ACCURACY IS GUARANTEED
LMSW Exam prep Questions with Detailed
Verified Answers for Accuracy
DSM: Development of diagnosis
✓✓ hypothesis (diagnostic formulation); Gather information
and make assessment
(723.1)
Diagnostic Formulation considerations:
✓✓ 1. onset of issue
2. chronic/episodic
3. Family history
4. Use Multiple Sources (client, collateral)
5. context of information (e.g., currently in crisis?)
6. Use clinician observation and client reports
(723.1)
Assessment
, ACCURACY IS GUARANTEED
✓✓ Rule out:
1) Malingering and Factitious Disorder,
2) a substance etiology,
3) an etiological medical condition,
4) determining the specific primary disorder(s),
5) differentiating Adjustment Disorder from the residual Other
Specified and Unspecified conditions, and
6) establishing the boundary with no mental disorder.
(723.1)
Parsimony
✓✓ Use the fewest dx's to explain the most/all symptoms
(723.1)
Diagnostic Challenges
✓✓ 1. inadequate data
2. multiple diagnoses
3. atypical presentations
4. limited intake time
(723.1)
MSE (Mental Status Exam) Considerations
, ACCURACY IS GUARANTEED
✓✓ 1. Appearance (hygiene, facial hair, body art/piercings,
clothing)
2. Attitude (rapport, degree of engagement)
3. Behavior (calm, energetic, tired? )
4. Movement (pscyhomotor retardation/agitation)
5. Gait/posture/tics
6. Eye contact and Facial Expressions
7. Speech (volume, rate, style, accent, clarity)
8. Mood: Client's report of emotional state
9. Affect: Clinician's observation of outward emotional
presentation
10. Thought Process: Quality, content and Rate (obsessions?)
11. Perceptions: client experience of world
12: Oriented x 3 (person, place, date)
13. SI/HI (current, recent, hx)
14. Insight: level of awareness
15. Judgment: impulse control
16. Memory: Immediate/ST(recent)/LT(remote)
(723.1)
[II.A]
Schizophrenia
, ACCURACY IS GUARANTEED
✓✓ 1. increase in prodromal sx: isolation, depression, reduced
self care, and changes in perception
2. onset: Late teens/early adult
3. compounded or triggered by AOD/SA
4. Positive Sx:
*hallucinations
*delusions (beliefs in the face of contradictory reality)
*Disorganized: Speech/Behavior/Thinking
5. Negative Sx:
*Lack of motivation/interest
*limited emotional expression
6. Duration: sx for >6 months
*Brief Psychotic Disorder: 1 day to 1 month
*Schizophreniform Disorder: 1 to 6 months
(723.2)
Other Psychotic Disorders
✓✓ 1. Schizoaffective: Schizophrenia with a concurrent mood
disorder
2. Delusional disorder: (bizarre beliefs)
(723.2)
Anti-psychotic medications:
LMSW Exam prep Questions with Detailed
Verified Answers for Accuracy
DSM: Development of diagnosis
✓✓ hypothesis (diagnostic formulation); Gather information
and make assessment
(723.1)
Diagnostic Formulation considerations:
✓✓ 1. onset of issue
2. chronic/episodic
3. Family history
4. Use Multiple Sources (client, collateral)
5. context of information (e.g., currently in crisis?)
6. Use clinician observation and client reports
(723.1)
Assessment
, ACCURACY IS GUARANTEED
✓✓ Rule out:
1) Malingering and Factitious Disorder,
2) a substance etiology,
3) an etiological medical condition,
4) determining the specific primary disorder(s),
5) differentiating Adjustment Disorder from the residual Other
Specified and Unspecified conditions, and
6) establishing the boundary with no mental disorder.
(723.1)
Parsimony
✓✓ Use the fewest dx's to explain the most/all symptoms
(723.1)
Diagnostic Challenges
✓✓ 1. inadequate data
2. multiple diagnoses
3. atypical presentations
4. limited intake time
(723.1)
MSE (Mental Status Exam) Considerations
, ACCURACY IS GUARANTEED
✓✓ 1. Appearance (hygiene, facial hair, body art/piercings,
clothing)
2. Attitude (rapport, degree of engagement)
3. Behavior (calm, energetic, tired? )
4. Movement (pscyhomotor retardation/agitation)
5. Gait/posture/tics
6. Eye contact and Facial Expressions
7. Speech (volume, rate, style, accent, clarity)
8. Mood: Client's report of emotional state
9. Affect: Clinician's observation of outward emotional
presentation
10. Thought Process: Quality, content and Rate (obsessions?)
11. Perceptions: client experience of world
12: Oriented x 3 (person, place, date)
13. SI/HI (current, recent, hx)
14. Insight: level of awareness
15. Judgment: impulse control
16. Memory: Immediate/ST(recent)/LT(remote)
(723.1)
[II.A]
Schizophrenia
, ACCURACY IS GUARANTEED
✓✓ 1. increase in prodromal sx: isolation, depression, reduced
self care, and changes in perception
2. onset: Late teens/early adult
3. compounded or triggered by AOD/SA
4. Positive Sx:
*hallucinations
*delusions (beliefs in the face of contradictory reality)
*Disorganized: Speech/Behavior/Thinking
5. Negative Sx:
*Lack of motivation/interest
*limited emotional expression
6. Duration: sx for >6 months
*Brief Psychotic Disorder: 1 day to 1 month
*Schizophreniform Disorder: 1 to 6 months
(723.2)
Other Psychotic Disorders
✓✓ 1. Schizoaffective: Schizophrenia with a concurrent mood
disorder
2. Delusional disorder: (bizarre beliefs)
(723.2)
Anti-psychotic medications:
