Psychological Assessment Overview
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Questions and Answers

Internal consistency reliability assesses what aspect of a test?

  • How well test items measure the same underlying concept. (correct)
  • The accuracy of the results produced by the test.
  • The uniformity of scores from similar tests.
  • The diversity of test questions.

    • What does parallel-forms reliability measure?

  • The accuracy of a test in assessing specific symptoms.
  • The extent to which a test appears valid on the surface.
  • The consistency between different tests measuring the same construct. (correct)
  • The degree to which test items yield similar results.

    • Which type of validity focuses on the superficial appearance of a test?

  • Construct validity.
  • Face validity. (correct)
  • Content validity.
  • Criterion-related validity.

    • What is the primary goal of clinical assessment?

    <p>To systematically evaluate various psychological, biological, and social factors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A teacher gives two versions of a math test and finds similar scores across both. This indicates what?

    <p>High parallel-forms reliability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it important for assessment tools to be reliable, valid, and standardized?

    <p>To accurately measure and evaluate an individual's symptoms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If a depression questionnaire asks multiple questions about mood, energy, and interest, what does high consistency among the responses indicate?

    <p>The test has high internal consistency reliability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best defines reliability in the context of psychological testing?

    <p>The test's consistency in measuring what it is supposed to measure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of client-centered therapy?

    <p>Empathic understanding of feelings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of therapy involves treating the entire family system?

    <p>Family system therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a defining characteristic of major depression?

    <p>At least five symptoms for two weeks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What minimum duration is required for dysthymic disorder diagnosis?

    <p>Two years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common symptom that characterizes dysthymic disorder?

    <p>Insomnia</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which therapy specifically targets communication issues between adolescents and parents?

    <p>Behavioral family system therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a component of dialectical behavior therapy?

    <p>Emotion regulation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the emotional state experienced in bipolar depression?

    <p>Wide swings from depression to elation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of the hypothalamus in the brain?

    <p>Regulating basic biological needs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which structure in the brain is primarily responsible for processing emotions?

    <p>Amygdala</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process involves neurotransmitters being absorbed back into the sending nerve cell?

    <p>Reuptake</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens during degradation of neurotransmitters?

    <p>Enzymes break them down in the synapse</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a consequence of malfunctioning processes of reuptake or degradation?

    <p>Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does the hippocampus play in the brain?

    <p>Storing new memories and spatial navigation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of excitatory neurotransmitters?

    <p>Increase the likelihood of nerve cell signaling</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does schizophrenia affect the cerebral cortex?

    <p>Affects its effective functioning leading to delusions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which disorder is most strongly correlated with suicide risk?

    <p>Major depression</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of suicides are attributed to substance abuse disorders?

    <p>18%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which therapy is highlighted as effective in reducing residual depressive episodes?

    <p>Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When is suicide most likely to occur according to the content?

    <p>When the individual shows improvement</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does serotonin play concerning suicide risk?

    <p>It is a major neurotransmitter linked to mood regulation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a benefit of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) for individuals with suicidal ideation?

    <p>It helps reduce self-harm behaviors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of people with schizophrenia die by suicide?

    <p>5%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which treatment approach is noted for alleviating core symptoms and preventing relapse?

    <p>Cognitive behavioral therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is cyclothymia characterized by?

    <p>Hypomanic episodes with periods of depression</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which medication became widely used to treat bipolar disorder in the late 1980s?

    <p>Carbamazepine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary benefit of sodium valporate in bipolar disorder treatment?

    <p>It is effective in treating manic episodes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the link between depression and suicide?

    <p>Depression is often a significant cause of suicide</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which medication has shown efficacy in treating more severe depression?

    <p>Lamotrigine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement about omega 3 fatty acids is accurate?

    <p>They have beneficial effects on depressive symptoms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of suicide is highlighted regarding its occurrence?

    <p>Most suicides occur among individuals with some type of mental disorder</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What stress factors play a role in the risk of suicide?

    <p>Financial difficulties and interpersonal relationships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Assessment

    • It’s a process of gathering information about people's symptoms and possible causes of symptoms.
    • Clinical Assessment: involves evaluating various psychological, biological, and social factors.
    • Assessments need to meet three criteria: Reliability, Validity, and Standardization

    Reliability

    • The tests consistency in measuring what it’s supposed to.
    • Types include:
      • Parallel-Forms Reliability: Consistency between two different versions of the same test, measuring the same thing.
      • Internal Consistency Reliability: How well the items on a test measure the same underlying concept.

    Validity

    • How accurately a test assesses what it’s supposed to.
    • Face validity is how well a test appears to measure what it’s supposed to, at face value.

    Brain Dysfunction

    • It can occur due to injury or diseases that deteriorate the brain.
    • In Schizophrenia, the cerebral cortex doesn't function effectively resulting in delusions (unreal beliefs) and hallucinations (unreal perceptual experiences).

    Biochemical Imbalances

    • The brain requires specific chemicals for efficient functioning; neurotransmitters and hormones.

    Neurotransmitters

    • These are chemical messengers that allow neurons to communicate.
    • There are a dozen different neurotransmitters produced by neurons.
    • Neurotransmitters can have two effects: Excitatory and Inhibitory.
      • Excitatory neurotransmitters increase the likelihood that the next nerve cell will send a signal.
      • Inhibitory neurotransmitters decrease the likelihood that the next nerve cell will send a signal.

    Hormones

    • Substances secreted by endocrine glands regulating a wide range of bodily processes and affecting organs, muscles, and other glands.

    Neurotransmitters

    • There are two processes that affect the levels of neurotransmitters in the synapses:
      • Reuptake: Neurotransmitters are absorbed back into the sending nerve cell.
      • Degradation: Enzymes break down the neurotransmitters in the synapses (the gap between nerve cells)

    Bipolar Depression

    • A mood disorder with wide swings in mood from deep depression to wild elation.

    Unipolar Depression

    • This disorder is categorized into two groups: Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder.

    Major Depressive Disorder

    • Symptoms include depressed mood or loss of interest/pleasure for at least two weeks.
    • The person must have at least five symptoms from a specific list.
    • People who experience only one depressive episode are diagnosed with major depression, single episode.

    Dysthymic Disorder

    • Less severe than major depression but more chronic.
    • Requires a person to experience depressed mood and at least two of a list of symptoms for at least 2 years.

    Cyclothymia

    • A history of hypomanic episodes with periods of depression that do not meet criteria for major depressive disorders.

    Treatments:

    • Client-Centered therapy: The therapist communicates empathic understanding of the client's feelings and search for self.
    • Family System therapy: Treats the entire family system that created and maintains the individual's problems.
    • Behavioral Family Systems Therapy: Targets problem-solving, family communication, and systematic barriers to problem-solving.
    • Emotion-Focused Therapy: Focuses on difficulties in managing negative emotions and controlling impulsive behaviors.
    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Combines mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

    Psychological Treatments for Suicide:

    • Aimed at alleviating symptoms, recognizing triggers, reducing negative expressed emotion, recognizing prodromal symptoms before recurrence, and maintaining remission.
    • Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Family-Focused therapy, and Psychoeducation have the most evidence for efficacy in regard to relapse prevention.
    • Interpersonal and Social Rhythm therapy, and Cognitive behavioral therapy are the most effective in regard to residual depressive episodes.

    Theories on Suicide:

    • A vital neurotransmitter, Serotonin, has been found to be lower in those who have attempted suicide.

    Psychotherapeutic Talks:

    • Therapies, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), help reduce suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviors.

    Sodium Valporate

    • Initially an anti-convulsant, it's now commonly used to treat bipolar disorder and is effective for manic episodes.

    Carbamazepine

    • Widely used to treat Bipolar disorder in the 1980’s, but was replaced by Sodium Valporate in the 1990’s.
    • Effective in treating manic episodes, especially for rapid-cycling bipolar disorders, and those with psychotic manic symptoms or a schizoaffective clinical picture.

    Lamotrigine

    • Shown to be effective in treating bipolar depression and can be beneficial in severe depression.

    Omega 3 Fatty Acids

    • Have beneficial effects on depressive symptoms.

    Suicide

    • The act of intentionally causing one’s own death.
    • A strong correlation exists between suicide and mental illness.
    • 87-98% of suicides are committed by people with some type of mental disorder.
    • Mood disorders are present in 30%, substance abuse in 18%, schizophrenia in 14%, and personality disorders in 13% of suicides.
    • Major depression and alcoholism are the specific disorders most strongly correlated with suicide risk.
    • About 5% of people with Schizophrenia die by suicide.
    • Suicide often seems to occur, not when individuals are at their most depressed, but rather when they're showing signs of improvement, after a period of calm following considerable agitation.

    Can Suicide Be Predicted?

    • People who seriously think about suicide have different patterns of thoughts about death and its effects.

    Treatments for Suicidal Ideation:

    • Psychotherapeutic talks help reduce suicidal ideation.
    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is effective for reducing suicidality.

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    Abnormal Psychology Midterm Lesson PDF

    Description

    This quiz covers the fundamentals of psychological assessment, including reliability, validity, and the impact of brain dysfunction. Learn about different types of reliability and the importance of standardization in evaluations. Discover how brain injuries or diseases affect mental health assessments.

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