1.
Given
that the standard for competency to stand trial is factual and rational understanding and ability to assist the attorney, which of the following type
of assessment would be most helpful
when conducting a competency to stand trial evaluation?
Correct Answer
B. WAIS-IV / WISC-IV
Explanation
The WAIS-IV / WISC-IV assessment would be most helpful when conducting a competency to stand trial evaluation because it measures cognitive abilities such as intelligence, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. These abilities are crucial for understanding and participating in the legal process, including comprehending the charges, understanding the roles of the judge and attorney, and assisting in their own defense. Therefore, this assessment can provide valuable information about an individual's ability to meet the standard for competency to stand trial.
2.
Which
of the following is one of the main purposes of a mental status examination?
Correct Answer
A. Obtain information about the individual’s current functioning
Explanation
A mental status examination is conducted to obtain information about an individual's current functioning. This examination helps assess their cognitive and emotional state, including their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors at the present time. It provides valuable insights into their mental health, helping professionals make diagnoses, develop treatment plans, and monitor progress. The other options mentioned in the question, such as obtaining information about the individual's childhood, past psychological evaluations, or determining the need for therapeutic services for their family, are not the main purposes of a mental status examination.
3.
Which
of the following is NOT a purpose of
psychological assessment?
Correct Answer
A. Answer a legal question for which a forensic evaluator is asked to conduct an examination
Explanation
Psychological assessment is not primarily conducted to answer legal questions in a forensic evaluation. It is mainly used to help counselors gain a better understanding of their clients' issues, assist clients in understanding themselves, and guide treatment planning. While psychological assessment may be used in legal settings, it is not its main purpose.
4.
You
receive a psychological assessment report for your client that indicates that
your client’s score on one of the measures is 79. What other information might
you want to know in order to understand the meaning of that score?
Correct Answer
D. All of the above
Explanation
To understand the meaning of the client's score of 79 on the psychological assessment, it is important to consider all of the given options. Knowing the means and standard deviations for the comparison groups would provide context and allow for comparisons to be made. Understanding the construct that the test was supposed to measure, as well as information about the test's reliability and validity, would provide insight into the accuracy and relevance of the score. Additionally, considering the client's behaviors during the assessment could help in interpreting the score within the context of their performance and potential influencing factors.
5.
Which
of the following is an example of a good referral question?
Correct Answer
C. Psychological assessment is requested as part of an ongoing assessment to determine Sammy’s risk for future violent acts and involvement in criminal activity.
Explanation
The correct answer is "Psychological assessment is requested as part of an ongoing assessment to determine Sammy’s risk for future violent acts and involvement in criminal activity." This is a good referral question because it provides specific information about the purpose of the assessment and the context in which it is being requested. It indicates that the assessment is being done to evaluate Sammy's risk for future violent acts and involvement in criminal activity, which suggests that there may be concerns about his behavior and potential harm to others. This information helps to guide the assessment process and ensures that the appropriate measures are taken to address the specific concerns.
6.
Which
of the following is the statistic represents a score as the distance from the
mean?
Correct Answer
C. Z-score
Explanation
A Z-score represents a score as the distance from the mean. It is a measure of how many standard deviations an individual score is above or below the mean of a distribution. A positive Z-score indicates a score above the mean, while a negative Z-score indicates a score below the mean. The Z-score allows for comparison of scores across different distributions and is useful for determining the relative position of a score within a distribution.
7.
If
we are interested in knowing the strength of the relationship between the items
that make up a psychological test, we would want to look at the test’s
Correct Answer
B. Inter-item reliability
Explanation
Inter-item reliability refers to the consistency or correlation between the different items or questions within a psychological test. It measures how closely related the items are to each other and whether they are measuring the same construct or concept. Therefore, if we are interested in knowing the strength of the relationship between the items in a psychological test, we would want to look at the test's inter-item reliability. This would help us determine if the items are consistent and reliable in measuring the same construct.
8.
Which
of the following is NOT a core part
of the mental status examination?
Correct Answer
B. Family dynamics
Explanation
The mental status examination is a comprehensive assessment of an individual's cognitive functioning, emotional state, and overall mental health. It typically includes evaluating aspects such as orientation (awareness of time, place, and person), thought process (how a person thinks and communicates), and history of suicidal ideation (whether the person has had thoughts of self-harm or suicide). Family dynamics, on the other hand, refers to the interactions and relationships within a person's family, which is not directly related to an individual's mental status. Therefore, family dynamics is not considered a core part of the mental status examination.
9.
You
are meeting with a client for the first time. He tells you that he was just
released from prison and is attending counseling as part of his parole
requirements. He describes feeling overwhelmed by re-integrating back into
society, but you are not sure about the severity of his anxiety because he
seems somewhat guarded in his responses. All of the following would be
appropriate measures to administer to gain a better sense of his symptoms EXCEPT which of the following?
Correct Answer
C. CAGE Questionnaire
Explanation
The CAGE Questionnaire is not an appropriate measure to administer in this situation because it is a screening tool for alcohol dependence and is not specifically designed to assess anxiety symptoms. The other measures listed, such as the Beck Anxiety Inventory, SCL-90-R, and SCID, are more appropriate for assessing anxiety symptoms.
10.
All
of the following are assumptions of intellectual testing EXCEPT?
Correct Answer
C. Intellectual abilities are static and should not change over time
Explanation
Intellectual testing is a measure of a person's current level of functioning, meaning it assesses their intellectual abilities at a specific point in time. It is also important to consider the results in the context of other information about the person, such as their background, experiences, and cultural influences. However, it is not an assumption of intellectual testing that intellectual abilities are static and should not change over time. In reality, intellectual abilities can develop and change throughout a person's lifetime due to various factors such as education, experiences, and personal growth.
11.
Which
of the following describes the Flynn Effect?
Correct Answer
A. IQ scores have increased across the general population over generations
Explanation
The Flynn Effect refers to the phenomenon where IQ scores have been increasing across generations. This means that individuals in more recent generations tend to score higher on IQ tests compared to individuals in previous generations. This increase in IQ scores suggests that there has been a general improvement in cognitive abilities and intellectual functioning over time.
12.
You
have a client who has a documented non-verbal learning disability. On which
index of the WAIS-IV would you expect your client to do poorest?
Correct Answer
C. Perceptual Reasoning Index
Explanation
Individuals with non-verbal learning disabilities typically struggle with visual-spatial skills, visual-motor coordination, and perceptual reasoning. The Perceptual Reasoning Index on the WAIS-IV measures these abilities, including tasks such as block design, matrix reasoning, and visual puzzles. Therefore, it is expected that clients with non-verbal learning disabilities would perform poorest on this index.
13.
Your
client has had a psychological evaluation done every three years for the past
six years as part of an educational assessment to determine the need for
special education services. All of the evaluations included testing using the
WISC-IV. You notice that your client’s scores on the indices were similar
during the first and second administrations, but his scores were significantly
lower across all indices during the third (and most recent) evaluation. Which
of the following may explain this difference?
Correct Answer
D. All of the above are possible explanations
Explanation
The client's scores on the WISC-IV were significantly lower during the most recent evaluation compared to the previous ones. This could be due to multiple factors. Firstly, it is possible that the client's intellectual abilities have declined over time, leading to lower scores. Secondly, the client may have been experiencing symptoms of mental illness such as depression and anxiety, which could have impacted their performance on the evaluation. Lastly, the client's motivation to put forth effort during the evaluation may have been impaired, resulting in lower scores. Therefore, all of the above explanations are possible reasons for the observed difference in scores.
14.
If a
person’s scores on the WJ III-COG generally fall in the average range, but her
scores on the WJ III-ACH fall in the below average range, this suggests which
of the following?
Correct Answer
B. The individual may have a learning disability
Explanation
If a person's scores on the WJ III-COG (which measures cognitive abilities) fall in the average range, but their scores on the WJ III-ACH (which measures academic achievement) fall in the below average range, it suggests that there may be a discrepancy between their cognitive abilities and their academic performance. This could indicate a learning disability, as individuals with learning disabilities often have average or above-average cognitive abilities but struggle with academic tasks.
15.
Practice
effects should be considered if the same test is administered a second time
Correct Answer
A. After a month of the first testing
Explanation
The correct answer is "After a month of the first testing" because the question is asking when the effects should be considered if the same test is administered a second time. After a month of the first testing allows for enough time to pass for any potential practice effects to diminish, but it is not so long that other factors may come into play. This time frame ensures that the second testing is not influenced by the initial exposure to the test.
16.
If
a person has a non-verbal learning disability, they would likely have more
difficulty engaging in tasks that employ
Correct Answer
B. Fluid intelligence
Explanation
A person with a non-verbal learning disability would likely have more difficulty engaging in tasks that require fluid intelligence. Fluid intelligence refers to the ability to think logically and solve problems in new situations, without relying on prior knowledge or experience. Since individuals with non-verbal learning disabilities often struggle with spatial reasoning, visual-spatial processing, and problem-solving, it is likely that they would have difficulty with tasks that rely heavily on fluid intelligence.
17.
Neuropsychological
assessment differs from psychological assessment in which of the following
ways:
Correct Answer
C. Neuropsychological assessment is more interested in performance in different aspects of cognitive functioning
Explanation
Neuropsychological assessment focuses on evaluating an individual's cognitive functioning, specifically their performance in various cognitive domains such as attention, memory, language, and problem-solving. This type of assessment is interested in understanding how the brain and its functioning may be influencing an individual's cognitive abilities. In contrast, psychological assessment is a broader evaluation that includes tests of personality, emotions, and behavior, in addition to cognitive functioning. Therefore, the correct answer is that neuropsychological assessment is more interested in performance in different aspects of cognitive functioning.
18.
As
demonstrated by the exercises that you completed during Dr. Adelizzi’s lecture,
all of the following would likely have an impact on one’s performance on
psychological tests EXCEPT:
Correct Answer
B. Being in a classroom
Explanation
The correct answer is "Being in a classroom." This is because the question states that all of the following would likely have an impact on one's performance on psychological tests except for one option. The other options, such as being timed, distraction from extraneous noise, and being scored on tasks you have never seen before, are all factors that can potentially affect one's performance on psychological tests. However, being in a classroom does not necessarily have a direct impact on test performance, as it is a common environment for learning and taking tests.
19.
Your
client recently participated in a psychological evaluation to assess his
intellectual abilities for a determination of special education. His scores on
the WISC-IV suggest that his overall IQ score falls in the Borderline range.
This is inconsistent with the highly intelligent conversations that he has had
with you in counseling sessions, and you suspect that he may not have put forth
sufficient effort during the testing. Which of the following measures could
have been employed to determine whether he was putting forth effort?
Correct Answer
A. TOMM
Explanation
The Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) is a measure that could have been employed to determine whether the client was putting forth effort during the testing. TOMM is specifically designed to detect malingering or intentional exaggeration of cognitive deficits. By administering this test, the evaluator can assess the client's effort and determine if the low IQ score on the WISC-IV was a result of lack of effort rather than actual intellectual abilities.
20.
You
are working with a 26-year-old client who presents as cognitively limited. You
would like to refer him for an evaluation to better understand his cognitive
strengths and weaknesses for treatment planning. Which of the following tests
would you most likely expect for his assessment to contain:
Correct Answer
B. SB5
Explanation
The SB5 (Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition) is the most likely test to be included in the assessment for the 26-year-old client who presents as cognitively limited. The SB5 is a comprehensive measure of cognitive abilities that assesses a wide range of cognitive domains, including verbal reasoning, abstract/visual reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and working memory. It is commonly used to assess cognitive strengths and weaknesses in individuals with cognitive limitations, making it a suitable choice for this client's assessment.
21.
Generally,
how long after a test is revised can you continue to use the earlier version?
Correct Answer
C. One year
Explanation
The correct answer is "One year." After a test is revised, it is typically recommended to start using the revised version immediately. However, if for any reason you are unable to do so, you can continue using the earlier version for up to one year before transitioning to the revised version.
22.
We
draw our ethical guidance from which governing bodies?
Correct Answer
A. American Psychological Association and American Counseling Association
Explanation
The correct answer is American Psychological Association and American Counseling Association. These two governing bodies are widely recognized and respected in the field of psychology and counseling. They provide ethical guidelines and standards for professionals to follow in their practice. By drawing ethical guidance from these organizations, professionals can ensure that they are providing ethical and responsible care to their clients.
23.
According
to the ethical principles, one must be competent to administering psychological
assessments. Competency is developed by which of the following:
Correct Answer
C. Graduate level courses (MA and PsyD/pHD) and supervised training and experience
Explanation
According to the ethical principles, competency in administering psychological assessments is developed through a combination of graduate level courses (MA and PsyD/PhD) and supervised training and experience. This means that simply taking graduate level courses or doctoral level courses in assessment is not enough to be considered competent in administering assessments. The supervised training and experience component is also crucial in developing the necessary skills and knowledge required for administering assessments effectively and ethically.
24.
Which
of the following are the most basic elements necessary to include when
obtaining informed consent for participation in psychological assessment?
Correct Answer
A. Role of the assessor, purpose of the assessment, and specific uses for the results
Explanation
When obtaining informed consent for participation in psychological assessment, it is important to include the role of the assessor, the purpose of the assessment, and the specific uses for the results. The role of the assessor helps the participant understand who will be conducting the assessment and their responsibilities. The purpose of the assessment informs the participant about why the assessment is being conducted. Lastly, the specific uses for the results explain how the information gathered will be utilized. Including all of these elements ensures that the participant has a clear understanding of the assessment process and can make an informed decision about their participation.
25.
You
are the counselor for a court-involved client. You referred the client for a
psychological evaluation, and the results (report and raw data) of the
evaluation were sent to you after it was completed. Your client’s attorney
calls you and tells you that he wants you to release the results of the testing
(raw data, not only the report). Which of the following is NOT an ethical issue that you should consider before making a
decision about whether or not to release this information?
Correct Answer
C. Whether the psychologist who did the testing agrees to release the information
Explanation
The ethical issue that is NOT mentioned in the options is whether the psychologist agrees to release the information. While it is important to consider the client's consent and any court orders, the psychologist's agreement is not explicitly mentioned as an ethical concern. However, it is still important to respect the confidentiality and privacy of the client, so the counselor should consult with the psychologist and consider their professional opinion before making a decision.