BCPP EXAM UPDATED QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS.
What is the GAD7? - ANS Patient self rated screener for anxiety (doesn't measure tx
response)
What are GAD7 cutoffs? - ANS 5= mild
10= moderate
15= severe
What is the HAM A? - ANS Clinician rated anxiety scale
Measures tx response
What are HAM A cutoffs? - ANS Mild: 0-17
Mod: 18-24
Severe: 25-30
Remission: 70% imp
Improved: 50% imp
Partial: 25-49%
Starting dose of sertraline in elderly and children? - ANS 12.5-25 mg
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Starting dose of venlafaxine in children and elderly? - ANS 37.5 mg
How should BZDs be discontinued? - ANS 25% reduction per week until 50% of dose is
reached, then reduce by 1/8 every 4-7 days
Therapy > 8 weeks: 2-3 weeks
Therapy > 6 months: 4-8 weeks
Therapy > 1 year: slow taper over 2-4 months
What is the DI between omeprazole and diazepam? - ANS Omeprazole increases half life and
concentration of diazepam
Which SGAs can be used as augmenting agents in GAD? - ANS Olanzapine, quetiapine,
risperidone. Quetiapine XR can be used as early as 2nd line
What are first line treatments for panic disorder - ANS CBT: evidence does NOT show
superiority of pharm over non-pharm
SSRI
Venlafaxine
BZD
Clomipramine, imipramine
2nd line: mirtazepine
Can consider sga augmentation or MAOI after failure of ssri, Snri, and tca
What are first line treatments for ptsd - ANS Trauma focused psychotherapy: exposure based,
emdr, anxiety management or cbt. Emphasized in recent guidelines.
SSRI: paroxetine, sertraline and fluoxetine have strong evidence
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Venlafaxine
Consider alternative agents or augmentation after 3 failed trials: Tcas, mirtazepine, phenelzine,
AEDs
NO BZDs or SGAs
What is the YBOCS? - ANS Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive scale
Clinician rated
Used for diagnosis and to assess response
How is the YBOCS interpreted? - ANS 0-7 sub clinical
8-15 mild
16-23 moderate
24-31 severe
32-40 very severe
Response: 25%
Remission: score <8
What are first line treatments for OCD? - ANS CBT or SSRI. CBT + pharmacotherapy not better
than CBT alone, but is better than pharmacotherapy alone.
2nd line: venlafaxine XR, clomipramine, mirtazepine. Clomipramine may be more effective, but
less tolerated.
Adjunctive: aripiprazole, risperidone *esp in pts with tics!
How should SSRIs be dosed in OCD? - ANS Dose higher than usual
At least 12 weeks needed for response
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, How long to continue pharmacotherapy in OCD? - ANS 1-2 years. Life long after 2-4 relapses.
How are SGAs used in OCD? - ANS Augmentation, hapiperidol or aripiprazole or risperidone,
after failing 2 antidepressants.
Clomipramine monitoring parameters and AES? - ANS Cardiotoxic in overdose
Epilepsy- inc risk of seizures
Caution in hepatic and rental impairment
Which natural product may benefit OCD? - ANS D- cycloserine
What is the difference between interval and ratio data? - ANS Ratio has absolute 0 (values
make a true ratio when divided)
What are the 2 types of continuous data? - ANS Interval and ratio
How is SD calculated? - ANS Square root of variance
SD percents? - ANS 68% lie within 1 SD
95% lie within 2 SD
99.7% lie within 3 SD
How is SEM calculated? - ANS SD/SQRTn
What is the difference between cohort and case-control studies? - ANS Cohort sorts based on
exposure and looks forward in time for outcomes.
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
CORRECT ANSWERS.
What is the GAD7? - ANS Patient self rated screener for anxiety (doesn't measure tx
response)
What are GAD7 cutoffs? - ANS 5= mild
10= moderate
15= severe
What is the HAM A? - ANS Clinician rated anxiety scale
Measures tx response
What are HAM A cutoffs? - ANS Mild: 0-17
Mod: 18-24
Severe: 25-30
Remission: 70% imp
Improved: 50% imp
Partial: 25-49%
Starting dose of sertraline in elderly and children? - ANS 12.5-25 mg
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Starting dose of venlafaxine in children and elderly? - ANS 37.5 mg
How should BZDs be discontinued? - ANS 25% reduction per week until 50% of dose is
reached, then reduce by 1/8 every 4-7 days
Therapy > 8 weeks: 2-3 weeks
Therapy > 6 months: 4-8 weeks
Therapy > 1 year: slow taper over 2-4 months
What is the DI between omeprazole and diazepam? - ANS Omeprazole increases half life and
concentration of diazepam
Which SGAs can be used as augmenting agents in GAD? - ANS Olanzapine, quetiapine,
risperidone. Quetiapine XR can be used as early as 2nd line
What are first line treatments for panic disorder - ANS CBT: evidence does NOT show
superiority of pharm over non-pharm
SSRI
Venlafaxine
BZD
Clomipramine, imipramine
2nd line: mirtazepine
Can consider sga augmentation or MAOI after failure of ssri, Snri, and tca
What are first line treatments for ptsd - ANS Trauma focused psychotherapy: exposure based,
emdr, anxiety management or cbt. Emphasized in recent guidelines.
SSRI: paroxetine, sertraline and fluoxetine have strong evidence
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Venlafaxine
Consider alternative agents or augmentation after 3 failed trials: Tcas, mirtazepine, phenelzine,
AEDs
NO BZDs or SGAs
What is the YBOCS? - ANS Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive scale
Clinician rated
Used for diagnosis and to assess response
How is the YBOCS interpreted? - ANS 0-7 sub clinical
8-15 mild
16-23 moderate
24-31 severe
32-40 very severe
Response: 25%
Remission: score <8
What are first line treatments for OCD? - ANS CBT or SSRI. CBT + pharmacotherapy not better
than CBT alone, but is better than pharmacotherapy alone.
2nd line: venlafaxine XR, clomipramine, mirtazepine. Clomipramine may be more effective, but
less tolerated.
Adjunctive: aripiprazole, risperidone *esp in pts with tics!
How should SSRIs be dosed in OCD? - ANS Dose higher than usual
At least 12 weeks needed for response
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, How long to continue pharmacotherapy in OCD? - ANS 1-2 years. Life long after 2-4 relapses.
How are SGAs used in OCD? - ANS Augmentation, hapiperidol or aripiprazole or risperidone,
after failing 2 antidepressants.
Clomipramine monitoring parameters and AES? - ANS Cardiotoxic in overdose
Epilepsy- inc risk of seizures
Caution in hepatic and rental impairment
Which natural product may benefit OCD? - ANS D- cycloserine
What is the difference between interval and ratio data? - ANS Ratio has absolute 0 (values
make a true ratio when divided)
What are the 2 types of continuous data? - ANS Interval and ratio
How is SD calculated? - ANS Square root of variance
SD percents? - ANS 68% lie within 1 SD
95% lie within 2 SD
99.7% lie within 3 SD
How is SEM calculated? - ANS SD/SQRTn
What is the difference between cohort and case-control studies? - ANS Cohort sorts based on
exposure and looks forward in time for outcomes.
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
