NRNP6635 MIDTERM SOLUTIONS FINAL PAPER
2026 FULL SOLUTION REVIEW
◉ When is a mental disorder considered diagnosable? Answer:
Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress or
disability in social, occupational, or other important activities.
◉ Syndrome Answer: A group or set of concurrent symptoms which,
together, are indicative of a disorder or disease.
◉ What is a syndrome a collection of? Answer: Signs and symptoms.
◉ Symptom Answer: Any sign, physical or mental, that stands for or
signifies something (e.g., psychopathology).
◉ Sign Answer: Observable phenomena which may signify
something (e.g., psychopathology, behavioral disturbance).
◉ What sometimes makes a syndrome or a disorder? Answer: A
symptom and a sign.
◉ What is similar to a syndrome? Answer: An episode.
,◉ What are you going to find out from what the client might be
telling you? Answer: Symptoms.
◉ What are some examples of symptoms? Answer: Appetite loss,
anxiety, depressed mood, auditory hallucinations.
◉ What are some examples of signs? Answer: Tearful, agitation,
severe weight loss.
◉ What is something you don't want to do when making a
diagnosis? Answer: Telescoping.
◉ Telescoping. Answer: When you see a symptom and decide it is a
disorder. Jumping to conclusions.
◉ What are some issues to keep in mind in regards to diagnosis?
Answer: 1. Signs are used interchangeably for symptoms.
2. One symptom does not constitute a disorder.
◉ What are some cases for when you may want to make a diagnosis
off of one disorder? Answer: 1. Sometimes a symptom (e.g., sleep
disturbance) appears in a number of disorder descriptions.
, 2. Other times there are symptoms (e.g., auditory hallucinations)
that strongly suggest a certain disorder (however, rendering a
diagnosis based upon a single symptom).
◉ What are some of the reasons to diagnose? Answer: 1. Definition
and organization of clinical information.
2. Communication with other professionals and agencies (e.g.,
reports, insurance companies).
3. Prediction of clinical course (prognosis).
4. Selection of treatment (most important).
5. To get paid.
◉ What is a prediction of clinical course? Answer: Prognosis.
◉ What is the most important reason to diagnose? Answer:
Selection of treatment.
◉ What are the limitations of psychodiagnosis? Answer: 1.
Diagnostic language (be descriptive with clients).
2. Depersonalization.
3. Cultural bias. - nomenclature, evaluator bias.
4. Variable symptom manifestation.
2026 FULL SOLUTION REVIEW
◉ When is a mental disorder considered diagnosable? Answer:
Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress or
disability in social, occupational, or other important activities.
◉ Syndrome Answer: A group or set of concurrent symptoms which,
together, are indicative of a disorder or disease.
◉ What is a syndrome a collection of? Answer: Signs and symptoms.
◉ Symptom Answer: Any sign, physical or mental, that stands for or
signifies something (e.g., psychopathology).
◉ Sign Answer: Observable phenomena which may signify
something (e.g., psychopathology, behavioral disturbance).
◉ What sometimes makes a syndrome or a disorder? Answer: A
symptom and a sign.
◉ What is similar to a syndrome? Answer: An episode.
,◉ What are you going to find out from what the client might be
telling you? Answer: Symptoms.
◉ What are some examples of symptoms? Answer: Appetite loss,
anxiety, depressed mood, auditory hallucinations.
◉ What are some examples of signs? Answer: Tearful, agitation,
severe weight loss.
◉ What is something you don't want to do when making a
diagnosis? Answer: Telescoping.
◉ Telescoping. Answer: When you see a symptom and decide it is a
disorder. Jumping to conclusions.
◉ What are some issues to keep in mind in regards to diagnosis?
Answer: 1. Signs are used interchangeably for symptoms.
2. One symptom does not constitute a disorder.
◉ What are some cases for when you may want to make a diagnosis
off of one disorder? Answer: 1. Sometimes a symptom (e.g., sleep
disturbance) appears in a number of disorder descriptions.
, 2. Other times there are symptoms (e.g., auditory hallucinations)
that strongly suggest a certain disorder (however, rendering a
diagnosis based upon a single symptom).
◉ What are some of the reasons to diagnose? Answer: 1. Definition
and organization of clinical information.
2. Communication with other professionals and agencies (e.g.,
reports, insurance companies).
3. Prediction of clinical course (prognosis).
4. Selection of treatment (most important).
5. To get paid.
◉ What is a prediction of clinical course? Answer: Prognosis.
◉ What is the most important reason to diagnose? Answer:
Selection of treatment.
◉ What are the limitations of psychodiagnosis? Answer: 1.
Diagnostic language (be descriptive with clients).
2. Depersonalization.
3. Cultural bias. - nomenclature, evaluator bias.
4. Variable symptom manifestation.
