Clinical Psychology-Part One Exam
Lecture Notes Questions & Answers
In the field, which is considered the most important aspect of mental health care?
... [Show More] A
highly experienced clinician, a clinician with a PhD, or evidence based treatment? Why?
- ANS-There's a lot of controversy in the field about this. It comes down to what you
count as "evidence."
What does contemporary clinical psychology focus on? - ANS-Psychological
phenomenon encountered in a clinical context.
What are some possible activities of a clinical psychologist? - ANS-Research, teaching,
training, administration, public policy, and service provision (which means practicing).
In clinical psychology, we are applying blank in a blank - ANS-basic behavioral science;
clinical context.
What shift have we seen in the activities of clinical psychologists? - ANS-We see less
practice and more of other activities.
Is clinical psych an art or a science? - ANS-There's a lot of controversy about that.
Pseudoscience - ANS-Makes strong claims with weak empirical evidence and is
typically based on personal experience and perception.
What does it mean to say that a claim should be falsifiable? - ANS-It means that it can
be tested empirically by systematic, data based investigation. Not just relying on
anecdotal evidence.
What is a claim? - ANS-a hypothesis, idea, or strongly held belief.
Measurement strategies need to be which four things? - ANS-Objective, reliable, valid
and useful.
What does it mean for a measurement strategy to be objective? - ANS-Standardized.
It's the same test for everyone.
Define reliable - ANS-precise or consistent
Define valid - ANS-an accurate assessment of the concept of interest
What does it mean for a measurement strategy to be useful? - ANS-It tells us something
we didn't already know.
How can we avoid the impact of our personal beliefs and biases on research? - ANSExperimental designs and rigorous measurement.
Which scientists are vulnerable to the impact of their personal beliefs and biases? -
ANS-ALL of them.
Does eCHECKUP TO Go work? - ANS-Yes, but the magnitude of improvement is small.
What should the strength of a claim reflect? - ANS-The strength of the evidence.
Which is more prevalent? Pseudoscience or clinical science? - ANS-The former
unfortunately
science practice gap - ANS-The disconnect between the scientific evidence/the
evidence based clinical guidelines and actual practices. Several commonly used
assessment strategies have major problems and the majority of clients receive
treatments without adequate empirical support even though better treatments are
available.
What is often times (and unfortunately) viewed as more valid than claims based on
empirical evidence? - ANS-Claims based on clinical experience and strongly held
beliefs.
One of the challenges facing scientific clinical psychology is the overstatement of four
things. What are they? - ANS-1- the understanding of clinical phenomenon.
2-the precision of assessments
3-accuracy of predictions
4-treatment effectiveness.
True or false: Almost all abused children become abusive parents. - ANS-False
True or false: alcoholism ALWAYS runs in families - ANS-False
True or false: it is impossible to predict who will be violent towards other with a high
degree of accuracy - ANS-True
True or false: We can accurately predict who will commit suicide. - ANS-False
True or false: Playing "doctor" or masturbating as a child is a sign of sexual abuse -
ANS-False.
True or false: It is rare for a traumatic experience to be repressed - ANS-True
True of false: Hypnosis works to uncover memories - ANS-False
True or false: You don't need to express anger to avoid exploding. - ANS-True.
What six things are important in defining abnormality? - ANS-Distress and discomfort,
harm, commonality, interference with functioning, developmental stage, and cultural and
societal context.
Is commonality useful in judging abnormality? - ANS-Not really
What percent of people will meet the qualifications for a mental diagnosis at some
point? - ANS-75%
Define a mental disorder - ANS-A syndrome characterized by clinically significant
disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotion, regulation or behavior. It reflects a
dysfunction in the psychological, biological or developmental processes underlying
mental functioning.
Two inclusion criteria for mental illness? - ANS-Distress (painful or upsetting) and
disability (impairment in functioning)
Syndrome - ANS-collection of symptoms
Exclusion criteria for a mental disorder - ANS-A mental disorder can't be an expectable
or culturally approved response to a common stressor or loss, socially deviant behavior
that's not harmful or impairing by just different, or a conflict between the individual and
society.
Who publishes the DSM? - ANS-American Psychiatric Association
3 specifications for diagnostic assessment in the DSM5 - ANS-1-clinical diagnosis and
medical conditions
2-psychosocial and contextual factors
3-Disability
What are some (7) psychosocial and contextual factors? - ANS-1-problems with primary
support group
2-problems related to social environment
3-educational problem
4-housing problem
5-economic problem
6-problems with access to health care services
7-problems related to interaction with legal system/crime
The six domains of functioning examined under disability in the DSM5 - ANS-1-
Communicating and understanding
2-mobility
3-self-care
4-social functioning
Continues... [Show Less]