Question 1

Which statement about clinical interviews is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Clinicians' biases can influence their interpretation of the information obtained from clinical interviews. This means that their personal beliefs, opinions, and preconceptions can affect the accuracy and objectivity of their assessment. Research also shows that clients may not always speak objectively about their own behavior, and the clinical interview is just one of many useful clinical assessment tools. There is no evidence to suggest that clients share more details with clinicians who are viewed as cool and distant.

Question 2

In evaluating lie-detection methods,researchers have noted that magnetic resonance imaging:

Accepted Answer

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), specifically functional MRI (fMRI), has been found to be more effective than traditional polygraph methods in detecting lies. This is because fMRI can observe changes in brain activity in areas associated with deception, offering a more direct measure of lying than the physiological responses measured by polygraphs.

Question 3

A person is diagnosed as having severe generalized anxiety disorder.Generalized anxiety disorder represents which part of the diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Generalized anxiety disorder is a specific category of mental health disorder, making it categorical information.

Question 4

An institutionalized individual behaving abnormally says,"The doctor claims I'm schizophrenic! How else would you expect me to act?" The individual's comments reflect:

Accepted Answer

The individual's comments reflect a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the diagnosis of schizophrenia influences their behavior to align with the expectations of that diagnosis.

Question 5

Which statement is the BEST response about a scientific opinion on the use of polygraphic evidence?

Accepted Answer

The best response is A because it accurately reflects the scientific consensus on polygraph evidence. While polygraphs are commonly used, they are not considered a highly reliable source of evidence. The other options either misrepresent the scientific opinion (B and D) or provide irrelevant information (C).

Question 6

A 13-year-old makes notable errors in accuracy on the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test.This finding suggests:

Accepted Answer

Errors in accuracy on the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test typically suggest organic brain impairment, which may include conditions such as neuropathy or brain trauma. Drift and attention-deficit disorder would not involve this specific type of error pattern, and psychasthenia is not a recognized diagnostic category in current diagnostic systems.

Question 7

A test is constructed to identify people who will develop schizophrenia.Of the 100 people the test identifies,93 show signs that they will develop schizophrenia within five years.The test may be said to have high:

Accepted Answer

Predictive validity refers to the ability of a test to predict future behavior or outcomes. In this case, the test is able to identify people who will develop schizophrenia within five years, which indicates high predictive validity.

Question 8

Research studies evaluating how effective individual therapies are at treating particular disorders have commonly reported:

Accepted Answer

Research studies evaluating individual therapies have commonly reported significant differences among therapies in terms of their effectiveness at treating particular disorders. This suggests that certain therapies may be more beneficial for certain individuals and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment.

Question 9

Which of the following tests is a personality inventory?

Accepted Answer

The MMPI-2 is a personality inventory, which means it is a questionnaire that is used to assess personality traits.

Question 10

The technique that uses X rays of the brain taken at different angles to create a static picture of the structure of the brain is called:

Accepted Answer

The technique that uses X rays of the brain taken at different angles to create a static picture of the structure of the brain is called computerized axial tomography (CT or CAT scan). Electroencephalography (EEG) measures the electrical activity of the brain, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses strong magnetic fields to produce images of the brain, and position emission tomography (PET) detects the location of radioactive tracers in the brain to measure brain activity.

Question 11

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)designed a new neuroscience-focused classification tool as an alternative to DSM-5.This tool is called the:

Accepted Answer

The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) is a framework developed by the NIMH to study mental disorders by integrating many levels of information (from genomics to self-report) to better understand the basic dimensions of functioning underlying the full range of human behavior.

Question 12

A present-day clinician uses terms like dementia and mental retardation for diagnostic categories.That clinician is using terms:

Accepted Answer

The terms "dementia" and "mental retardation" were used in previous versions of the DSM but have been updated in DSM-5 to "neurocognitive disorders" and "intellectual disability," respectively, to reflect current understanding and terminology.

Question 13

Among other questions,a clinical interviewer asks,"How do you feel about yourself today? How do you feel about what's going on in your life?" MOST likely,the clinical interviewer's orientation is:

Accepted Answer

The clinical interviewer's questions, which focus on current feelings and experiences, align with a humanistic orientation, which emphasizes personal growth, self-awareness, and understanding subjective experiences. The questions are less likely to be asked from a biological, cognitive-behavioral, or psychodynamic perspective, which tend to focus on physical, cognitive, or unconscious processes, respectively.

Question 14

Use of projective tests has decreased in the past few decades because projective tests often have:

Accepted Answer

Projective tests, such as the Rorschach Inkblot Test and the Thematic Apperception Test, have poor validity because they rely on subjective interpretations by the examiner. This lack of objectivity means that projective tests cannot reliably measure specific personality traits or diagnose mental disorders. Therefore, projective tests are not as widely used as they once were.

Question 15

A client is hooked up to an apparatus that measures galvanic skin response and blood pressure,after which the client verbally answers a series of questions.This is a(n):

Accepted Answer

The apparatus that measures galvanic skin response and blood pressure is a psychophysiological measure, as it is assessing the physiological responses of the client to various stimuli. The verbal questions then assess the individual's cognitive and emotional responses. This type of testing is often used in lie detection or to assess anxiety levels in individuals. A projective test involves presenting ambiguous stimuli and assessing the individual's responses, while a neuropsychological test assesses brain function and a affective response inventory measures an individual's emotional response to certain stimuli.

Question 16

A clinician can include three kinds of information in making a diagnosis: a diagnostic category,a severity rating for the disorder,and additional information about possibly relevant psychosocial factors.According to DSM-5,a clinician is required to include:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A clinician can include three kinds of...

Question 17

The assumption behind the use of projective tests as assessment tools is that:

Accepted Answer

Projective tests are rooted in psychoanalytic theory, which assumes that people may reveal deeper, unconscious aspects of their personality through their responses to ambiguous stimuli. Therefore, the assumption behind their use is that the responses come from the client's unconscious.

Question 18

A client complains of a phobia.Two lines of questioning by the clinician concern the specific object of the phobia (first line)and what the person does when confronted with that object (second line).This clinician's orientation is MOST likely:

Accepted Answer

The cognitive-behavioral orientation focuses on understanding the specific triggers of a phobia and the behaviors or responses that occur when confronted with the phobic object.

Question 19

A person knows he is being observed and changes his behavior to make a good impression.What is this known as?

Accepted Answer

Reactivity occurs when individuals alter their behavior due to the awareness of being observed.

Question 20

Which test is NOT a projective test?

Accepted Answer

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is not a projective test. It is an objective personality test that uses a series of true-false questions to assess a person's personality traits and psychopathology.

Quiz 3: Clinical Assessment, diagnosis, and Treatment