

• How does the DSM-5 classify mental disorders?
  • Answer: Disorders are grouped into categories such as anxiety, mood, and personality disorders, each with defined criteria.

 

• What is a syndrome in clinical diagnosis?
  • Answer: A cluster of symptoms that frequently occur together.

 

Set 2

 

1. What is the role of structured interviews in clinical assessment?

 

Answer: Structured interviews provide a set of predetermined questions designed to assess the symptoms and behaviors of a client in a consistent manner. These are often used in formal diagnostic assessments. A key advantage is their reliability in comparing different clients, though they may lack flexibility compared to unstructured methods.

 

2. What is the purpose of a clinical intake interview?

 

Answer: The clinical intake interview is the first step in assessing a new client. It gathers essential background information, including medical history, presenting problems, and current symptoms. It helps determine the need for further assessments and treatment options.

 

3. What is the most commonly used classification system for diagnosing mental disorders?

 

Answer: The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) is the most widely used system for diagnosing mental disorders. It includes detailed criteria for diagnosing a wide variety of psychological conditions, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and psychotic disorders.

 

4. What are the advantages and limitations of the DSM-5?

Answer:

• Advantages: Provides standardized diagnostic criteria, improving consistency and reliability in diagnosis.
• Limitations: It can pathologize normal behaviors, has cultural biases, and may overemphasize categorical over dimensional approaches to disorders.

 

5. How does the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) differ from the DSM-5?

 

Answer:

• ICD-10 is a broader classification system used internationally, covering all diseases, including physical and mental health conditions.
• DSM-5 is specific to mental health disorders and is primarily used in the United States.

6. What are the key components of a mental status examination (MSE)?

 

Answer: The MSE involves assessing the client’s appearance, behavior, speech, mood, thought processes, cognitive functioning (e.g., memory, attention), and insight into their condition. It is often used to establish a baseline understanding of the client’s psychological state.

7. How is the Rorschach Inkblot Test used in psychological assessment?

 

Answer: The Rorschach test is a projective test that involves showing a series of inkblot images to clients and asking them what each image looks like. The responses are analyzed to uncover underlying thoughts, feelings, and unconscious processes.

8. What is the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)?

 

Answer: The BDI is a widely used self-report scale that measures the severity of a person’s depressive symptoms. It consists of 21 multiple-choice questions about mood, behavior, and physical symptoms.

9. How do cultural factors influence the assessment of abnormality?

 

Answer: Cultural factors can impact how symptoms are expressed and interpreted. For example, certain behaviors may be seen as abnormal in one culture but as normal in another. Assessors must be aware of these cultural variations to avoid misdiagnosis.

 

10. What is a differential diagnosis?

 

Answer: A differential diagnosis is the process of distinguishing between two or more disorders that share similar symptoms. This ensures that the correct condition is identified, allowing for appropriate treatment.