Clinical Psychology Doctorate (PsyD)
Program Comprehensive Test Bank
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychopathology - Questions 1-25
Psychological Assessment - Questions 26-45
Psychotherapy and Intervention - Questions 46-65
Ethics and Professional Practice - Questions 66-80
Research Methods and Statistics - Questions 81-90
Biological Bases of Behavior - Questions 91-100
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Q1. A 28-year-old woman presents with a 6-month history of persistent low mood, anhedonia,
insomnia, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. She denies any history of manic or hypomanic
episodes. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Major depressive disorder, single episode
B. Bipolar I disorder
C. Persistent depressive disorder
D. Cyclothymic disorder
Correct Answer: Major depressive disorder, single episode
Rationale: The patient has five or more depressive symptoms for at least 2 weeks and no
history of mania or hypomania, which meets criteria for major depressive disorder. Bipolar I disorder
requires a manic episode. Persistent depressive disorder requires at least 2 years of depressed mood.
Cyclothymic disorder involves hypomanic and depressive symptoms over 2 years without meeting
full criteria for a major episode.
Q2. A 32-year-old man presents with a 4-day history of decreased need for sleep, grandiosity, rapid
speech, and excessive involvement in risky activities. He has never had a depressive episode. Which
of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Bipolar I disorder, current episode manic
,B. Bipolar II disorder
C. Cyclothymic disorder
D. Major depressive disorder with mixed features
Correct Answer: Bipolar I disorder, current episode manic
Rationale: Manic episodes lasting at least 3-7 days with decreased need for sleep, grandiosity,
rapid speech, and risky behavior meet criteria for bipolar I disorder. Bipolar II requires hypomanic
episodes and at least one major depressive episode. Cyclothymic disorder involves less severe
symptoms. Major depressive disorder does not include mania.
Q3. A 25-year-old woman presents with recurrent panic attacks and persistent worry about having
another attack for the past 2 months. She also avoids places where escape might be difficult. Which
of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Panic disorder with agoraphobia
B. Generalized anxiety disorder
C. Social anxiety disorder
D. Specific phobia
Correct Answer: Panic disorder with agoraphobia
Rationale: Recurrent panic attacks plus persistent worry about additional attacks and
agoraphobic avoidance meet criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia. Generalized anxiety
disorder involves pervasive worry without panic attacks. Social anxiety disorder involves fear of social
scrutiny. Specific phobia involves a circumscribed fear.
Q4. A 35-year-old man presents with persistent, excessive worry about multiple areas of life for the
past 8 months. He reports restlessness, muscle tension, and difficulty concentrating. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Panic disorder
C. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
D. Social anxiety disorder
Correct Answer: Generalized anxiety disorder
Rationale: Excessive worry about multiple domains for at least 6 months with restlessness,
muscle tension, and concentration difficulty meets criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. Panic
disorder involves panic attacks. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves obsessions and compulsions.
Social anxiety disorder is specific to social situations.
,Q5. A 30-year-old woman presents with intrusive, unwanted thoughts about contamination and
repetitive handwashing that she feels compelled to perform. Which of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
A. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
B. Generalized anxiety disorder
C. Body dysmorphic disorder
D. Hoarding disorder
Correct Answer: Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Rationale: Obsessions (intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors) that the
person feels driven to perform meet criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Generalized anxiety
disorder involves worry without obsessions or compulsions. Body dysmorphic disorder involves
preoccupation with perceived physical defects. Hoarding disorder involves difficulty discarding
possessions.
Q6. A 40-year-old man presents with a 1-month history of intrusive memories, nightmares,
hypervigilance, and avoidance of trauma-related stimuli after a motor vehicle accident. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Post-traumatic stress disorder
B. Acute stress disorder
C. Adjustment disorder
D. Generalized anxiety disorder
Correct Answer: Post-traumatic stress disorder
Rationale: Symptoms lasting more than 1 month after trauma meet criteria for post-traumatic
stress disorder. Acute stress disorder lasts 3 days to 1 month after trauma. Adjustment disorder
involves a stressor and emotional response but not the specific PTSD symptom cluster. Generalized
anxiety disorder involves worry without trauma.
Q7. A 22-year-old woman presents with a 2-year history of restricted food intake, intense fear of
gaining weight, and body image disturbance. She is significantly underweight. Which of the following
is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Anorexia nervosa, restricting type
B. Bulimia nervosa
C. Binge-eating disorder
D. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
, Correct Answer: Anorexia nervosa, restricting type
Rationale: Restricted intake, fear of weight gain, body image disturbance, and low body weight
meet criteria for anorexia nervosa, restricting type. Bulimia nervosa involves binge-purge cycles
without necessarily low weight. Binge-eating disorder involves binges without compensatory
behaviors. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder lacks the fear of weight gain.
Q8. A 25-year-old woman presents with recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by self-induced
vomiting. Her weight is within the normal range. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Bulimia nervosa
B. Anorexia nervosa, binge-purge type
C. Binge-eating disorder
D. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
Correct Answer: Bulimia nervosa
Rationale: Binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors and normal weight meet criteria
for bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa, binge-purge type would require significantly low weight.
Binge-eating disorder lacks compensatory behaviors. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder lacks
binges.
Q9. A 45-year-old man presents with a 6-month history of auditory hallucinations, paranoid
delusions, disorganized speech, and social withdrawal. Which of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
A. Schizophrenia
B. Schizoaffective disorder
C. Brief psychotic disorder
D. Delusional disorder
Correct Answer: Schizophrenia
Rationale: The presence of hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and negative
symptoms for at least 6 months meets criteria for schizophrenia. Schizoaffective disorder requires a
major mood episode concurrent with psychotic symptoms. Brief psychotic disorder lasts less than 1
month. Delusional disorder involves delusions without other psychotic symptoms.
Q10. A 50-year-old woman presents with a 3-year history of a fixed false belief that her neighbor is
poisoning her food. She has no hallucinations or disorganized speech, and her functioning is
otherwise intact. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Delusional disorder
Program Comprehensive Test Bank
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychopathology - Questions 1-25
Psychological Assessment - Questions 26-45
Psychotherapy and Intervention - Questions 46-65
Ethics and Professional Practice - Questions 66-80
Research Methods and Statistics - Questions 81-90
Biological Bases of Behavior - Questions 91-100
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Q1. A 28-year-old woman presents with a 6-month history of persistent low mood, anhedonia,
insomnia, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. She denies any history of manic or hypomanic
episodes. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Major depressive disorder, single episode
B. Bipolar I disorder
C. Persistent depressive disorder
D. Cyclothymic disorder
Correct Answer: Major depressive disorder, single episode
Rationale: The patient has five or more depressive symptoms for at least 2 weeks and no
history of mania or hypomania, which meets criteria for major depressive disorder. Bipolar I disorder
requires a manic episode. Persistent depressive disorder requires at least 2 years of depressed mood.
Cyclothymic disorder involves hypomanic and depressive symptoms over 2 years without meeting
full criteria for a major episode.
Q2. A 32-year-old man presents with a 4-day history of decreased need for sleep, grandiosity, rapid
speech, and excessive involvement in risky activities. He has never had a depressive episode. Which
of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Bipolar I disorder, current episode manic
,B. Bipolar II disorder
C. Cyclothymic disorder
D. Major depressive disorder with mixed features
Correct Answer: Bipolar I disorder, current episode manic
Rationale: Manic episodes lasting at least 3-7 days with decreased need for sleep, grandiosity,
rapid speech, and risky behavior meet criteria for bipolar I disorder. Bipolar II requires hypomanic
episodes and at least one major depressive episode. Cyclothymic disorder involves less severe
symptoms. Major depressive disorder does not include mania.
Q3. A 25-year-old woman presents with recurrent panic attacks and persistent worry about having
another attack for the past 2 months. She also avoids places where escape might be difficult. Which
of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Panic disorder with agoraphobia
B. Generalized anxiety disorder
C. Social anxiety disorder
D. Specific phobia
Correct Answer: Panic disorder with agoraphobia
Rationale: Recurrent panic attacks plus persistent worry about additional attacks and
agoraphobic avoidance meet criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia. Generalized anxiety
disorder involves pervasive worry without panic attacks. Social anxiety disorder involves fear of social
scrutiny. Specific phobia involves a circumscribed fear.
Q4. A 35-year-old man presents with persistent, excessive worry about multiple areas of life for the
past 8 months. He reports restlessness, muscle tension, and difficulty concentrating. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Panic disorder
C. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
D. Social anxiety disorder
Correct Answer: Generalized anxiety disorder
Rationale: Excessive worry about multiple domains for at least 6 months with restlessness,
muscle tension, and concentration difficulty meets criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. Panic
disorder involves panic attacks. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves obsessions and compulsions.
Social anxiety disorder is specific to social situations.
,Q5. A 30-year-old woman presents with intrusive, unwanted thoughts about contamination and
repetitive handwashing that she feels compelled to perform. Which of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
A. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
B. Generalized anxiety disorder
C. Body dysmorphic disorder
D. Hoarding disorder
Correct Answer: Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Rationale: Obsessions (intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors) that the
person feels driven to perform meet criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Generalized anxiety
disorder involves worry without obsessions or compulsions. Body dysmorphic disorder involves
preoccupation with perceived physical defects. Hoarding disorder involves difficulty discarding
possessions.
Q6. A 40-year-old man presents with a 1-month history of intrusive memories, nightmares,
hypervigilance, and avoidance of trauma-related stimuli after a motor vehicle accident. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Post-traumatic stress disorder
B. Acute stress disorder
C. Adjustment disorder
D. Generalized anxiety disorder
Correct Answer: Post-traumatic stress disorder
Rationale: Symptoms lasting more than 1 month after trauma meet criteria for post-traumatic
stress disorder. Acute stress disorder lasts 3 days to 1 month after trauma. Adjustment disorder
involves a stressor and emotional response but not the specific PTSD symptom cluster. Generalized
anxiety disorder involves worry without trauma.
Q7. A 22-year-old woman presents with a 2-year history of restricted food intake, intense fear of
gaining weight, and body image disturbance. She is significantly underweight. Which of the following
is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Anorexia nervosa, restricting type
B. Bulimia nervosa
C. Binge-eating disorder
D. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
, Correct Answer: Anorexia nervosa, restricting type
Rationale: Restricted intake, fear of weight gain, body image disturbance, and low body weight
meet criteria for anorexia nervosa, restricting type. Bulimia nervosa involves binge-purge cycles
without necessarily low weight. Binge-eating disorder involves binges without compensatory
behaviors. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder lacks the fear of weight gain.
Q8. A 25-year-old woman presents with recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by self-induced
vomiting. Her weight is within the normal range. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Bulimia nervosa
B. Anorexia nervosa, binge-purge type
C. Binge-eating disorder
D. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
Correct Answer: Bulimia nervosa
Rationale: Binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors and normal weight meet criteria
for bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa, binge-purge type would require significantly low weight.
Binge-eating disorder lacks compensatory behaviors. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder lacks
binges.
Q9. A 45-year-old man presents with a 6-month history of auditory hallucinations, paranoid
delusions, disorganized speech, and social withdrawal. Which of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
A. Schizophrenia
B. Schizoaffective disorder
C. Brief psychotic disorder
D. Delusional disorder
Correct Answer: Schizophrenia
Rationale: The presence of hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and negative
symptoms for at least 6 months meets criteria for schizophrenia. Schizoaffective disorder requires a
major mood episode concurrent with psychotic symptoms. Brief psychotic disorder lasts less than 1
month. Delusional disorder involves delusions without other psychotic symptoms.
Q10. A 50-year-old woman presents with a 3-year history of a fixed false belief that her neighbor is
poisoning her food. She has no hallucinations or disorganized speech, and her functioning is
otherwise intact. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Delusional disorder
