Behavioral Health Study Guide – with
Practice Exam Questions
SIG-E-CAPS - S - sleep
I - interest (anhedonia)
G - guilt/worthlessness
E - energy
M - mood
C - concentration
A - appetite
P - psychomotor agitation/retardation
S - suicidal ideation
How long do schizophrenia symptoms need to be present before a diagnosis of
schizophreniform disorder may be made? - at least 1 month, and no more than 6 (at
which point schizophrenia would be diagnosed)
What is the most common age of diagnosis of schizophrenia in men? In women? - Men
- 18-25
Women - 25-35
Substance-induced psychotic symptoms must develop within what time period of drug
intoxication/withdrawal? - Within 1 month
What is the main presenting symptom of substance induced psychosis? - hallucinations
or delusions (ie. none of the affective symptoms of schizophrenia)
What are the most common presenting symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder? -
an inflated sense of self, will only associate with those of "high status", belief that they
have special abilities, and belief that they deserve special recognition
What other personality disorders may be confused with narcissistic personality
disorder? How may they be distinguished? - Borderline and Histrionic personality
disorders may mimic narcissistic personality disorder.
They can be distinguished by the extreme grandiosity of those with narcissistic
personality disorder
What medication class is the first line treatment for maintenance of panic disorder? -
SSRI's, in conjunction with lorazepam/clonazepam for acute episodes
What are the features of antisocial personality disorder? - at least 3:
* nonconformity to social norms and lawful behavior
* deceit
* impulsive behavior
,Behavioral Health Study Guide – with
Practice Exam Questions
* reckless disregard for the safety of themselves/others
* irresponsibility
* lack of remorse
What are the features of paranoid personality disorder? - at least 4:
* suspicion without cause
* preoccupation with the loyalty/trustworthiness of others
* reluctance to confide in others
* misinterpretation of benign events
* perception that remarks said to them are threatening
How is schizotypal personality disorder differentiated from paranoid personality
disorder? - Schizotypal personality disorder has a more pervasive pattern of
social/interpersonal deficits that impairs all close relationships
What features distinguish schizotypal personality disorder? - * ideas of reference (not
full-blown delusions)
* odd beliefs or magical thinking
* illusions or unusual perceptions (not classical hallucinations)
* odd thinking or speech
* eccentric behavior/appearance
* paranoid thinking/suspicion of others
* no close friends
* social anxiety related to paranoid fears
LACK of disorganized speech/thought process
What features distinguish schizoid personality disorder? - socially isolated, restricted
affect, almost always prefer to be alone
* few activities are pleasurable
* close friendships are shunned
* clear preference to be alone
* indifference to praise or criticism
* profound lack of displayed emotions
What features distinguish histrionic personality disorder? - 5 of the following:
* need to be the center of attention
* inappropriate seductiveness or provocativeness
* shallow emotions that change quickly
* excessively emotional speech
* exaggerated emotional expression
, Behavioral Health Study Guide – with
Practice Exam Questions
* history of believing that relationships with others are more important than they really
are
What adjunctive treatment is necessary in patients with schizophrenia? - CBT, social
skills training, family intervention, and cognitive remediation
What is displacement (coping mechanism)? - Transferring feelings to an inappropriate
person, object, or situation (a man who is angry at his boss takes his feelings out on his
wife)
What is denial (coping mechanism)? - Refusal to acknowledge the gravity of a situation
(refusing to talk about a serious topic and changing the subject instead)
What is projection (coping mechanism)? - the attribution of one's own traits to someone
else (philandering husband accuses wife of having an affair)
What is rationalization (coping mechanism)? - creating explanations for a
thought/action, usually to avoid self-blame
What is reaction formation (coping mechanism)? - The unconscious changing of
feelings or ideas to their opposite (a man acts very friendly toward a coworker when he
is unconsciously jealous)
What is sublimation (coping mechanism)? - Turning an unacceptable impulse into an
acceptable one (someone with aggressive impulses becomes a boxer)
What are the diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder? - * intense feelings
with fluctuation from idealization to devaluation
* concerns of abandonment
* impulsivity in 2 self-damaging areas (spending, sex, driving, substance abuse, eating)
* suicidal behavior/gestures/threats/self-mutilation
* chronic feelings of emptiness
* dissociative symptoms
How is histrionic personality disorder distinguished from borderline personality disorder?
- Histrionic personality disorder has a central feature of needing to be the center of
attention, is highly theatrical, use physical appearance to get attention, and are easily
influenced
Which types of bipolar disorder are more common in women than men? - Bipolar II
disorder and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder
Practice Exam Questions
SIG-E-CAPS - S - sleep
I - interest (anhedonia)
G - guilt/worthlessness
E - energy
M - mood
C - concentration
A - appetite
P - psychomotor agitation/retardation
S - suicidal ideation
How long do schizophrenia symptoms need to be present before a diagnosis of
schizophreniform disorder may be made? - at least 1 month, and no more than 6 (at
which point schizophrenia would be diagnosed)
What is the most common age of diagnosis of schizophrenia in men? In women? - Men
- 18-25
Women - 25-35
Substance-induced psychotic symptoms must develop within what time period of drug
intoxication/withdrawal? - Within 1 month
What is the main presenting symptom of substance induced psychosis? - hallucinations
or delusions (ie. none of the affective symptoms of schizophrenia)
What are the most common presenting symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder? -
an inflated sense of self, will only associate with those of "high status", belief that they
have special abilities, and belief that they deserve special recognition
What other personality disorders may be confused with narcissistic personality
disorder? How may they be distinguished? - Borderline and Histrionic personality
disorders may mimic narcissistic personality disorder.
They can be distinguished by the extreme grandiosity of those with narcissistic
personality disorder
What medication class is the first line treatment for maintenance of panic disorder? -
SSRI's, in conjunction with lorazepam/clonazepam for acute episodes
What are the features of antisocial personality disorder? - at least 3:
* nonconformity to social norms and lawful behavior
* deceit
* impulsive behavior
,Behavioral Health Study Guide – with
Practice Exam Questions
* reckless disregard for the safety of themselves/others
* irresponsibility
* lack of remorse
What are the features of paranoid personality disorder? - at least 4:
* suspicion without cause
* preoccupation with the loyalty/trustworthiness of others
* reluctance to confide in others
* misinterpretation of benign events
* perception that remarks said to them are threatening
How is schizotypal personality disorder differentiated from paranoid personality
disorder? - Schizotypal personality disorder has a more pervasive pattern of
social/interpersonal deficits that impairs all close relationships
What features distinguish schizotypal personality disorder? - * ideas of reference (not
full-blown delusions)
* odd beliefs or magical thinking
* illusions or unusual perceptions (not classical hallucinations)
* odd thinking or speech
* eccentric behavior/appearance
* paranoid thinking/suspicion of others
* no close friends
* social anxiety related to paranoid fears
LACK of disorganized speech/thought process
What features distinguish schizoid personality disorder? - socially isolated, restricted
affect, almost always prefer to be alone
* few activities are pleasurable
* close friendships are shunned
* clear preference to be alone
* indifference to praise or criticism
* profound lack of displayed emotions
What features distinguish histrionic personality disorder? - 5 of the following:
* need to be the center of attention
* inappropriate seductiveness or provocativeness
* shallow emotions that change quickly
* excessively emotional speech
* exaggerated emotional expression
, Behavioral Health Study Guide – with
Practice Exam Questions
* history of believing that relationships with others are more important than they really
are
What adjunctive treatment is necessary in patients with schizophrenia? - CBT, social
skills training, family intervention, and cognitive remediation
What is displacement (coping mechanism)? - Transferring feelings to an inappropriate
person, object, or situation (a man who is angry at his boss takes his feelings out on his
wife)
What is denial (coping mechanism)? - Refusal to acknowledge the gravity of a situation
(refusing to talk about a serious topic and changing the subject instead)
What is projection (coping mechanism)? - the attribution of one's own traits to someone
else (philandering husband accuses wife of having an affair)
What is rationalization (coping mechanism)? - creating explanations for a
thought/action, usually to avoid self-blame
What is reaction formation (coping mechanism)? - The unconscious changing of
feelings or ideas to their opposite (a man acts very friendly toward a coworker when he
is unconsciously jealous)
What is sublimation (coping mechanism)? - Turning an unacceptable impulse into an
acceptable one (someone with aggressive impulses becomes a boxer)
What are the diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder? - * intense feelings
with fluctuation from idealization to devaluation
* concerns of abandonment
* impulsivity in 2 self-damaging areas (spending, sex, driving, substance abuse, eating)
* suicidal behavior/gestures/threats/self-mutilation
* chronic feelings of emptiness
* dissociative symptoms
How is histrionic personality disorder distinguished from borderline personality disorder?
- Histrionic personality disorder has a central feature of needing to be the center of
attention, is highly theatrical, use physical appearance to get attention, and are easily
influenced
Which types of bipolar disorder are more common in women than men? - Bipolar II
disorder and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder
