Test Questions

Question 0

All of the following would be appropriate methods for assessing treatment outcome for substance abuse except:

1. self-report of substance use
2. attendance at 12-step meetings
3. scores on the MMPI-2
4. collateral interviews with family members

Answer 0

3

Question 1

Under what circumstances is pre-termination counseling ethically mandated?

1. Whenever termination is initiated by the therapist and not the patient.
2. Any time termination is considered “premature”
3. In the majority of cases when treatment is terminated
4. Any time treatment has lasted longer than six weeks

Answer 1

3. The 2002 Ethics Code provides two exceptions to this requirement: a) when actions of the client make pre-termination counseling impossible and b) when third-party payors prohibit it

Question 2

When treating a patient who has been the victim of assault, who is mandated to make a report?

1. All health practitioners
2. Medical doctors
3. Health practitioners who provide medical services
4. Health practitioners who have a reasonable suspicion that failure to make such a disclosure would put the patient at additional risk

Answer 2

3. Health practitioners who provide medical services are required to report any wound resulting from assault or abuse to a local law enforcement agency. This mandate does not extend to all health practitioners but neither is it limited to medical doctors.

Question 3

Of the following, the most significant risk factor for violence is:

1. availability of weapon
2. poverty
3. male gender
4. Antisocial Personality Disorder

Answer 3

4

Question 4

For three months, you have been treating a 30-year-old married woman who has three young children. She brings her oldest child, six-year-old Brian, to a session. She tells you that she and her husband are having a lot of problems and further states that her husband has a bad temper. She reports that she is worried about her kids’ welfare and what might happen to her as well.

Your immediate concern should be:

1. child abuse.
2. child abuse and danger to self.
3. child abuse and domestic violence.
4. child abuse, domestic violence, and danger to self.

Answer 4

3

Question 5

For three months, you have been treating a 30-year-old married woman who has three young children. She brings her oldest child, six-year-old Brian, to a session. She tells you that she and her husband are having a lot of problems and further states that her husband has a bad temper. She reports that she is worried about her kids’ welfare and what might happen to her as well.

To address concerns of child abuse in this situation, you should first:

1. Directly ask your patient whether the husband has physically hurt Brian or any of the other children.
2. ask your patient how she and her husband discipline the children
3. refer the child to a pediatrician to assess for physical signs of abuse
4. have the child complete projective drawings

Answer 5

1

Question 6

For three months, you have been treating a 30-year-old married woman who has three young children. She brings her oldest child, six-year-old Brian, to a session. She tells you that she and her husband are having a lot of problems and further states that her husband has a bad temper. She reports that she is worried about her kids’ welfare and what might happen to her as well.

Assuming that you have serious concerns that child abuse has occurred, which of the following intervention plans would be most appropriate?

1. Assess further and make a report to DCS, if appropriate, and develop a long-term treatment plan for the family
2. Make an immediate report to DCS, ensure the immediate safety of the children and wife, and develop a long-term treatment plan for the family.
3. Make an immediate report to DCS, refer for a medical evaluation, and develop a long-term treatment plan for the family.
4. Assess further for child abuse as well as domestic violence, and ensure the immediate safetty of the family.

Answer 6

2

Question 7

Which of the following is not an activity of the Board of Psychology?

1. Investigation of allegations of misconduct
2. Establishment of minimum levels of qualifications
3. Protecting the interests of psychologists licensed in the state
4. Periodically checking to see whether providers are in compliance with California laws and codes.

Answer 7

3

Question 8

You are treating a patient diagnosed with Major Depressive disorder, recurrent, severe. you would be most likely to involuntarily hospitalize this patient for suicide if the patient:

1. reported he had lethal means available
2. was actively abusing alcohol
3. had a history of repeated suicide attempts
4. expressed intent

Answer 8

4

Question 9

Which of the following would be the most appropriate long-term goals for a person with Schizophrenia?

1. Eliminating psychotic behavior and securing full-time employment
2. Reducing psychotic behavior and enhancing family communication
3. Reducing active psychotic symptoms and enhancing psychosocial functioning
4. Enhancing self-esteem and psychosocial functioning

Answer 9

3

Question 10

A supervisee may receive fees directly from a patient:

1. if the patient has been informed in writing that the therapist is unlicensed and under the supervision of a licensed professional.
2. when such an arrangement has been agreed upon by patient, therapist, and supervisor
3. if the supervisee is a psychological assistant.
4. under no circumstances

Answer 10

4. All checks must be made out in the name of the supervisor or the clinic

Question 11

Which of the following is not required for a diagnosis of postraumatic stress disorder?

1. Dissociative symptoms
2. Persistently reexperiencing the trauma
3. Avoidance of stimuli related to the trauma
4. Increased arousal

Answer 11

1

Question 12

According to data on violent crimes in the US, victims of violent crimes are:

1. more likely to be male
2. more likely to be female
3. more likely to be young children
4. more likely to be elderly

Answer 12

1

Question 13

You are a male heterosexual psychologist working at a community mental health center. You begin treatment with a 30-year-old single woman who complains of being anxious all the time. In her second session, she discloses that she is a lesbian, and asks whether you are homosexual patients before, and how you feel about her being a lesbian.

The best response to her questions would be:

1. answer her questions in as frank and direct a manner as possible.
2. refer her to a psychologist who specializes in lesbian issues.
3. reassure her that you will not judge her negatively because she is a lesbian.
4. explore her concerns about you further, as well as any experiences she has had in the past with mental health professionals.

Answer 13

4

Question 14

You are a male heterosexual psychologist working at a community mental health center. You begin treatment with a 30-year-old single woman who complains of being anxious all the time. In her second session, she discloses that she is a lesbian, and asks whether you are homosexual patients before, and how you feel about her being a lesbian.

In which of the following situations should you refer this patient to a different psychologist?

1. You do not specialize in psychotherapy with lesbians.
2. You have not worked with lesbians before.
3. You are uncomfortable with her being a lesbian.
4. You attend a place of worship that considers homosexuality to be immoral.

Answer 14

3

Question 15

You are a male heterosexual psychologist working at a community mental health center. You begin treatment with a 30-year-old single woman who complains of being anxious all the time. In her second session, she discloses that she is a lesbian, and asks whether you are homosexual patients before, and how you feel about her being a lesbian.

Assuming she has a diagnosis of Agoraphobia without history of panic disorder, which of following would be the most appropriate treatment?

1. Flooding
2. Systematic desensitization
3. Cognitive-behavioral therapy
4. Interpersonal therapy

Answer 15

1. Flooding is preferred unless patient cannot tolerate it, then Systematic Desensitization

Question 16

You are a male heterosexual psychologist working at a community mental health center. You begin treatment with a 30-year-old single woman who complains of being anxious all the time. In her second session, she discloses that she is a lesbian, and asks whether you are homosexual patients before, and how you feel about her being a lesbian.

Assuming she has a diagnosis of Agoraphobia without history of panic disorder, the most appropriate outcome measures in this case would be:

1. frequency and severity of panic attacks.
2. usage of anti-anxiety medications.
3. satisfaction with treatment.
4. degree of avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations.

Answer 16

4

Question 17

A very depressed patient reports that she hears the devil all day long telling her how deeply sinful she is. Based on this information alone, this woman’s most likely diagnosis is:

1. Schizoaffective Disorder.
2. Major depressive disorder, severe, with psychotic features
3. Schizophrenia and Major Depressive Disorder, Severe
4. Brief Psychotic Disorder

Answer 17

2

Question 18

A 33 year old woman is couuur-ordered to attend treatment for 25 sessions. Herr diagnosis is Alcohol Dependence. She is a single mother of two young children. She reports a history of spotty employment and has been receiving welfare for the past three years. She states, “I’m just doing this stuff to get he court off my back.” To fulfill ethical and legal obligations in this situation, the treating psychologist should:

1. inform the woman that because the treatment is court-orderred, there will be no confidentiality.
2. clarify the limits of confidentiality and explain the nature of treatment in understandable language.
3. secure informed consent, including clarifications of the limits of confidentiality.
4. make a comprehensive report to the court regarding assessment and treatment.

Answer 18

3. Court ordered patients retain full rights to confidentiality. Generally, the court does not require comprehensive assessment and treatment reports for court-ordered therapy but simply evidence that therapy was attended.

Question 19

As opposed to a patient with Bipolar I Disorder, a patient with Bipolar II Disorder:

1. will probably not require medication
2. will have depressive episodes of milder severity
3. has a better life-time prognosis
4. is less likely to require hospitalization

Answer 19

4. The distinction between Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorder rests on whether a patient has ever experiences a manic or mixed episode.

Question 20

The purpose of the BOP can best be stated as:

1. regulating providers of psychological services with the goal of protecting the public.
2. enforcing laws related to the practice of psychology in CA
3. ensuring minimum levels off competency for providers of psychological services.
4. increasing public confidence in providers of psychological services

Answer 20

1

Question 21

A supervisee may accrue supervised professional experience of:

1. no more than 44 hours per week, including supervision
2. no more than 50 hours per week, including supervision
3. an unlimited number of hours per week, provided that supervision comprises at least 10% of the time worked.
4. an unlimited number of hours per week, provided that supervision comprises at least 10% of the time worked, and at least one hour is direct face to face individual supervision.

Answer 21

1

Question 22

You have been called to consult on a patient who manifests seizures despite the lack of expected findings on the EEG. In the course of the evaluation, you determine that these seizures are deliberately produced. Which of the following diagnoses should you immediately withdraw as a possibility?

1. Malingering
2. Factitious Disorder
3. Conversion Disorder
4. No diagnosis on Axis II

Answer 22

3. A conversion disorder is diagnosed when there are pseudoneurological symptoms, such as seizures, that cannot be explained fully by medical findings and that are not intentionally produced.

Question 23

“The right to refuse to disclose and to prevent another from disclosing a confidential communication between a patient and a psychotherapist” in a legal proceeding best describes:

1. Evidence Code 1024
2. Confidentiality
3. Privilege
4. the right to privacy

Answer 23

3

Question 24

Which of the following is an empirically validated treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder?

1. Rational emotive behavior therapy
2. Interpersonal therapy
3. Dialectical behavior therapy
4. Emotion-focused therapy

Answer 24

3

Question 25

When a psychologist is asked to conduct a custody evaluation on a family she has been treating, the psychologist should:

1. obtain informed consent again, clarifying the psychologist’s roles and the limits of confidentiality.
2. refrain from performing the custody evaluation
3. fully terminate family therapy before initiating the custody evaulation, and obtain informed consent again.
4. consult before initiating the custody evaluation to ensure that any multiple relationship that might develop will not be exploitative.

Answer 25

2

Question 26

A 35 year old married Asian American man with has three children seeks tx. He is suffering from a Major Depressive Episode that began shortly after he was fired from his job.

Which of the following is the most accurate statement regarding this man’s diagnosis?

1. Major Depressive Episode is an appropriate diagnosis
2. Major Depressive Disorder is an appropriate diagnosis
3. An accurate diagnosis requires knowing whether or not the patient has experienced a Manic or Mixed episode in the past
4. Assuming that the depression indeed stemmed from his job loss, Adjustment Disorder with Depressive Features would be the most appropriate diagnosis.

Answer 26

3. Even if a stressor is related to the onset of a disorderr, an Adjustment disorder is only diagnosed when the stress-related symptoms do not meet the criteria for another Axis I disorder

Question 27

A 35 year old married Asian American man with has three children seeks tx. He is suffering from a Major Depressive Episode that began shortly after he was fired from his job.

Which of the following statements about this man’s major depressive episode is not based on a widely accepted theory of psychological functioning?

1. The man may be suffering from an excess of seratonin
2. The man may be engaging in arbitrary inferences, overgeneralizations, and dichotomous thinking
3. the loss off his job may have triggered early experiences of loss and failure
4. The man may be engaging in excessive self-punishment and inadequate self-reinforcement.

Answer 27

1

Question 28

A 35 year old married Asian American man with has three children seeks tx. He is suffering from a Major Depressive Episode that began shortly after he was fired from his job.

Which of the following interventions has not received substantial empirical validation for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder?

1. Interpersonal therapy
2. SSRIs
3. CBT
4. Biofeedback

Answer 28

4

Question 29

According to the American Psychological Associations Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, which of the following statements is most accurate regarding fee splitting between a psychologist and other professionals?

1. Fee splitting is always unethical
2. Fee splitting is permissible if it is based on services provided
3. Fee splitting is permissible if it is fair and non-exploitative
4. Fee splitting between psychologists based on referrals is unethical, but fee splitting with other professionals based on referrals may be acceptable.

Answer 29

2

Question 30

Which of the following would be the most accurate statement regarding a psychologist who posts information about how patients can contact the Board of Psychology for consumer questions or complaints?

1. The psychologist is adhering to a higher standard of ethical practice
2. The psychologist is complying with the law
3. The psychologist is not fulfilling the obligation to inform each patient in writing of options regarding consumer questions and complaints
4. The psychologist is not fulfilling the obligation to verbally inform each patient of options regarding consumer questions and complaints.

Answer 30

2