Sample Questions: Deck 1 Flashcards
During his third therapy session, a client tells you that he got into an argument with another customer at a local bar two evenings ago and ended up giving the man “a good beating.” The client is an amateur boxer, and he feels very guilty about his behavior and knows what he did was wrong. Your initial action in this situation should be to:
A. Make a report to the appropriate authorities.
B. Involuntarily hospitalize the client.
C. Assess the client’s risk for future violent behavior.
D. Discuss alternate ways for dealing with conflict with the client.
C.
You are not required to report this incident to the police (answer A); hospitalization does not seem necessary since the young man is currently acting rationally (answer B); and, while discussing alternative methods for dealing with conflict might be appropriate (answer D), it would be more appropriate to assess the client’s risk for future violence before deciding on a course of action.
California Business and Professions Code Section 2936 requires psychologists to post which of the following in a conspicuous location in their place of business?
A. License.
B. License and diploma.
C. Notice regarding questions and complaints.
D. Notice regarding privacy policy.
C.
CCR Section 1380.6 requires license psychologists to include their license number in any advertising, public directory, or solicitation (answer A), and HIPAA’s Privacy Rule requires psychologists to provide clients with a written Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) on or before the onset of treatment and to post the NPP in a prominent place (answer D). In addition, the Business and Professions Code (which this question is asking about) requires psychologists to post the following notice in a conspicuous location in their place of business: “NOTICE TO CONSUMERS: The Department of Consumer Affair’s Board of Psychology receives and responds to questions and complaints regarding the practice of psychology….”
You have been seeing Mr. Smythe in individual therapy for several months, and the issues he originally sought therapy for are nearly resolved. During a session, he mentions that his 13-year-old son has been getting into trouble at school lately and asks if you would be willing to see his son in individual therapy. You should:
A. Agree to see his son in therapy.
B. Agree to see the son in therapy only after discussing issues related to confidentiality with Mr. Smythe and his son.
C. Agree to see the son in therapy only if you determine that the son’s problems are unrelated to Mr. Smythe’s therapy issues.
D. Tell Mr. Smythe you cannot see his son in therapy and provide him with several referrals for his son.
D.
In most circumstances, you would avoid seeing the family members of a client you are seeing in individual therapy since doing so would constitute a multiple relationship. No information is given in this question or the answers that suggests this situation constitutes an exception to this general rule.
Joanne, age 68, is a new client. In your first session with her, she reveals that she abused her 87-year-old mother two years ago. She tells you that her previous therapist reported the abuse to Adult Protective Services, so you don’t have to report the abuse. What do you do?
A. Report to Adult Protective Services.
B. Maintain Confidentiality.
C. Call the previous therapist to be sure that the abuse was reported.
D. Don’t need to report because the abuse was already reported.
A.
When you have been told of Elder Abuse while in your official capacity as a psychologist, you must report that abuse even if it has been previously reported. Two mandated reporters are allowed to collaborate on a report of child abuse, but that’s not relevant to this situation since the reports would take place two years apart. Checkiing with the previous therapist would validate your client’s account of the previous report, but it would not change your responsibility to report the abuse.
Dr. Ambrose Alvarez has been licensed as a psychologist in Canada for 10 years and has applied for licensure in CA. He may provide psychological services in CA for a period not to exceed ______ calendar days from the time he submitted his application or from the beginning of his residence in CA, whichever occurred first.
A. 45.
B. 90.
C. 120.
D. 180.
D.
This situation is addressed in B&PC Section 2946; it states “A pscychologist certified or licensed in another state or province and who has made application to the board for a license in this state may perform activities and services of a psychological nature without a valid license for a period not to exceed 180 calendar days from the time of submitting his or her application or from the commencement of residency in this state, whichever first occurs.”
Which of the following does NOT represent a legal exception to the psychotherapist-patient privilege?
A. The psychotherapist is appointed by the court to evaluate the defendant at the request of the defendant’s attorney so that the attorney can determine the appropriateness of the insanity plea.
B. The services of the psychotherapits were sought by the patient in order to escape detection after committing a crime.
C. The psychotherapist has been asked by the relative of a patient to evaluate the patient for the purpose of determining the Patient’s competence.
D. The patient is suing the psychotherapist for malpractice.
A.
Privilege is not waived when a psychotherapist has been appointed by the court to evaluate a defendant at the request of the defendant’s attorney to determine the appropriateness of an insanity defense or a defense based on the defendant’s emotional state.
As a result of its investigation of a complaint filed against Dr. Nedham by a former client, the BOP has found him guilty of unprofessional conduct and placed him on probation for 5 years. As part of his probation, Dr. Nedham’s practice will be monitored. In this situation, Dr. Nedham:
A. Does not have to inform any of his clients about his probationary status.
B. Does not have to inform any of his clients about his probationary status unless he determines that it is necessary to do so to protect a client’s welfare.
C. Must inform a client about his probationary status only when the client inquires about his status with the BOP.
D. Must inform clients about any aspect of probation that will impact therapy or the confidentiality of their therapeutic records.
D.
The issue is addressed in the BOP’s Disciplinary Guidelines. It states that, when probation includes practice and/or billing monitoring, the psychologist “shall notify all current and potential patients of any term or condition of probation that will affect their therapy or the confidentiality of their records. Such notifications shall be signed by each patient prior to continuing or commencing treatment” (2007, p. 13).
A psychologist is considering a client’s offer to clean his office in exchange for the fee. The client has a cleaning service and says that times are hard and it would be a good arrangement for him. The client feels that the psychologist should see him more often in exchange for the cleaning services. The psychologist feels that this could be overpayment. Should the psychologist continue to negotiate the fee in trade?
A. The psychologist should consider the issue of exploitation of the client before making an arrangement for the fee.
B. The psychologist should not enter into a bartering arrangement with this client under any circumstances.
C. The psychologist should consider whether additional sessions will help the client.
D. The Ethics Code Prohibits bartering services.
A.
This client seems to feel that the service that he is providing is worth more than his usual session - he feels that additional sessions should be provided in exchange for cleaning the office. This is an indication that the client could potentially feel exploited by a bartering relationship if he feels that his service is undervalued. The psychologist should be aware that there may not be a way to make a bartering arrangement that both parties feel is equitable and that this could impact the effectiveness of treatment.
You are treating Frank and Jessica who are newlyweds. You have been seeing the couple for four weeks because their marriage is already beginning to unravel. Frank is in the midst of a civil suit that he has brought against the city of San Diego. He would like you to testify in the trial and has signed an appropriate consent. Jessica, however, has refused to sign a consent because she does not want you to disclose anything that was said during their marital therapy. Which of the following is true?
A. There are no restrictions if you testify about Frank and Jessica’s therapy, as long as one of them consents.
B. You should attempt to testify about details that specifically relate to Frank.
C. You should not testify unless you are qualified to serve as an expert witness.
D. If you are asked to testify about their marital therapy, you should obtain both of their consents.
D.
The relevant issues are that both clients hold the privilege in this situation, and that waiver of the privilege by one of the clients does not affect the right of the other client to claim the privilege, even when it relates to the same confidential information. If you are treating a couple in marital therapy, you should obtain both of their consents before you disclose any information.
Section 5150 of the WIC allows an individual to be involuntarily hospitalized for up to ____ without notifying him/her of his right to a certification review hearing.
A. 12 days.
B. 7 days.
C. 72 hours.
D. 24 hours.
C.
WIC Section 5150 states that, “when any person, as a result of a mental disorder, is a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled, a peace officer, a member of the attending staff of an evaluation facility or designated by the county, designated members of a mobile crisis team, or other professional person designated by a county, may upon probable cause, take, or cause to taken, the person into custody and place him or her in a facility for 72-hour treatment and evaluation.” Note that a certification review hearing is not required until the individual has been certified for an additional 14-day hold after the initial 72-hour hold.
During the initial 72-hour involuntary commitment, it is determined that Luis L. is still at high risk for suicide. According to the CA WIC, Luis may be detained for an additional 14 days for treatment under certain conditions. One of these conditions is that Luis be informed that he is entitled to a certification review hearing within the first _______________ of the 14-day hold.
A. 24 hours.
B. 48 hours.
C. 4 days.
D. 6 days.
C.
Legal requirements for detaining an individual beyond the initial 72-hour hold are described in Sections 5250 to 5259.3 of the WIC. Section 5250 states that, after a 72-hour hold, an individual may be held for an additional 14 days if it is determined that he/she is still a danger to self or others or is gravely disabled. However, Section 5254 also requires that the individual be notified that he/she “is entitled to a certification review hearing, to be held within four days of the date on which the person is certified for a period of intensive treatment.”
A 31-year-old woman, Inga, comes to therapy because her family and friends are concerned about her recent behavior. Inga has remarried and has three stepchildren whom she complains are causing her problems. Some days she gets so frustrated that she will not get out of bed and she has lost her appetite. She says, “I feel like they are always against me.” She has given you no indication that she is suicidal or is a danger to her family. You should:
A. Contact her husband.
B. Call the police.
C. Refer her to a psychiatrist.
D. Initiate a 5150.
C.
Through the process of elimination, this would be the best option. This patient is clearly distressed and possibly paranoid; it’s not clear, however, what level of intervention is required. Re: Answer A - there is insufficient information to indicate the need for any breach of confidentiality. Re: Answer B - It would not be appropriate to contact the police. Re: Answer D - Involuntary hospitalization should be a last resort option, and there is insufficient information in this question to indicate the need for a 5150.
A couple who recently moved to the U.S. from Italy brings their 6-year-old child for assessment for a possible developmental disability. The child speaks very little English but his parents speak both Italian and English. You are unable to find an interpreter for the child. You should:
A. Do the assessment with one or both parents acting as the interpreter.
B. Do the assessment using only non-standardized tests that do not depend on language.
C. Do the assessment but explain the limitations of the results in your report.
D. Refuse to do the assessment.
D.
In this situation, you are not qualified to conduct the assessment since you cannot communicate directly with the child and are unable to find an interpreter. Several APA guidelines apply to this situation. For example, the APA’s Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services to Ethnic, Linguistic, and Culturally Diverse Populations states that, when the linguistic skills of the psychologist do not match those of the client, the psychologist obtains an appropriate translator or refers the client to another professional. The Guidelines also state that, when translation is necessary (which it would be in this situation), psychologists do not retain the services of a translator who has a dual role with the client in order to avoid jeopardizing the validity of the assessment.
CA law provides an exception to the requirement that psychologists report suspected cases of elder abuse. Which of the following is NOT a condition for this exception?
A. The client is the subject of a court-ordered conservatorship because of a mental illness.
B. The psychologist is unaware of any independent evidence that supports the client’s claim of abuse.
C. Based on his/her clinical judgment, the psychologist does not believe that abuse has occurred.
D. The client or other person has informed the psychologist that a report has already been filed with the appropriate authorities.
D.
WIC Section 15630(b)(3)(A) states that a psychotherapist is not required to file a report of elder or dependent adult abuse when all of the following conditions are met: “(i) The…[psychotherapist] has been told by an elder or dependent adult that he or she has experienced behavior constituting physical abuse…, abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial abuse, or neglect. (ii) The…[psychotherapist] is not aware of any independent evidence that corroborates the statement that the abuse has occurred. (iii) The elder or dependent adult has been diagnosed with a mental illness or dementia, or is the subject of a court-ordered conservatorship because of a mental illness or dementia. (iv) In the exercise of clinical judgment, …[the psychotherapist] reasonably believes that the abuse did not occur.”
CA law permits board certified psychiatrists to act as primary supervisors of their own registered psychological assistants but only for a maximum of _________ hours of the 3,000 required hours of an assistant’s supervised professional experience.
A. 500
B. 750
C. 1,050
D. 1,500
B.
B is correct. The qualifications and responsibilities of primary supervisors are specified in CCR Section 1387.1. It states that “all primary supervisors shall be licensed psychologists, except that board certified psychiatrists may be primary supervisors of their own registered psychological assistants. In this regard, a maximum of 750 hours of experience out of the required 3000, can be supervised by a board certified psychiatrist and can be counted toward meeting the SPE licensing requirements.”
A psychologist is scheduled to perform an assessment of a 50-year-old Chinese married woman with two children. The client speaks only limited English, so one of the children has volunteered to translate for the psychologist. Which of the following is true?
A. The psychologist should allow the child to translate for the psychologist if the child is an adult.
B. The psychologist should allow the child to translate for the psychologist if the child is proficient in English and Chinese.
C. The psychologist should allow the child to translate for the psychologist if the mother willingly consents to the arrangement.
D. The psychologist should not allow the child to translate for the mother.
D.
(Ethical Standard 2.05): “Psychologists… who use the services of others, such as interpreters, take reasonable steps to (1) avoid delegating such work to persons who have a multiple relationship with those being served that would likely lead to exploitation or loss of objectivity; (2) authorize only those responsibilities that such persons can be expected to perform competently on the basis of their education, training, or experience, either independently or with the level of supervision being provided; and (3) see that such persons perform these services competently.” In this situation, there are many potential biases that may influence the child’s translations for his/her mother. Moreover, it would be difficult for the child to try to avoid “helping” his/her mother during the assessment.
A psychologist has recently begun supervising a new psychological intern who is age 35. The psychologist has just remembered that the new intern was a former patient about 20 years ago. The psychologist believes that this previous relationship would not “cause impairment or risk exploitation or harm” because the intern does not recognize the psychologist. Which of the following is true?
A. The psychologist can supervise the new intern because more than seven years have passed.
B. The psychologist can supervise the new intern because a multiple relationship is not prohibited in this circumstance.
C. The psychologist can supervise the new intern because the new intern was a minor while a patient of the supervisor.
D. The psychologist cannot supervise the new intern because it is prohibited in the CA regulations.
D.
As noted on the BOP’s website, “Supervisors are prohibited from supervising supervisees who are, or have been, psychotherapy clients of the supervisors (Regulation section 1387.1(I).”
CA law requires that a psychologist renewing his/her license must complete a course in law and ethics. Which of the following best describes this requirement?
A. It applies to each renewal and the course must be at least one hour in length.
B. It applies to each renewal and the course must be at least 3 hours in length.
C. It applies to each renewal and no specific hour requirement is specified.
D. It applies to the first renewal only and no specific hour requirement is specified.
C.
CA Code of Regulations Section 1397.61(b) requires that a person renewing or reactivating his or her license must have completed a course in “law and ethics as they apply to the practice of psychology in CA.” This requirement applies to each renewal, but there is no specific hour requirement.
You are working with a dependent adult who tells you that she has been sexually abused by one of the staff members at the private long-term care facility where she lives. You report the abuse to the:
A. State Department of Mental Health.
B. State Department of Developmental Services.
C. Director at the facility.
D. Local ombudsperson and local law enforcement agency.
D.
The appropriate recipient of a report of elder or dependent adult abuse depends on the type of abuse and where it occurred. For all types of physical abuse, when the abuse “occurred in a long-term care facility, except a state mental health hospital or a state developmental center, a telephone and a written report shall be made to the local ombudsperson and the local law enforcement agency” [WIC Section 15630(b)(1)]. Physical abuse includes sexual assault.
Your client, Nancy, single and age 37, has informed you that she just terminated a sexual relationship with her former psychologist, who is also single. The relationship occurred while she was his patient. She indicates that she voluntarily participated in the relationship and she did not feel the least bit exploited. Furthermore, she continues to remain “good friends” with this psychologist. What should you do first, and then what should you do next?
A. You should file a complaint with the Board of Psychology and then you should inform the other psychologist that you have filed the complaint.
B. You should contact a lawyer and then notify a law enforcement agency.
C. You should address this issue therapeutically with Nancy and encourage Nancy to confront her former psychologist.
D. You should provide Nancy with the brochure “Professional Therapy Never Includes Sex,” and then you should discuss it with her.
D.
“Any psychotherapist or employer of a psychotherapist who becomes aware through a patient that the patient had alleged sexual intercourse or alleged sexual contact with a previous psychotherapist during the course of a prior treatment, shall provide to the patient a brochure promulgated by the department that delineates the rights of, and remedies for, patients who have been involved sexually with their psychotherapist. Further, the psychotherapist or employer shall discuss with the patient the brochure prepared by the department” (Business and Professions Code 728, section a).
