Psychology (DCD Abu Dhabi) Prometric exam questions with answers

1. Question 1Professional Knowledgeeasy

   A child is given painful injections in a hospital that has a distinctive antiseptic smell. After several visits the child feels fear on smelling the same odour elsewhere. What is the antiseptic smell now?

   1. AAn unconditioned stimulus, because it comes from the hospital
   2. BA conditioned stimulus, because it predicts the injections
   3. CA negative reinforcer, because it follows the injections
   4. DA discriminative stimulus, because it signals reward
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. A conditioned stimulus, because it predicts the injections

   Through repeated pairing with pain, the previously neutral smell comes to elicit fear by itself, so it has become a conditioned stimulus. The injection pain is the unconditioned stimulus, and the smell does not operate as reinforcement or as a signal for reward.

2. Question 2Professional Knowledgemedium

   After surgery that removed both hippocampi, a man cannot form new memories of events but still improves at a mirror-drawing task over days without recalling doing it. What does this pattern show?

   1. AProcedural memory depends on the hippocampus for storage
   2. BProcedural memory is separable from declarative memory
   3. CShort-term memory is stored in the temporal lobes
   4. DImplicit learning requires conscious recollection
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. Procedural memory is separable from declarative memory

   Hippocampal damage impairs formation of new declarative memories, whereas skills learned procedurally depend on basal ganglia and cerebellar systems and are preserved. The pattern argues against a hippocampal role in procedural learning or a need for conscious recall.

3. Question 3Professional Knowledgehard

   A trial compares two therapies and finds no significant difference (p = .12), but its power to detect a medium effect was only 0.40. What is the most defensible conclusion?

   1. AThe therapies have now been shown to be equally effective in practice
   2. BThe null hypothesis has been proven to be true by this trial
   3. CType I error is the main concern when interpreting this result
   4. DIt was underpowered, so a true difference is not ruled out
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. It was underpowered, so a true difference is not ruled out

   A non-significant result from a study with low power has a high chance of Type II error, so it is inconclusive and not evidence of equivalence. Failing to reject the null never proves it, and Type I error is not the issue when no effect was found.

4. Question 4Interpersonal Skillseasy

   A psychologist is interviewing a 6-year-old about a school incident. Which approach is most appropriate?

   1. AUse simple, open, non-leading questions suited to the child's age
   2. BUse leading questions to help the child to recall details quickly
   3. CAsk several questions at once in order to save the child's time
   4. DUse technical terms to show professionalism to the child and parents
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. Use simple, open, non-leading questions suited to the child's age

   Children respond best to short, developmentally matched open questions, and leading questions raise the risk of suggestibility and inaccurate accounts. Multiple or technical questions confuse young children.

5. Question 5Interpersonal Skillsmedium

   A psychologist feeds back test results to the parents of a child with a mild intellectual disability. Which approach is best?

   1. APresent every score and technical term in full for the sake of accuracy
   2. BGive only a brief summary to avoid upsetting them at the meeting
   3. CPlain language, strengths first, check understanding, agree next steps
   4. DFocus on the deficits so that their expectations are realistic
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: C. Plain language, strengths first, check understanding, agree next steps

   Effective feedback is understandable, balanced and collaborative, and it allows parents to react and ask questions. Overly technical or withholding approaches leave parents confused or distrustful.

6. Question 6Interpersonal Skillshard

   In the fourth session a client says, "You do not understand me at all, this is not helping." Which response best repairs the alliance?

   1. AExplain the evidence base at length so the client will trust the approach
   2. BInterpret the remark as a sign of resistance to making changes
   3. CSuggest the client try another therapist who may understand better
   4. DAcknowledge the frustration and explore what felt missing for the client
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. Acknowledge the frustration and explore what felt missing for the client

   Alliance ruptures are common, and responding non-defensively, exploring the client's experience and revising the work can strengthen the relationship and outcomes. Defending, interpreting prematurely or referring early all avoid the repair opportunity.

7. Question 7Professional Assessmenteasy

   A woman has recurrent unexpected panic attacks and, for more than a month, worries persistently about having another and avoids exercise. Which diagnosis fits?

   1. AGeneralised anxiety disorder
   2. BPanic disorder
   3. CSocial anxiety disorder
   4. DAgoraphobia without panic
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. Panic disorder

   Panic disorder requires recurrent unexpected panic attacks followed by at least a month of persistent concern or behavioural change related to them. The alternatives involve broader worry, fear of scrutiny or fear of situations without the attack pattern.

8. Question 8Professional Assessmentmedium

   On the MMPI-2, a job applicant has a markedly elevated L scale and low scores on most clinical scales. How should the psychologist interpret the profile?

   1. AAs clear evidence of excellent mental health and good adjustment
   2. BAs an indication of random or careless responding on the form
   3. CAs possibly defensive, giving an unrealistically favourable picture
   4. DAs evidence that the applicant is exaggerating symptoms deliberately
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: C. As possibly defensive, giving an unrealistically favourable picture

   A high Lie scale suggests the person is denying minor faults and portraying themselves in an overly virtuous light, so low clinical scores may be underestimates. Random responding is flagged by other validity scales, and symptom exaggeration produces high F-type scales.

9. Question 9Professional Assessmenthard

   A man seeks help for depression. He also describes several 5-day periods of unusually high energy, little need for sleep and talkativeness, noticed by others but without hospitalisation or marked impairment. Which diagnosis is most likely?

   1. ABipolar II disorder
   2. BCyclothymic disorder
   3. CMajor depressive disorder with mixed features
   4. DBipolar I disorder
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. Bipolar II disorder

   Hypomanic episodes of at least four days together with a major depressive episode define bipolar II disorder, and the absence of marked impairment or hospitalisation excludes mania. Cyclothymia lacks a full depressive episode, and a diagnosis of major depression would miss the hypomania.

10. Question 10Professional Assessmentmedium

    Which treatment has the strongest evidence as first-line care for an adult with posttraumatic stress disorder?

    1. ATrauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy over several sessions
    2. BSupportive non-directive counselling delivered weekly for a year
    3. CPsychodynamic therapy over many years of weekly sessions
    4. DSingle-session psychological debriefing in the first week only
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy over several sessions

    Guidelines recommend trauma-focused therapies, including prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy and EMDR, as first-line treatments. Supportive counselling and single-session debriefing show weaker or no benefit.

11. Question 11Professional Ethics and Legalityeasy

    Which situation is a recognised exception to a psychologist's duty of confidentiality?

    1. AThe client's employer asks for regular progress updates by email
    2. BThe psychologist is curious about how the client's life has turned out
    3. CThe client poses a serious, imminent danger to an identifiable person
    4. DThe client's friend asks whether the client attended the session
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: C. The client poses a serious, imminent danger to an identifiable person

    Confidentiality can be breached to the extent needed to protect others from serious harm, as allowed by law and the Ethics Code. Employers, friends or colleagues have no entitlement to information without consent.

12. Question 12Professional Ethics and Legalitymedium

    A lawyer requests a child's raw test protocols from the psychologist who assessed the child. What is the appropriate action?

    1. ASend the protocols directly to the lawyer at once to avoid any delay
    2. BRelease data only to a qualified professional, with consent or legal authority
    3. CRefuse any request without explanation and without any further discussion
    4. DPublish the test items so that the court can examine them openly
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: B. Release data only to a qualified professional, with consent or legal authority

    Test data and materials should be protected to preserve test security, with release to a qualified professional where consent or legal authority exists. Releasing items to non-professionals compromises validity of future testing.

13. Question 13Professional Ethics and Legalityhard

    A psychologist has treated a divorcing father for a year. His lawyer asks the psychologist to give the court an opinion on which parent should have custody. What is the best response?

    1. AAgree, because knowing the father well will improve the accuracy of the opinion
    2. BAgree, but only to provide an opinion that concerns the mother
    3. CAgree after getting the father's written consent to the evaluation
    4. DDecline the evaluative role and explain the dual-role conflict
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: D. Decline the evaluative role and explain the dual-role conflict

    Providing a custody recommendation after treating one party creates a conflict of roles and compromises objectivity, so the psychologist should clarify roles and may offer factual treatment information instead. Consent from the father does not remove the bias risk.

14. Question 14Cultural Diversitymedium

    A psychologist wants to use a Western-normed personality inventory that has been translated into Arabic without validation for Emirati adults. What is the best approach?

    1. AUse the translated scores exactly as the test manual states them
    2. BAvoid all standardised testing for every Arab client from now on
    3. CUse validated local measures or interpret cautiously, noting limits
    4. DAssume that cultural differences will not affect the results at all
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: C. Use validated local measures or interpret cautiously, noting limits

    Translation does not guarantee equivalence, and norms from another population may mislead, so psychologists use validated instruments where available and acknowledge limitations. Rejecting all testing or ignoring bias fails the client.

15. Question 15Fitness to Practiceeasy

    Which action is consistent with the APA Ethics Code when a psychologist's personal problems could interfere with work performance?

    1. ASeek consultation and limit or suspend practice if needed
    2. BContinue working normally and tell no one about the difficulties
    3. CIncrease the caseload in order to stay busy and distracted
    4. DDiscuss personal difficulties with clients in session to be honest
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. Seek consultation and limit or suspend practice if needed

    The Code requires psychologists to be alert to personal problems that may impair competence and to seek help and limit activity when necessary. Concealment, overwork or burdening clients does not protect them.

Last reviewed September 2026. Questions are original and written to the published exam blueprint; they are not taken from any real paper.