Maryland Psychologist Licensing Exam
Practice Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationale 2026
Q&A| Instant Download Pdf
1. A licensed psychologist in the state of Maryland is evaluating a 32-
year-old client who reports persistent feelings of sadness,
psychomotor retardation, insomnia, diminished concentration, and
recurrent thoughts of death for the past six weeks following the
dissolution of a long-term relationship. The psychologist must
determine whether the client meets criteria for Major Depressive
Disorder or is experiencing a normal grief-related response. Which
clinical feature would most strongly support a diagnosis of Major
Depressive Disorder rather than uncomplicated bereavement or
adjustment-related distress?
A. The client experiences transient waves of sadness that fluctuate
depending on reminders of the relationship
B. The client maintains intact self-esteem despite emotional pain and
loneliness
C. The client exhibits pervasive feelings of worthlessness and persistent
inability to experience pleasure across contexts
D. The client continues to engage in work and social obligations despite
emotional discomfort
,C. The client exhibits pervasive feelings of worthlessness and persistent
inability to experience pleasure across contexts
Rationale: Major Depressive Disorder is more strongly associated with
persistent anhedonia, pervasive hopelessness, and feelings of
worthlessness that extend beyond situational grief. Bereavement reactions
often fluctuate, preserve self-esteem, and remain linked to reminders of
the loss rather than producing global impairment and persistent
depressive cognition.
2. During a forensic evaluation ordered by a Maryland court, a
psychologist is asked to assess a defendant’s competency to stand
trial. Which criterion is most central to the legal concept of
competency to stand trial?
A. Whether the defendant can recall all events related to the alleged offense
B. Whether the defendant can appreciate the wrongfulness of criminal
conduct at the time of the offense
C. Whether the defendant possesses sufficient present ability to consult
with counsel with a rational understanding
D. Whether the defendant demonstrates remorse regarding the alleged
crime
C. Whether the defendant possesses sufficient present ability to consult
with counsel with a rational understanding
Rationale: Competency to stand trial concerns the defendant’s current
capacity to understand legal proceedings and assist counsel rationally. It
differs from insanity evaluations, which focus on mental state at the time
of the alleged offense.
3. A psychologist administers the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale to a
client from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. The
client’s educational experiences were inconsistent, and English is the
client’s second language. Which action best reflects culturally
competent psychological assessment practice?
,A. Interpreting scores strictly according to normative tables without
contextual modification
B. Avoiding any standardized testing because cultural differences invalidate
all psychometrics
C. Integrating test findings with sociocultural, linguistic, and educational
factors affecting performance
D. Relying solely on verbal subtest performance to estimate intellectual
functioning
C. Integrating test findings with sociocultural, linguistic, and educational
factors affecting performance
Rationale: Ethical and culturally competent assessment requires
psychologists to interpret psychological test results within the context of
language proficiency, educational opportunity, acculturation, and
sociocultural influences. Scores should not be interpreted in isolation from
these contextual variables.
4. A psychologist conducting psychotherapy with an adolescent learns
that the client has developed a detailed plan to seriously harm a
classmate and has access to a firearm in the home. Which ethical and
legal principle most directly guides the psychologist’s responsibility in
this situation?
A. Absolute maintenance of confidentiality under all circumstances
B. Duty to protect identifiable third parties from serious and foreseeable
harm
C. Requirement to terminate treatment immediately
D. Obligation to disclose all treatment information to the school
administration
B. Duty to protect identifiable third parties from serious and foreseeable
harm
Rationale: When a client presents a credible threat toward an identifiable
individual, psychologists may have a duty to protect or warn potential
, victims and take reasonable steps to reduce danger. Confidentiality is not
absolute when serious risk of harm exists.
5. A psychologist is reviewing research findings from a longitudinal study
examining childhood adversity and adult psychopathology. The results
indicate a correlation coefficient of +0.72 between adverse childhood
experiences and depressive symptoms in adulthood. Which
interpretation is most accurate?
A. Childhood adversity directly causes depression in exactly 72% of adults
B. A strong positive relationship exists between childhood adversity and
adult depressive symptoms
C. The variables are unrelated because correlation does not indicate
statistical significance
D. Adult depression causes individuals to retrospectively fabricate childhood
adversity
B. A strong positive relationship exists between childhood adversity and
adult depressive symptoms
Rationale: A correlation coefficient of +0.72 indicates a strong positive
association between the two variables. Correlation does not establish
causation, but it does reflect a meaningful relationship between childhood
adversity and later depressive symptoms.
6. A psychologist working in a hospital setting evaluates an elderly
patient who demonstrates fluctuating consciousness, disorientation,
visual hallucinations, and impaired attention that developed rapidly
over two days after surgery. Which diagnosis is most likely?
A. Major Neurocognitive Disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease
B. Schizophrenia
C. Delirium
D. Persistent Depressive Disorder
C. Delirium
Practice Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationale 2026
Q&A| Instant Download Pdf
1. A licensed psychologist in the state of Maryland is evaluating a 32-
year-old client who reports persistent feelings of sadness,
psychomotor retardation, insomnia, diminished concentration, and
recurrent thoughts of death for the past six weeks following the
dissolution of a long-term relationship. The psychologist must
determine whether the client meets criteria for Major Depressive
Disorder or is experiencing a normal grief-related response. Which
clinical feature would most strongly support a diagnosis of Major
Depressive Disorder rather than uncomplicated bereavement or
adjustment-related distress?
A. The client experiences transient waves of sadness that fluctuate
depending on reminders of the relationship
B. The client maintains intact self-esteem despite emotional pain and
loneliness
C. The client exhibits pervasive feelings of worthlessness and persistent
inability to experience pleasure across contexts
D. The client continues to engage in work and social obligations despite
emotional discomfort
,C. The client exhibits pervasive feelings of worthlessness and persistent
inability to experience pleasure across contexts
Rationale: Major Depressive Disorder is more strongly associated with
persistent anhedonia, pervasive hopelessness, and feelings of
worthlessness that extend beyond situational grief. Bereavement reactions
often fluctuate, preserve self-esteem, and remain linked to reminders of
the loss rather than producing global impairment and persistent
depressive cognition.
2. During a forensic evaluation ordered by a Maryland court, a
psychologist is asked to assess a defendant’s competency to stand
trial. Which criterion is most central to the legal concept of
competency to stand trial?
A. Whether the defendant can recall all events related to the alleged offense
B. Whether the defendant can appreciate the wrongfulness of criminal
conduct at the time of the offense
C. Whether the defendant possesses sufficient present ability to consult
with counsel with a rational understanding
D. Whether the defendant demonstrates remorse regarding the alleged
crime
C. Whether the defendant possesses sufficient present ability to consult
with counsel with a rational understanding
Rationale: Competency to stand trial concerns the defendant’s current
capacity to understand legal proceedings and assist counsel rationally. It
differs from insanity evaluations, which focus on mental state at the time
of the alleged offense.
3. A psychologist administers the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale to a
client from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. The
client’s educational experiences were inconsistent, and English is the
client’s second language. Which action best reflects culturally
competent psychological assessment practice?
,A. Interpreting scores strictly according to normative tables without
contextual modification
B. Avoiding any standardized testing because cultural differences invalidate
all psychometrics
C. Integrating test findings with sociocultural, linguistic, and educational
factors affecting performance
D. Relying solely on verbal subtest performance to estimate intellectual
functioning
C. Integrating test findings with sociocultural, linguistic, and educational
factors affecting performance
Rationale: Ethical and culturally competent assessment requires
psychologists to interpret psychological test results within the context of
language proficiency, educational opportunity, acculturation, and
sociocultural influences. Scores should not be interpreted in isolation from
these contextual variables.
4. A psychologist conducting psychotherapy with an adolescent learns
that the client has developed a detailed plan to seriously harm a
classmate and has access to a firearm in the home. Which ethical and
legal principle most directly guides the psychologist’s responsibility in
this situation?
A. Absolute maintenance of confidentiality under all circumstances
B. Duty to protect identifiable third parties from serious and foreseeable
harm
C. Requirement to terminate treatment immediately
D. Obligation to disclose all treatment information to the school
administration
B. Duty to protect identifiable third parties from serious and foreseeable
harm
Rationale: When a client presents a credible threat toward an identifiable
individual, psychologists may have a duty to protect or warn potential
, victims and take reasonable steps to reduce danger. Confidentiality is not
absolute when serious risk of harm exists.
5. A psychologist is reviewing research findings from a longitudinal study
examining childhood adversity and adult psychopathology. The results
indicate a correlation coefficient of +0.72 between adverse childhood
experiences and depressive symptoms in adulthood. Which
interpretation is most accurate?
A. Childhood adversity directly causes depression in exactly 72% of adults
B. A strong positive relationship exists between childhood adversity and
adult depressive symptoms
C. The variables are unrelated because correlation does not indicate
statistical significance
D. Adult depression causes individuals to retrospectively fabricate childhood
adversity
B. A strong positive relationship exists between childhood adversity and
adult depressive symptoms
Rationale: A correlation coefficient of +0.72 indicates a strong positive
association between the two variables. Correlation does not establish
causation, but it does reflect a meaningful relationship between childhood
adversity and later depressive symptoms.
6. A psychologist working in a hospital setting evaluates an elderly
patient who demonstrates fluctuating consciousness, disorientation,
visual hallucinations, and impaired attention that developed rapidly
over two days after surgery. Which diagnosis is most likely?
A. Major Neurocognitive Disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease
B. Schizophrenia
C. Delirium
D. Persistent Depressive Disorder
C. Delirium
