Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam Diagnosis and Psychopathology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which DSM-5 change eliminated the multiaxial diagnostic system used in previous editions?
- The removal of Axis I clinical disorders
- The merger of all five axes into a single unified diagnosis (Correct answer)
- The elimination of personality disorder categories
- The removal of the Global Assessment of Functioning scale
Correct answer: The merger of all five axes into a single unified diagnosis
DSM-5 replaced the multiaxial system with a single unified diagnosis that integrates clinical disorders, personality disorders, and contextual factors.
Question 2: According to DSM-5, a Major Depressive Episode requires symptoms to be present for at least how long?
- 1 week
- 2 weeks (Correct answer)
- 1 month
- 6 months
Correct answer: 2 weeks
DSM-5 requires at least 2 weeks of depressive symptoms, including depressed mood or loss of interest, for a Major Depressive Episode.
Question 3: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in DSM-5 requires excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least:
- 2 weeks
- 1 month
- 3 months
- 6 months (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 6 months
DSM-5 requires GAD symptoms to persist for at least 6 months, with worry that is difficult to control across multiple life domains.
Question 4: What is the key distinction between Bipolar I and Bipolar II Disorder?
- Bipolar I requires a depressive episode; Bipolar II does not
- Bipolar I requires at least one full manic episode; Bipolar II involves hypomanic episodes (Correct answer)
- Bipolar II is more severe than Bipolar I
- Bipolar I involves rapid cycling; Bipolar II does not
Correct answer: Bipolar I requires at least one full manic episode; Bipolar II involves hypomanic episodes
Bipolar I requires at least one full manic episode, while Bipolar II is characterized by hypomanic episodes and major depressive episodes without full mania.
Question 5: In DSM-5, Cluster B personality disorders are characterized as:
- Odd or eccentric
- Dramatic, emotional, or erratic (Correct answer)
- Anxious or fearful
- Avoidant and dependent
Correct answer: Dramatic, emotional, or erratic
DSM-5 Cluster B includes Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, and Narcissistic Personality Disorders, grouped by dramatic, emotional, or erratic features.
Question 6: In DSM-5, OCD was moved to its own chapter separate from anxiety disorders, reflecting that OCD is primarily driven by:
- Phobic avoidance
- Obsessions and compulsions as its defining features (Correct answer)
- Mood dysregulation
- Social withdrawal
Correct answer: Obsessions and compulsions as its defining features
DSM-5 created a separate OCD-Related Disorders chapter, recognizing that obsessions and compulsions are the core defining features distinct from generalized anxiety.
Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam Diagnosis and Psychopathology 1
Which DSM-5 change eliminated the multiaxial diagnostic system used in previous editions?