BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE NBME ACTUAL
EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Child Abuse - Sexual.
Answer: Evidence: genital, anal, or oral trauma; STIs; UTIsAbuser: known
to victim, usually maleEpidemiology: peak incidence 9-12 y/oActions:
report to local child protective services
◍ Child Neglect.
Answer: failure to provide a child with adequate food, shelter, supervision,
education, and/or affection- most common form of child
maltreatmentEvidence: poor hygiene, malnutrition, withdrawal, impaired
social/emotional development, failure to thriveActions: report to local child
protective services
◍ Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly: Multiple Personality Disorder).
Answer: presence of 2 or more distinct identities or personality states- more
common in women- associated with hx of sexual abuse, PTSD, depression,
substance abuse, borderline personality, somatoform conditions
◍ Punishment.
Answer: repeated application of aversive stimulus (i.e., positive punishment)
or removal of desired reward (i.e., negative punishment) to extinguish
unwanted behavior- part of operant conditioning
◍ Anterograde Amnesia.
Answer: inability to remember things that occurred after a CNS insult (↓
acquisition of new memory)
◍ Orientation.
Answer: pt's ability to know who she is, where she is, + the date/timeorder
, of loss = time → place → personCommon Causes of Loss of Orientation:-
alcohol- drugs- fluid/electrolyte imbalance- head trauma- hypoglycemia-
infection,- nutritional deficiencies
◍ Ego Defenses.
Answer: mental processes (conscious or unconscious) used to resolve
conflict + prevent undesirable feelings (e.g., anxiety, depression)
◍ Classical Conditioning.
Answer: learning in which a natural response (e.g., salivation) is elicited by
a conditioned stimulus (e.g., bell) that previously was presented in
conjunction with an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food)- typically deals with
INVOLUNTARY responses
◍ Humor.
Answer: appreciating the amusing nature of an anxiety-provoking or adverse
situation- ex) nervous medical student jokes about the boards- mature
defense system → mature adults wear a sasH
◍ Transference.
Answer: pt projects feelings about formative or other important persons onto
physician- ex) psychiatrist is seen as parent
◍ Altruism.
Answer: alleviating negative feelings via unsolicited generosity- ex) mafia
boss makes large donation to charity- mature defense system → mature
adults wear a sAsh
◍ Immature Defense Mechanism.
Answer: manifestations of child-like or disturbed behavior
◍ Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
Answer: - childhood + early-onset disorder- enduring pattern of hostile,
defiant behavior toward authority figures in the absence of serious violations
of social normsTreatment:- psychotherapy (e.g., CBT)
◍ Projection.
EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Child Abuse - Sexual.
Answer: Evidence: genital, anal, or oral trauma; STIs; UTIsAbuser: known
to victim, usually maleEpidemiology: peak incidence 9-12 y/oActions:
report to local child protective services
◍ Child Neglect.
Answer: failure to provide a child with adequate food, shelter, supervision,
education, and/or affection- most common form of child
maltreatmentEvidence: poor hygiene, malnutrition, withdrawal, impaired
social/emotional development, failure to thriveActions: report to local child
protective services
◍ Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly: Multiple Personality Disorder).
Answer: presence of 2 or more distinct identities or personality states- more
common in women- associated with hx of sexual abuse, PTSD, depression,
substance abuse, borderline personality, somatoform conditions
◍ Punishment.
Answer: repeated application of aversive stimulus (i.e., positive punishment)
or removal of desired reward (i.e., negative punishment) to extinguish
unwanted behavior- part of operant conditioning
◍ Anterograde Amnesia.
Answer: inability to remember things that occurred after a CNS insult (↓
acquisition of new memory)
◍ Orientation.
Answer: pt's ability to know who she is, where she is, + the date/timeorder
, of loss = time → place → personCommon Causes of Loss of Orientation:-
alcohol- drugs- fluid/electrolyte imbalance- head trauma- hypoglycemia-
infection,- nutritional deficiencies
◍ Ego Defenses.
Answer: mental processes (conscious or unconscious) used to resolve
conflict + prevent undesirable feelings (e.g., anxiety, depression)
◍ Classical Conditioning.
Answer: learning in which a natural response (e.g., salivation) is elicited by
a conditioned stimulus (e.g., bell) that previously was presented in
conjunction with an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food)- typically deals with
INVOLUNTARY responses
◍ Humor.
Answer: appreciating the amusing nature of an anxiety-provoking or adverse
situation- ex) nervous medical student jokes about the boards- mature
defense system → mature adults wear a sasH
◍ Transference.
Answer: pt projects feelings about formative or other important persons onto
physician- ex) psychiatrist is seen as parent
◍ Altruism.
Answer: alleviating negative feelings via unsolicited generosity- ex) mafia
boss makes large donation to charity- mature defense system → mature
adults wear a sAsh
◍ Immature Defense Mechanism.
Answer: manifestations of child-like or disturbed behavior
◍ Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
Answer: - childhood + early-onset disorder- enduring pattern of hostile,
defiant behavior toward authority figures in the absence of serious violations
of social normsTreatment:- psychotherapy (e.g., CBT)
◍ Projection.
