Exam 3: Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis

Sarah's family doctor has suggested to her parents that they see a specialist to have a neuropsychological test completed.What is this type of test intended to do?

If an assessment is shown to measure what it is intended to measure, it can be said to be which of the following?

For what purpose does the process of clinical assessment result in narrowing the focus?

In contrast to projective tests, which rely heavily on theory for an interpretation, what are the MMPI and similar inventories based on?

Which statement best describes a difficulty with diagnosing premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)?

Which of the following is a projective test?

What do we call the process of determining whether an individual's symptoms meet the criteria for a specific psychological disorder?

A clinician asks a child to sit at a desk in a simulated classroom situation to complete a difficult task.The clinician is using this technique to discover the reasons the child has been engaging in self-hitting (self-injurious) behaviour.In behavioural assessment terms, what type of behaviour has the self-hitting been identified as?

With regard to a mental status exam, which of the following questions is NOT related to the concept of sensorium?

Projective tests such as the Thematic Apperception Test and the original Rorschach inkblot test are often criticized regarding their reliability.Explain why the reliability of these tests may not be as good as a personality measure such as the MMPI.

What important change was made in the DSM versions that followed DSM-III?

What does the classical categorical approach to diagnosis assume about each person with a particular disorder?

How does the CAT scan neuroimaging technique work?

Many problems presenting as disorders of behaviour, cognition, or mood may, on careful physical examination, have a clear relationship which of the following?

In studies using fMRI, how did post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) participants who report primarily dissociative (numbing-type) responses to listening to scripts about their traumas compare to PTSD participants who experienced primarily hyperarousal patterns to trauma scripts?

Which term best describes an assessment that measures what it is intended to measure?

Describe the influence of culture on the experience of psychopathology.Why is it important for the clinician to acknowledge and appreciate the patient's culture before determining a diagnosis?

Asking specific questions-such as "Who are you?" "Where are you?" and "What's the weather like today?"-is an important part of a mental status exam.What component of the exam are such questions addressing?

What is a limitation of IQ tests?

You are attending a mental health lecture at your school when a heated debate erupts over the inclusion of premenstrual dysphoric disorder in the DSM.Why does this controversy exist?