PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS AND SCREENING
EXAM SCRIPT COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE
●● What are the six basic steps in the DSM-5 differential diagnosis
process?
Answer: 1) Ruling out malingering and factitious disorder, 2) Ruling out
substance etiology, 3) Ruling out an etiological medical condition, 4)
Determining specific primary disorder(s), 5) Differentiating Adjustment
Disorder from other conditions, 6) Establishing boundaries with no
mental disorder.
●● Why is ruling out a general medical etiology important in psychiatric
diagnosis?
Answer: Because many individuals with general medical conditions may
have psychiatric symptoms as complications, and vice versa.
●● What is the definition of social determinants of health?
Answer: The causes of the causes of poor health.
●● How does the World Health Organization define mental health?
Answer: As a state of well-being where individuals realize their
potential, cope with normal stresses, work productively, and contribute
to their community.
, ●● What is the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)
used for?
Answer: To screen for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
●● What characterizes Agoraphobia according to DSM-5?
Answer: Intense fear, anxiety, or panic out of proportion to the situation
occurring in 2 or more specific scenarios.
●● What is the diagnostic criterion for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
(GAD)?
Answer: Excessive worry occurring more days than not for at least 6
months.
●● What is the most widely studied treatment for new diagnoses of
GAD?
Answer: A serotonergic antidepressant in combination with cognitive-
behavioral therapy (CBT).
●● What are the criteria for diagnosing Schizophrenia?
Answer: Two or more of the following: delusions, hallucinations,
disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior,
negative symptoms, with disturbance lasting at least 6 months.
EXAM SCRIPT COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE
●● What are the six basic steps in the DSM-5 differential diagnosis
process?
Answer: 1) Ruling out malingering and factitious disorder, 2) Ruling out
substance etiology, 3) Ruling out an etiological medical condition, 4)
Determining specific primary disorder(s), 5) Differentiating Adjustment
Disorder from other conditions, 6) Establishing boundaries with no
mental disorder.
●● Why is ruling out a general medical etiology important in psychiatric
diagnosis?
Answer: Because many individuals with general medical conditions may
have psychiatric symptoms as complications, and vice versa.
●● What is the definition of social determinants of health?
Answer: The causes of the causes of poor health.
●● How does the World Health Organization define mental health?
Answer: As a state of well-being where individuals realize their
potential, cope with normal stresses, work productively, and contribute
to their community.
, ●● What is the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)
used for?
Answer: To screen for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
●● What characterizes Agoraphobia according to DSM-5?
Answer: Intense fear, anxiety, or panic out of proportion to the situation
occurring in 2 or more specific scenarios.
●● What is the diagnostic criterion for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
(GAD)?
Answer: Excessive worry occurring more days than not for at least 6
months.
●● What is the most widely studied treatment for new diagnoses of
GAD?
Answer: A serotonergic antidepressant in combination with cognitive-
behavioral therapy (CBT).
●● What are the criteria for diagnosing Schizophrenia?
Answer: Two or more of the following: delusions, hallucinations,
disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior,
negative symptoms, with disturbance lasting at least 6 months.
