Question 1

Because his psychologist suspects he might have substantial brain damage, Tony was given a five-hour battery of tests that included listening to rhythmic beats presented by tape recorder and putting different shaped blocks into grooves while blindfolded. The procedure Tony experienced is called the ________

Accepted Answer

The procedure Tony experienced with listening to rhythmic beats and putting blocks into grooves while blindfolded is called the Rhythm Test. The other options (Rorschach, MMPI-2, and fMRI) are different psychological tests and procedures that do not match the description of what Tony underwent.

Question 2

Psychological tests ________

Accepted Answer

While psychological tests can provide valuable information, their accuracy and usefulness in diagnosis are heavily reliant on the skill and competence of the clinician administering and interpreting them. Therefore, choice A, C, and D are inaccurate.

Question 3

Intelligence and personality tests can best be described as ________

Accepted Answer

Intelligence and personality tests are indirect means of assessing psychological characteristics because they do not directly observe behavior but instead measure traits and abilities associated with behavior.

Question 4

Which of the following is a drawback of a structured interview?

Accepted Answer

Structured interviews may include questions that are not relevant to every individual, which can lead to inefficiencies and a lack of personalization in the interview process.

Question 5

Which of the following is not a reason for using rating scales in clinical observation and self reports?

Accepted Answer

Using rating scales actually increases objectivity, not decreases it. Therefore, C is not a reason for using rating scales. A, B, and D are all valid reasons for using rating scales.

Question 6

Which of the following best illustrates high reliability?

Accepted Answer

High reliability refers to the degree to which measures or assessments produce consistent results. In this case, two interviewers arrive at the same diagnosis after talking to the same client, which shows a high level of reliability. The other options do not necessarily indicate high reliability - A may just be adaptability, C is making a prediction rather than assessing something, and D is using a combination of techniques rather than demonstrating consistency.

Question 7

Dr. White is doing research in which she must diagnose clients at a mental health clinic. Because diagnostic reliability is of great concern in research, she will most likely establish diagnoses by using ________

Accepted Answer

Standardized structured interviews are designed to ensure diagnostic reliability by using a consistent set of questions and criteria for making diagnoses. This helps to ensure that diagnoses are made consistently across clients and researchers. Open-ended interviews and time-limited interviews with varying questions may not provide as consistent and reliable diagnoses. The mental status exam is another standardized assessment tool, but it may not be sufficient for establishing a full diagnosis.

Question 8

Ed has suffered a head injury in a car accident. He is referred to a psychologist to see what types of impairment now exist and to get some suggestions for treatment. The best assessment strategy would be ________

Accepted Answer

Neuropsychological tests would be the best assessment strategy because they can evaluate a range of cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, language, and executive functioning, which are commonly affected by head injuries. Imaging techniques, such as CAT scans, PET scans, and fMRIs, can provide information about brain structure and function but may not provide a comprehensive assessment of cognitive impairment.

Question 9

The reliability of the assessment interview may be enhanced by the use of ________

Accepted Answer

The use of rating scales can help enhance the reliability of the assessment interview by providing consistent and standardized criteria for rating the interviewee's responses. This helps to reduce rater bias and variability in the interpretation of the interviewee's answers. A structured interview may also help to enhance reliability, but the use of a flexible, open-ended interview may result in different interviewers asking different questions or interpreting the interviewee's responses differently, which can lead to lower reliability. The TAT and Rorschach tests are not assessment interviews and do not necessarily enhance reliability.

Question 10

Joanne says that she cannot say "no" to her intrusive mother. Her therapist has her pretend to engage in such an interaction to assess how weak Joanne's assertiveness skills really are. This illustrates the use of ________

Accepted Answer

The scenario described involves role-playing, which is a commonly used technique in cognitive-behavioral therapy to assess and improve patients' assertiveness skills. The therapist has Joanne pretend to engage in an interaction with her mother to evaluate how well Joanne can assert herself in a difficult situation. The other answer choices (rating scale, "thought reports,", structured interviewing) do not accurately describe the technique used in this scenario.

Question 11

A clinical psychologist notes that a client wears his clothes inside out, that his hair is matted, and there is dirt under his fingernails. This information is known as ________

Accepted Answer

The information provided by the clinical psychologist about the client's behavior and appearance is an example of clinical observation, which refers to the systematic and objective method of gathering data about an individual's behavior and experiences in a clinical setting.

Question 12

A behaviorally oriented clinician tells her alcohol-dependent client: "Here is a checklist I want you to fill out each day. Whenever you feel you need a drink, you should indicate what you were thinking, where you were, who you were with, and whether you went ahead and drank." What procedure is the clinician using?

Accepted Answer

The clinician is using a self-monitoring procedure, which involves tracking one's own behavior, thoughts, and feelings in order to track progress and identify triggers to problematic behaviors.

Question 13

Dr. Lo asks Julie to pretend that he is her father as part of his psychosocial assessment of Julie. Which of the following would this be an example of?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of an analogue situation, where a simulated or hypothetical situation is created to observe a person's behavior or responses. It is often used in psychological assessment to gain insight into how an individual may behave in real-life situations.

Question 14

A psychosocial assessment typically begins with ________

Accepted Answer

A psychosocial assessment typically begins with an interview, in which the assessor gathers information about the client's current situation, presenting problems, and psychosocial history. The physical examination is not typically involved in the start of a psychosocial assessment. The assessment of global level of functioning may be a part of the assessment, but it would typically come after the initial interview. The administration of the MMPI may be a part of the assessment process, but it is not typically the first step.

Question 15

Under what circumstances is a structured interview most likely to be used?

Accepted Answer

Structured interviews are used when consistent information is needed, such as in research, to ensure that data is collected in a uniform manner across different subjects.

Question 16

In which of the following circumstances would a clinician be most likely to use self-monitoring?

Accepted Answer

Self-monitoring is most often used to identify antecedents, or triggers, to problematic behavior. Therefore, it would be most helpful in situations where the clinician needs to determine the situations or circumstances that contribute to the presenting problem.

Question 17

Danielle is having problems with drinking. She goes to a psychologist who gives her a form to fill out. It has a list of statements about drinking and problems associated with drinking. She is to rate each item between 1 and 3 where 1 means it is not a problem for her, 3 means it is a very big problem for her, and 2 is in between. This is an example of ________

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a rating scale, which is a measurement tool used to assess attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, or other variables by asking individuals to rate their responses to a series of statements or questions.

Question 18

The use of standardized psychological tests ________

Accepted Answer

Standardized psychological tests allow the clinician to compare a client's behavior to a reference group, providing a standardized method of assessment. However, these tests do not replace clinical observation or expertise in interpreting the results. They are simply one tool in the diagnostic process.

Question 19

In which of the following circumstances would a psychosocial assessment clearly need to be used?

Accepted Answer

A psychosocial assessment is particularly relevant for James, as his sleeping issues are likely related to the emotional and social impact of his divorce, which is a psychosocial factor.

Question 20

Shanna goes to Dr. Henderson for a first interview. He diagnoses her with a depressive disorder. She then goes to Dr. Smithson, because her friend recommended her. Dr. Smithson diagnoses Shanna with an anxiety disorder. This demonstrates a problem with ________

Accepted Answer

This demonstrates a lack of reliability in the diagnostic process, as two different clinicians have given different diagnoses for the same patient. Reliability refers to the consistency and accuracy of diagnoses across clinicians and settings. While structured interviews and multiaxial diagnosis can impact the diagnostic process, the main issue in this scenario is the lack of reliability between clinicians. Flexibility may also play a role, but it is not the primary factor in this situation.

Quiz 4: Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis