LPCC Patient Assessment and Evaluation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which assessment instrument is specifically designed to measure the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in adults?
- PCL-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5) (Correct answer)
- GAD-7
- PHQ-9
- MDQ (Mood Disorder Questionnaire)
Correct answer: PCL-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5)
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that assesses the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD.
Question 2: A clinician notices a client's affect is inconsistent with the content of their speech (e.g., laughing while describing a tragedy). This is documented as:
- Blunted affect
- Inappropriate affect (Correct answer)
- Labile affect
- Restricted affect
Correct answer: Inappropriate affect
Inappropriate affect refers to an emotional expression that is incongruent with the context or content of one's thoughts.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes the purpose of a functional behavioral assessment (FBA)?
- To diagnose a specific mental disorder using DSM criteria
- To identify antecedents and consequences that maintain a problematic behavior (Correct answer)
- To measure cognitive functioning with standardized tests
- To assess a client's level of suicidal ideation
Correct answer: To identify antecedents and consequences that maintain a problematic behavior
An FBA identifies the triggers (antecedents) and reinforcers (consequences) that maintain a target behavior to inform intervention.
Question 4: The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) primarily measures:
- Generalized worry and cognitive anxiety symptoms
- Somatic and cognitive symptoms of anxiety in the past week (Correct answer)
- Trait anxiety as a stable personality characteristic
- Social anxiety and fear of negative evaluation
Correct answer: Somatic and cognitive symptoms of anxiety in the past week
The BAI is a 21-item self-report instrument measuring somatic and cognitive anxiety symptoms over the past week.
Question 5: When conducting a biopsychosocial assessment, which domain addresses a client's support network and cultural background?
- Biological
- Psychological
- Social (Correct answer)
- Developmental
Correct answer: Social
The social domain of a biopsychosocial assessment encompasses relationships, family systems, cultural context, and community support.
Question 6: A client scores 27 on the PHQ-9. According to scoring guidelines, this indicates:
- Mild depression
- Moderate depression
- Moderately severe depression
- Severe depression (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Severe depression
PHQ-9 scores of 20–27 indicate severe depression and typically warrant immediate clinical attention.
Question 7: Which structured diagnostic interview is considered the 'gold standard' for research-level DSM diagnosis in adults?
- MMPI-3
- SCID-5 (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5) (Correct answer)
- MCMI-IV
- WAIS-IV
Correct answer: SCID-5 (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5)
The SCID-5 is a semi-structured diagnostic interview widely regarded as the gold standard for establishing DSM-5 diagnoses in research and clinical settings.
LPCC Patient Assessment and Evaluation 2
Which assessment instrument is specifically designed to measure the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in adults?