AP Psychology: Explaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders — Drill 27

About This Drill

AP Psychology: Explaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders — Drill 27 is a Multiple Choice practice drill covering Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health. It contains 5 original questions created by Brian Stewart, a Barron's test prep author with over 20 years of tutoring experience.

AP Psychology practice questions on explaining and classifying psychological disorders using the DSM-5-TR, the biopsychosocial model, and research methods. Five scenario-based AP exam prep items covering diagnostic reliability, cultural considerations, the diathesis-stress model, and interpretation of prevalence data.

Questions in This Drill

1. A clinician assesses a new client and determines that the client's pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors causes significant distress, interferes with daily functioning at work and in relationships, and is not better explained by a cultural or religious practice. Which criterion framework is the clinician primarily applying?
2. Two clinicians independently interview the same patient and then assign a DSM-5-TR diagnosis. They agree on the diagnosis. A researcher studying diagnostic practices is most directly measuring which property of the diagnostic system?
3. A research team wants to test the diathesis-stress model as an explanation for the onset of a particular disorder. They follow 800 adolescents with varying levels of genetic risk (assessed from family history) over ten years and record both the life stressors each participant experiences and whether they develop the disorder. Which pattern of results would most directly support the diathesis-stress model?
4. The table below shows lifetime prevalence estimates (hypothetical) for three disorder categories based on a large community survey.

   Disorder category	Lifetime prevalence (%)
   Any anxiety disorder	31
   Any depressive disorder	21
   Schizophrenia spectrum	1

   Based only on these data, which statement is best supported?
5. A clinician is evaluating a client who reports hearing voices that others do not hear. Before assigning a diagnosis, the clinician carefully considers the client's cultural and religious background, asks whether the experience causes distress or impairment, and consults colleagues familiar with the client's community. Which combination of ideas is the clinician most clearly integrating?