Major DSM diagnostic categories and differential diagnosis concepts tested on the ASWB clinical licensing exam.
40 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What is the minimum symptom duration required to diagnose a major depressive episode?
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At least 2 weeks- What is the minimum duration of a manic episode required for a Bipolar I diagnosis, absent hospitalization?
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At least 1 week- What is the minimum duration of a hypomanic episode?
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At least 4 days- What distinguishes Bipolar I from Bipolar II disorder?
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Bipolar I requires at least one full manic episode; Bipolar II requires hypomania plus a major depressive episode but never a full manic episode- How long must symptoms persist for a diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder in adults?
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At least 2 years- How long must depressive symptoms persist for a diagnosis of persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) in adults?
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At least 2 years- What is the total duration requirement for a schizophrenia diagnosis?
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Continuous signs of disturbance for at least 6 months, including at least 1 month of active-phase symptoms- What is the duration range for schizophreniform disorder?
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1 to 6 months- What is the duration range for brief psychotic disorder, and what typically happens afterward?
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1 day to 1 month, followed by eventual full return to premorbid functioning- What key feature distinguishes schizoaffective disorder from a mood disorder with psychotic features?
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Delusions or hallucinations must be present for at least 2 weeks without a concurrent major mood episode- What is the core criterion for delusional disorder?
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One month or more of one or more delusions, without meeting the full criteria for schizophrenia- What is the minimum duration of excessive worry required to diagnose generalized anxiety disorder?
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At least 6 months, occurring more days than not- Besides recurrent unexpected panic attacks, what additional one-month criterion is required for panic disorder?
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At least 1 month of persistent worry about additional attacks or significant maladaptive behavior change- What is the typical minimum duration for specific phobia and social anxiety disorder diagnoses?
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6 months or more- What time threshold helps establish that obsessions or compulsions are clinically significant in OCD?
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They are time-consuming, taking more than 1 hour per day, or cause significant distress or impairment
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