Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis Flashcards

A client reports hearing voices that comment on their behavior, believing neighbors are poisoning their water, and showing significant social withdrawal for 7 months. The most likely diagnosis is:

Answer: Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia requires two or more positive/negative symptoms for at least 6 months with social or occupational dysfunction, which this client meets.

Which assessment tool is specifically designed to screen for alcohol use disorders and includes questions about dependence symptoms?

Answer: AUDIT

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is a 10-item WHO-developed tool that screens for hazardous, harmful, and dependent alcohol use.

A social worker observes a client shifting rapidly from discussing sadness to laughing inappropriately within minutes without an external trigger. This is best described as:

Answer: Labile affect

Labile affect refers to rapid, unpredictable shifts in emotional expression that are disproportionate or unrelated to context.

Under DSM-5, Borderline Personality Disorder requires pervasive instability in multiple areas. Which of the following is NOT a core diagnostic criterion?

Answer: Persistent auditory hallucinations

Persistent auditory hallucinations are not a DSM-5 criterion for BPD; BPD may include transient paranoia or dissociation under stress but not sustained psychosis.

A client with Generalized Anxiety Disorder reports that their worry is difficult to control and is accompanied by muscle tension, irritability, and poor sleep. How many total symptoms does DSM-5 require for this diagnosis in adults?

Answer: 3 of 6 associated symptoms

DSM-5 requires at least 3 of 6 associated symptoms (restlessness, fatigue, concentration problems, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbance) for adults with GAD.

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a functional assessment in clinical social work practice?

Answer: Evaluating how a client's strengths and limitations affect their daily functioning

A functional assessment examines how mental, physical, and social factors impact a client's ability to perform daily activities and roles.

A social worker suspects a client has an eating disorder and wants to use a validated screening tool. Which instrument is most appropriate?

Answer: Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q)

The EDE-Q is a widely validated self-report measure that screens for eating disorder psychopathology including dietary restraint and shape/weight concerns.