LMSW Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis Questions and Answers Flashcards
7 cards from real LMSW practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 LMSW Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis Questions and Answers flashcards as text
Which of the following is a key distinguishing feature between Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar II Disorder during clinical assessment?
Answer: Mood shifts in BPD are typically triggered by interpersonal events and last hours rather than days
In BPD, mood instability is typically reactive to interpersonal stressors and resolves within hours, whereas Bipolar II mood episodes last days to weeks.
A client scores 22 on the PHQ-9. What severity level does this indicate and what clinical action is most warranted?
Answer: Severe depression; immediate safety assessment and intensive intervention
A PHQ-9 score of 20–27 indicates severe depression, warranting immediate safety assessment and likely intensive treatment including medication consultation.
When assessing for Somatic Symptom Disorder, which feature is required by DSM-5 that was NOT required under DSM-IV Somatization Disorder?
Answer: Excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to somatic symptoms
DSM-5 Somatic Symptom Disorder requires excessive psychological distress or behaviors related to somatic symptoms, even if a medical cause is present, shifting focus from medically unexplained to psychological impact.
A social worker notices a client's affect is restricted, mood-incongruent, and shifts rapidly without apparent environmental cause. Which term best describes this affective presentation?
Answer: Labile affect
Labile affect refers to rapid, unpredictable shifts in emotional expression that are excessive or disproportionate to the situation.
Under the DSM-5, a child who shows symptoms of ADHD only in the home environment but not at school or other settings would most likely:
Answer: Not meet criteria because DSM-5 requires symptoms in two or more settings
DSM-5 requires ADHD symptoms to be present in two or more settings (e.g., home and school) to meet diagnostic criteria, ruling out a single-setting presentation.
Which assessment approach is MOST culturally responsive when evaluating a client from a collectivist culture who minimizes personal distress?
Answer: Exploring idioms of distress and culturally specific symptom expressions
Culturally responsive assessment includes exploring idioms of distress—culturally specific ways of expressing suffering—which may not align with DSM symptom language.
A client discloses having uncontrollable urges to set fires and a sense of tension before the act, followed by relief afterward, with no material motive. Which diagnosis fits best?
Answer: Pyromania
Pyromania involves deliberate fire-setting accompanied by tension before the act, fascination with fire, and relief or gratification afterward, with no financial or other motive.