NR547/ NR 547 (DIFFERENTIAL
DIAGNOSIS IN PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL
HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
PRACTICUM FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS (CHAMBERLAIN)
Q1. A 9-year-old boy has persistent inattention, forgetfulness, and poor school performance for
over 6 months. No mood symptoms.
• A. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• B. ADHD, Inattentive Type ✅
• C. Conduct Disorder
• D. Specific Learning Disorder Rationale: ADHD requires ≥6 months of symptoms
across settings.
Q2. A 13-year-old girl refuses to attend school due to fear of embarrassment, avoids peers, and
experiences sweating and trembling in social situations.
• A. Separation Anxiety Disorder
• B. Social Anxiety Disorder ✅
• C. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• D. Panic Disorder Rationale: Fear of social scrutiny is hallmark of Social Anxiety
Disorder.
Q3. A 6-year-old boy has recurrent temper outbursts, irritable mood most of the day, nearly
every day for >1 year.
• A. Bipolar Disorder
• B. Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder ✅
• C. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• D. Conduct Disorder Rationale: DMDD requires chronic irritability and severe outbursts
before age 10.
Q4. A 15-year-old boy has recurrent binge eating episodes without compensatory behaviors.
, • A. Bulimia Nervosa
• B. Binge Eating Disorder ✅
• C. Anorexia Nervosa
• D. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Rationale: BED lacks purging or
restriction.
Q5. A 12-year-old girl has repetitive hair pulling leading to bald patches.
• A. OCD
• B. Trichotillomania ✅
• C. Body Dysmorphic Disorder
• D. Excoriation Disorder Rationale: Trichotillomania is compulsive hair pulling.
Adult Cases
Q6. A 28-year-old woman has alternating depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but no
full mania.
• A. Major Depressive Disorder
• B. Bipolar II Disorder ✅
• C. Cyclothymic Disorder
• D. Borderline Personality Disorder Rationale: Bipolar II requires hypomania +
depression.
Q7. A 35-year-old man reports intrusive memories, nightmares, and hypervigilance after a car
accident 8 months ago.
• A. Acute Stress Disorder
• B. PTSD ✅
• C. GAD
• D. Panic Disorder Rationale: PTSD requires symptoms >1 month after trauma.
Q8. A 40-year-old woman presents with chronic worry, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance
for >6 months.
• A. Panic Disorder
• B. Generalized Anxiety Disorder ✅
• C. OCD
• D. Social Anxiety Disorder Rationale: GAD involves excessive worry across domains.
Q9. A 25-year-old man has sudden episodes of palpitations, sweating, and fear of dying,
occurring unpredictably.
• A. GAD
• B. Panic Disorder ✅
, • C. Social Anxiety Disorder
• D. PTSD Rationale: Panic Disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks.
Q10. A 30-year-old woman has fear of contamination, spends 3 hours daily cleaning, recognizes
irrationality.
• A. GAD
• B. OCD ✅
• C. Illness Anxiety Disorder
• D. Specific Phobia Rationale: Compulsions + obsessions = OCD.
Psychotic Disorders
Q11. A 22-year-old man has hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech for 2 weeks.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Brief Psychotic Disorder ✅
• C. Schizophreniform Disorder
• D. Schizoaffective Disorder Rationale: Brief Psychotic Disorder lasts <1 month.
Q12. A 27-year-old woman has psychotic symptoms for 4 months, no mood episodes.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Schizophreniform Disorder ✅
• C. Schizoaffective Disorder
• D. Bipolar Disorder Rationale: Schizophreniform lasts 1–6 months.
Q13. A 35-year-old man has psychotic symptoms for 2 years, with major depressive episodes
during most of the illness.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Schizoaffective Disorder ✅
• C. Bipolar I Disorder
• D. MDD with psychotic features Rationale: Schizoaffective requires mood episodes
concurrent with psychosis.
Q14. A 40-year-old woman has delusions of being poisoned, lasting 8 months, no hallucinations
or disorganization.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Delusional Disorder ✅
• C. Schizoaffective Disorder
• D. Brief Psychotic Disorder Rationale: Delusional Disorder = ≥1 month of fixed
delusions.
, Q15. A 29-year-old man has psychotic symptoms >6 months, with functional decline.
• A. Schizophreniform Disorder
• B. Schizophrenia ✅
• C. Schizoaffective Disorder
• D. Bipolar Disorder Rationale: Schizophrenia requires ≥6 months duration.
Substance & Somatic Disorders
Q16. A 33-year-old man presents with hallucinations and paranoia after heavy cocaine use.
Symptoms resolve after 48 hours.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Substance-Induced Psychotic Disorder ✅
• C. Schizoaffective Disorder
• D. Bipolar Disorder Rationale: Symptoms linked to substance use.
Q17. A 28-year-old woman has preoccupation with having cancer despite normal tests.
• A. Somatic Symptom Disorder
• B. Illness Anxiety Disorder ✅
• C. OCD
• D. GAD Rationale: Illness Anxiety = health preoccupation without significant somatic
symptoms.
Q18. A 35-year-old man presents with multiple unexplained physical symptoms causing distress.
• A. Illness Anxiety Disorder
• B. Somatic Symptom Disorder ✅
• C. Conversion Disorder
• D. Factitious Disorder Rationale: Somatic Symptom Disorder involves distressing
physical complaints.
Q19. A 27-year-old woman suddenly develops paralysis of her right arm after a stressful event,
no neurological cause found.
• A. Factitious Disorder
• B. Conversion Disorder ✅
• C. Somatic Symptom Disorder
• D. Malingering Rationale: Conversion Disorder = neurological symptoms incompatible
with medical findings.
Q20. A 40-year-old man deliberately fakes seizures to gain attention.
• A. Conversion Disorder
DIAGNOSIS IN PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL
HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
PRACTICUM FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS (CHAMBERLAIN)
Q1. A 9-year-old boy has persistent inattention, forgetfulness, and poor school performance for
over 6 months. No mood symptoms.
• A. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• B. ADHD, Inattentive Type ✅
• C. Conduct Disorder
• D. Specific Learning Disorder Rationale: ADHD requires ≥6 months of symptoms
across settings.
Q2. A 13-year-old girl refuses to attend school due to fear of embarrassment, avoids peers, and
experiences sweating and trembling in social situations.
• A. Separation Anxiety Disorder
• B. Social Anxiety Disorder ✅
• C. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• D. Panic Disorder Rationale: Fear of social scrutiny is hallmark of Social Anxiety
Disorder.
Q3. A 6-year-old boy has recurrent temper outbursts, irritable mood most of the day, nearly
every day for >1 year.
• A. Bipolar Disorder
• B. Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder ✅
• C. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• D. Conduct Disorder Rationale: DMDD requires chronic irritability and severe outbursts
before age 10.
Q4. A 15-year-old boy has recurrent binge eating episodes without compensatory behaviors.
, • A. Bulimia Nervosa
• B. Binge Eating Disorder ✅
• C. Anorexia Nervosa
• D. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Rationale: BED lacks purging or
restriction.
Q5. A 12-year-old girl has repetitive hair pulling leading to bald patches.
• A. OCD
• B. Trichotillomania ✅
• C. Body Dysmorphic Disorder
• D. Excoriation Disorder Rationale: Trichotillomania is compulsive hair pulling.
Adult Cases
Q6. A 28-year-old woman has alternating depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but no
full mania.
• A. Major Depressive Disorder
• B. Bipolar II Disorder ✅
• C. Cyclothymic Disorder
• D. Borderline Personality Disorder Rationale: Bipolar II requires hypomania +
depression.
Q7. A 35-year-old man reports intrusive memories, nightmares, and hypervigilance after a car
accident 8 months ago.
• A. Acute Stress Disorder
• B. PTSD ✅
• C. GAD
• D. Panic Disorder Rationale: PTSD requires symptoms >1 month after trauma.
Q8. A 40-year-old woman presents with chronic worry, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance
for >6 months.
• A. Panic Disorder
• B. Generalized Anxiety Disorder ✅
• C. OCD
• D. Social Anxiety Disorder Rationale: GAD involves excessive worry across domains.
Q9. A 25-year-old man has sudden episodes of palpitations, sweating, and fear of dying,
occurring unpredictably.
• A. GAD
• B. Panic Disorder ✅
, • C. Social Anxiety Disorder
• D. PTSD Rationale: Panic Disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks.
Q10. A 30-year-old woman has fear of contamination, spends 3 hours daily cleaning, recognizes
irrationality.
• A. GAD
• B. OCD ✅
• C. Illness Anxiety Disorder
• D. Specific Phobia Rationale: Compulsions + obsessions = OCD.
Psychotic Disorders
Q11. A 22-year-old man has hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech for 2 weeks.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Brief Psychotic Disorder ✅
• C. Schizophreniform Disorder
• D. Schizoaffective Disorder Rationale: Brief Psychotic Disorder lasts <1 month.
Q12. A 27-year-old woman has psychotic symptoms for 4 months, no mood episodes.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Schizophreniform Disorder ✅
• C. Schizoaffective Disorder
• D. Bipolar Disorder Rationale: Schizophreniform lasts 1–6 months.
Q13. A 35-year-old man has psychotic symptoms for 2 years, with major depressive episodes
during most of the illness.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Schizoaffective Disorder ✅
• C. Bipolar I Disorder
• D. MDD with psychotic features Rationale: Schizoaffective requires mood episodes
concurrent with psychosis.
Q14. A 40-year-old woman has delusions of being poisoned, lasting 8 months, no hallucinations
or disorganization.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Delusional Disorder ✅
• C. Schizoaffective Disorder
• D. Brief Psychotic Disorder Rationale: Delusional Disorder = ≥1 month of fixed
delusions.
, Q15. A 29-year-old man has psychotic symptoms >6 months, with functional decline.
• A. Schizophreniform Disorder
• B. Schizophrenia ✅
• C. Schizoaffective Disorder
• D. Bipolar Disorder Rationale: Schizophrenia requires ≥6 months duration.
Substance & Somatic Disorders
Q16. A 33-year-old man presents with hallucinations and paranoia after heavy cocaine use.
Symptoms resolve after 48 hours.
• A. Schizophrenia
• B. Substance-Induced Psychotic Disorder ✅
• C. Schizoaffective Disorder
• D. Bipolar Disorder Rationale: Symptoms linked to substance use.
Q17. A 28-year-old woman has preoccupation with having cancer despite normal tests.
• A. Somatic Symptom Disorder
• B. Illness Anxiety Disorder ✅
• C. OCD
• D. GAD Rationale: Illness Anxiety = health preoccupation without significant somatic
symptoms.
Q18. A 35-year-old man presents with multiple unexplained physical symptoms causing distress.
• A. Illness Anxiety Disorder
• B. Somatic Symptom Disorder ✅
• C. Conversion Disorder
• D. Factitious Disorder Rationale: Somatic Symptom Disorder involves distressing
physical complaints.
Q19. A 27-year-old woman suddenly develops paralysis of her right arm after a stressful event,
no neurological cause found.
• A. Factitious Disorder
• B. Conversion Disorder ✅
• C. Somatic Symptom Disorder
• D. Malingering Rationale: Conversion Disorder = neurological symptoms incompatible
with medical findings.
Q20. A 40-year-old man deliberately fakes seizures to gain attention.
• A. Conversion Disorder
