EPPP MCQ 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A researcher finds a correlation of r = 0.60 between two variables. What percentage of variance in one variable is explained by the other?
- 60%
- 36% (Correct answer)
- 40%
- 80%
Correct answer: 36%
The coefficient of determination (r²) equals 0.60² = 0.36, meaning 36% of the variance is shared between the two variables.
Question 2: A client with major depressive disorder shows no improvement after 8 weeks of first-line antidepressant therapy. According to treatment guidelines, what is the most appropriate next step?
- Continue the same medication for another 8 weeks
- Switch to psychotherapy alone
- Augment with another medication or switch antidepressants (Correct answer)
- Refer for electroconvulsive therapy immediately
Correct answer: Augment with another medication or switch antidepressants
When a client does not respond adequately to initial antidepressant therapy, standard practice involves augmentation or switching to a different antidepressant.
Question 3: According to Kohlberg's theory of moral development, which stage involves following rules only to avoid punishment?
- Social contract orientation
- Universal ethical principles
- Obedience and punishment orientation (Correct answer)
- Interpersonal concordance
Correct answer: Obedience and punishment orientation
Obedience and punishment orientation (Stage 1) is characterized by compliance with rules solely to avoid negative consequences.
Question 4: Which type of validity evidence is gathered by examining how well a test correlates with a criterion measured at the same time?
- Predictive validity
- Concurrent validity (Correct answer)
- Construct validity
- Face validity
Correct answer: Concurrent validity
Concurrent validity is established by correlating test scores with a criterion measure collected at approximately the same point in time.
Question 5: A psychologist discovers that a colleague is practicing while impaired by alcohol. According to the APA Ethics Code, what is the most appropriate initial action?
- Report the colleague to the state licensing board immediately
- Address the issue informally with the colleague first, if feasible (Correct answer)
- Do nothing unless a client has filed a complaint
- Notify the colleague's clients of the situation
Correct answer: Address the issue informally with the colleague first, if feasible
The APA Ethics Code encourages an informal resolution attempt with the colleague first when doing so is feasible and will not compromise client welfare.
Question 6: Which neurotransmitter system is most implicated in the reward and reinforcement pathways affected by substance use disorders?
- Serotonergic system
- GABAergic system
- Dopaminergic system (Correct answer)
- Cholinergic system
Correct answer: Dopaminergic system
Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter in the mesolimbic reward pathway, which is central to the development and maintenance of substance use disorders.
Question 7: In structural family therapy, 'enmeshment' refers to which family dynamic?
- Overly rigid boundaries that prevent member interaction
- Diffuse boundaries that compromise individual autonomy (Correct answer)
- A hierarchical structure with clear parental authority
- Disengagement between subsystems in the family
Correct answer: Diffuse boundaries that compromise individual autonomy
Enmeshment, a concept from Minuchin's structural family therapy, describes diffuse boundaries where members are overly involved, compromising individual differentiation.
EPPP MCQ 3
A researcher finds a correlation of r = 0.60 between two variables.
What percentage of variance in one variable is explained by the other?