LCSW COMPLETE VERSION 2026 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) | ALREADY GRADED A+.
QUESTION
What is the primary distinction between Somatic Symptom Disorder and Illness Anxiety
Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: A single difference—in Somatic Symptom Disorder, the client does have
some health-related issue that includes severe health-related anxiety, whereas in Illness
Anxiety Disorder, there are rarely somatic symptoms, and they have an intense fear that
they have some kind of serious disease despite reassurance. Think hypochondriac. Both
need to be present for 6 months. Look for whether the individual had a DOCUMENTED
health condition.
EXPERT RATIONALE
The critical difference lies in the presence of actual physical symptoms. In Somatic
Symptom Disorder, the individual experiences significant, distressing physical symptoms
that may or may not have a clear medical explanation, accompanied by excessive
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to these symptoms. In Illness Anxiety Disorder,
the primary feature is a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, with
mild or no somatic symptoms. The individual is easily alarmed about their health and
engages in excessive health-related behaviors, but reassurance does not alleviate their
fear.
QUESTION
What is Conversion Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: When a psychological issue converts into a somatic one. Example: blind
rage where someone gets so angry they actually go blind, or someone upset from a
situation and loses functioning of a limb, becoming paralyzed by the trauma.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder) involves symptoms or
,deficits affecting voluntary motor or sensory function that suggest a neurological or
other medical condition. These symptoms are not explained by a recognized
neurological or medical condition and are thought to be related to psychological
factors, such as stress or trauma. The individual is not consciously producing the
symptoms, and they are not seeking a sick role. The symptoms are genuine and
distressing.
QUESTION
What is the distinction between Factitious Disorder and Factitious Disorder by Proxy?
CORRECT ANS: Factitious Disorder is when a person likes to get the attention of being
sick; they act like they are sick. The "by Proxy" version is when they make someone else
appear sick for attention (e.g., a parent takes a child to the doctor or makes the child
sick).
EXPERT RATIONALE
Both are characterized by intentional falsification of medical or psychiatric symptoms. In
Factitious Disorder, the individual deceives others by pretending to be ill, impaired, or
injured for the primary purpose of assuming the sick role. In Factitious Disorder
Imposed on Another (formerly by proxy), the individual falsifies symptoms in another
person, often a child, to gain attention and sympathy. There is no external reward, unlike
malingering.
QUESTION
What is Malingering?
CORRECT ANS: V Code. Someone fakes an illness in order to get out of something.
Example: claiming mental illness to get disability or to get out of appearing in court.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Malingering is not a mental disorder but a V Code in the DSM-5. It is the intentional
production of false or grossly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms,
motivated by external incentives. These incentives can include avoiding work, military
duty, or criminal prosecution, or obtaining financial compensation or drugs. It is
,important to distinguish malingering from Factitious Disorder, where there is no external
reward.
QUESTION
What is Anorexia Nervosa?
CORRECT ANS: Restricts dietary intake. People that would be less than minimally
normal for their weight. Intense fear of gaining weight and have a distorted body image.
Excessive exercise. Must coordinate with a medical doctor.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a restriction of energy intake relative to
requirements, leading to a significantly low body weight in the context of age, sex,
developmental trajectory, and physical health. There is an intense fear of gaining weight
or becoming fat, and a disturbance in the way one's body weight or shape is
experienced. It often involves excessive exercise and other behaviors to prevent weight
gain.
QUESTION
What is Bulimia Nervosa?
CORRECT ANS: Need 2 things: 1. Binge eating and 2. Purging. Binging is consuming a
large portion of food and feeling out of control over the eating episode. Purging will
include vomiting, laxatives, to get rid of the food they've eaten.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, defined by
eating a larger amount of food than most people would in a discrete period of time and
a sense of lack of control over eating. This is followed by recurrent inappropriate
compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse
of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or excessive exercise.
, QUESTION
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: Diagnosed when the patient ONLY engages in the binge eating, but not
the purging. They feel out of control and eat a mass quantity of food. Feeling of
disgust/shame after eating.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating without the
regular use of compensatory behaviors. The binge eating episodes are associated with
marked distress and at least three of the following: eating much more rapidly than
normal, eating until feeling uncomfortably full, eating large amounts when not
physically hungry, eating alone due to embarrassment, and feeling disgusted with
oneself afterward.
QUESTION
What is Unspecified Eating Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: Happens when you have not met the criteria for anorexia or bulimia.
You can have purging without binging, or be someone with normal weight with an
obsession/anxiety about their body image.
EXPERT RATIONALE
This category applies to presentations in which symptoms characteristic of a feeding or
eating disorder cause clinically significant distress or impairment, but do not meet the
full criteria for any specific disorder. Clinicians use it when they do not want to specify
the reason the criteria are not met, or when they lack sufficient information.
QUESTION
What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: NOT about weight. This is about having a distinct displeasure about
some body part. Obsessed with the looks of their nose, ears; they get excessive plastic
surgery.
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) | ALREADY GRADED A+.
QUESTION
What is the primary distinction between Somatic Symptom Disorder and Illness Anxiety
Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: A single difference—in Somatic Symptom Disorder, the client does have
some health-related issue that includes severe health-related anxiety, whereas in Illness
Anxiety Disorder, there are rarely somatic symptoms, and they have an intense fear that
they have some kind of serious disease despite reassurance. Think hypochondriac. Both
need to be present for 6 months. Look for whether the individual had a DOCUMENTED
health condition.
EXPERT RATIONALE
The critical difference lies in the presence of actual physical symptoms. In Somatic
Symptom Disorder, the individual experiences significant, distressing physical symptoms
that may or may not have a clear medical explanation, accompanied by excessive
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to these symptoms. In Illness Anxiety Disorder,
the primary feature is a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, with
mild or no somatic symptoms. The individual is easily alarmed about their health and
engages in excessive health-related behaviors, but reassurance does not alleviate their
fear.
QUESTION
What is Conversion Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: When a psychological issue converts into a somatic one. Example: blind
rage where someone gets so angry they actually go blind, or someone upset from a
situation and loses functioning of a limb, becoming paralyzed by the trauma.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder) involves symptoms or
,deficits affecting voluntary motor or sensory function that suggest a neurological or
other medical condition. These symptoms are not explained by a recognized
neurological or medical condition and are thought to be related to psychological
factors, such as stress or trauma. The individual is not consciously producing the
symptoms, and they are not seeking a sick role. The symptoms are genuine and
distressing.
QUESTION
What is the distinction between Factitious Disorder and Factitious Disorder by Proxy?
CORRECT ANS: Factitious Disorder is when a person likes to get the attention of being
sick; they act like they are sick. The "by Proxy" version is when they make someone else
appear sick for attention (e.g., a parent takes a child to the doctor or makes the child
sick).
EXPERT RATIONALE
Both are characterized by intentional falsification of medical or psychiatric symptoms. In
Factitious Disorder, the individual deceives others by pretending to be ill, impaired, or
injured for the primary purpose of assuming the sick role. In Factitious Disorder
Imposed on Another (formerly by proxy), the individual falsifies symptoms in another
person, often a child, to gain attention and sympathy. There is no external reward, unlike
malingering.
QUESTION
What is Malingering?
CORRECT ANS: V Code. Someone fakes an illness in order to get out of something.
Example: claiming mental illness to get disability or to get out of appearing in court.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Malingering is not a mental disorder but a V Code in the DSM-5. It is the intentional
production of false or grossly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms,
motivated by external incentives. These incentives can include avoiding work, military
duty, or criminal prosecution, or obtaining financial compensation or drugs. It is
,important to distinguish malingering from Factitious Disorder, where there is no external
reward.
QUESTION
What is Anorexia Nervosa?
CORRECT ANS: Restricts dietary intake. People that would be less than minimally
normal for their weight. Intense fear of gaining weight and have a distorted body image.
Excessive exercise. Must coordinate with a medical doctor.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a restriction of energy intake relative to
requirements, leading to a significantly low body weight in the context of age, sex,
developmental trajectory, and physical health. There is an intense fear of gaining weight
or becoming fat, and a disturbance in the way one's body weight or shape is
experienced. It often involves excessive exercise and other behaviors to prevent weight
gain.
QUESTION
What is Bulimia Nervosa?
CORRECT ANS: Need 2 things: 1. Binge eating and 2. Purging. Binging is consuming a
large portion of food and feeling out of control over the eating episode. Purging will
include vomiting, laxatives, to get rid of the food they've eaten.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, defined by
eating a larger amount of food than most people would in a discrete period of time and
a sense of lack of control over eating. This is followed by recurrent inappropriate
compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse
of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or excessive exercise.
, QUESTION
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: Diagnosed when the patient ONLY engages in the binge eating, but not
the purging. They feel out of control and eat a mass quantity of food. Feeling of
disgust/shame after eating.
EXPERT RATIONALE
Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating without the
regular use of compensatory behaviors. The binge eating episodes are associated with
marked distress and at least three of the following: eating much more rapidly than
normal, eating until feeling uncomfortably full, eating large amounts when not
physically hungry, eating alone due to embarrassment, and feeling disgusted with
oneself afterward.
QUESTION
What is Unspecified Eating Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: Happens when you have not met the criteria for anorexia or bulimia.
You can have purging without binging, or be someone with normal weight with an
obsession/anxiety about their body image.
EXPERT RATIONALE
This category applies to presentations in which symptoms characteristic of a feeding or
eating disorder cause clinically significant distress or impairment, but do not meet the
full criteria for any specific disorder. Clinicians use it when they do not want to specify
the reason the criteria are not met, or when they lack sufficient information.
QUESTION
What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?
CORRECT ANS: NOT about weight. This is about having a distinct displeasure about
some body part. Obsessed with the looks of their nose, ears; they get excessive plastic
surgery.
