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Cheat sheet

EPPP Cheat Sheet

Practice QuestionsStudy Guide

Biological Bases

10%of exam

NeuroanatomyPsychopharmGeneticsImaging

Cognitive-Affective Bases

13%of exam

LearningMemoryEmotionCognition

Social-Cultural Bases

11%of exam

AttributionGroupsCultureDiversity

Lifespan Development

12%of exam

PiagetAttachmentAgingRisk

Assessment + Diagnosis

16%of exam

PsychometricsInterviewDSMAssessment Picker

Intervention + Supervision

15%of exam

CBTExposurePreventionTreatment Picker

Research + Statistics

7%of exam

ValidityReliabilityDesignsStatistics

Ethics + Legal

16%of exam

ConfidentialityConsentCompetenceEthics Picker

Scientific Orientation

6%of exam

EvidenceLiteratureCommunicationGeneralizability

Skills Assessment

33%of exam

DiversityInterviewingTestingSynthesis

Relational Competence

16%of exam

EmpathyCollaborationConflictRespect

Professionalism

11%of exam

ScopeSelf-assessmentFeedbackCorrection

Ethical Practice

17%of exam

DocumentationBillingConsultationConflict

Collaboration + Supervision

17%of exam

SystemsConsultationProgramsSupervision

Quick Facts

Exam
EPPP
Owner
ASPPB
Parts
Knowledge + Skills
Part 1
225 items
Part 2
170 items
Scale
200-800
Pass
500 recommended
Vendor
Pearson VUE
Retakes
4 per 12 months

Part 1 Domains

Big Cognitions Shape Lifespan Assessment Treatment Research Ethics

BiologicalCognitiveSocialLifespanAssessmentTreatmentResearchEthics

Biological

Hypothalamus
Drives homeostasis
Hippocampus
New memory
Amygdala
Fear salience
Cerebellum
Coordination
Dopamine
Reward movement
Serotonin
Mood sleep
GABA
Inhibitory calming
Acetylcholine
Memory muscles

Classical vs Operant

Classical

  • Stimulus pairing
  • Reflexive response
  • Before behavior

Operant

  • Consequence learning
  • Voluntary behavior
  • After behavior

Antecedent versus consequence

Cognitive-Affective

Classical
Stimulus pairing
Operant
Consequence learning
Generalization
Similar stimulus responds
Discrimination
Differentiate stimuli
Extinction
Response weakens
Recovery
Response returns
Working memory
Active manipulation
Executive function
Planning inhibition

Social + Cultural

FAE
Overstate traits
Self-serving
Credit self
Actor-observer
Self situation
Groupthink
Consensus pressure
Conformity
Group alignment
Prejudice
Attitude bias
Discrimination
Behavior bias
Acculturation
Culture adaptation

Lifespan

Sensorimotor
Object permanence
Preoperational
Egocentric symbols
Concrete
Logical conservation
Formal
Abstract reasoning
Secure
Comfort exploration
Avoidant
Minimizes distress
Authoritative
Warm firm
Integrity
Late-life task

Reliability vs Validity

Reliability

  • Consistency
  • Repeatable scores
  • Needed first

Validity

  • Accuracy
  • Measures construct
  • Usefulness claim

Reliable can still miss

Assessment Picker

  1. Need cognitive ability→WAIS(Adults)
  2. Need personality pathology→MMPI(Broad screen)
  3. Need diagnosis→Clinical interview(DSM frame)
  4. Need comparison→Normed test(Standard scores)
  5. Need real-world data→Collateral(Context)
  6. Data conflict→Integrate sources(Explain limits)

Assessment + Diagnosis

Reliability
Consistency
Validity
Measures target
Sensitivity
Finds positives
Specificity
Rules out
WAIS
Adult intelligence
MMPI
Personality pathology
Structured interview
Standardized questions
Differential diagnosis
Rule alternatives

Sensitivity vs Specificity

Sensitivity

  • Finds true cases
  • Few false negatives
  • Screening strength

Specificity

  • Rules out noncases
  • Few false positives
  • Confirming strength

Sensitive screens; specific confirms

Treatment Picker

  1. Automatic thoughts→CBT(Cognitive change)
  2. Avoided fear→Exposure(Extinction)
  3. Emotion dysregulation→DBT(Skills)
  4. Low readiness→MI(Ambivalence)
  5. Family pattern→Systems(Relationships)
  6. Unfamiliar condition→Consultation(Competence)

Intervention Core

CBT
Thought behavior change
Exposure
Fear extinction
DBT
Emotion regulation
MI
Readiness language
Psychodynamic
Unconscious conflict
Humanistic
Empathic conditions
Family systems
Interaction patterns
Prevention
Reduce risk

Correlation vs Causation

Correlation

  • Variables covary
  • No manipulation
  • Direction unknown

Causation

  • IV manipulated
  • Controls threats
  • Temporal order

Association is not cause

Research + Stats

Experiment
Manipulates IV
Correlation
Association only
Internal validity
Causal confidence
External validity
Generalizes outward
Type I
False positive
Type II
False negative
Power
Detects effect
Effect size
Practical magnitude

Ethics Sequence

Facts, risks, code, law, consult, document

FactsRisksCodeLawConsultDocument

Part 1 vs Part 2

Part 1

  • Knowledge base
  • 225 items
  • 175 scored

Part 2

  • Applied skills
  • 170 items
  • 130 scored

Knowledge before skills

Ethics Picker

  1. Imminent harm→Protect(Law controls)
  2. Child abuse→Report(Mandated)
  3. Dual service→Clarify roles(Consent)
  4. Competence gap→Refer consult(Training)
  5. Law-ethics conflict→Resolve conflict(Document)
  6. Court order→Check scope(Disclose minimum)

Exam Logistics

Part 1
175 scored
Part 1 pretest
50 unscored
Part 1 time
4h15 item time
Part 2
130 scored
Part 2 pretest
40 unscored
Part 2 time
4h10 item time
Tutorials
5 and 9 minutes
Arrival
30 minutes early

Confidentiality vs Privilege

Confidentiality

  • Ethical duty
  • Protect information
  • Clinical relationship

Privilege

  • Legal right
  • Blocks testimony
  • Court context

Ethics differs from evidence

Fees + Scoring

Part 1 fee
$600
Part 2 fee
$450
Seat fee
$91.88
Late change
$87.50 plus tax
No-show
All fees forfeited
Scale
200-800
Independent pass
500 recommended
Supervised pass
450 recommended

Part 2 Domains

Science Assesses Relationships Professionally Ethically Collaboratively

ScienceAssessmentRelationalProfessionalismEthicsCollaboration

Assessment Sequence

Question, method, norms, data, integrate, communicate

QuestionMethodNormsDataIntegrateCommunicate

Part 2 Picker

  1. Research question→Evaluate evidence(Science)
  2. Assessment question→Match method(Psychometrics)
  3. Cultural mismatch→Adapt approach(Context)
  4. Interpersonal rupture→Clarify repair(Relationship)
  5. Own limits→Seek feedback(Professionalism)
  6. Supervisee risk→Direct supervision(Plan)

Skills Assessment Core

Referral question
Assessment anchor
Norms
Comparison group
Collateral
Outside source
Integration
Multiple data sources
Context
Interpretation boundary
Feedback
Useful communication
Diagnosis
Taxonomy formulation
Recommendation
Actionable next step

Relational + Professional

Empathy
Accurate understanding
Respect
Value differences
Clarification
Seek meaning
Conflict
Address directly
Scope
Competence boundary
Consultation
When uncertain
Feedback
Accept and integrate
Correction
Repair errors

Competence vs Confidence

Competence

  • Training based
  • Evidence supported
  • Documented limits

Confidence

  • Subjective comfort
  • Insufficient alone
  • Bias vulnerable

Confidence never expands scope

Ethical Practice Core

Records
Complete accurate
Billing
Truthful compliant
Law conflict
Clarify obligations
Ethics conflict
Resolve proactively
Credit
Assign fairly
Bias
Monitor impact
Consult
Document rationale
Standards
Guide conduct

Consultation vs Supervision

Consultation

  • Advice seeking
  • Consultee decides
  • Often episodic

Supervision

  • Oversight role
  • Supervisor responsibility
  • Ongoing evaluation

Authority changes responsibility

Collaboration + Supervision

Systems
Organizational factors
Interdisciplinary
Shared client goals
Consultation request
Tailored question
Program evaluation
Outcome monitoring
Supervision plan
Roles procedures
High risk
Specific procedures
Anchored feedback
Behavior examples
Supervisee scope
Within competence

Common Traps

Pretest Items

Unscored invisible ≠ Answer every item

Score Scale

Scaled score ≠ Not percent correct

Jurisdiction Rules

Board controls licensure ≠ ASPPB administers exam

Part 2 Eligibility

Part 1 first ≠ Separate approval needed

Name Match

Registration name ≠ ID name exactly

Assessment Reports

Data limitations ≠ Not overclaims

Duty To Protect

Confidentiality limited ≠ Reasonable protection steps

Supervision Boundaries

Supervisee status disclosed ≠ Scope monitored

Last Minute

  1. 1.Part 1: 175 scored
  2. 2.Part 2: 130 scored
  3. 3.Pretest items are invisible
  4. 4.Scaled score, not percentage
  5. 5.500 is independent recommendation
  6. 6.Board controls final licensure
  7. 7.Bring two matching IDs
  8. 8.Arrive 30 minutes early
  9. 9.Reliability before validity
  10. 10.Sensitivity screens; specificity confirms
  11. 11.Consult when competence uncertain
  12. 12.Document ethics reasoning

EPPP

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EPPP Secrets Study Guide: EPPP Exam Review for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology

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