LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor Psychopathology and Diagnosis Questions and Answers

Question 1

A client reports experiencing discrete periods of intense fear that occur unexpectedly and peak within minutes.
During these episodes, they experience heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and a fear of dying.
These episodes are followed by at least one month of persistent worry about having another attack.
Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Panic Disorder

Answer

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Answer

Social Anxiety Disorder

Answer

Agoraphobia

Question 2

A counselor is reviewing the diagnostic criteria for personality disorders. Which of the following is a hallmark criterion for Borderline Personality Disorder according to the DSM-5-TR?

Accepted Answer

Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment and a pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships.

Answer

A grandiose sense of self-importance and a need for excessive admiration.

Answer

A pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of, leading to submissive and clinging behavior.

Answer

A pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute discomfort with close relationships.

Question 3

Which of the following is considered a 'negative' symptom of schizophrenia?

Accepted Answer

Avolition

Answer

Auditory hallucinations

Answer

Delusions of persecution

Answer

Disorganized speech

Question 4

A 7-year-old client presents with significant inattention, hyperactivity, and emotional outbursts at school. The client's history reveals they were recently removed from a neglectful home environment. In differentiating between ADHD and a trauma-related disorder, what is the MOST crucial piece of information for the counselor to ascertain?

Accepted Answer

The onset and context of the symptoms in relation to the traumatic events.

Answer

Whether there is a family history of ADHD.

Answer

The child's performance on a standardized IQ test.

Answer

The child's current relationship with their foster parents.

Question 5

According to the DSM-5-TR, for a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, a client must experience a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities for a persistent period of at least:

Accepted Answer

Two weeks

Answer

One week

Answer

One month

Answer

Two months

Question 6

What is the primary clinical utility of using dimensional assessments and severity specifiers (e.g., mild, moderate, severe) within the DSM-5-TR diagnostic framework?

Accepted Answer

To provide a more nuanced understanding of a client's symptom intensity and functional impairment beyond a simple diagnostic label.

Answer

To replace categorical diagnoses with a more fluid, spectrum-based system.

Answer

To standardize the specific psychological tests required for each diagnosis.

Answer

To ensure higher reimbursement rates from insurance companies by quantifying symptoms.