FINAL EXAM (PSYC 421) QUESTIONS WELL ANSWERED LATEST UPDATE 2026
clinical and counseling assessment - Answers both focus on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of
abnormal behavior
clinical - Answers primarily concerned with severe forms of pathology
-Ex: Major Depression, Schizophrenia
counseling - Answers primarily concerned with everyday problems
-Ex: relationships or occupational problems
Purposes of Assessment in clinical and counseling psych - Answers -clarify the psychological problem
-make a diagnosis
-design treatment
-perhaps make placement recommendations
clinical - Answers most popular specialization that students enter into for grad school
Assessment Tools - Answers interviews, tests, case history data, observations (by self or others)
psychological assessment - Answers managed care often does not cover (or covers very little) of this
interpreted - Answers after you assess, findings must be _________
Interviewing - Answers includes gathering info on:
-demographics
-reason for referral
-medical info (past, present, familial)
-psychological info (past, present, familial)
Content - Answers what you say
-must be recorded accurately
Process - Answers how you say it
-also, nonverbal behavior
structure - Answers variation related to... (un- or semi-)
unstructured interview - Answers -flexible
-gather in-dept info
-need skilled interviewer
semi-structured interview - Answers -medium flexibility
-may be lengthy
structured interview - Answers -useful for screening
-little skill needed
-increased reliability (often)
Clinical Assessment - Answers application of training and experience in clinical actions
-requires clinical judgement
Actuarial Assessment - Answers application of statistical rules and probabilities in clinical actions
-requires "if-then" judgements
reported - Answers after you interpret an assessment, the results must be _____________
Barnum Effect - Answers tendency to accept vague, generalized descriptions as accurate reflections
of yourself
Psychologist requirements when reporting results - Answers -must provide specific, individualized
feedback
-not generalities applicable to anyone
Forensic Assessment - Answers psychological evaluation in a legal context
-differs from "regular" clinical practice
assesse - Answers In forensic assessment, your "client" may not be the ___________
Dangerousness to self or others - Answers -legal deprivation of liberty (involuntary commitment)
-risk factors and coherent plans
-more art than science
Types of Forensic Assessment - Answers -Dangerous to self or others
-Competency to stand trial
-Custody Evaluations
-Child Abuse & Neglect
Competency to stand trial - Answers -understood charges against and assist in defense
-if not, not set free-committed
Criminal Responsibility - Answers -not guilty by reason of insanity
, -not clearly defined
M-Naghten Standard - Answers awareness of right/wrong
American Law Institute Standard - Answers ALI
ALI - Answers awareness of criminality of behavior
-ability to control behavior
Custody evaluations - Answers -assess parents
-asses cildren
Child Abuse and Neglect - Answers duty to report
-assess physical, emotional, and behavioral signs
Neuropsychology (NP) - Answers relationship between brain functioning & behavior
NP Assessment - Answers application of specialized tests to diagnose and treat brain dysfunction
lesions - Answers pathological alteration of tissue from injury or infection
lesions - Answers can occur anywhere
physical/chemical
focal/diffuse - Answers lesions can be...
focal - Answers involve one site
diffuse - Answers involve various sites
Neuropsychological Assessment - Answers can determine these things...
-extent of behavioral impairment
-future behavioral impairment
-disease progression (how far along)
-potentially effective treatments
-evaluating treatment effectiveness
neuroimaging techniques - Answers widespread usage allows for more common uses of NP
assessment
Computed Tomography - Answers CT Scan
CT Scan - Answers -3D x-rays from different angles
-quickly assess brain injuries & swelling
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Answers MRI
MRI - Answers -image via radio waves passing through magnetic field
-only provide structural info
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Answers fMRI
fMRI - Answers -magnetic properties of hemoglobin reveal brain structures & processes
-disease diagnosis (e.g., stroke)
Positron Emission Tomography - Answers PET Scan
PET Scan - Answers -emission from radioactive chemicals injected into blood
-multicolored images of blood flow & glucose metabolism
-also used in disease diagnosis (e.g., Alzheimer's)
Rapidity of onset
Causative basis
Degree of certainty - Answers Neurological deficits vary according to...
acute or insidious - Answers rapidity of onset
acute - Answers problems come on quickly
insidious - Answers problems slowly emerge over time
organic or functional - Answers causative basis
organic - Answers physically based
functional - Answers psychologically based
hard sign or soft sign - Answers degree of certainty
hard sign - Answers strong indication of deficit
soft sign - Answers indication suggestive of deficit
case history data - Answers -personal/familial medicine
-psychosocial history
-developmental milestones
types of NP assessments - Answers case history data
clinical interview
mental status exam & IQ test
noninvasive physical exams - Answers examine skull for bumps
clinical and counseling assessment - Answers both focus on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of
abnormal behavior
clinical - Answers primarily concerned with severe forms of pathology
-Ex: Major Depression, Schizophrenia
counseling - Answers primarily concerned with everyday problems
-Ex: relationships or occupational problems
Purposes of Assessment in clinical and counseling psych - Answers -clarify the psychological problem
-make a diagnosis
-design treatment
-perhaps make placement recommendations
clinical - Answers most popular specialization that students enter into for grad school
Assessment Tools - Answers interviews, tests, case history data, observations (by self or others)
psychological assessment - Answers managed care often does not cover (or covers very little) of this
interpreted - Answers after you assess, findings must be _________
Interviewing - Answers includes gathering info on:
-demographics
-reason for referral
-medical info (past, present, familial)
-psychological info (past, present, familial)
Content - Answers what you say
-must be recorded accurately
Process - Answers how you say it
-also, nonverbal behavior
structure - Answers variation related to... (un- or semi-)
unstructured interview - Answers -flexible
-gather in-dept info
-need skilled interviewer
semi-structured interview - Answers -medium flexibility
-may be lengthy
structured interview - Answers -useful for screening
-little skill needed
-increased reliability (often)
Clinical Assessment - Answers application of training and experience in clinical actions
-requires clinical judgement
Actuarial Assessment - Answers application of statistical rules and probabilities in clinical actions
-requires "if-then" judgements
reported - Answers after you interpret an assessment, the results must be _____________
Barnum Effect - Answers tendency to accept vague, generalized descriptions as accurate reflections
of yourself
Psychologist requirements when reporting results - Answers -must provide specific, individualized
feedback
-not generalities applicable to anyone
Forensic Assessment - Answers psychological evaluation in a legal context
-differs from "regular" clinical practice
assesse - Answers In forensic assessment, your "client" may not be the ___________
Dangerousness to self or others - Answers -legal deprivation of liberty (involuntary commitment)
-risk factors and coherent plans
-more art than science
Types of Forensic Assessment - Answers -Dangerous to self or others
-Competency to stand trial
-Custody Evaluations
-Child Abuse & Neglect
Competency to stand trial - Answers -understood charges against and assist in defense
-if not, not set free-committed
Criminal Responsibility - Answers -not guilty by reason of insanity
, -not clearly defined
M-Naghten Standard - Answers awareness of right/wrong
American Law Institute Standard - Answers ALI
ALI - Answers awareness of criminality of behavior
-ability to control behavior
Custody evaluations - Answers -assess parents
-asses cildren
Child Abuse and Neglect - Answers duty to report
-assess physical, emotional, and behavioral signs
Neuropsychology (NP) - Answers relationship between brain functioning & behavior
NP Assessment - Answers application of specialized tests to diagnose and treat brain dysfunction
lesions - Answers pathological alteration of tissue from injury or infection
lesions - Answers can occur anywhere
physical/chemical
focal/diffuse - Answers lesions can be...
focal - Answers involve one site
diffuse - Answers involve various sites
Neuropsychological Assessment - Answers can determine these things...
-extent of behavioral impairment
-future behavioral impairment
-disease progression (how far along)
-potentially effective treatments
-evaluating treatment effectiveness
neuroimaging techniques - Answers widespread usage allows for more common uses of NP
assessment
Computed Tomography - Answers CT Scan
CT Scan - Answers -3D x-rays from different angles
-quickly assess brain injuries & swelling
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Answers MRI
MRI - Answers -image via radio waves passing through magnetic field
-only provide structural info
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Answers fMRI
fMRI - Answers -magnetic properties of hemoglobin reveal brain structures & processes
-disease diagnosis (e.g., stroke)
Positron Emission Tomography - Answers PET Scan
PET Scan - Answers -emission from radioactive chemicals injected into blood
-multicolored images of blood flow & glucose metabolism
-also used in disease diagnosis (e.g., Alzheimer's)
Rapidity of onset
Causative basis
Degree of certainty - Answers Neurological deficits vary according to...
acute or insidious - Answers rapidity of onset
acute - Answers problems come on quickly
insidious - Answers problems slowly emerge over time
organic or functional - Answers causative basis
organic - Answers physically based
functional - Answers psychologically based
hard sign or soft sign - Answers degree of certainty
hard sign - Answers strong indication of deficit
soft sign - Answers indication suggestive of deficit
case history data - Answers -personal/familial medicine
-psychosocial history
-developmental milestones
types of NP assessments - Answers case history data
clinical interview
mental status exam & IQ test
noninvasive physical exams - Answers examine skull for bumps
