4/27/25, 11:17 AM ANCC PMHNP
ANCC PMHNP CERTIFICATION BOARD ACTUAL EXAM NEWEST
VERSION 2025 LATEST VERSION WITH COMPLETE UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS \\VERIFIED ANSWERS
100% PASS GRADED A+ (ALL QUESTIONS) BRAND NEW
A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been
present during the same 2- week
period and represent a change from previous
functioning; at least one of the symptoms
is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.
Note: Do not include symptoms that are clearly
attributable to another medical condition.
1. Depressed mood daily
MOOD
2. Loss of pleasure of joy in activities/inerests
D/O: MDD
3. Significant weight loss/gain
CRITERIA A 4. insomnia/hypersomnia
5. fatigue or loss of energy daily
6. psychomotor retardationagitation
7. feelings of worthlessness or guilt
8. diminished ability to think/concentrate, indecisiveness
9. recurrent thoughts of death, SI, or SI attempt
/ 1/36
,4/27/25, 12:48 PM ANCC PMHNP BOARD EXAM
B. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress
or impairment in social, occupational,
or other important areas of functioning.
C. The episode is not attributable to the physiological
effects of a substance or to another
medical condition.
D. The occurrence of the major depressive episode
is not better explained by schizoaffective
disorder, schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder,
MOOD D/O: MDD CRITERIA
B-E delusional disorder, or other specified and
unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other
psychotic disorders.
E. There has never been a manic episode or a hypomanic
episode.
Note: This exclusion does not apply if all of the manic-
like or hypomanic-like episodes
are substance-induced or are attributable to the
physiological effects of another medical
condition.
Twelve-month prevalence of major depressive disorder
in the United States is approximately
7%, with marked differences by age group such that the
MOOD D/O: MDD prevalence in 18- to 29-year- old individuals
PREVALENCE is threefold higher than the prevalence in individuals
age 60 years or older. Females experience
1.5- to 3-fold higher rates than males beginning in early
adolescence.
-Recovery typically begins within 3 months of onset for
two in five individuals with major
depression and within 1 year for four in five individuals.
-The risk is higher in individuals whose preceding episode was
MOOD D/O: MDD
severe,
DEVELOPMENT AND
in younger individuals, and in individuals who have
COURSE
already experienced multiple episodes.
-The persistence of even mild depressive symptoms
during remission is a powerful predictor of recurrence.
/ 2/36
,4/27/25, 12:48 PM ANCC PMHNP BOARD EXAM
-Neuroticism (negative affectivity) is a well-
established risk factor for the onset of major
depressive disorder
-Adverse childhood experiences, particularly when
there are multiple experiences of diverse types,
constitute a set of potent risk factors for major
depressive disorder.
MOOD D/O: MDD RISK
FACTORS -Stressful life events are well recognized as
precipitants of major depressive episodes,but the
presence or absence of adverse life events near the
onset of episodes does not appear to provide a useful
guide to prognosis or treatment selection.
-First-degree family members of individuals with major
depressive disorder have a risk for major depressive
disorder two- to fourfold higher than that of the
general population.
-Relative risks appear to be higher for early-onset and
recurrent forms. Heritability is approximately 40%, and
the personality trait neuroticism accounts
for a substantial portion of this genetic liability.
/ 3/36
, 4/27/25, 12:48 PM ANCC PMHNP BOARD EXAM
Depressed mood for most of the day, for more days
than not, as indicated by either subjective account or
observation by others, for at least 2 years.
Note: In children and adolescents, mood can be
irritable and duration must be at least
1 year.
B. Presence, while depressed, of two (or more) of the following:
1. Poor appetite or overeating.
2. Insomnia or hypersomnia.
3. Low energy or fatigue.
4. Low self-esteem.
5. Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions.
6. Feelings of hopelessness.
C. During the 2-year period (1 year for children or
adolescents) of the disturbance, the individual has never
been without the symptoms in Criteria A and B for more
than 2 months at a time.
D. Criteria for a major depressive disorder may be continuously
MOOD D/O: PDD present for 2 years.
E. There has never been a manic episode or a
(DYSTHYMIA) DSM5
CRITERIA hypomanic episode, and criteria have never been met
for cyclothymic disorder.
F. The disturbance is not better explained by a
persistent schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia,
delusional disorder, or other specified or unspecified
schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder.
G. The symptoms are not attributable to the
physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of
abuse, a medication) or another medical condition
(e.g. hypothyroidism).
H. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress
or impairment in social, occupational,
or other important areas of functioning.
Note: Because the criteria for a major depressive
episode include four symptoms that are absent from
the symptom list for persistent depressive disorder
(dysthymia), a very limited number of individuals will
have depressive symptoms that have persisted longer
than 2 years but will not meet criteria for persistent
/ 4/36
ANCC PMHNP CERTIFICATION BOARD ACTUAL EXAM NEWEST
VERSION 2025 LATEST VERSION WITH COMPLETE UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS \\VERIFIED ANSWERS
100% PASS GRADED A+ (ALL QUESTIONS) BRAND NEW
A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been
present during the same 2- week
period and represent a change from previous
functioning; at least one of the symptoms
is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.
Note: Do not include symptoms that are clearly
attributable to another medical condition.
1. Depressed mood daily
MOOD
2. Loss of pleasure of joy in activities/inerests
D/O: MDD
3. Significant weight loss/gain
CRITERIA A 4. insomnia/hypersomnia
5. fatigue or loss of energy daily
6. psychomotor retardationagitation
7. feelings of worthlessness or guilt
8. diminished ability to think/concentrate, indecisiveness
9. recurrent thoughts of death, SI, or SI attempt
/ 1/36
,4/27/25, 12:48 PM ANCC PMHNP BOARD EXAM
B. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress
or impairment in social, occupational,
or other important areas of functioning.
C. The episode is not attributable to the physiological
effects of a substance or to another
medical condition.
D. The occurrence of the major depressive episode
is not better explained by schizoaffective
disorder, schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder,
MOOD D/O: MDD CRITERIA
B-E delusional disorder, or other specified and
unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other
psychotic disorders.
E. There has never been a manic episode or a hypomanic
episode.
Note: This exclusion does not apply if all of the manic-
like or hypomanic-like episodes
are substance-induced or are attributable to the
physiological effects of another medical
condition.
Twelve-month prevalence of major depressive disorder
in the United States is approximately
7%, with marked differences by age group such that the
MOOD D/O: MDD prevalence in 18- to 29-year- old individuals
PREVALENCE is threefold higher than the prevalence in individuals
age 60 years or older. Females experience
1.5- to 3-fold higher rates than males beginning in early
adolescence.
-Recovery typically begins within 3 months of onset for
two in five individuals with major
depression and within 1 year for four in five individuals.
-The risk is higher in individuals whose preceding episode was
MOOD D/O: MDD
severe,
DEVELOPMENT AND
in younger individuals, and in individuals who have
COURSE
already experienced multiple episodes.
-The persistence of even mild depressive symptoms
during remission is a powerful predictor of recurrence.
/ 2/36
,4/27/25, 12:48 PM ANCC PMHNP BOARD EXAM
-Neuroticism (negative affectivity) is a well-
established risk factor for the onset of major
depressive disorder
-Adverse childhood experiences, particularly when
there are multiple experiences of diverse types,
constitute a set of potent risk factors for major
depressive disorder.
MOOD D/O: MDD RISK
FACTORS -Stressful life events are well recognized as
precipitants of major depressive episodes,but the
presence or absence of adverse life events near the
onset of episodes does not appear to provide a useful
guide to prognosis or treatment selection.
-First-degree family members of individuals with major
depressive disorder have a risk for major depressive
disorder two- to fourfold higher than that of the
general population.
-Relative risks appear to be higher for early-onset and
recurrent forms. Heritability is approximately 40%, and
the personality trait neuroticism accounts
for a substantial portion of this genetic liability.
/ 3/36
, 4/27/25, 12:48 PM ANCC PMHNP BOARD EXAM
Depressed mood for most of the day, for more days
than not, as indicated by either subjective account or
observation by others, for at least 2 years.
Note: In children and adolescents, mood can be
irritable and duration must be at least
1 year.
B. Presence, while depressed, of two (or more) of the following:
1. Poor appetite or overeating.
2. Insomnia or hypersomnia.
3. Low energy or fatigue.
4. Low self-esteem.
5. Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions.
6. Feelings of hopelessness.
C. During the 2-year period (1 year for children or
adolescents) of the disturbance, the individual has never
been without the symptoms in Criteria A and B for more
than 2 months at a time.
D. Criteria for a major depressive disorder may be continuously
MOOD D/O: PDD present for 2 years.
E. There has never been a manic episode or a
(DYSTHYMIA) DSM5
CRITERIA hypomanic episode, and criteria have never been met
for cyclothymic disorder.
F. The disturbance is not better explained by a
persistent schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia,
delusional disorder, or other specified or unspecified
schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder.
G. The symptoms are not attributable to the
physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of
abuse, a medication) or another medical condition
(e.g. hypothyroidism).
H. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress
or impairment in social, occupational,
or other important areas of functioning.
Note: Because the criteria for a major depressive
episode include four symptoms that are absent from
the symptom list for persistent depressive disorder
(dysthymia), a very limited number of individuals will
have depressive symptoms that have persisted longer
than 2 years but will not meet criteria for persistent
/ 4/36
