Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Treatment of Psychological Disorders is topic 5.5 of AP Psychology, inside Mental and Physical Health. This page works through three real practice questions on it, with the full reasoning behind each credited answer.

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99 questionsConcept Application100% with a figure
Worked examples

Three real treatment of psychological disorders questions

From the practice pool, not the mock papers — each with the reasoning that produces the answer.

99 practice questions sit on this single topic — enough that it is worth working through by topic rather than meeting it scattered through a unit review.

100% of them come with a figure. Reading the graph or diagram correctly is most of the work here before any content knowledge applies.

Concept Application · with figure

A therapist asks a client to identify the thought 'If I make one mistake, everyone will reject me,' examine evidence for and against it, and practice a more balanced interpretation. Which treatment approach is most directly represented?

  1. APsychoanalysis focused only on dream symbolism.
  2. BCognitive-behavioral therapy.correct
  3. CElectroconvulsive therapy administered without consent.
  4. DSystematic desensitization without any relaxation or exposure.
Why B is correct

The therapist is working with thoughts and behavior practice.

"A therapist asks a client to identify the thought 'If I make one mistake, everyone will reject me,' examine..." details toward psychotherapy, not just a familiar Mental and Physical Health label. The credited option, "Cognitive-behavioral therapy", is supported because The therapist targets distorted thoughts and practices alternative interpretations. "Electroconvulsive therapy administered without consent" is a real-looking alternative, but No biological treatment is described, and consent matters ethically; "Systematic desensitization without any relaxation or exposure" also fails because The intervention is cognitive restructuring, not an exposure hierarchy. The aim is to connect the concrete evidence to the psychological mechanism, then reject choices that shift the process, time frame, or research logic away from the scenario pattern.

Research Methods and Design · with figure

A clinic compares two treatments for panic symptoms. Clients are randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral therapy or to a wait-list group. Symptom severity is measured before treatment and after eight weeks. Which design feature helps reduce selection bias?

  1. AUsing a topic that many people recognize.
  2. BMeasuring symptoms only after treatment is finished.
  3. CRandom assignment to the treatment and wait-list groups.correct
  4. DLetting clients choose the group they prefer.
Why C is correct

Selection bias is reduced when participants do not choose their own condition.

random assignment is the mechanism that makes "A clinic compares two treatments for panic symptoms." coherent. The credited option, "Random assignment to the treatment and wait-list groups", is supported because Random assignment makes the groups more comparable at the start. "Letting clients choose the group they prefer" is a real-looking alternative, but Self-selection would increase selection bias; "Using a topic that many people recognize" also fails because Familiarity with the topic does not reduce selection bias. The aim is to connect the concrete evidence to the psychological mechanism, then reject choices that shift the process, time frame, or research logic away from the scenario pattern.

Data Interpretation · with figure

A clinic records mean panic-symptom ratings from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. Which interpretation is best supported?

  1. AThe wait-list group improved more because its final score was higher.
  2. BBoth groups were identical after eight weeks.
  3. CThe table proves CBT permanently cures panic symptoms for every client.
  4. DCBT group showed a larger symptom-rating reduction than wait-list.correct
Why D is correct

The correct interpretation compares change scores and avoids overclaiming.

Treatment of Psychological Disorders reasoning here starts with "A clinic records mean panic-symptom ratings from 0 to 40, with higher results indicating more severe..." and asks what mechanism fits. The credited option, "The CBT group showed a larger reduction in symptom ratings than the wait-list group", is supported because The CBT mean decreased by 13 details, compared with 3 details for the wait-list group. "The wait-list group improved more because its final result was higher" is a real-looking alternative, but Higher final results mean more severe symptoms, not better outcomes; "Both groups were identical after eight weeks" also fails because The final means are different. The aim is to connect the concrete evidence to the psychological mechanism, then reject choices that shift the process, time frame, or research logic away from the table pattern.

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Last reviewed 2026-08-28. Topic and unit names follow the College Board course framework. Question counts describe the PrepScore practice bank, not the exam.
Same unit
Introduction to Health and Positive Psychology73 questionsSelection of Categories of Psychological Disorders63 questionsPositive Psychology31 questionsExplaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders22 questions

Work treatment of psychological disorders until the reasoning is automatic.

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