LPCC Patient Assessment and Evaluation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a mental status examination, 'serial sevens' is a task used to assess:
- Short-term memory
- Abstract reasoning
- Concentration and attention (Correct answer)
- Judgment
Correct answer: Concentration and attention
Asking a client to count backward from 100 by sevens assesses concentration and sustained attention.
Question 2: The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) is primarily used to:
- Diagnose major depressive disorder with suicidal features
- Stratify the intensity and lethality of suicidal ideation and behavior (Correct answer)
- Screen for borderline personality disorder traits
- Assess protective factors against suicide
Correct answer: Stratify the intensity and lethality of suicidal ideation and behavior
The C-SSRS categorizes suicidal ideation and behavior along a spectrum of severity, aiding clinicians in risk stratification.
Question 3: A LPCC is assessing an older adult client for cognitive impairment. Which brief screening tool is most commonly used for this purpose?
- MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) or MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) (Correct answer)
- AUDIT-C
- CAGE questionnaire
- GDS (Geriatric Depression Scale)
Correct answer: MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) or MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment)
The MMSE and MoCA are the most widely used brief cognitive screening tools, assessing orientation, memory, language, and executive function.
Question 4: Which term describes a client's ability to understand the nature of their illness and the need for treatment?
- Judgment
- Insight (Correct answer)
- Orientation
- Abstract thinking
Correct answer: Insight
Insight in mental status examination refers to the client's awareness and understanding of their own mental illness and its implications.
Question 5: A counselor uses the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) with a new client. A score of 16 most likely indicates:
- Low-risk drinking
- Hazardous drinking
- Harmful drinking
- Probable alcohol dependence (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Probable alcohol dependence
AUDIT scores of 16–19 suggest harmful or high-level problem drinking, while scores ≥20 indicate probable dependence; a score of 16 falls at the boundary indicating probable dependence.
Question 6: In a clinical interview, the counselor asks, 'What would you do if you found a stamped, addressed envelope on the sidewalk?' This question assesses:
- Orientation to reality
- Judgment and social reasoning (Correct answer)
- Abstract thinking
- Recent memory
Correct answer: Judgment and social reasoning
Hypothetical scenario questions like the envelope question are used to evaluate a client's practical judgment and social reasoning.
Question 7: Which of the following is a key distinction between a DSM-5 diagnosis and a problem listed in the ICD-10 Z-codes?
- Z-codes represent clinical mental disorders; DSM diagnoses represent life problems
- DSM diagnoses describe mental disorders, while Z-codes capture psychosocial and environmental problems (Correct answer)
- Z-codes require a higher level of clinical severity than DSM diagnoses
- DSM diagnoses are used only for insurance billing; Z-codes are for clinical use only
Correct answer: DSM diagnoses describe mental disorders, while Z-codes capture psychosocial and environmental problems
Z-codes (formerly V-codes in ICD-9) document psychosocial stressors and environmental factors that influence health but are not classified as mental disorders.
LPCC Patient Assessment and Evaluation 3
During a mental status examination, 'serial sevens' is a task used to assess: