RP Patient Assessment and Evaluation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which assessment tool is specifically designed to screen for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults?
- Beck Anxiety Inventory
- PCL-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5) (Correct answer)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7
- State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
Correct answer: PCL-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5)
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that assesses DSM-5 PTSD symptoms and is widely used in clinical settings.
Question 2: A client presents with persistent sadness, anhedonia, and sleep disturbances lasting three weeks. Before diagnosing Major Depressive Disorder, the therapist should first rule out:
- Persistent Depressive Disorder
- Bipolar I Disorder
- General medical conditions and substance use (Correct answer)
- Adjustment Disorder
Correct answer: General medical conditions and substance use
DSM-5 requires ruling out physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition before diagnosing MDD.
Question 3: The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) is best used to assess:
- General psychological distress levels
- The intensity and lethality of suicidal ideation and behavior (Correct answer)
- Hopelessness as a standalone construct
- Personality disorder comorbidity
Correct answer: The intensity and lethality of suicidal ideation and behavior
The C-SSRS categorizes suicidal ideation intensity and behavior history to guide clinical risk stratification.
Question 4: When conducting a mental status examination (MSE), 'insight' refers to:
- The client's ability to recall recent events accurately
- The client's understanding of their illness and its impact (Correct answer)
- The client's logical and coherent thought process
- The client's level of orientation to person, place, and time
Correct answer: The client's understanding of their illness and its impact
Insight in the MSE measures the degree to which a client recognizes they have a mental health condition and understands its nature.
Question 5: A psychotherapist notices a client's affect is constricted and mood is dysphoric during assessment. 'Constricted affect' means:
- Affect that fluctuates rapidly across many emotional states
- Emotional expression that is limited in range and intensity (Correct answer)
- A complete absence of observable emotional expression
- Affect that is inconsistent with the content of speech
Correct answer: Emotional expression that is limited in range and intensity
Constricted affect refers to a reduction in the range of emotional expression, though some variation remains present.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the purpose of a biopsychosocial assessment in psychotherapy?
- To identify DSM-5 diagnoses as quickly as possible
- To integrate biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to a client's presentation (Correct answer)
- To assess purely physiological causes of mental health symptoms
- To determine whether medication is required before therapy can begin
Correct answer: To integrate biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to a client's presentation
The biopsychosocial model ensures a holistic understanding of the client by examining biological vulnerabilities, psychological patterns, and social context.
Question 7: A registered psychotherapist is assessing a new client who discloses current domestic violence. According to ethical and legal standards, the therapist's priority is to:
- Complete the full intake assessment before addressing safety
- Conduct an immediate safety assessment and develop a safety plan (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to another provider specializing in domestic violence
- Document the disclosure and continue with the standard assessment
Correct answer: Conduct an immediate safety assessment and develop a safety plan
Immediate safety assessment and planning take precedence when a client discloses ongoing domestic violence to protect their well-being.
RP Patient Assessment and Evaluation 2
Which assessment tool is specifically designed to screen for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults?