AP Psychology: Treatment of Psychological Disorders — Drill 30

About This Drill

AP Psychology: Treatment of Psychological Disorders — Drill 30 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 treatment of psychological disorders, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy, biomedical interventions, and the biopsychosocial model. AP exam prep on matching treatments to disorders and interpreting treatment outcome data.

Questions in This Drill

1. A therapist working with a client who has a severe dog phobia gradually exposes the client to a hierarchy of dog-related stimuli — first pictures of dogs, then videos, then a leashed dog across a room, and finally petting a calm dog — while teaching relaxation techniques to pair with each step. Which treatment approach is the therapist using?
2. A psychiatrist prescribes an SSRI for a patient with major depressive disorder and refers the patient to a cognitive-behavioral therapist. This combined approach is best understood as an application of which framework?
3. A clinical trial compares three groups of patients with moderate major depressive disorder: Group 1 receives CBT only, Group 2 receives an SSRI only, and Group 3 receives CBT plus an SSRI. After 16 weeks, remission rates are 42% in Group 1, 44% in Group 2, and 61% in Group 3. Which conclusion is best supported by these data?
4. A study reports a correlation of r = 0.35 between number of therapy sessions attended and reduction in depression symptom scores over 12 weeks. Which of the following is the most appropriate interpretation?
5. A therapist meets weekly with a client who has been diagnosed with a specific phobia of flying. The therapist uses empathic listening, reflects the client's feelings back without judgment, and provides unconditional positive regard, trusting that the client will move toward self-actualization. After six months of this treatment, the client's avoidance of flying has not meaningfully changed. Which of the following best explains this outcome from an evidence-based treatment perspective?