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Key Facts: Esame di Stato Psicologo Exam

1 oral test

Exam format: single oral examination under MUR O.M. 694/2026

MUR Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694/2026, Art. 8

60/100

Minimum passing score on the oral examination

MUR O.M. 694/2026 & University Regulations

2 sessions/yr

National sessions scheduled annually (July and November)

MUR O.M. 694/2026, Art. 1

€49.58 + Uni fee

Registration costs: state tax plus university contribution

MUR O.M. 694/2026, Art. 4

Trieste (DE)

German-language route available at University of Trieste

MUR O.M. 694/2026, Art. 7

Professione Sanitaria

Autonomous healthcare profession under Ministry of Health supervision

Legge 11 gennaio 2018, n. 3 (Legge Lorenzin)

The Italian Psychologist State Exam (Esame di Stato Psicologo - Sezione A) is the statutory post-graduate licensing examination under MUR O.M. 694/2026 and Legge 56/1989, qualifying candidates for enrollment in Section A of the Ordine degli Psicologi. The active transitional 2026 framework features a single oral examination assessing professional internship competencies, ethical deontology, and healthcare legislation, with an official German-language option available at the University of Trieste. Independent Psicologo State Exam practice by OpenExamPrep provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation.

Sample Esame di Stato Psicologo Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Esame di Stato Psicologo exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 80+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A psychologist administers the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) to a 32-year-old patient experiencing acute generalized anxiety. Testing yields a high Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI = 118) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI = 114), but markedly reduced Working Memory (WMI = 82) and Processing Speed (PSI = 79) indices. Which composite score is clinically indicated to summarize this patient's core intellectual potential?

A.The Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), because it provides the mandatory legal metric across all clinical reports

B.The General Ability Index (GAI), because it minimizes the confounding impact of working memory and processing speed deficits

C.The Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI), because it isolates executive speed and working memory efficiency

D.The Arithmetic and Digit Span composite, because acute anxiety primarily elevates verbal memory capacity

Explanation: When there is significant and clinically meaningful discrepancy between cognitive ability (VCI and PRI) and cognitive proficiency (WMI and PSI), the Full Scale IQ becomes less representative of overall intellectual ability. In such cases, the General Ability Index (GAI / IAG in Italian psychometrics) provides a more valid estimate of general cognitive potential by excluding the working memory and processing speed subtests, which are highly vulnerable to acute anxiety or attentional disruption.

2On an MMPI-2 profile, a patient achieves a raw score producing a T-score of 84 on the Infrequency (F) scale, a T-score of 78 on the Back F (Fb) scale, a T-score of 50 on the Lie (L) scale, and a T-score of 42 on the Correction (K) scale. The Infrequency-Psychopathology (Fp) scale T-score is 54. How should the clinical psychologist interpret this validity profile?

A.The profile reflects definitive intentional malingering and simulated psychopathology that must be discarded immediately

B.The profile reflects random uncooperative responding that invalidates all basic clinical scales

C.The profile reflects genuine, acute emotional distress or severe psychiatric crisis rather than deliberate symptom feigning

D.The profile reflects a defensive 'fake-good' response set intended to present an unrealistically virtuous self-image

Explanation: An elevated F scale (T > 80) paired with a normal Fp (Infrequency-Psychopathology) scale (T < 65) indicates that the patient is reporting genuine psychiatric distress or severe subjective decompensation rather than fabricating or exaggerating psychotic symptoms. The Fp scale was designed specifically with items rarely endorsed even by psychiatric inpatients, making it the premier tool to discriminate genuine severe pathology from deliberate faking-bad.

3In the Rorschach comprehensive system (Exner CS) and Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS), what psychological function does the production of pure human movement responses (M) primarily indicate?

A.Severe thought disorder, disorganized perceptual boundaries, and concrete thinking

B.Constructive imagination, cognitive mediation, empathy, and internal deliberate mental processing

C.Uncontrolled affective reactivity to external environmental stimulation

D.High levels of somatic anxiety, hypochondriacal rumination, and autonomic arousal

Explanation: Human movement responses (M) require the subject to introduce kinaesthetic movement into static inkblots while perceiving human figures, reflecting internal cognitive mediation, reflective capacity, active imagination, and deliberate delay of motor discharge. Adequate M responses correlate positively with higher intelligence, empathy, planning capacity, and mature ego functioning.

4A 45-year-old outpatient completes the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and scores 24, indicating moderate depression. However, on Item 9 (Suicidal Thoughts or Wishes), the patient endorses the statement: 'I would like to kill myself.' What is the immediate professional and clinical obligation of the psychologist?

A.File an immediate involuntary psychiatric commitment (Trattamento Sanitario Obbligatorio - TSO) without speaking to the patient

B.Conduct an immediate structured clinical risk assessment of suicide ideation, intent, plan, and lethality, and establish an active safety plan

C.Ignore the single item response until the final psychological report is compiled at the end of the diagnostic cycle

D.Re-administer the full BDI-II in a subsequent session to determine whether the response was a psychometric testing error

Explanation: Any positive endorsement on BDI-II Item 9 (greater than 0) constitutes an urgent clinical red flag that requires immediate clinical exploration before the patient leaves the consultation room. The psychologist must evaluate current suicidal intent, presence of a specific plan, access to lethal means, history of previous attempts, and protective factors, implementing safety planning and, if necessary, emergency referral.

5A patient referred for psychological evaluation exhibits a high MMPI-2 code type with significant elevations on Scale 1 (Hs / Hypochondriasis = 76) and Scale 3 (Hy / Hysteria = 74), while Scale 2 (D / Depression = 51) remains within the average range. What classic configuration is demonstrated?

A.The 'Conversion Valley' (1-3/3-1 configuration), suggesting somatization of emotional distress and lack of conscious psychological insight

B.The 'Psychotic V' (6-8/8-6 configuration), indicating severe paranoid schizophrenia and persecutory delusions

C.The 'Neurotic Triad Elevation', indicating overwhelming conscious existential dread and severe unipolar melancholia

D.The 'Scarlet Letter Profile', suggesting acute borderline personality decompensation with self-harming impulsivity

Explanation: The 'Conversion Valley' occurs when Scales 1 (Hs) and 3 (Hy) are both clinically elevated (T > 65) while Scale 2 (D) is significantly lower (by at least 10 T-score points). This pattern is characteristic of somatic symptom mechanisms where psychological conflicts are converted into physical complaints, while the individual minimizes or denies dysphoria, anxiety, and depression.

6During a neuropsychological screening of a 71-year-old retired schoolteacher, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) yields a raw score of 23/30. According to standardized Italian normative corrections (e.g., Magni et al. / Measso et al.), what factor must the psychologist adjust for before interpreting the score as pathologically impaired?

A.Only the patient's handedness and native regional dialect

B.The patient's age and formal educational attainment (anni di scolarità)

C.The patient's marital status and number of grandchildren

D.The exact hour of the day the test was administered

Explanation: Normative scoring for the MMSE in Italy (such as the Measso et al. and Magni et al. standards) requires adjustment of the raw score based on the subject's age and years of formal education. A raw score of 23 in an individual with high educational attainment (17 years) may adjust downward, revealing significant cognitive decline, whereas in an elderly person with only 3 years of schooling it might adjust into the normal range.

7A 28-year-old accountant presents with 7 months of persistent, intrusive thoughts of contamination, accompanied by repetitive handwashing rituals lasting 4 hours daily. The patient recognizes that these compulsions are unreasonable and excessive, causes significant suffering, and desperately wants them to stop. Under DSM-5-TR, which diagnosis is appropriate?

A.Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

B.Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), with good or fair insight

C.Schizophrenia, prodromal phase with somatic delusions

D.Specific Phobia, mysophobia type with complete absence of compulsions

Explanation: The patient meets criteria for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) characterized by recurrent, egodystonic intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and purposeful repetitive behaviors (compulsions) designed to neutralize distress. The awareness that the rituals are unreasonable specifies 'good or fair insight'. In contrast, OCPD is egosyntonic, pervasive, and defined by perfectionism and rigidity without specific obsessive-compulsive rituals.

8On the Trail Making Test (TMT), a 52-year-old neurological patient achieves normal performance on Part A (connecting numbered circles 1-25) in 28 seconds, but exhibits severe impairment and numerous perseverative errors on Part B (alternating numbers and letters: 1-A-2-B-3-C...) taking 165 seconds. What primary cognitive function is impaired?

A.Visuoperceptual search speed and simple psychomotor scanning

B.Cognitive flexibility, mental set-shifting, and executive working control

C.Auditory-verbal immediate phonological memory span

D.Expressive language and semantic object naming

Explanation: Part A of the Trail Making Test measures visual scanning, motor speed, and basic attention. Part B places heavy demands on executive functioning, specifically cognitive flexibility, divided attention, and the ability to switch between alternating cognitive sets (numbers and letters). A significant discrepancy between normal Part A and impaired Part B is a hallmark of dorsolateral prefrontal or executive circuit dysfunction.

9In the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), what fundamental conceptual distinction differentiates the Form Y-1 scale from the Form Y-2 scale?

A.Y-1 assesses physiological panic symptoms, whereas Y-2 assesses generalized social phobia

B.Y-1 assesses state anxiety (how the person feels right now in the present moment), whereas Y-2 assesses trait anxiety (how the person generally feels across time)

C.Y-1 assesses anxiety in pediatric populations, whereas Y-2 is standardized exclusively for geriatric dementia

D.Y-1 evaluates obsessive-compulsive traits, whereas Y-2 measures somatic conversion reactions

Explanation: Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y) explicitly operationalizes two constructs: State Anxiety (STAI-Y1), measuring transient, fluctuating emotional states characterized by subjective tension and autonomic nervous system activation 'in this moment'; and Trait Anxiety (STAI-Y2), measuring relatively stable individual differences in anxiety-proneness as a general personality disposition.

10A 38-year-old patient reports that 3 weeks ago, after surviving an armed robbery at their workplace, they began experiencing intrusive nightmares, intense physiological reactivity to sirens, active avoidance of their office, hypervigilance, and emotional detachment. Under DSM-5-TR, what is the precise primary diagnosis at this time?

A.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

B.Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)

C.Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood

D.Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Explanation: Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) is diagnosed when characteristic traumatic symptoms (intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance, arousal) occur between 3 days and 1 month following exposure to a traumatic event. If these symptoms persist beyond 1 month (30 days), the clinical diagnosis transitions to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

About the Esame di Stato Psicologo Exam

The Esame di Stato per l'abilitazione all'esercizio della professione di Psicologo (Sezione A) is the statutory state licensing qualification in Italy governed by Legge 56/1989, D.P.R. 328/2001, and annual ministerial ordinances issued by MUR (including Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694/2026). While newer LM-51 degree cohorts incorporate qualifying practical evaluations directly within their university curricula under Legge 163/2021, the active 2026 transitional State Exam remains the mandatory route for pre-reform master's graduates (Laurea specialistica/magistrale or Vecchio Ordinamento) who completed the standard 1,000-hour post-graduate internship. Under Legge 3/2018 (Legge Lorenzin), psychology is an autonomous healthcare profession (professione sanitaria) under the oversight of the Italian Ministry of Health and the Consiglio Nazionale Ordine Psicologi (CNOP). Independent Psicologo State Exam practice by OpenExamPrep provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation covering clinical psychodiagnostics, ethical deontology, treatment formulation, Italian health law, and developmental psychology.

Exam sponsor: Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (MUR) / designated universities. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Under Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694/2026 issued by the Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (MUR), the 2026 State Licensing Examination for Psychologists (Sezione A) is scheduled across two annual sessions (July and November). For candidates eligible under transitional pre-reform university curricula (prior to the full roll-out of the qualifying laurea abilitante under Legge 163/2021), the examination consists of a single comprehensive oral test (prova orale unica). This oral examination evaluates theoretical and practical competencies acquired during the post-graduate professional internship (tirocinio pratico valutativo), the discussion of clinical and applied cases, professional deontology (Codice Deontologico degli Psicologi Italiani), and professional healthcare legislation (Legge 56/1989 and Legge 3/2018). Eligible candidates resident in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol or other EU member states may sit the examination in the German language at the University of Trieste. Independent Psicologo State Exam practice by OpenExamPrep provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation that adapts rather than simulates the oral assessment.

Time Limit

Single oral examination; no national duration is published

Passing Score

60/100 on the oral examination

Exam / Certification Fees

€49.58 state tax plus a contribution set by the chosen university

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

30 local questions (not an official percentage)

Clinical Assessment, Psychodiagnostics & Psychopathology

Clinical diagnostic interviewing, psychopathology (DSM-5-TR / ICD-11), objective and projective testing (WAIS-IV, MMPI-2/MMPI-2-RF, Rorschach Performance Assessment System, BDI-II, STAI), and cognitive assessment

21 local questions (not an official percentage)

Professional Deontology & Ethics

Codice Deontologico degli Psicologi Italiani (CNOP), informed consent, professional secrecy and duty of report (segreto professionale e referto/denuncia), minor assent/parental consent, dual relationships, and advertising rules

14 local questions (not an official percentage)

Psychological Intervention, Counseling & Clinical Formulation

Clinical case formulation, biopsychosocial model, psychotherapy paradigms (CBT, psychodynamic, systemic-relational, humanistic), psychological first aid, crisis intervention, and treatment plan design

8 local questions (not an official percentage)

Professional Legislation & Healthcare Regulations

Italian professional statutes (Legge 56/1989), healthcare reform under Legge 3/2018 (Lorenzin Law), mandatory Continuing Medical Education (ECM), professional orders (Ordini Regionali e CNOP), and privacy regulations (GDPR / D.Lgs. 196/2003)

7 local questions (not an official percentage)

Developmental, Social, Educational & Organizational Psychology

Child and adolescent development, educational interventions, specific learning disorders (DSA - Legge 170/2010), work and organizational dynamics, work-related stress assessment (D.Lgs. 81/2008), and community psychology

Preparing for the Esame di Stato Psicologo Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 60/100 on the oral examination
Assessment: Under Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694/2026 issued by the Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (MUR), the 2026 State Licensing Examination for Psychologists (Sezione A) is scheduled across two annual sessions (July and November). For candidates eligible under transitional pre-reform university curricula (prior to the full roll-out of the qualifying laurea abilitante under Legge 163/2021), the examination consists of a single comprehensive oral test (prova orale unica). This oral examination evaluates theoretical and practical competencies acquired during the post-graduate professional internship (tirocinio pratico valutativo), the discussion of clinical and applied cases, professional deontology (Codice Deontologico degli Psicologi Italiani), and professional healthcare legislation (Legge 56/1989 and Legge 3/2018). Eligible candidates resident in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol or other EU member states may sit the examination in the German language at the University of Trieste. Independent Psicologo State Exam practice by OpenExamPrep provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation that adapts rather than simulates the oral assessment.
Time limit: Single oral examination; no national duration is published
Exam / certification fees: €49.58 state tax plus a contribution set by the chosen university Official sources

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Esame di Stato Psicologo: Suggested Study Strategy

1Review the Codice Deontologico degli Psicologi Italiani thoroughly, focusing on Articles 4 (secular and non-judgmental stance), 9 (research consent), 11-13 (secrecy, exceptions, and mandatory reporting), 24 (informed consent), and 31 (consent for interventions on minors).

2Master the legal framework: Legge 18 febbraio 1989, n. 56 (articles defining psychologist and psychotherapist roles), Legge 3/2018 (Lorenzin healthcare reform), and ECM credit obligations.

3Be prepared to discuss clinical cases from your 1,000-hour post-graduate internship (tirocinio), articulating diagnostic hypotheses, test batteries, differential diagnosis, and treatment rationales.

4Understand standard psychodiagnostic instruments: WAIS-IV index scores and clinical interpretation, MMPI-2 validity and clinical scales, projective techniques (Rorschach R-PAS/Exner), and screening tools (BDI-II, STAI, SCID-5).

5Differentiate the roles and boundaries of psychologists versus psychotherapists under Article 3 of Legge 56/1989 (psychotherapy requires a 4-year accredited post-graduate specialization).

6Familiarize yourself with the regulations governing Specific Learning Disorders (DSA under Legge 170/2010) and work-related stress assessment under D.Lgs. 81/2008.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Italian Psychologist State Exam (Esame di Stato Psicologo Sezione A) and who must take it in 2026?

The Esame di Stato per l'abilitazione all'esercizio della professione di Psicologo (Sezione A) is the statutory post-graduate licensing examination governed by Legge 18 febbraio 1989, n. 56 and ministerial ordinances issued by MUR. Under Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694/2026, the exam is actively administered in two sessions (July and November 2026) for eligible candidates who graduated under pre-reform university systems (Vecchio Ordinamento, D.M. 509/1999, or non-qualifying D.M. 270/2004 degrees) and completed the post-graduate professional internship. Candidates graduating from the newer 'laurea abilitante' (LM-51 under Legge 163/2021 and D.I. 654/2022) complete their qualifying practical exam internally upon graduation, making this State Exam the designated route for transitional and pre-reform applicants.

How is the 2026 examination structured and graded under MUR O.M. 694/2026?

Under MUR Ordinanza Ministeriale n. 694/2026, the examination consists of a single oral test (prova orale unica). This oral interview is conducted before a university examining committee and comprehensively covers: (1) practical and clinical issues connected to the post-graduate internship (tirocinio pratico valutativo), including case discussion and diagnostic/intervention methodology; (2) ethical rules and professional deontology under the Codice Deontologico degli Psicologi Italiani; and (3) professional legislation governing psychologist practice in Italy (Legge 56/1989, D.P.R. 328/2001, and Legge 3/2018). The examination is graded out of 100 points, with a minimum passing mark of 60/100 required for professional qualification.

What are the examination fees and who is eligible for the German-language route at Trieste?

Candidates must pay a fixed national state registration tax of €49.58 (tassa di ammissione erariale) along with an enrollment contribution set independently by each university center (contributo d'ateneo, typically ranging from €200 to €450). Pursuant to Article 7 of O.M. 694/2026 and bilateral cultural accords, eligible Italian citizens residing in the autonomous province of Bolzano/Bozen (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol) and qualifying EU citizens may sit the examination in the German language specifically at the University of Trieste.

What legal status does the profession of psychologist hold under Legge 3/2018 (Legge Lorenzin)?

Enacted in January 2018, Legge 11 gennaio 2018, n. 3 (the Lorenzin Reform) formally established psychology as an autonomous healthcare profession (professione sanitaria) under the direct supervision of the Italian Ministry of Health (Ministero della Salute). Consequently, all registered psychologists must adhere to health sector regulations, maintain professional liability insurance, observe strict medical-sanitary privacy standards, and participate in the mandatory national Continuing Medical Education system (ECM - Educazione Continua in Medicina).

What are the rules regarding professional secrecy and mandatory reporting under Italian law?

Under Article 11 and Article 13 of the Codice Deontologico degli Psicologi Italiani, psychologists are strictly bound by professional secrecy (Art. 622 Codice Penale). However, when a psychologist acts in the capacity of a public official (pubblico ufficiale) or public service appointee (incaricato di pubblico servizio) in public healthcare (SSN) or school settings, there is a strict statutory duty to file a written crime report (denuncia di reato, Art. 361-362 c.p.) or sanitary report (referto, Art. 365 c.p.) for crimes prosecutable ex officio (perseguibili d'ufficio), prioritizing the safety and physical integrity of patients and minors.

Why are these practice questions presented in English multiple-choice format?

The official Italian State Exam under O.M. 694/2026 is an oral examination conducted primarily in Italian (with a regional German route at Trieste). Independent Psicologo State Exam practice by OpenExamPrep provides an English-language multiple-choice question (MCQ) study adaptation. This adaptation is designed to help international graduates and candidates systematically master and self-test their knowledge of core clinical psychodiagnostic tools, Italian professional deontology, healthcare statutes, and clinical formulation in a structured format.