Assessment and Diagnosis Flashcards

A psychologist administers an intelligence test to a client. The client obtains a Full Scale IQ score of 105. The test manual reports a standard error of measurement (SEM) of 3. What is the 95% confidence interval for the client's true score?

Answer: 99 - 111

A 95% confidence interval is calculated by taking the obtained score and adding/subtracting 1.96 times the SEM. For practical purposes in many testing situations, this is often rounded to 2 standard errors of measurement. Therefore, the calculation is 105 ± (2 * 3), which equals 105 ± 6, resulting in a confidence interval of 99 to 111. This range indicates that we can be 95% confident that the client's true IQ score falls between 99 and 111.

A 45-year-old man presents with a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy. He is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success and power, believes he is 'special,' and is interpersonally exploitative. However, he also exhibits significant identity disturbance, chronic feelings of emptiness, and frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Which of the following is the most likely differential diagnosis to consider alongside Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

Answer: Borderline Personality Disorder

While the grandiosity, need for admiration, and exploitation are hallmarks of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), the additional symptoms of identity disturbance, chronic emptiness, and frantic efforts to avoid abandonment are core features of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). There is significant symptom overlap between these two disorders, making BPD a crucial differential diagnosis to consider. The DSM-5-TR notes that individuals with BPD may also have narcissistic traits, but the core instability in self-image, relationships, and affect is more characteristic of BPD.

According to the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association (APA), when a psychologist is requested to release confidential test data, and the client has not provided consent for the release, the psychologist's primary obligation is to:

Answer: Obtain informed consent from the client before releasing any data.

The APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct emphasize the importance of protecting client confidentiality. Standard 4.05, Disclosures, states that psychologists may disclose confidential information with the appropriate consent of the client. Psychologists are obligated to protect confidential information and should not release test data or other client records without a valid, written consent from the client or as compelled by law.

A psychologist is conducting a comprehensive assessment of a new client. Which of the following best represents a multi-method approach to assessment?

Answer: Administering a symptom checklist, conducting a structured clinical interview, and collecting collateral information from a family member.

A multi-method approach involves gathering information from several sources and through different techniques to obtain a more complete and accurate understanding of the client. This approach reduces reliance on a single source of data, which may be biased or incomplete. Combining a self-report measure (symptom checklist), a direct clinical evaluation (structured interview), and information from a third party (collateral information) is a prime example of a comprehensive, multi-method assessment.

When interpreting the results of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3), a significantly elevated F (Infrequency) scale in conjunction with a low L (Lie) and K (Correction) scale most likely suggests:

Answer: Significant psychological distress or an exaggeration of symptoms ('faking bad').

On the MMPI-3, the F (Infrequency) scale is designed to detect unusual or atypical ways of responding to items. A high F score suggests the individual is endorsing a large number of items that are rarely endorsed by the general population. When this is paired with low scores on the L and K scales (which are associated with defensiveness and claiming virtue), it strongly indicates that the individual may be exaggerating their problems, experiencing severe psychological distress, or deliberately 'faking bad'.

Which of the following is a primary change introduced in the DSM-5-TR?

Answer: The introduction of Prolonged Grief Disorder as a new diagnosis.

While the removal of the multiaxial system occurred in the initial transition from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5, the DSM-5-TR (Text Revision) introduced several updates, most notably the addition of Prolonged Grief Disorder as a new diagnosable condition in the chapter on Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders. Other changes included clarifications to criteria for existing disorders and updated terminology, but the introduction of Prolonged Grief Disorder was a major addition.