BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Two young boys are playing at a daycare center. One holds a ball on top of some blocks that the other child has placed on the
floor. The second child helps steady the blocks, then the first child lets go of the ball, knocking the blocks down to the floor. They
both watch and then repeat the process. These children are most likely
A. 10 months old
B. 16 months old
C. 18 months old
D. 24 months old
E. 48 months old

A 23-year-old woman visits a primary care physician complaining of recurrent nausea and generalized abdominal pain, which has
distressed her and compromised her functioning for the past several months. Thorough evaluations by a gynecologist and
gastroenterologist have revealed no abnormalities. She was referred to a neurologist for headaches and has been taking
acetaminophen for her "joint pains." The primary care doctor completes a thorough physical exam; the results are normal. Which
of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Body dysmorphic disorder
B. Conversion disorder
C. Factitious disorder
D. Malingering
E. Somatization disorder

An 88-year-old male complaining of abdominal pain enters the emergency room with his wife. A mini-mental status exam reveals
pronounced forgetfulness and confusion. The patient is discovered to have acute appendicitis requiring immediate surgery. He is
unable to understand the situation and cannot provide informed consent. Which of the following further actions must the
physician take?
A. Do not perform surgery
B. Have another doctor confirm the necessity of surgery
C. Obtain a court order to perform surgery
D. Obtain consent from his wife to perform surgery
E. Try to persuade the patient to consent to surgery

A 50-year-old physician is recovering from aseptic meningitis that began two weeks ago. He appears to have lost considerable
cognitive function, and he says he will not go on living if his cognitive ability remains compromised. To demonstrate to him that
recovery is occurring, serial evaluations with which of the following psychological assessments is indicated?
A. Halstead-Reitan Battery
B. Stanford Binet Intelligence Test
C. Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale
D. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
E. Wide Range Achievement Test
Geraldine Jones, M.D., is to see a 32-year-old patient, John Smith, whom she has never talked with before. Upon entering the
patient's room, which of the following is the most appropriate introduction the physician can make?
A. "Hello, I'm Dr. Jones."
B. "Hello, John."
C. "John, I'm Dr. Jones."
D. "Mr. Smith, I'm Dr. Jones."
E. "Mr. Smith, I'm Geraldine."
A 19-year-old female, who recently moved from her family's home in another state, is hospitalized for attempting suicide by
taking an overdose of antidepressant medications. On the third day of her hospital stay, she insists, under threat of a lawsuit, that
her medications be stopped and that she be discharged from the hospital so she "can go home and finish the job." Her sensorium
is clear. Her physician should
A. discharge her against medical advice (AMA)
B. honor her request and release her immediately
C. obtain an emergency order of detention
D. release her to go back to her parents' home
E. sedate her
Eight research scientists are brought into the hospital by the paramedics. They are suffering from diaphoresis, blurred vision,
palpitations, and hallucinations with brilliant colors. Police suspect that the coffee at their lab meeting was laced with a
psychoactive substance. Which of the following substances is most likely to be found in the coffee pot?
A. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
B. Methadone
C. Phencyclidine (PCP)
D. Phenobarbital
E. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

Medical students at a major teaching hospital are routinely assigned to observe obstetric patients and to assist during delivery.
When a male medical student introduces himself to an obstetric patient, the patient becomes agitated and requests that no students
be present during her delivery. The patient had been informed, prior to admission, that this was a teaching hospital and that a
student would be assigned to her case. When informed of the patient's refusal, the attending physician in charge should
A. ask the patient's husband for his consent
B. assign a female medical student to observe
C. not allow any medical students to observe this patient
D. have the patient's nurse seek permission
E. have the student approach the patient again and explain the necessity for student observation
F. have the student observe in the background as a part of the health care team.
G. meet with the patient and discuss the value of observation in medical training

A 22-year-old female college student is brought into the emergency room by the police, who found her walking back and forth
across a busy street, talking to herself. The young woman appears to be oriented with respect to person, place, and time. Her first
hospital admission was two months ago for a similar condition. During a psychiatric interview, she has difficulty concentrating,
and seems to hear voices. A phone call to her sister provides the additional information that the girl dropped out of school three
months ago and has been living on the street. Urine toxicology is negative. This patient is most likely exhibiting the signs and
symptoms of
A. schizoaffective disorder
B. schizoid personality disorder
C. schizophrenia
D. schizophreniform disorder
E. schizotypal personality disorder

A 27-year-old male is pleasant, emotionally warm, and happy. He lives with his parents, works in a sheltered workshop, did not
complete high school and talks in 3 word sentences. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Autistic disorder
B. Childhood disintegrative disorder
C. Mental retardation
D. Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder
E. Rett's syndrome

What percentage of the population in the United States had no health insurance coverage of any type in 1995?
A. 1%
B. 5%
C. 15%
D. 40%
E. 70%

A 23-year-old male graduate student gets into a serious argument with one of his college professors, making a physical threat to
the professor, and necessitating a call to campus security. The argument was precipitated by an incident between the professor
and the student's girlfriend; when the professor corrected the student's girlfriend in class, the student felt the professor was
verbally abusive. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis ?
A. Dependent personality disorder
B. Histrionic personality disorder
C. Narcissistic personality disorder
D. Paranoid personality disorder
E. Passive aggressive personality disorder

White coat hypertension is defined as an elevation of blood pressure resulting from the apprehension associated with visiting the
doctor. It is thought that the patient associates the physician's white coat with distressing experiences (e.g., being vaccinated as a
child), resulting in transient hypertension. This may be viewed as a physiological manifestation of which of the following
phenomena?
A. Classical conditioning
B. Extinction
C. Habit hierarchies
D. Negative reinforcement
E. Operant conditioning

A 27-year-old man has been arrested by the police for hitting, cursing at, and verbally berating his wife of 8 years. The wife tells
the police he also regularly physically whips his 7-year-old son with a leather belt and often strikes the boy with his hand. When
asked why he does this, he responds that this is "how my father treated me, it's how men should act." This represents which of the
following types of learning?
A. Classical conditioning
B. Cognitive learning
C. Imprinting
D. Operant conditioning
E. Social learning

A 42-year-old man has just been informed that he has poorly differentiated small cell carcinoma of the lung. When asked if he
understands the serious nature of his illness, the patient proceeds to tell his physician how excited he is about renovating his
home. This patient is exhibiting
A. denial
B. displacement
C. projection
D. rationalization
E. reaction formation
F. sublimation

A 5-year-old girl is brought by her parents to the emergency room because she is complaining of stomach pain. Physical
examination reveals multiple bruises on the child's body in different stages of healing. X-ray examination of the chest
demonstrates two cracked ribs, and the child says, "Mommy hit me." The parents deny any abuse of their children. The
physician's most appropriate response would be:
A. "I am going to call the police right now."
B. "I must report this situation to Child Protective Services right now."
C. "I need to hospitalize this child for further studies."
D. "I will bind her ribs tonight and you must promise me that you will not strike this child again."
E. "I will bind her ribs tonight and you need to bring her to the outpatient clinic in the morning."

A 28-year-old male with history of mood disorder presents with a decreased need for sleep, irritability, recklessness, and
increased energy. Which of the following is the most likely additional presenting symptom?
A. Depressed mood
B. Fear of dying
C. Insomnia
D. Racing thoughts
E. Recurrent thoughts and actions that relieve anxiety when carried out
A newborn has a heart rate of 130/min, irregular respirations, and active muscle movements with good tone. He coughs and
grimaces in response to stimulation; he is pink in color, except for his hands and feet, which are slightly bluish. This neonate's
APGAR score is
A. 6
B. 7
C. 8
D. 9
E. 10
A 35-year old woman lives alone. She has never been married, has a Masters of Business Administration (MBA), and is
employed as a stock broker. She was fired from her present firm because on three separate occasions over the last two years,
without authorization from her clients, she has sold all the securities in their accounts and invested the money in securities that
had glossy portfolios, but were worthless. On these three separate occasions she has worked 22-24 hours per day for 10 days at a
time, gorged herself on "junk food", and drank alcohol excessively. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Bipolar disorder, type I
B. Bipolar disorder, type II
C. Cyclothymic disorder
D. Schizophrenic disorder, paranoid type
E. Substance-induced delirium

Which of the following diseases should be reported to the Department of Public Health?
A. Candida albicans infection
B. Condyloma acuminatum
C. Gonorrhea
D. HIV infection
E. Streptococcal pharyngitis

A 10-year-old boy was noted for his extreme fear of water during his first day of swimming lessons. The teacher helps the child
sit on the edge of the pool and splash the water with his feet. She then goes one step further and shows him how to wet his knees.
It takes her an hour to have him float on the water while holding his hand. What technique has the teacher used to help the child
conquer his fear of water?
A. Classical conditioning
B. Desensitization
C. Extinction
D. Flooding
E. Operant conditioning

Of the following types of sexual dysfunction, which would be the most difficult to treat?
A. Dyspareunia
B. Premature ejaculation
C. Primary ejaculatory incompetence in a male
D. Secondary orgasmic dysfunction in a female
E. Vaginismus

A 64-year-old female is hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia. The medications that she is prescribed cause
some immediate adverse effects, but she tolerates them and continues to be compliant. A few years pass and she begins to
develop neurologic abnormalities. These include involuntary, repetitive movement of the lips and tongue, as well as of her trunk
and extremities. Which of the following medications should now be prescribed to this patient?
A. Chlorpromazine
B. Clozapine
C. Fluphenazine
D. Haloperidol
E. Metoclopramide
F. Thioridazine

A patient complains to her family physician that "When it's time to go to work, I just can't seem to get out of the house. I have a
lot of windows, and I need to check them all three times. Then, I can never be sure the door is locked, so I check it 3 times. I've
been late for work a few times, but this is the only way I can be sure the house is safe. Sometimes I think I'm going to go crazy."
Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Adjustment disorder with anxiety
B. Agoraphobia without history of panic disorder
C. Generalized anxiety disorder
D. Obsessive compulsive disorder
E. Panic disorder with agoraphobia

Which of the following concepts is shared by Freud, Jung, and Murray?

A. Collective unconscious
B. Conditioning
C. Death instinct
D. Thematic Apperception Test
E. Unconscious

A 25-year-old male presents to his family physician with the following statement: "Doctor, I can't urinate in public restrooms. I
can if there is no one around, but if I go to the restroom in a movie, an airport, at the ball park or anywhere that someone else
comes in, I can't urinate. Even if I have already started, it just stops and I can't get it going until the other person leaves. I am so
embarrassed. What do they think of me if they see I can't do what every other man can do?" Which of the following is the most
likely diagnosis?
A. Anxiety disorder due to a general medical condition
B. Panic disorder
C. Social phobia
D. Specific phobia
E. Substance-induced anxiety disorder

A 24-year-old secretary is walking home from work late one night and is accosted by a man with a ski mask who robs her. Six
weeks later, the woman still has recurrent, intrusive thoughts about the experience, and states that she feels "numb" and is easily
startled whenever she sees a stranger on the street. Three months after the incident, the symptoms have largely subsided. In all
likelihood, this patient will experience which of the following?
A. Gradual deterioration in functioning
B. No recurrence of symptoms
C. Persistent "flashbacks"
D. Recurrent depression
E. Visual and auditory hallucinations
A 39-year-old woman who was herself a victim of child abuse becomes the primary caregiver for her elderly mother. Eventually,
the daughter begins abusing her mother. This is an example of what type of learning?
A. Classical conditioning
B. Cognitive learning
C. Imprinting
D. Operant conditioning
E. Social learning
A 37-year-old woman is abducted, beaten, and repeatedly raped. For five months after the attack she is nervous, tearful, easily
fatigued, and has difficulty concentrating. She also notes difficulty sleeping and lack of appetite, and is hyperreactive to
unexpected or loud stimuli. By six months she has returned to her characteristic pre-attack behavioral patterns. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Acute stress disorder
B. Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
C. Major depressive disorder
D. Panic disorder without agoraphobia
E. Post-traumatic stress disorder
A 10-year-old girl who is a suspected victim of child abuse is referred to a psychologist for evaluation. As part of her workup, the
patient is asked to construct a story based on pictures. Which of the following psychometric measures was utilized?
A. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
B. Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory
C. Rorschach Test
D. Thematic Apperception Test
E. Type A and B Behavior Patterns Test

A 60-year-old man hospitalized with metastatic colon cancer signs a DNR order. This means that the medical staff treating him is
required to
A. discontinue narcotic pain medication
B. not attempt CPR in case of cardiac arrest
C. refrain from prescribing future medications
D. withhold parenteral nutrition and IV fluid hydration

A 16-year-old girl is brought to emergency room by her parents for severe right foot pain. The patient states that the pain started 1
day prior to presentation. She cannot recall any recent trauma, and denies any past medical or surgical problem. She is active and
walks at least 1 hour daily in the nearby forest. She goes to high school and is doing very well. She gets along well with her
parents except that they insist she should eat more, as her weight has dropped from 130 to 105 pounds over the past year. Which
of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Conversion disorder
B. Depression with somatic manifestation
C. Injured medial ankle tendon
D. Metatarsal stress fracture
E. Tick bite

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Acceptance
Anger
Bargaining
Denial
Sadness/depression

Which of the above correctly expresses the order of Kubler-Ross's stages of dying?
A. 1-2-4-5-3
B. 2-5-3-1-4
C. 3-2-4-1-5
D. 4-2-3-5-1
E. 5-3-4-1-2

10

A 29-year-old male reveals to his psychiatrist that he has been hearing voices telling him to kill his girlfriend. Which of the
following principles requires that the physician inform the girlfriend that she is in danger?
A. Good Samaritan law
B. Irresistible Impulse rule
C. McNaughten rule
D. Tarasoff I decision
E. Tarasoff II decision

A 7-year-old, left-handed boy is brought to the family physician for a preschool physical examination and immunizations. Upon
examination, the physician finds bruises, in different stages of healing, all over the child's body, including his chest and back. He
also notes cigarette burns on his left arm, and bruises on his scrotum. The boy's mother states he is very clumsy and falls all the
time, he burns himself with cigarettes, and masturbates constantly. The most likely explanation for these findings is
A. autistic disorder in the child
B. borderline personality disorder in the child
C. child abuse syndrome in the parent(s)
D. developmental coordination disorder in the child
E. factitious disorder in the parent(s)

A 55-year-old male begins group therapy. After the first session, he befriends one of the other clients, and begins telling her how
extraordinarily intelligent and talented the facilitator is. At the next session, he and the facilitator disagree. After the session, he
tells his fellow group member that the facilitator is utterly incompetent and that they should sue for malpractice. This is an
example of
A. displacement
B. fixation
C. reaction formation
D. regression
E. splitting

11

A 34-year-old male presents to the hospital complaining of weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and lethargy. There is no evidence of
edema, orthostatic hypotension, or dehydration. Blood samples show hyponatremia, while his urine is highly concentrated. A
water-load test is performed, in which the patient is instructed to drink a large volume of water and 5 hourly samples of urine are
analyzed. All samples show concentrated urine. Which of the following drugs could have caused this condition?
A. Baclofen
B. Carbamazepine
C. Dantrolene
D. Phenelzine
E. Phenytoin
F. Tranylcypromine

A 48-year-old male is brought to the psychiatric emergency room after an attempted suicide. He claims to hear voices telling him
to kill himself. The patient's family notes that he has been on several different kinds of antipsychotic medications, with no
improvement of his symptoms. The attending psychiatrist places the patient on a new medication, and admits him. One week
after therapy has begun, a routine blood test reveals profound depletion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Which of the
following drugs is most likely responsible for these symptoms?
A. Chlorpromazine
B. Clozapine
C. Fluoxetine
D. Haloperidol
E. Imipramine
F. Phenelzine

A man brings his 45-year-old wife to the emergency department. He states she has been ill for 3 days and has been running a
fever of 99.8 to 100.5 F. Today she is having difficulty staying awake, is talking to persons who are not there, and at times
appears to be frightened of something. She is restless and somewhat combative when restrained. What is the most likely
diagnosis?
A. Acute stress disorder
B. Bipolar I disorder, manic type
C. Brief psychotic disorder
D. Delirium
E. Dementia

12

A 15-year-old girl is brought to the emergency room by concerned friends who said she was acting very erratic. Her friends
believe that she had been drinking or taking drugs. She is agitated, ataxic, and disoriented. Several people are required to hold her
down for a physical examination that reveals tachycardia, hypertension, normal bowel sounds, mydriasis, and nystagmus. Which
of the following drugs of abuse is most likely responsible for her symptoms?
A. Amphetamine
B. Ethanol
C. Lysergic acid diethylamide
D. Heroin
E. Phencyclidine

A 19-year-old girl is brought to the emergency room by the police. She had run away from home after another battle with her
mother. She has been hospitalized several times for overdoses, and she has numerous scars on her wrists. The psychiatrist notes
that all of her relationships have been stormy, and that she seems to regard people as either "all good" or "all bad." She is
admitted with a diagnosis of major depression because of the apparent depth of her depression, however, by the next morning,
she is completely recovered and is "well" with no vegetative symptoms. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Antisocial personality disorder
B. Borderline personality disorder
C. Histrionic personality disorder
D. Narcissistic personality disorder
E. Passive-aggressive personality disorder

In a restaurant, a 3-year-old child screams shrilly as loudly as she can. The mother gives the child a piece of cookie each time she
screams. Which of the following types of reinforcement does the mother receive when the child stops screaming?
A. Aversive
B. Fixed interval
C. Negative
D. Positive
E. Variable Ratio

13

A 20-year-old woman sees her baby cousin for the first time. As she attempts to play with the infant, he begins to cry incessantly.
How old is this baby likely to be?
A. 1-4 months
B. 5-8 months
C. 9-12 months
D. 13-16 months
E. 17-20 months

A 27-year-old male is brought into the emergency room by the police, who found him walking aimlessly, shouting the names of
former Presidents. Urine toxicology is negative, and the man appears to be oriented with respect to person, place, and time. He
has had five similar admissions over the past year. Attempts to interview the patient are fruitless, as he seems easily derailed from
his train of thought. A phone call to a friend listed in the chart provides the additional information that the man is homeless, and
unable to care for himself. This patient is exhibiting the signs and symptoms of
A. schizoaffective disorder
B. schizoid personality disorder
C. schizophrenia
D. schizophreniform disorder
E. schizotypal personality disorder

A 49-year-old patient is evaluated for suicidal ideation after he is found laying on train tracks by police. The man is disheveled
and malodorous and states that he has "reached the end" and would rather die. He admits to depressed mood, anhedonia, poor
energy and appetite; he feels miserable and regrets what he has done with his life and wants to put an end to it. He states he has
felt this way since age 26, after he was discharged from the military. The man indicates that his life was "great" until he increased
his drinking, which caused a divorce at age 30. He has had two arrests for driving under the influence. He was in jail for 6 months
after he had an accident while drunk that resulted in public property damage. He remembers that he initially felt sick in jail, with
sweating, vomiting, shaking, and he experienced a seizure. He then improved after a few days and felt better during the rest of his
imprisonment without any depression. Which of the following criteria most strongly suggests alcohol abuse?
A. Desire to cut down
B. Recurrent drunk driving
C. Seizure after withdrawal
D. Suicidal ideation
E. Tolerance

14

After his spouse dies from advanced malignant melanoma, a man comes to his family physician stating that he is experiencing a
great deal of guilt about his wife's death and feels that he could have done more to save her. Which of the following is the best
response the physician can make to this patient at this time?
A. "Don't talk like that."
B. "I think everyone goes at their appointed time."
C. "Nobody could have saved her."
D. "Tell me more about your feelings of guilt."
E. "You did the best you could."

A 30-year-old heterosexual male repeatedly cross-dresses to achieve sexual excitement, but is content with his biological gender.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Exhibitionism
B. Transsexualism
C. Transvestic fetishism
D. Voyeurism

A 60-year-old male executive with a history of angina pectoris and depression had bypass surgery the previous day. His
depression has responded well to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and there is no history of psychosis in the past.
He now presents with confusion, agitation, irritability, and tries to remove his IV lines. His level of consciousness fluctuates, and
at times he forgets who he is. He is given a neuroleptic drug, and appears much improved. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Adjustment disorder
B. Delirium
C. Dementia
D. Exacerbation of depression with suicidal ideation and psychotic features
E. Schizophrenia

A 17-year-old girl loses her best friend in an automobile accident. After the death, she starts writing for hours daily in her diary.
This would most likely be an example of which of the following defense mechanisms?
A. Identification
B. Projection
C. Rationalization
D. Regression
E. Sublimation

15

What is the earliest age at which toilet training is likely to be successful?

A. 10 months
B. 13 months
C. 16 months
D. 19 months
E. 22 months
An 85-year-old man presents with complaints of pain in his left chest on inspiration. Physical examination reveals bilateral
bruises on his upper arms. X-ray films of his chest show three broken ribs on the left side. The most likely explanation for this
constellation of findings is
A. alcoholic incoordination
B. elder abuse
C. falling in the bathtub
D. phase III Alzheimer's disease
E. physical sequela of pseudodementia
The wife of a 55-year-old man complains to her physician that her husband is driving her "crazy." They can never get to an
appointment on time because he is always looking for the list he made about what he should do in the next 4 hours. He insists that
all dishes be washed immediately after a meal in water that is exactly 112 degrees Fahrenheit, rinsed in cold water of 46 degrees
Fahrenheit, and air dried for 3 hours and 17 minutes. He sees nothing amiss in his behavior and says his wife is just sloppy.
Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Avoidant personality disorder
B. Depressive personality disorder
C. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
D. Schizoid personality disorder
E. Schizotypal personality disorder
A 7-year old boy is brought into clinic by his parents, who are concerned about his low grades in school. His teachers report that
although he is not having any behavioral problems in school, he is having a great deal of trouble paying attention in class.
Neuropsychological testing reveals normal IQ and cognitive function, but the child occasionally asks that questions be repeated
after staring blankly into space for a few seconds. Which of the following disorders most likely accounts for these symptoms?
A. Absence seizures
B. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
C. Infantile autism
D. Phonological disorder
E. Schizophrenia with childhood onset

16

A 44-year-old male with a history of polysubstance abuse presents with nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, high blood
pressure, sweating, agitation, and weakness. He also complains of seeing monsters on the wall during the interview. Which of the
following best accounts for this presentation?
A. Alcohol intoxication
B. Alcohol intoxication or cocaine withdrawal
C. Alcohol withdrawal
D. Alcohol withdrawal or cocaine intoxication
E. Cocaine intoxication
F. Cocaine withdrawal

A 67-year-old woman who has been in very good health is brought to her physician's office by her husband. He states that over
the course of the last 5 years she has had difficulty recognizing her grandchildren, he must do all the planning for their daily
activities, she forgets that she has things cooking on the stove, and at night he sometimes finds her wandering through the house
with an "absent" look on her face. She is beginning to demonstrate difficulty in recalling the names of common objects, and her
speech is limited to simple two- or three-word sentences. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Alzheimer's disease
B. Amnestic disorder
C. Pseudodementia
D. Substance-induced persisting dementia
E. Vascular dementia

A 53-year-old widowed female is brought to the emergency room by her family after they noticed increasing irritability, agitation,
and abusiveness. She recently had a loud altercation with a new neighbor. Her past history is significant for depression, which
was treated with paroxetine for 4 years. Recently, the woman has been staying up all night doing housework, and denies feeling
tired the next day. She recently surprised a family friend with sexually inappropriate, seductive remarks. She denies any
hallucinations at the present time, but acknowledges that she has heard voices in the past, telling her to kill herself. She currently
denies suicidal ideation and states that life is "just great" except that she is worrying about her grandchildren while she is in the
hospital. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Adjustment disorder
B. Anxiety disorder
C. Mood disorder
D. Personality disorder
E. Thought disorder

17

A 19-year-old mother brings her first child, a 10-day-old infant, to the pediatrician. In a fearful tone of voice she states: "Every
time I drop something or the dog barks, or if I turn the lights on, he jumps and jerks his little arms to his chest like he's afraid. Is
something wrong with him?" The pediatrician explains that the behavior is normal and is called the
A. Babinski reflex
B. deep tendon reflex
C. Moro reflex
D. palmar reflex
E. tonic neck reflex

A 40-year-old woman is being seen by a physician for the 10th time this year for evaluation of vague aches and pains. An
extensive prior evaluation has excluded the possibility of serious disease. During the interview with this patient, she makes
repeated statements along the lines of, "What I want doesn't matter. Do what you want." And, "I'm afraid you won't have time to
see me anymore." The traits this patient is exhibiting are most consistent with which of the following personality disorders?
A. Dependent
B. Histrionic
C. Obsessive-compulsive
D. Paranoid
E. Schizoid

In which of the following ways does the sleep pattern of a 78-year-old differ from that of a younger individual?
A. Increased need for sleep
B. Increased REM sleep
C. More arousal and awakening at night
D. More total nighttime sleep
E. Significant sleep disturbances are more common

18

A 24-year-old female is brought to the emergency room after threatening to kill herself by cutting her wrists. She has multiple
scars on her wrists, which she admits were caused by prior suicide attempts. She states she is very angry at her boyfriend, who
left her for another woman. She previously thought her boyfriend was an angel and now she thinks he is a monster. She feels very
empty inside. While smiling, she states that she is depressed. During the interview, she drops to the ground, but continues to talk
while lying on the floor. She believes nobody understands her. What is her underlying personality disorder?
A. Antisocial
B. Borderline
C. Histrionic
D. Narcissistic
E. Schizoid

An oncologist tells his patient that her laboratory results support a diagnosis of advanced malignant melanoma with multiple
metastases to the liver and brain. He also advises her that the prognosis is poor. Which of the following is most likely to be the
first statement that the patient will make?
A. "Can you keep me alive until my daughter graduates from medical school?"
B. "Damn you doctor, you should have caught this earlier!"
C. "Doctor, you must be wrong."
D. "I think it is time that I make a will and say good-bye to everyone."
E. "It's no use, I always lose and get the short end of the stick."

A 19-year-old male is brought to the emergency room by the authorities after the man's mother, with whom he lives, called them
for assistance. Earlier in the day the young man began to shout that "they" were after him, and stated he was going to "kill the
sons-a-bitches" before they got him. He also was talking to persons who were not there, became very agitated and finally
threatened his mother's life. In the emergency room he is shouting, combative, abusive and threatening to everyone who comes
close to him. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic
B. Delusional disorder
C. Paranoid personality disorder
D. Schizophrenic disorder, paranoid type
E. Schizoaffective disorder

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A 23-year-old man living in a group home for the developmentally challenged has an IQ of 73. He does not read or write, and
communicates with one or two word utterances. He will not interact with other group home members, and since birth he has
"pulled back" and becomes agitated when others get physically close to him. In his room, everything is in a given place; if any of
his belongings are moved, he becomes quite disturbed. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Asperger's disorder
B. Autistic disorder
C. Childhood disintegrative disorder
D. Obsessive compulsive disorder
E. Schizophrenia, catatonic

A pathologist receives a phone call from a patient who was diagnosed with a 15-cm recurrent, mediastinal seminoma. During the
conversation it becomes clear that despite the patient's obvious intelligence, the man does not really understand that his disease is
probably incurable. The patient keeps talking about his long-term plans for the future, and believes that the pathologist must have
“misunderstood” how big his tumor was. Later, the surgeon tells the pathologist that he has spent 12 hours over the
last six months trying to explain the prognosis to the patient. The patient is most likely using which of the following defense
mechanisms?
A. Denial
B. Displacement
C. Reaction formation
D. Regression
E. Repression

A 4-year-old girl is discovered pulling the tail of the family dog. Her mother, who had warned her previously that this behavior
was unacceptable, now assigns the girl to a 5 minute time out period. A timer is set up so that the girl can keep track of the time
period. After two minutes of the period, the girl begins to scream and cry. At this point, the mother's best response would be to
A. do nothing until the time out period has ended
B. explain to the child why this type of punishment is necessary
C. offer the child a choice between becoming quiet or "being paddled"
D. reset the timer to add an additional 5 minutes to the time out period
E. tell the child that if she quiets down she will be rewarded by a treat at the end of the time out period

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The parents of a 5-year-old girl ask their family physician for advice regarding their child. The mother had walked into the girl's
bedroom without knocking and discovered the child stimulating her genitals. The parents are concerned, but seem to be receptive.
The best response the physician could give is:
A. "Do you think that someone's been molesting her?"
B. "Don't you think you should knock before going into her room?"
C. "She probably has a vaginal infection. Bring her in so I can examine her."
D. "This is perfectly normal behavior for a child this age."
E. "What disturbs you about this behavior?"
A 27-year-old swimmer who feels insecure about her athletic abilities harshly criticizes her teammates' techniques. Which of the
following ego defense mechanisms is she displaying?
A. Displacement
B. Projection
C. Reaction formation
D. Repression
E. Sublimation
A 52-year-old white male who had been found wandering the streets is brought into the hospital by the police. On initial physical
exam, his motor behavior is notable for bradykinesia and a 4-6 Hz hand tremor at rest. He is kept under observation in the
psychiatric ward, but is not medicated. Over the next few days, his motor symptoms start to abate, but he becomes increasingly
paranoid and confused, and he insists that he is the President of the United States. Which of the following conditions best
describes the patient at the time of admission?
A. Alcoholic suffering from acute symptoms of withdrawal
B. Chronic amphetamine user suffering from drug-induced psychosis
C. Chronic schizophrenic suffering from tardive dyskinesia
D. Parkinsonian patient overmedicated with L-dopa
E. Schizophrenic overmedicated with haloperidol
A child psychiatrist would like to evaluate the intellectual ability of a 3-year-old patient. Which of the following is the most
appropriate test for him to use?
A. Denver Developmental Scale
B. Stanford-Binet Scale
C. WAIS-R
D. WISC III
E. WPPSI

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A 33-year-old woman is brought into the emergency room by ambulance. She has been diagnosed as having schizophrenic
disorder, disorganized type, since the age of 17. She has been on antipsychotic medications since that time, which have controlled
her symptoms well. Physical examination reveals a well-nourished female with a temperature of 103.2 degrees F, BP of 180/99,
HR of 97, and copious perspiration. She is mute, has muscular rigidity and appears to be obtunded. Which of the following is the
most likely diagnosis?
A. Acute dystonia
B. Akathisia
C. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
D. Parkinsonism
E. Tardive dyskinesia
An adolescent male is referred for drug abuse. He confides to the therapist that he has been taking large amounts of "reds"
(secobarbital sodium) for some time, and that they make him feel confident and calm. He would like to try to stop and says he
would like to "do it on his own," without additional medication. The therapist should advise the patient to detoxify with medical
assistance because of the danger of
A. insomnia
B. rebound anxiety
C. recidivism
D. respiratory depression
E. seizures
A child who understands that the volume of a liquid poured out of a narrow glass remains the same when poured into a wider
glass is at which of Piaget's stages of intellectual development?
A. Concrete operations
B. Formal operations
C. Preoperational
D. Sensorimotor
A 35-year-old patient is given a battery of neuropsychological tests. He scores 85 on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
(WAIS) Verbal IQ, 135 on the Performance IQ test, and 125 on the Wechsler Memory Scale test. Which of the following is the
most likely site of his brain dysfunction?
A. Bilateral frontal lobes
B. Bilateral hippocampal gyri
C. Bilateral occipital lobes
D. Left hemisphere
E. Right hemisphere

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A 34-year-old woman complains of early morning awakenings and loss of interest in everyday activities. She is diagnosed with
major depressive disorder and given fluoxetine, but does not improve. Tricyclic antidepressants and MAO inhibitors are
subsequently tried without effect, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is recommended. Which of the following represents the
most serious side effect of ECT?
A. Extrapyramidal symptoms
B. Hearing loss
C. Mania
D. Retrograde amnesia
E. Rhabdomyolysis

There is a classic zoo story about a cage with three monkeys in it. The largest monkey steals the middle-sized monkey's banana.
The middle-sized monkey then screams with rage, hits the smallest monkey on the head, and then steals his banana. The middlesized monkey is using which of the following mechanisms of defense?
A. Displacement
B. Projection
C. Reaction formation
D. Regression
E. Repression

A 29-year-old single man seeks psychiatric treatment to help him deal with difficulties in his personal life. Although the man is a
successful computer programmer, he feels unsatisfied with his interpersonal relationships. He reports being attracted to several of
his female coworkers, but is "too shy" to talk to them about anything other than superficial subjects such as the weather. He
would like to ask one of the women out on a date, but is afraid of being rejected. Which of the following diagnoses is most
appropriate?
A. Avoidant personality disorder
B. Borderline personality disorder
C. Dependent personality disorder
D. Narcissistic personality disorder
E. Schizotypal personality disorder

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A 47-year-old, unmarried woman appears at the physician's office complaining of dizziness and pain in her stomach. Although
she describes her symptoms in a flamboyant, dramatic manner, physical examination is unremarkable. Throughout the
examination she is flirtatious and comments on the close and intimate relationship she hopes to have with the physician. With
tears in her eyes she asks if she will be all right, and then laughs when the physician seeks to reassure her. Her history is
significant for previous treatment for alcoholism. She has changed physicians four times in the past year. Based on this initial
encounter, the patient's behavior is most consistent with which of the following diagnoses?
A. Avoidant personality disorder
B. Borderline personality disorder
C. Dependent personality disorder
D. Histrionic personality disorder
E. Narcissistic personality disorder
F. Schizoid personality disorder
G. Schizotypal personality disorder

A 48-year-old actor is admitted to a major medical center with complaints of malaise and cough. He is diagnosed with influenza
by the emergency room physician, and sent home, but demands to be seen by the Chief of Staff because he feels he is not getting
care appropriate to his own importance. On the way down the hall, the man tells the orderly that he should have been nominated
for an Academy award, but was passed over because of jealousy among his co-workers. Which of the following diagnoses best
describes this man's behavior?
A. Avoidant personality disorder
B. Borderline personality disorder
C. Dependent personality disorder
D. Narcissistic personality disorder
E. Schizotypal personality disorder

The parents of a 7-year-old boy divorce. The boy lives with the mother and sees his father every other weekend. During these
visits, the boy is alternately sullen and angry with the father, but when it is time to return home, he clings to the father and cries in
a desperate manner while saying "I'm sorry! I want you and mom to live together again." Which of the following is the most
helpful statement that the father can make to the son?
A. "Big boys don't cry."
B. "I left your mother, I didn't leave you."
C. "I'll see you in two weeks."
D. "You're the man of the house now."
E. "Your mother was too hard to live with."

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