RP Patient Assessment and Evaluation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) validity scales are primarily used to:
- Measure the severity of depressive symptoms
- Detect response bias, exaggeration, or underreporting in self-report (Correct answer)
- Identify specific DSM-5 personality disorder categories
- Establish baseline cognitive functioning
Correct answer: Detect response bias, exaggeration, or underreporting in self-report
MMPI-2 validity scales such as the L, F, and K scales help identify whether a client is responding honestly or in a biased manner.
Question 2: During a clinical interview, a client describes experiences of receiving special messages from television broadcasts meant only for them. This phenomenon is best documented as:
- Auditory hallucination
- Delusion of reference (Correct answer)
- Magical thinking
- Thought insertion
Correct answer: Delusion of reference
Ideas of reference involve the false belief that external stimuli, such as TV broadcasts, are specifically directed at or about the individual.
Question 3: When assessing a client's level of functioning, the GAF (Global Assessment of Functioning) score of 41-50 indicates:
- Mild symptoms with some difficulty in social or occupational functioning
- Serious symptoms or serious impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning (Correct answer)
- Some mild symptoms with generally good functioning
- Danger of hurting self or others or unable to maintain minimal personal hygiene
Correct answer: Serious symptoms or serious impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning
GAF scores of 41-50 reflect serious symptoms such as suicidal ideation or serious impairment in multiple domains of functioning.
Question 4: A psychotherapist uses the PHQ-9 as part of routine assessment. The PHQ-9 is validated to screen for:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Major depressive disorder (Correct answer)
- Bipolar disorder
- Panic disorder
Correct answer: Major depressive disorder
The PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) screens for the nine DSM criteria for major depressive disorder with good sensitivity and specificity.
Question 5: In conducting a risk assessment, 'protective factors' are best described as:
- Client deficits that increase vulnerability to harm
- Variables that reduce the likelihood of harm or suicide (Correct answer)
- Legal obligations requiring mandatory reporting
- Clinical diagnoses that predict future risk
Correct answer: Variables that reduce the likelihood of harm or suicide
Protective factors such as social support, reasons for living, and access to care help buffer against suicidal or self-harm behavior.
Question 6: The CAGE questionnaire is a brief screening tool used in clinical assessment to identify problems with:
- Eating disorders
- Alcohol use (Correct answer)
- Cognitive decline
- Gambling behavior
Correct answer: Alcohol use
The CAGE questionnaire asks four questions about Cut down, Annoyance, Guilt, and Eye-opener behaviors related to alcohol use.
Question 7: A client with limited English proficiency requires assessment. Best practice requires the therapist to:
- Use a family member as an interpreter to reduce cost
- Utilize a trained professional interpreter or validated translated instruments (Correct answer)
- Conduct the assessment in English and document language barriers
- Defer assessment until the client learns sufficient English
Correct answer: Utilize a trained professional interpreter or validated translated instruments
Using trained interpreters and culturally validated instruments ensures accurate assessment and respects client dignity and rights.
RP Patient Assessment and Evaluation 3
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) validity scales are primarily used to: