DIRECTIONS (Items 1-45): Each of the numbered items or incomplete
statements in this section is followed by answers or by completions of
the statement. Select the ONE lettered answer or completion - that is
BEST in each case and fill in the circle containing the corresponding
letter on the answer sheet.
1. Which of the following psychological tests would be most useful for
assessing if a five- year-old child had been sexually abused?
(A) Rorschach Test
(B) Thematic Apperception Test
(C) Sentence Completion Test
(D)California Psychological Inventory
(E) Draw-a-Person Test
2 and 3
HIV antibody testing, including initial and confirmatory test, is used
to screen the national blood supply. An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is
applied first. Any blood unit that is reactive on the initial EIA is
discarded. However, blood donors are notified that they are "positive"
for the HN antibody only if an additional EIA and a confirmatory
Western Blot (WE) are also reactive.
2. To optimally protect the national blood supply, the EIA test must
have:
(A) high sensitivity
(B) high specificity
(C) high positive predictive value
(D)high negative predictive value
(E) high accuracy !
3. Minimizing the number of persons who are erroneously informed that
they are probably infected with HIV by the Western Blot confirmatory
test effects
(A) sensitivity and specificity
(B) sensitivity and positive predictive value
(C) specificity and positive predictive value
(D) positive predictive value and negative predictive value
(E) specificity and negative predictive value
4. On January 1, the number of cases of diagnosed multiple sclerosis
(MS) in an urban metropolitan area was 321. During .the calendar year,
seven of these persons / died from a variety of causes. Also during
the year, 15 cases of MS were newly diagnosed, and one of these died
in a motor vehicle crash. The point prevalence for MS at the end of
the year is:
(A) 14 / mid-year population x 100,000
(B) 15 / mid-year population x 100,000
(C) 328 / mid-year population x 100,000
(D) 329 / mid-year population x 100,000
(E) 336 / mid-year population x 100,000
5. A cohort of ischemic heart disease (IHD) incidence in relation to
habitual levels of physical activity (PA) was conducted. Based on the
following relative risks, as reported in the study results, what is
the most appropriate conclusion?
Level of Physical Activity
Relative Risk
Confidence Interval
Sedentary
1.00
NA
Low
.95
(.89 - 1.21)
Moderate
.86
(.73 - 1.09)
High
.64
(.49 - .87)
(A) The higher the level of PA, the higher the IHD risk
(B) All level of PA appear to have a significant protective effect
(C) High and moderate levels of PA appear to have a significant
protective effect
(D) Only high levels of PA appear to have a significant protective
effect
(E) A dose-response relationship is evident, but significance can not
be determined
6. Much of what is known about the brain chemistry associated with
sleep stems from recognition of the correlations between, sleep
effects and various pharmacological and psychiatric events. This
recent research has shown that:
(A) drugs that decrease brain dopamine / produce arousal and
wakefulness
(B) patients with Alzheimer's disease have reduced REM sleep time
(C) insomnia is often associated with the later stages of a depressive
episode
(D) manic episodes are often accompanied by periods of hypersomnia
(E) the initial REM episode is shorter than normal in depressed
patients
7. His parents referred Jack, a 15-year-old male, to the clinic for
evaluation. During the interview, Jack seemed defiant and rebellious.
"Why don't people just leave me alone to do what I want to do?" he
asked. These constant demand for independence have cause him [0 stop
listening [0 his parents and occasionally being absent from school.
Jack's behavior:
(A) suggests that he should be turned over to the courts for
disposition
(B) can probably be controlled by stricter rules and punishments
(C) can be the expected behavior at this :.- stage of development
(D) is evidence of an identity crisis
(E) is usually accompanied by inner feelings of security, confidence
and masculinity
8. During a discussion of her relationship with her husband, a woman
breaks downs into tears, crying for several minutes. She reports that
she had been feeling terribly hurt by her husband's recent affair, but
had been unable to express it until that moment. The best description
of her behavior is:
(A) cathexis
(B) fixation resolution
(C) catharsis
(D) hysterical reaction
(E) transference
9. A recent quality of care survey documented several important
parameters for defining key aspects of patient care. One key
parameter, mean length of stay, showed that the average stay of
persons discharged from the hospital in a given year is about 6 days.
This means that:
(A) half the patient stay longer and half less than six days
(B) the average length of stay of discharged patients on any given day
will center around six days
(C) the greatest proportion of patients discharged stayed in the
hospital eight days
(D) the total number of days of hospitalization provided during the
year, divided by the number of discharges, is six days
(E) the frequency distribution of discharges by length of stay is
symmetrical about a center of six days
10. A cat scratched Sally, a 3-year-old child, when aged one. Since
then, she has developed a phobia of small animals. The recommended
treatment is having small animals carried very gradually towards her
while she was listening to her favorite music. This procedure is best
described as:
(A) extinction of a classically conditioned response
(B) extinction of an operantly conditioned response
(C) competitive positive reinforcement
(D) chaining of emotional responses
(E) secondary reinforcement
11. A researcher interested in examining the differences in health
care in rural and urban areas collected information regarding the
number of elective surgeries for MEN and WOMEN in 50 rural and 50
urban randomly sampled communities. The results indicate a mean number
of elective surgeries in the city as 146 per 1,000 and 56 per 1,000 in
the rural areas. What statistical test should the researcher conduct
to take full advantage of this data?
(A) T-test
(B) Chi-square
(C) One way analysis of variance
(D) Two way analysis of variance
(E) Pearson correlation
12. Given that recent research has established concordance rates for
schizophrenia of 48% for monozygotic twins and 12% for dizygotic
twins, by means of the Inheritability Index compute the proportion of
schizophrenia that has agenetic basis?
(A) 10%
(B) 20%
(C) 30%
(D) 40%
(E) 60%
13. To assess public attitudes towards AIDS in the community, one of
every ten houses in every city block are drawn at random, and all
persons aged 20 to 45 years normally residing in those houses are
included in the sample. However, the response rate differs from block
to block. To make up for this, additional houses are added until the
desired quota of responders is reached for each block. The sample is
thus made adequate in size, but has not been corrected for bias
primarily because:
(A) persons move from one part of the city to another
(B) repetitive contacts by the interviewers will increase interviewer
bias
(C) persons living in different parts of the city may react
differently to different interviewers
(D) non-respondents and wonders may react differently
(E) persons on one block may respond differently than persons on the
next.
14. Developmental psychologists have identified a number of factors
that are important for influencing the child's development. Research
has shown that the child's social development is most strongly
influenced by the:
(A) techniques of discipline used by the child's parents
(B) age when toilet training is initiated
(C) pervasive emotional tone expressed .by the parents
(D) cohesiveness of the marital unit
(E) number of siblings
15. George, age 8, achieved a score on the IQ test equivalent to
someone at age 11. The resulting IQ score for George is higher than
what percentage of the population?
(A) just over 84%
(B) just under 84%
(C) just over 97%
(D) just under 97%
(E) just under 68%
Item 16
Soon after the outbreak of toxic shock syndrome, an epidemiological
study was conducted examining the relationship between the incidence
of toxic shock and the type of tampons used. The results of the study
are presented in the table below:
Toxic Shock Reported
No Toxic Shock Reported
Brand X
120
350
Other Brands
24
450
16. Based on this information, what is the relative chance of getting
toxic shock if a woman uses Brand X compared to the
Other Brands
(A) (24 / 120) / (450 / 350)
(B) (241 350) / (120 1 450)
(C) (120 x 450) / (24 / 350)
(D) (24 x 350) / (120 x 450)
(E) (120 x 450) / (24 x 350)
17. On which of the following tests is the students' performance
better, relative to his classmates?
(A) Student' score = 40, class mean = 30, standard deviation = 5
(B) Student score = 45, class mean = 35; - standard deviation = 4
(C) Student score = 50, class mean = 45, 4~t standard deviation = 4
(D) Student' score = 60, class mean = 52, - standard deviation = 5
(E) Student' score = 71, class mean = 65, standard deviation = 4
18. In terms of learning theory, neurotic symptoms are the result of:
(A) a compromise between forces engaged in unconscious conflict
(B) the _expression of repressed wishes
(C) sublimated instrumental responses
(D) inappropriate fear reactions
(E) developmental stage linked anxiety responses
19. Temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with:
(A) Increased sex drive and increased aggression
(B) Increased sex drive, but no effect on aggression
(C) Decreased sex drive and decreased aggression
(D) Decreased sex drive, but no effect on aggression
(E) No effect on sex drive, but increased aggression
Items 20 and 21
The population of Miami is approximately I 2,000,000 persons.
Hispanics comprise about 50% of the population; whites, 30%; and
blacks 20%. For the following questions, assume that I males comprise
half of the population within each racial category. Also assume that
the distribution of blood types is identical across all races:
type A = 30%; type B = 15%; type AB = 5%; type O = 50%.
20. Estimate the number of Miami residents with either blood type B or
blood type AB.
(A) 100,000
(B) 200,000
(C) 250,000
(D) 300,000
(E) 400, 000
21. What is the probability that an individual chosen at random from
Miami will be a black male with blood type 0?
(A) 5 %
(B) 10%
(C) 15%
(D) 20%
(E) 25%
54. The most common health problem in the United States is
(A) Cancer
(B) Heart disease
(C) Substance abuse
(D) Obesity
(E) Dental caries
22. In the case of a school phobia, the most appropriate management
would be:
(A) Keep the child in the same class in conjunction with parental
counseling
(B) Allow the child to remain at home until the problems causing the
school phobia can be identified and addressed
(C) Keep the child in the same class, but provide counseling to foster
better social skills to improve the child's relationships with peers
(D) Keep the child in the same class, and have a parent attend school
with the child, tapering off the parent's attendance until the child
is able to stay at school on his own
(E) Change the child's classroom setting within the school
23. Research on the effects of communicated appeals on subsequent
attitude change toward as life-threatening illness tells us that:
(A) There is a positive linear relationship between the degree of fear
arousal in the communication and the degree of change
(B) There is an inverse relationship between the degree of fear
arousal in the communication and the degree of change
(C) There is no consistent relationship between the degree of fear
arousal and the degree of change
(D) Moderately strong fear arousal tends to produce more attitude
change than either weak or very strong fear appeals
(E) Any level of fear arousal, if backed by strong intellectual
arguments tends to produce more attitude change than no fear arousal
at all
24. A 6-year old girl is brought by her father to see a physician at a
local '3:iTi15uratory care clinic. The father reports that the child
is nocturnally enuretic about 3 to 5 times a month. The physician's
best course of action is to:
(A) refer her to a psychiatrist
(B) investigate the family for any signs of sexual abuse
(C) tell the father that this behavior is normal and that she will
grow out of it
(D) collect a detailed history of the symptoms and ask about any
recent events in the child's life
(E) Prescribe a course of imipramine
25. The air quality is assessed in two Midwestern cities, one in which
a government program has been instituted reducing the amount of carbon
monoxide emissions allowed, and one without the government program.
The rates of respiratory problems in both cities are recorded over a
five-year period. Given the design of this study, an appropriate one-
tailed null hypothesis would be:
(A) air quality is related to respiratory problems in both of the
cities under study
(B) air quality is related to respiratory problems in the city with
the government program, but not in the other city
(C) no evidence will be found for differences in air quality between
the two cities
(D) the rate of respiratory problems in the city with the government
program will not be any lower than that of the other city
(E) air quality will be inversely related to the rate of respiratory
problems in both cities.
26. The power of a statistical test can be increased by:
(A) increasing the chance of failing to reject a null hypothesis when
it is true
(B) decreasing the chance of rejecting a null hypothesis when it is
true
(C) increasing the chance of rejecting a null hypothesis when it is
true
(D) reducing the expected effect size
(E) increasing the number of independent variables
27. Memory impairment resulting from bilateral lesions of the medial
temporal lobe:
(A) has little apparent effect on skill- based memory
(8) is limited to one sensory modality
(C) affects both long and short term memory
(D) has no impact on events prior to the onset of amnesia
(E) is eased by increasing the time between exposure and retention to
facilitate consolidation
28. Destruction of the lateral hypothalamus in rats leads to:
(A) anorexia
(B) thirst
(C) hyperphagia
(D) increased aggressiveness
(E) apathy
29. Helen Drumand, age 70, has experienced a slow deterioration of her
cognitive abilities over the past several years. The loss has been
gradual, and her family is largely unaware of the decline. Her "people
skills" are still intact, but she has difficulty concentrating on the
crossword puzzles that she has always loved to do. Often, she forgets
conversations she has just had, but is able to remember events from
her youth with remarkable clarity. The most 11kely cause of Helen's
condition is:
(A) Pseudodementia
(B) Multi-infarct dementia
(C) Pick's disease
(D) Dementia of the Alzheimer's type
(E) Creutzfield- Jacob disease
30. A recent study tested the efficacy of a new medication delivery
system for offering relief t0 patients with gastric ulcers. Twenty-two
patients were given their usual medication in capsules coated with a
new, easier t0 digest coating, while 22 other patients were given
capsules using the old coating. Patients were followed over a one
month period and reported their degree of relief at one week
intervals. The data were analyzed t0 determine if the new coating
group reported a higher level of relief than the old coating group.
Analysis of this data produced a value of p = .024. Based on this
evidence we may safely conclude:
(A) the new coating offers a more effective medicine delivery system
than the old coating
(B) the new coating offers a clinically significant advantage over the
old coating
(C) patients were more likely t0 rake the -1: capsules with the new
coating
(D) most of the patients preferred the f new capsules
(E) it is likely that patients in the general population who are given
the new coating rather than the old coating will report relatively
greater relief from their symptoms.
31. Recent studies based on a representative sample of adolescents
show that:
(A) teenagers generally do not trust their parents
(B) normal teenagers experience intense inner turmoil
(C) teenage rebellion is manifest as relatively minor disagreements
with parents regarding music and dress
(D) most teenagers reject their parents' core values
(E) rebellious behavior is most common during the later teenage years
32. Research into the epidemiology and treatment of schizophrenia
tells us that:
(A) monozygotic twin studies report lower rates for females than males
(B) age of onset is generally later for males than females
(C) female patients respond better to neuroleptics better than do male
patients
(D) the generic contribution has been found to follow known Mendelian
patterns.
(E) the concordance rates for monozygotic twins only slightly more
than that of same-sex dizygotic twins.
33. Suggests good prognosis in schizophrenia:
(A) Catatonic features
(B) Family history of schizophrenia
(C) Negative symptoms
(D) Autistic behavior
(E) No known precipitating factors
34. A woman in her late 30's appeared at the local clinic. She
reported that she had recently quit smoking. However, since .then she
felt plagued by an uncontrollable fear that whenever she left her
house, it would burn down from a cigarette she left behind smoldering.
She was only able to come to the clinic by leaving her mother behind
with a fire extinguisher to watch the house. The most likely diagnosis
for this woman is:
(A) paranoid disorder
(8) hysterical personality disorder
(C) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
(D) obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorder
(E) agoraphobia r\
35. All of the following reasons might account for the differences
between rates of elective surgery for rural and urban settings,
EXCEPT:
(A) differences in pathologic conditions. in the populations
(B) variation in the number of surgeons per capita
(C) the relative availability of hospital beds in the urban setting
(D) distance required to be traveled t0 reach a health care facility
(E) lack of publicity as to the availability of procedures
36. Maternal cocaine use during pregnancy is LEAST LIKELY to be
associated with increased incidence of the following:
(A) Spontaneous abortion
(B) Microcephaly
(C) Premature labor
(D) Abruption placentae
(E) Fetal death
37. Which of the following drugs is LEAST LIKELY to produce psychotic
symptoms resembling schizophrenia?
(A) amphetamine
(B) methaqualone
(C) mescaline
(D) LSD
(E) phencyclidine
38. Years of research and observation have detailed a number of
mechanisms by which humans cope with the stresses and strains which
they encounter in their lives. Which of the following is NOT
considered a mechanism in response to stress?
(A) Avoid stressor
(B) getting Information
(C) Manifest anxiety
(D) Denigrate stressor
(E) Do the opposite of what one feels
39. Although there is considerable debate as to the relative effects
of nature vs. nurture on the development of homosexuality, certain
facts have been established. According to current research, which of
the following is NOT true?
(A) Alterations if prenatal hormones may play a role in determining
the tendency towards homosexuality
(B) There is a higher concordance among monozygotic than among
dizygotic twins
(C) Cross-gender behavior during childhood commonly occurs
(D) Most homosexual men report more women than men in the household as
they grew up
(E) Rates of homosexuality are higher for males than for women
40. Which of the following is NOT true concerning the successful use
of biofeedback?
(A) the patent must receive continuous information about the
physiologic activity.
(B) Thc physiologic activity must be detectable and measurable
(C) A patient's motivation is important
(D) It is used primarily to gain control
(E) It is used primarily to gain control over the central nervous
system
(F) A very large-amount of practice is required for successful mastery
Items 41 and 42
A 4-year-old child is scheduled to be hospitalized overnight for a
tonsillectomy. This will be the child's first experience staying away
from his home. The surgery is successful and the child returns home
with his parents
41. Which of the following reactions in the child would you anticipate
as LEAST LIKELY following the surgery?
(A) Speaking baby talk
(8) Thumb-sucking
(C) Separation anxiety
(0) Enuresis
(E) Encopresis
42. About a year later, the little boy begins to 5 experience
nightmares of a monster coming into his bedroom. The boy describes
details such as the monster. is going to "bite off' his nose and "eat
him up". As the family physician you should advise the parents that:
(A) the child shows initial signs of post- traumatic stress disorder
(B) a psychiatric consult is needed as a precaution
(C) a full neurological examination, including electroencephalography
should be performed
(D) these symptoms are frequent at his age and usually transitory
(E) these nightmares are early signs of oedipal anxiety and should be
addressed by talking over his anxieties with the child
43. Which of the following is NOT an example of the use of
biofeedback?
(A) Electric shock given to a person when antisocial behavior is
manifested
(B) Electronic display of skin temperature
(C) A physician telling the patient that as a result of a diet, the
patient's blood pressure is reduced
(D) Electro-convulsive therapy given to a depressed patient
(E) Tension headache treated with electromyogram
44. Sarah, 15-year old adolescent is referred for psychotherapy by her
school counselor because of behavior problems in school. Which of the
following is the LEAST LIKELY reason why Sarah might be resistant to
psychotherapy?
(A) She does not feel that her behavior is , a problem
(B) She does not want to be labeled as crazy
(C) She is not able to think in abstract terms
(D) Her behavior may be an integral part of her attempt to separate
from her parents
(E) She views the therapist as representing her parent's values
45. Which of the following would NOT be expected to elevate during the
early stages of nocturnal sleep?
(A) prolactin
(B) Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone
(C) serotonin
(0) Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
(E) melatonin |
