PRITE Exam Review Questions with 100%
Correct Answers
According to Margaret Mahler's developmental theory of psychology, which of the
following indicates a successful resolution of the process of separation-individualism in
a toddler?
A. Trust
B. Intimacy
C. Object consistency
D. Normal symbiosis
E. Secondary individuation
object consistency
Which of the following neurodevelopmental processes predominantly occurs during
adolescence and young adulthood?
A. Synaptic pruning
B. Decreased myelination
C. Ventricular enlargement
D. Prefrontal cortex reduction
E. Growth of gray matter volumes
synaptic pruning
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3982854/
,Medical record data was used to estimate the prevalence of diabetes among patients
who started on an antipsychotic medication. Which of the follow best describes this
study design?
A. Cohort study
B. Meta-analysis
C. Systematic review
D. Cost-benefit analysis
E. Randomized controlled trial
cohort study
An 80 yer old presents with depressed mood and cognitive decline. The patient answers
the interviewer's questions with brief, one-word responses and rare spontaneous
elaboration. This is an example of which of the following?
A. Echolalia
B. Loss of goal
C. Poverty of speech
D. Latency of speech
E. Paraphasic speech
poverty of speech
Despite an extensive workup, no medical etiology can be identified as the cause of a
patient's leg pain and weakness. The patient's primary care physician suspects a
diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder. Which of the following responses is the most
appropriate next step?
,A. Refer for psychiatric evaluation
B. Inform the patient the leg pain is not real
C. Transition care of the patient to a neurologist
D. Schedule frequent, brief follow-up appointments
E. Reinforce the non-medical nature of the illness at each visit
schedule frequent, brief follow-up appointments
Over the last six months a ten year old child has been exhibiting anger and temper
tantrums. The child has been deliberately annoying others and blaming this
misbehavior on classmates. This has led to multiple disciplinary actions at school. What
is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Conduct disorder
B. Oppositional defiant disorder
C. Intermittent explosive disorder
D. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
E. Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
oppositional defiant disorder
Children with ODD often display frequent temper tantrums, argue with adults, and refuse to
comply with rules or requests. They may also intentionally annoy others and exhibit spiteful
or vindictive behaviors. On the other hand, CD involves more severe and aggressive
behaviors that violate the rights of others.
Both DMDD and oppositional defiant disorder criteria include irritability and temper
outbursts. However, the disorders differ in three respects: 1) severity: outbursts must occur
, three times a week in DMDD, but only once a week in oppositional defiant disorder; 2)
duration: the required duration is 12 months for DMDD and 6 months for oppositional defiant
disorder; and 3) pervasiveness and impairment: in DMDD, function must be impaired in two
of three settings, and it must be severe in one setting; oppositional defiant disorder has no
such requirement.
https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.13101301
A patient presents to the psychiatrist with the complaint of "I think I'm going crazy."
The patient reports that she often feels as if she has "no self and her thoughts are not
her own. In fact, she often feels like a robot and as if she is unable to control her body.
She states that she knows she has feelings but is not able to feel them, instead feeling
emotionally numb, and she frequently feels that her head is "full of cotton." Recently,
she has begun having "out of body" experiences. Which of the following is the most
likely diagnosis?
A. Illness anxiety disorder
B. Dissociative identity disorder
C. Posttraumatic stress disorder
D. Borderline personality disorder
E. Depersonalization/derealization disorder
depersonalization/derealization disorder
A cancer patient becomes nauseous when seeing a commercial on television for the local
cancer center where they receive chemotherapy. The patient's nausea is best described
as what element of classical conditioning?
Correct Answers
According to Margaret Mahler's developmental theory of psychology, which of the
following indicates a successful resolution of the process of separation-individualism in
a toddler?
A. Trust
B. Intimacy
C. Object consistency
D. Normal symbiosis
E. Secondary individuation
object consistency
Which of the following neurodevelopmental processes predominantly occurs during
adolescence and young adulthood?
A. Synaptic pruning
B. Decreased myelination
C. Ventricular enlargement
D. Prefrontal cortex reduction
E. Growth of gray matter volumes
synaptic pruning
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3982854/
,Medical record data was used to estimate the prevalence of diabetes among patients
who started on an antipsychotic medication. Which of the follow best describes this
study design?
A. Cohort study
B. Meta-analysis
C. Systematic review
D. Cost-benefit analysis
E. Randomized controlled trial
cohort study
An 80 yer old presents with depressed mood and cognitive decline. The patient answers
the interviewer's questions with brief, one-word responses and rare spontaneous
elaboration. This is an example of which of the following?
A. Echolalia
B. Loss of goal
C. Poverty of speech
D. Latency of speech
E. Paraphasic speech
poverty of speech
Despite an extensive workup, no medical etiology can be identified as the cause of a
patient's leg pain and weakness. The patient's primary care physician suspects a
diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder. Which of the following responses is the most
appropriate next step?
,A. Refer for psychiatric evaluation
B. Inform the patient the leg pain is not real
C. Transition care of the patient to a neurologist
D. Schedule frequent, brief follow-up appointments
E. Reinforce the non-medical nature of the illness at each visit
schedule frequent, brief follow-up appointments
Over the last six months a ten year old child has been exhibiting anger and temper
tantrums. The child has been deliberately annoying others and blaming this
misbehavior on classmates. This has led to multiple disciplinary actions at school. What
is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Conduct disorder
B. Oppositional defiant disorder
C. Intermittent explosive disorder
D. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
E. Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
oppositional defiant disorder
Children with ODD often display frequent temper tantrums, argue with adults, and refuse to
comply with rules or requests. They may also intentionally annoy others and exhibit spiteful
or vindictive behaviors. On the other hand, CD involves more severe and aggressive
behaviors that violate the rights of others.
Both DMDD and oppositional defiant disorder criteria include irritability and temper
outbursts. However, the disorders differ in three respects: 1) severity: outbursts must occur
, three times a week in DMDD, but only once a week in oppositional defiant disorder; 2)
duration: the required duration is 12 months for DMDD and 6 months for oppositional defiant
disorder; and 3) pervasiveness and impairment: in DMDD, function must be impaired in two
of three settings, and it must be severe in one setting; oppositional defiant disorder has no
such requirement.
https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.13101301
A patient presents to the psychiatrist with the complaint of "I think I'm going crazy."
The patient reports that she often feels as if she has "no self and her thoughts are not
her own. In fact, she often feels like a robot and as if she is unable to control her body.
She states that she knows she has feelings but is not able to feel them, instead feeling
emotionally numb, and she frequently feels that her head is "full of cotton." Recently,
she has begun having "out of body" experiences. Which of the following is the most
likely diagnosis?
A. Illness anxiety disorder
B. Dissociative identity disorder
C. Posttraumatic stress disorder
D. Borderline personality disorder
E. Depersonalization/derealization disorder
depersonalization/derealization disorder
A cancer patient becomes nauseous when seeing a commercial on television for the local
cancer center where they receive chemotherapy. The patient's nausea is best described
as what element of classical conditioning?
