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Psychopathology and Diagnosis Flashcards

6 cards from real LMHC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Psychopathology and Diagnosis flashcards as text

  1. A counselor is assessing a child whose parent reports the child has had significant deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors since early childhood. The MOST appropriate DSM-5 diagnosis to consider is:

    Answer: Autism Spectrum Disorder

    ASD is characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction, plus restricted/repetitive behaviors, with symptoms present from early developmental period.

  2. What distinguishes Somatic Symptom Disorder from Illness Anxiety Disorder in the DSM-5?

    Answer: Somatic Symptom Disorder requires significant somatic symptoms; Illness Anxiety Disorder involves high health anxiety often without prominent somatic symptoms

    SSD requires distressing somatic symptoms plus abnormal thoughts/feelings/behaviors related to them. IAD involves high health anxiety typically without prominent somatic symptoms.

  3. Which of the following is a DSM-5 diagnostic criterion for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that was NOT present in DSM-IV?

    Answer: Reckless or self-destructive behavior as a hyperarousal symptom

    DSM-5 added reckless or self-destructive behavior to the hyperarousal cluster (Criterion E), which was not present as an explicit criterion in DSM-IV.

  4. A client has a 10-year history of recurring hypomanic episodes and depressive periods that do not meet full criteria for a major depressive episode or hypomanic episode. The MOST appropriate DSM-5 diagnosis is:

    Answer: Cyclothymic Disorder

    Cyclothymic Disorder involves numerous hypomanic and depressive periods over 2+ years (adults) that do not meet full criteria for hypomanic or major depressive episodes.

  5. Which of the following best describes what DSM-5 did with the DSM-IV categories of 'expressive language disorder' and 'mixed receptive-expressive language disorder'?

    Answer: DSM-5 combined them into a single Language Disorder category

    DSM-5 combined the DSM-IV expressive and mixed receptive-expressive language disorders into a single Language Disorder category.

  6. When using Z-codes in DSM-5 documentation, a counselor records Z63.0 for a client. What does this Z-code indicate?

    Answer: Problems in relationship with spouse or partner

    Z63.0 specifically denotes problems in the relationship with a spouse or partner — a psychosocial factor that may be influencing the client's mental health.