Deck 3: Assessing and Diagnosing Abnormality

Question 1

If a test assesses all the important aspects of a phenomenon, the test is said to have _____ validity.

A) content
B) construct
C) concurrent
D) contextual

Answer 1

content

Question 2

A researcher should expect low test-retest reliability for an anxiety questionnaire that measures:

A) general tendencies.
B) enduring characteristics.
C) current symptoms.
D) common tendencies.

Answer 2

current symptoms.

Question 3

Mark takes a test to measure his general level of anxiety. After taking the test, Mark realizes that the test contained questions only on the physical symptoms of anxiety and left out questions related to cognitive symptoms, which are important aspects of the phenomenon of anxiety. In this case, the test lacks _____ validity.

A) concurrent
B) content
C) face
D) predictive

Answer 3

content

Question 4

Wallace took the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test when he was in the sixth, eight, and tenth grades. On each occasion, his test scores were practically the same. The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test would be an example of _____ reliability.

A) internal
B) test-retest
C) interrater
D) alternate form

Question 5

Tina's parents are concerned because she seems to have trouble writing. She often writes her numbers backwards and misspells words. The school suggests that they seek psychological counseling, especially since the problem occurred after the family's car accident. Why might the family need a psychologist?

A) Psychologists can assess cognitive deficits such as learning disabilities.
B) A psychologist would be more sympathetic to the parents' concerns.
C) A psychologist could consult after ruling out biological causes for the problem.
D) Psychologists are concerned with the emotional well-being of individuals.

Question 6

The extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure and not something else altogether is representative _____ validity.

A) predictive
B) concurrent
C) construct
D) face

Question 7

Which of the following is a label for a set of symptoms that often occur together?

A) Marker
B) Typology
C) Diagnosis
D) Assessment

Question 8

_____ validity is the extent to which a test yields the same results as other, established measures of the same phenomena.

A) Construct
B) Concurrent
C) Content
D) Predictive

Question 9

Simon developed two forms of an anxiety questionnaire. In the second form, he changed the wording and order of the questions. He administered both forms to the same group of participants two weeks apart. While scoring the tests, Simon realizes that the participants' answers to the different forms of the test are dissimilar. In this case, the tests are said to have:

A) high test-retest reliability.
B) low test-retest reliability.
C) high alternate form reliability.
D) low alternate form reliability.

Question 10

A test that is consistent in measuring what it is supposed to measure is considered to have _____.

A) reliability
B) generalizability
C) validity
D) constructability

Question 11

_____ refers to the similarity in people's answers among different parts of the same test.

A) Content validity
B) Internal reliability
C) External validity
D) Alternate reliability

Question 12

A test is considered to have predictive validity when it:

A) measures what it intends to measure and not something else.
B) seems on its face to measure what it intends to measure.
C) yields results similar to those of other established measures.
D) reliably represents how a person will think, feel, or behave in the future.

Question 13

Which of the following is the best method of improving the validity and reliability of psychological tests?

A) Conducting at least three trials before using them for research
B) Standardizing their administration and interpretation
C) Limiting their use to patients with severe disorders
D) Having them reviewed by professionals in the field of psychopathology

Question 14

_____ reliability refers to how consistent the results of a test are over time.

A) Alternate form
B) Internal
C) Interrater
D) Test-retest

Question 15

The process of gathering information about an individual's symptoms and the possible causes of these symptoms is referred to as _____.

A) assessment
B) diagnosis
C) treatment
D) study

Question 16

Current guidelines for diagnosing mental disorders use _____ to make diagnoses.

A) ranges of scores
B) subjective systems
C) thresholds
D) continuum models

Question 17

Jason was taking a test to measure his general level of anxiety. When he glanced over the test, the questions seemed as though they were related to his problem. In this scenario, the test most likely had _____ validity.

A) predictive
B) concurrent
C) content
D) face

Question 18

When different individuals administer and score a test and come to similar conclusions after evaluating the same people, the test is said to have _____ reliability.

A) high interrater
B) low interjudge
C) low internal
D) high test-retest

Question 19

Which term refers to the accuracy of a test in assessing what it is supposed to measure?

A) Reliability
B) Validity
C) Constructability
D) Generalizability

Question 20

An initial interview in a clinical setting may include a _____ exam, to assess the client's general functioning.

A) mental health
B) medical health
C) mental status
D) medical status

Question 21

If direct observation or role-playing is not possible, clinicians may require individuals to:

A) self-discipline.
B) self-regulate.
C) self-diagnose.
D) self-monitor.

Question 22

Which of the following is a quick way for clinicians to determine a person's symptoms?

A) Symptom questionnaire
B) Structured interview
C) Luria-Nebraska Test
D) Computerized tomography scan

Question 23

Which of the following statements is true about the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)?

A) It assesses whether the respondent qualifies for a diagnosis of depression.
B) It describes four levels of a given symptom of depression.
C) Respondents indicate the description that best fits how they have been feeling in the past six months.
D) Cutoff scores have been established to indicate only severe levels of depressive symptoms.

Question 24

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is one of the most common questionnaires used to assess symptoms of _____.

A) anxiety
B) paranoia
C) depression
D) mania

Question 25

An important advantage of direct behavioral observations is that:

A) it has high interrater reliability.
B) it does not rely on self-reports and self-interpretation of behaviors.
C) an individual rater can easily capture all the details of an interpersonal interaction.
D) the behavior of the individual is not forced and occurs naturally.

Question 26

Which of the following is a criticism leveled against the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)?

A) The norms for the original MMPI were not representative of people from a wide range of ethnic and racial backgrounds, age groups, and social classes.
B) The concurrent validity and the test-retest reliability of the MMPI have been found to be low.
C) The MMPI has limited application as a general screening device for detecting people who are functioning very poorly psychologically.
D) The MMPI cannot be translated into different languages to meet the needs of different cultural groups.

Question 27

On Lee's first visit to a psychologist's office, a psychologist asks his a series of questions about his personal and family history. These questions:

A) are part of his initial interview.
B) mainly serve the purpose of putting the client at ease.
C) are just a formality with no real diagnostic value.
D) reflect the client's ability to diagnose his own condition.

Question 28

Which kind of interview is standardized and uses concrete criteria to score the person's answers?

A) Initial
B) Unguided
C) Structured
D) Definitive

Question 29

In a mental status exam, when a clinician takes note of how coherently and quickly a client speaks, the clinician is assessing the client's _____.

A) mood and affect
B) appearance and behavior
C) thought processes
D) orientation to the place, time, and person

Question 30

Rudolph was asked a set of questions about his symptoms in his initial interview that seemed very objective. He was surprised because his friends had told him to expect probing questions such as, "Tell me about yourself." The clinician most likely conducted a _____.

A) behavioral observation
B) projective test
C) standard mental health exam
D) structured interview

Question 31

During an initial interview, Diane notes that her client tends to laugh excessively at his own jokes. He has disheveled hair and soiled clothes. Which types of information has Diane noted about her client?

A) Mood and affect; orientation to place, time, and person
B) Orientation to place, time, and person; thought processes
C) Thought processes; intellectual functioning
D) Appearance and behavior; mood and affect

Question 32

During 28-year-old Sophia's second visit to the psychologist, the clinician gave her a symptom questionnaire that assessed symptoms of depression. Sophia most likely received the _____.

A) Geriatric Depression Scale
B) Beck Depression Inventory
C) Halstead-Reitan Test
D) Bender-Gestalt Test

Question 33

Which of the following is used to assess people's typical ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving?

A) An intelligence test
B) A symptom questionnaire
C) A projective test
D) A personality inventory

Question 34

_____ tests are used to measure abilities such as abstract reasoning, verbal fluency, and spatial memory.

A) Intelligence
B) Personality
C) Verbal
D) Projective

Question 35

In a mental status exam, the clinician will evaluate the client's _____ by observing how well the person speaks and looking for indications of memory or attention difficulties.

A) mood and affect
B) intellectual functioning
C) appearance and behavior
D) orientation to the place, time and person

Question 36

Clinicians will often use _____ to assess deficits in an individual's skills or ways of handling situations.

A) cognitive tests
B) behavioral observation
C) symptoms inventories
D) personality inventories

Question 37

Critics of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) argue that it:

A) is incapable of responding to the new manifestations of depressive symptoms.
B) is too easy to administer, and increases the likelihood that clients will provide false responses.
C) does not clearly differentiate between depressive symptoms and general distress related to other disorders.
D) does not prove to be adequate assessment for the complicated clinical syndrome of depression.

Question 38

Which of the following statements is true about the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)?

A) While it was being developed, a large group of possible inventory items was given only to people suffering from various psychological problems.
B) The inventory items on the original MMPI cluster into 18 scales that measure different types of psychological characteristics or problems.
C) Additional scales have been added to the MMPI-2 to assess vulnerability to eating disorders, substance abuse, and poor functioning at work.
D) It uses one validity scale to determine whether a person responds honestly or distorts her or his answers in a way that might invalidate the test.

Question 39

Cynthia wants to become a police officer. Applicants for the police academy must take a battery of tests before admission. Cynthia took a test that had sentences describing moral and social attitudes, behaviors, psychological states, and physical conditions. She was also instructed to respond to each sentence with either "true," "false," or "can't say." Cynthia most likely took the _____.

A) Beck Depression Inventory
B) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
C) Bender-Gestalt Test
D) Thematic Appreciation Test

Question 40

Sarah's parents were concerned because she seemed "slow" for her age. Sarah had a complete physical and mental examination. In addition, she took a battery of tests. The results of one test revealed that Sarah suffered from mild mental retardation. Most likely, this test was a(n) _____.

A) electroencephalogram
B) personality test
C) projective test
D) intelligence test

Question 41

Which of the following can be used to show differences in activity in specific areas of the brain?

A) Positron-emission tomography (PET)
B) Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
C) Electroencephalogram (EEG)
D) Computerized tomography (CT)

Question 42

A psychologist would find the Bender-Gestalt Test useful for:

A) differentiating between mental retardation and autism.
B) determining different personality types.
C) identifying people with brain damage.
D) measuring emotional and intellectual abilities.

Question 43

The Bender-Gestalt Test assesses individuals' sensorimotor skills by having them reproduce a set of nine drawings. A client with brain damage who takes the test would most likely:

A) reproduce most drawings as is.
B) remember the finer aspects of the drawings.
C) change or rotate parts of the drawings.
D) be able to correctly reproduce all nine drawings.

Question 44

In PET scans, a radioactive isotope, fluorodeoxyglucose, emits subatomic particles called _____ as it decays.

A) leptons
B) positrons
C) fragments
D) nucleons

Question 45

Which of the following is a limitation of computerized tomography?

A) It does not accurately reveal tumors and injuries.
B) It only shows two-dimensional images.
C) It exposes patients to X-rays, which can be harmful.
D) It provides an image of the brain's activity rather than its structure.

Question 46

Which of the following terms is used to describe a method of comparing an individual's score on an intelligence test with the performance of individuals of the same age group?

A) Emotional Quotient (EQ)
B) Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
C) Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
D) Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Question 47

Margaret received an intelligence quotient (IQ) score of 100 on her intelligence test. How does her performance compare with the average performance of other individuals in her age group?

A) It is much lower.
B) It is much higher.
C) It is similar.
D) It is slightly higher.

Question 48

_____ tests are alternative methods to magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography, positron-emission tomography, and single photon emission computed tomography used to detect changes in the brain and nervous system that reflect emotional and psychological changes.

A) Psychophysiological
B) Neuropsychological
C) Thematic Apperception
D) Projective

Question 49

Psychologist may use _____ tests to detect specific cognitive deficits.

A) neurobiological
B) neurological
C) neurophysiological
D) neuropsychological

Question 50

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):

A) can scan the brain only at specific angles.
B) should not be used repeatedly on the same individual.
C) does not require exposing the patient to any radiation.
D) provides less-detailed images of the brain compared to other technologies.

Question 51

Which statement regarding intelligence tests is incorrect?

A) Intelligence tests are controversial, and there is little consensus as to what intelligence means.
B) The most widely used intelligence tests do not assess talents and skills such as artistic and musical ability.
C) Different cultures within the United States and other countries emphasize other forms of reasoning that may not be assessed on intelligence tests.
D) Several "culture-fair" tests exist, but they are so expensive to administer that psychologists rarely use them.

Question 52

June recently will soon undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Which of the following will the scan involve?

A) Narrow X-ray beams will pass through June's head, and the amount of radiation absorbed by each beam will be measured.
B) June will be injected with a radioactive isotope in order to show the different levels of activity in specific areas of her brain.
C) June will have to reconstruct with a pencil and paper several images that are presented to her.
D) A magnetic field will realign the hydrogen atoms in June's brain, allowing the computer to read the signals to construct images of her brain.

Question 53

A(n) _____ measures electrical activity along the scalp produced by the firing of specific neurons in the brain, and it is often used to detect seizure activity.

A) computerized tomography (CT) scan
B) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
C) electroencephalogram (EEG)
D) positron-emission tomography (PET) scan

Question 54

Which of the following brain-image techniques can be considered the most effective?

A) Computerized tomography (CT)
B) Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
C) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
D) Positron-emission tomography (PET)

Question 55

Intelligence tests are biased in favor:

A) middle-class African American educated women.
B) upper-class educated Latino males.
C) middle- and upper-class educated Asian Americans.
D) middle- and upper-class educated European Americans.

Question 56

The Halstead-Reitan Test and the Luria-Nebraska Test are _____ tests.

A) projective
B) intelligence
C) neuropsychological
D) aptitude

Question 57

Which of the following is true about positron-emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)?

A) The same tracer substance is used in both SPECT and PET.
B) SPECT is less accurate than to PET.
C) PET is less expensive compared to SPECT.
D) The procedures of SPECT are significantly different from those of PET.

Question 58

_____ are used to identify brain abnormalities such as or tumors.

A) Computerized brain monitors
B) Electroconvulsive therapy machines
C) Electroencephalograms
D) Photon-emission tomography techniques

Question 59

The average performance score on an intelligence quotient (IQ) test is _____.

A) 50
B) 120
C) 100
D) 80

Question 60

An enhancement of X-ray procedures that reconstructs three-dimensional computerized images of the major structures of the brain is called a(n) _____ scan.

A) computerized tomography (CT)
B) positron-emission tomography (PET)
C) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
D) electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Question 61

_____ tests are based on the assumption that people will interpret ambiguous stimuli in line with their current concerns and feelings, their relationships with others, and conflicts or desires.

A) Projective
B) Subjective
C) Objective
D) Relative

Question 62

European Americans often view the body and mind as:

A) separate entities.
B) integrated experiences.
C) connected only in spiritual matters.
D) requiring little maintenance to sustain good health.

Question 63

Which of the following statements is true about the Rorschach Inkblot Test?

A) It was developed by Sigmund Freud.
B) It consists of a series of 15 pictures.
C) Clinicians are interested in the physiological responses of subjects to stimuli.
D) Clinicians are interested in the content and style of the subjects' responses.

Question 64

The classification system most widely used in the United States for diagnosing psychological disorders is the _____.

A) Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry
B) Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual
C) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
D) International Classification of Disease

Question 65

Proponents of projective tests argue that they:

A) are useful in determining cognitive deficits.
B) allow people to see themselves as others do.
C) prompt unbiased responses to stimuli.
D) are useful in uncovering unconscious motives.

Question 66

When electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns over brief periods are recorded in response to specific stimuli, these EEG patterns are referred to as:

A) evoked potentials.
B) electrodermal responses.
C) event associations.
D) galvanic skin responses.

Question 67

Which of the following is NOT true of child psychopathology?

A) Parents' perceptions of their children's well-being are rarely influenced by their own symptoms of psychopathology and their expectations for their children.
B) Clinicians and researchers have experienced problems with children's self-reports and rely on adults to provide the information.
C) Parents are considered a reliable source of information because they spend more time with children than any other adult.
D) A child's psychopathology can be connected to parental behaviors.

Question 68

A set of syndromes and the rules for determining whether an individual's symptoms are part of one of these syndromes constitute a(n) _____.

A) diagnostic criteria
B) assessment array
C) prognostic indicator
D) classification system

Question 69

Which of the following statements about child psychopathology is incorrect?

A) Cultural norms impact a child's behavior and parental expectations.
B) Teachers' assessments of children are often similar to the assessments of other adults, including parents and trained clinicians.
C) Guidance counselors and other school personnel are often the first to recognize a problem and initiate an intervention.
D) Discrepancies in assessments of child behavior may be due to the fact that children function differently in different settings.

Question 70

Tina's parents made an appointment for her to see a mental health professional. During the initial interview, she refused to answer the interview questions and claimed that she did not have to cooperate if she did not want to. Tina is exhibiting _____.

A) bias
B) disturbance
C) resistance
D) distraction

Question 71

The set of symptoms of a diagnosis that tend to occur together is called a(n) _____.

A) category
B) syndrome
C) assessment
D) prognosis

Question 72

A clinician who is assessing a child in elementary school might request information from all of the following people EXCEPT the:

A) child's teacher.
B) child's neighbor.
C) child's parents.
D) child.

Question 73

Which of the following is NOT true about language during an assessment?

A) Overdiagnosis may occur when the assessor interprets the individual's description of symptoms as indicating more pathology than is really present.
B) Underdiagnosis may occur when the individual cannot articulate complex emotions or strange perceptual experiences in the assessor's language.
C) Seldom do interpreters misunderstand and mistranslate a clinician's questions and the person's answers.
D) As different people from the same country can speak different dialects of a language or may have different means of expressing feelings and attitudes, mistranslation can occur.

Question 74

One of the first classification systems for psychological symptoms was developed by _____.

A) Plato
B) Aristotle
C) Socrates
D) Hippocrates

Question 75

The first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published in _____.

A) 1952
B) 1956
C) 1964
D) 1966

Question 76

Clinicians from _____ perspectives value projective test as tools for assessing the underlying conflicts and concerns of individuals.

A) psychodynamic
B) cognitive
C) existential
D) humanistic

Question 77

The _____ consists of a series of pictures shown to individuals who are then asked to say what they think is being depicted in the pictures.

A) Rorschach Inkblot Test
B) Thematic Apperception Test
C) Draw-A-Person Test
D) Halstead-Reitan Test

Question 78

Projective tests:

A) are valid and reliable.
B) tend to be free from biases.
C) have been adapted for different cultures.
D) rely on subjective interpretations by clinicians.

Question 79

In the United States, which of the followings groups is overdiagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia?

A) European Americans
B) Asian Americas
C) Native Americans
D) African Americans

Question 80

In an electroencephalogram (EEG), electrodermal response refers to:

A) respiration.
B) pupil dilation.
C) sweat gland activity.
D) blood vessel constriction.