EPPP EXAM 100 ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWER WITH RATIONALE LATEST 2026 ALREADY
GRADED A+
This 100-question EPPP practice exam covers essential domains for
psychologist licensure, including psychopathology, psychopharmacology,
ethical and legal issues, research methodology, and treatment interventions.
Clinical scenarios test differential diagnosis of mood disorders, psychotic
disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and personality disorders.
Medication management questions address SSRIs, antipsychotics, mood
stabilizers, and drug interactions. Ethical principles cover confidentiality,
duty to protect, records review, and forensic evaluations. Research
methodology includes statistical significance, effect size, experimental design,
and correlation. Therapeutic approaches include CBT, DBT, behavioral
activation, and relapse prevention. Each question provides a detailed rationale
explaining the correct answer and distinguishing it from incorrect options,
ensuring comprehensive exam preparation.
1. A 45-year-old patient with no prior psychiatric history presents with a two-week
history of depressed mood, anhedonia, and significant fatigue. The patient reports
difficulty sleeping and concentrating, and has lost 10 pounds unintentionally.
Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in the initial evaluation?
A) Prescribe an SSRI to treat major depressive disorder.
B) Recommend a sleep study to evaluate for a primary sleep disorder.
C) Order a comprehensive medical workup including thyroid function tests and a
complete blood count.
D) Refer the patient for a course of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Before diagnosing a primary psychiatric disorder like major depressive
disorder, it is essential to rule out underlying medical conditions that can present
with depressive symptoms. Hypothyroidism, anemia, and other medical conditions
are common causes of depression-like symptoms. A comprehensive medical
workup is the standard of care to ensure that a treatable medical condition is not
the primary cause of the patient's symptoms.
,2. According to the APA Ethics Code, a psychologist who is asked by a court to
provide an opinion about an individual they have not personally evaluated, based
solely on a records review, must:
A) Decline to provide any opinion as it is outside their scope of competence.
B) Provide the opinion but clearly state the limits of the data and the opinion's
basis.
C) Provide the opinion and treat it as expert testimony regardless of the data
source.
D) Seek an independent medical evaluation from a third party before testifying.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The APA Ethics Code allows psychologists to provide opinions based
on a review of records, but only if they have done sufficient work to formulate a
reliable opinion. In such cases, the psychologist must clearly state the limitations
of their opinion, including the fact that it is based on record review rather than a
direct evaluation. The psychologist must refrain from making definitive diagnostic
statements without direct examination.
3. A study examining the effectiveness of a new cognitive-behavioral therapy
(CBT) program for generalized anxiety disorder finds a statistically significant
difference between the treatment and control groups (p = .04). However, the effect
size is small (Cohen's d = 0.18). Which of the following conclusions is most
appropriate?
A) The result is clinically significant and should be adopted as a primary treatment.
B) The result is not valid because the effect size is small.
C) The result is statistically significant but may have limited practical significance.
D) The study is underpowered and the finding is likely a Type I error.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A statistically significant result indicates that the observed difference is
unlikely to be due to chance. However, the effect size is a measure of the
magnitude of the difference. A d of 0.18 is considered a small effect, meaning that
the treatment accounts for a relatively small amount of variance in the outcome.
Thus, while the finding is statistically reliable, its practical or clinical significance
may be limited.
4. A 22-year-old college student is brought to the emergency department by friends
because they report hearing voices commenting on their actions and telling them
that the FBI is monitoring them. The patient appears anxious and is mumbling. The
patient has no history of substance use and no prior psychiatric hospitalizations.
Which finding would be most suggestive of a primary psychotic disorder rather
than a substance-induced psychotic disorder?
, A) The patient reports feeling unusually energized and creative in the past week.
B) The patient reports a one-year history of progressive social withdrawal and a
decline in academic performance.
C) The patient reports using cannabis occasionally but denies any heavy use.
D) The patient reports a family history of bipolar disorder.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A prodromal period characterized by gradual social withdrawal,
functional decline, and odd behavior is a hallmark of the onset of a primary
psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia. A prodromal period of social and
academic decline is more consistent with the negative symptoms and course of a
primary psychotic disorder. The other options are more suggestive of a mood
disorder with psychotic features or substance-induced psychosis.
5. In classical conditioning, the learning of a conditioned response is said to have
occurred when:
A) The unconditioned stimulus elicits the unconditioned response.
B) The conditioned stimulus begins to elicit a response that is similar to the
unconditioned response.
C) The neutral stimulus is presented repeatedly without the unconditioned
stimulus.
D) The unconditioned stimulus is presented after the conditioned response.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Classical conditioning is a process of learning through association. It
involves pairing a neutral stimulus (conditioned stimulus, CS) with an
unconditioned stimulus (US) that naturally elicits an unconditioned response (UR).
After repeated pairings, the CS alone comes to elicit a response that is similar to
the UR. This learned response is the conditioned response (CR).
6. A 17-year-old high school student is brought to the clinic by parents due to a
two-month history of significant weight loss, restrictive eating, and an intense fear
of gaining weight despite being significantly underweight. The patient denies
purging. Physical examination reveals bradycardia and lanugo hair. What is the
most likely diagnosis?
A) Bulimia Nervosa
B) Anorexia Nervosa, restricting type
C) Binge-Eating Disorder
D) Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The key features are significant weight loss and restriction of food
intake, intense fear of gaining weight, and denial of purging behaviors. The
ANSWER WITH RATIONALE LATEST 2026 ALREADY
GRADED A+
This 100-question EPPP practice exam covers essential domains for
psychologist licensure, including psychopathology, psychopharmacology,
ethical and legal issues, research methodology, and treatment interventions.
Clinical scenarios test differential diagnosis of mood disorders, psychotic
disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and personality disorders.
Medication management questions address SSRIs, antipsychotics, mood
stabilizers, and drug interactions. Ethical principles cover confidentiality,
duty to protect, records review, and forensic evaluations. Research
methodology includes statistical significance, effect size, experimental design,
and correlation. Therapeutic approaches include CBT, DBT, behavioral
activation, and relapse prevention. Each question provides a detailed rationale
explaining the correct answer and distinguishing it from incorrect options,
ensuring comprehensive exam preparation.
1. A 45-year-old patient with no prior psychiatric history presents with a two-week
history of depressed mood, anhedonia, and significant fatigue. The patient reports
difficulty sleeping and concentrating, and has lost 10 pounds unintentionally.
Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in the initial evaluation?
A) Prescribe an SSRI to treat major depressive disorder.
B) Recommend a sleep study to evaluate for a primary sleep disorder.
C) Order a comprehensive medical workup including thyroid function tests and a
complete blood count.
D) Refer the patient for a course of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Before diagnosing a primary psychiatric disorder like major depressive
disorder, it is essential to rule out underlying medical conditions that can present
with depressive symptoms. Hypothyroidism, anemia, and other medical conditions
are common causes of depression-like symptoms. A comprehensive medical
workup is the standard of care to ensure that a treatable medical condition is not
the primary cause of the patient's symptoms.
,2. According to the APA Ethics Code, a psychologist who is asked by a court to
provide an opinion about an individual they have not personally evaluated, based
solely on a records review, must:
A) Decline to provide any opinion as it is outside their scope of competence.
B) Provide the opinion but clearly state the limits of the data and the opinion's
basis.
C) Provide the opinion and treat it as expert testimony regardless of the data
source.
D) Seek an independent medical evaluation from a third party before testifying.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The APA Ethics Code allows psychologists to provide opinions based
on a review of records, but only if they have done sufficient work to formulate a
reliable opinion. In such cases, the psychologist must clearly state the limitations
of their opinion, including the fact that it is based on record review rather than a
direct evaluation. The psychologist must refrain from making definitive diagnostic
statements without direct examination.
3. A study examining the effectiveness of a new cognitive-behavioral therapy
(CBT) program for generalized anxiety disorder finds a statistically significant
difference between the treatment and control groups (p = .04). However, the effect
size is small (Cohen's d = 0.18). Which of the following conclusions is most
appropriate?
A) The result is clinically significant and should be adopted as a primary treatment.
B) The result is not valid because the effect size is small.
C) The result is statistically significant but may have limited practical significance.
D) The study is underpowered and the finding is likely a Type I error.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A statistically significant result indicates that the observed difference is
unlikely to be due to chance. However, the effect size is a measure of the
magnitude of the difference. A d of 0.18 is considered a small effect, meaning that
the treatment accounts for a relatively small amount of variance in the outcome.
Thus, while the finding is statistically reliable, its practical or clinical significance
may be limited.
4. A 22-year-old college student is brought to the emergency department by friends
because they report hearing voices commenting on their actions and telling them
that the FBI is monitoring them. The patient appears anxious and is mumbling. The
patient has no history of substance use and no prior psychiatric hospitalizations.
Which finding would be most suggestive of a primary psychotic disorder rather
than a substance-induced psychotic disorder?
, A) The patient reports feeling unusually energized and creative in the past week.
B) The patient reports a one-year history of progressive social withdrawal and a
decline in academic performance.
C) The patient reports using cannabis occasionally but denies any heavy use.
D) The patient reports a family history of bipolar disorder.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A prodromal period characterized by gradual social withdrawal,
functional decline, and odd behavior is a hallmark of the onset of a primary
psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia. A prodromal period of social and
academic decline is more consistent with the negative symptoms and course of a
primary psychotic disorder. The other options are more suggestive of a mood
disorder with psychotic features or substance-induced psychosis.
5. In classical conditioning, the learning of a conditioned response is said to have
occurred when:
A) The unconditioned stimulus elicits the unconditioned response.
B) The conditioned stimulus begins to elicit a response that is similar to the
unconditioned response.
C) The neutral stimulus is presented repeatedly without the unconditioned
stimulus.
D) The unconditioned stimulus is presented after the conditioned response.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Classical conditioning is a process of learning through association. It
involves pairing a neutral stimulus (conditioned stimulus, CS) with an
unconditioned stimulus (US) that naturally elicits an unconditioned response (UR).
After repeated pairings, the CS alone comes to elicit a response that is similar to
the UR. This learned response is the conditioned response (CR).
6. A 17-year-old high school student is brought to the clinic by parents due to a
two-month history of significant weight loss, restrictive eating, and an intense fear
of gaining weight despite being significantly underweight. The patient denies
purging. Physical examination reveals bradycardia and lanugo hair. What is the
most likely diagnosis?
A) Bulimia Nervosa
B) Anorexia Nervosa, restricting type
C) Binge-Eating Disorder
D) Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The key features are significant weight loss and restriction of food
intake, intense fear of gaining weight, and denial of purging behaviors. The
