• 92 questions

AP Psychology Unit 5 Practice Test

Unofficial multiple-choice practice for Unit 5 of AP Psychology, Mental and Physical Health.

A psychologist studies how exercise habits, beliefs about illness and support from friends affect recovery after heart surgery. Which subfield is this?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the College Board. Bank checked October 8, 2026.

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All 92 questions

Topic 5.1: Health psychology and stress 12

  • A hiker rounds a bend and meets a bear. Her heart pounds as her sympathetic nervous system surges. Which stage of the general adaptation syndrome is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "general adaptation syndrome"; course topic 5.1
  • A psychologist studies how exercise habits, beliefs about illness and support from friends affect recovery after heart surgery. Which subfield is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "health psychology"; course topic 5.1
  • A runner feels keyed up before a race she has trained for, and the tension sharpens her performance. What is this motivating kind of stress called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "eustress"; course topic 5.1
  • After a year of caring for a sick parent while working two jobs, Sam is worn out, irritable, sleeping badly and catching every cold. Which stage of the general adaptation syndrome fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "general adaptation syndrome"; course topic 5.1
  • After weeks of overdue bills and too little sleep, Omar feels overwhelmed and his health begins to suffer. Which kind of stress is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "distress"; course topic 5.1
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Topic 5.1: Health psychology and stress, continued

  • Kim's commute keeps making her late and tense, so she maps a new route and starts leaving 20 minutes earlier. Which kind of coping is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "problem-focused coping"; course topic 5.1
  • Nothing can be done about a canceled flight, so Ana practices slow breathing until she feels calmer. Which kind of coping is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "emotion-focused coping"; course topic 5.1
  • Through three weeks of final exams, Tom's body holds steady at a raised level of arousal while he keeps coping. Which stage of the general adaptation syndrome is he in? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "general adaptation syndrome"; course topic 5.1
  • What are the three stages of the general adaptation syndrome, in order? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "general adaptation syndrome"; course topic 5.1
  • When a storm warning is issued, Rosa gathers her children close and phones her neighbors to see who needs help. Which stress response does this show? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "tend-and-befriend response"; course topic 5.1
  • When are people most likely to rely on emotion-focused coping instead of problem-focused coping? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "emotion-focused coping" and "problem-focused coping"; course topic 5.1
  • Why do health psychologists pay close attention to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "childhood adversity" and "adverse childhood experiences"; course topic 5.1

Topic 5.2: Positive psychology 7

  • A survey asks people how happy they feel and how satisfied they are with their lives overall. What is it measuring? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "subjective well-being"; course topic 5.2
  • A survey finds that people who report more gratitude also report higher well-being. Why can this study alone not show that gratitude causes well-being? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "third-variable problem" and "correlational research"; course topic 5.2
  • A year after a serious car crash, Eli says he is closer to his family and has a clearer sense of purpose than before. What is this change called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "posttraumatic growth"; course topic 5.2
  • Every evening for a month, students write down three things from the day that they are thankful for. Which positive experience is the exercise built on? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "gratitude"; course topic 5.2
  • In positive psychology, kindness, teamwork and hope are examples of what? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "character strength"; course topic 5.2
  • Two families lose their homes in a flood. One adjusts well, leaning on friends and changing its plans as needed. Which quality is that family showing? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "resilience"; course topic 5.2
  • Which question would a positive psychologist be most likely to study? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "positive psychology"; course topic 5.2

Topic 5.3: Explaining and classifying disorders 13

  • A clinician traces an adult's anxiety to unconscious conflicts that formed in early childhood. Which perspective is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "psychodynamic approach"; course topic 5.3
  • A counselor says a client's distress comes from having little support and from being blocked from growing toward his full potential. Which perspective is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "humanistic perspective"; course topic 5.3
  • A psychiatrist points to a patient's family history and to brain chemistry as the causes of her disorder. Which perspective is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "biological perspective"; course topic 5.3
  • A psychologist explains a client's fear of elevators as a response learned after she was once trapped in one. Which perspective is the psychologist using? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "behavioral model"; course topic 5.3
  • A researcher explains differing rates of a disorder by looking at poverty, discrimination and the expectations of the surrounding society. Which perspective is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "sociocultural perspective"; course topic 5.3
  • A therapist believes a client's depression comes from his habit of reading every small setback as proof that he is a failure. Which perspective is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "cognitive therapy"; course topic 5.3
  • A therapist combines ideas from the cognitive, behavioral and humanistic perspectives, choosing what suits each client. What is this approach called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "eclectic psychotherapy"; course topic 5.3
  • After his diagnosis becomes known at work, colleagues start to avoid Marc and stop inviting him onto projects. Which cost of a diagnostic label does this show? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "stigma"; course topic 5.3
  • Identical twins share a genetic vulnerability to a disorder, but only the twin who lived through a severe loss develops it. Which model explains this best? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "diathesis-stress model"; course topic 5.3
  • In the diathesis-stress model, what is the diathesis? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "diathesis-stress model"; course topic 5.3
  • To understand a teenager's depression, a clinician weighs her genes, her patterns of thinking and her life at home and at school together. Which model is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "biopsychosocial"; course topic 5.3
  • Which classification of health conditions is compiled by the World Health Organization and used around the world? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "International Classification of Diseases"; course topic 5.3
  • Which organization publishes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "DSM-5" and "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders"; course topic 5.3

Topic 5.4: Categories of disorders 34

  • A 4-year-old has lasting difficulty with back-and-forth social communication and keeps to a narrow set of repeated interests and activities. Which disorder fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "autism spectrum disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • A man is certain, against all evidence, that his neighbors are plotting to harm him. What is this symptom? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "delusion of persecution" and "hallucination"; course topic 5.4
  • A man repeatedly breaks the law, lies to and exploits other people, and feels no remorse about any of it. Which personality disorder fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "antisocial personality disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • A man vanishes from his home and is found weeks later in another city, unable to recall his past. Which term describes this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "dissociative fugue"; course topic 5.4
  • A manager is so devoted to perfection, order and control that projects are never finished, yet he has no intrusive thoughts or rituals. Which diagnosis fits best? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "obsessive-compulsive personality disorder" and "obsessive-compulsive disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • A patient hears a voice describing his actions when nobody is in the room. What is this symptom called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "hallucination"; course topic 5.4
  • A patient with schizophrenia stays motionless for hours and hardly reacts to anything around her. Which term describes this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "catatonic stupor" and "catatonic excitement"; course topic 5.4
  • A woman insists that she is a world-famous scientist whose secret discoveries have cured every disease. What is this symptom? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "delusion of grandeur"; course topic 5.4
  • After living through a house fire, a woman cannot recall important personal information about that period, far beyond ordinary forgetting. Which disorder fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "dissociative amnesia"; course topic 5.4
  • An 8-year-old cannot stay seated, blurts out answers and loses track of tasks, both at home and at school. Which disorder do these symptoms suggest? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • Ataque de nervios and taijin kyofusho are both examples of what? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "ataque de nervios" and "taijin kyofusho" and "culture-bound syndrome"; course topic 5.4
  • Ben avoids buses, crowded stores and waiting in line, because he fears being somewhere he could not easily get away from. Which disorder does this suggest? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "agoraphobia"; course topic 5.4
  • Cal dreads answering in class and eating in the cafeteria, because he is sure that everyone is watching and judging him. Which disorder fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "social phobia"; course topic 5.4
  • Dana longs for friends but keeps away from people, because she is terrified of being criticized or rejected. Which personality disorder fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "avoidant personality disorder" and "schizoid personality disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • For a week Leo has slept two hours a night, talked without stopping, felt capable of anything and spent his savings on impulse. What kind of episode is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "manic episode"; course topic 5.4
  • For most of the past year Uma has worried about money, health, school and world events, with tense muscles and poor sleep, and with no single trigger. Which disorder fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "generalized anxiety disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • For years Nia has had a low mood that is milder than major depression but almost never lifts. Which disorder fits best? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "dysthymic disorder" and "persistent depressive disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • How does major depressive disorder differ from the bipolar disorders? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "major depressive disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • In schizophrenia, what makes a symptom "positive"? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "positive symptom"; course topic 5.4
  • Maya keeps having the unwanted thought that her hands are contaminated, so she washes them dozens of times a day. In obsessive-compulsive disorder, what is the washing? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "compulsion" and "obsession"; course topic 5.4
  • Months after a serious accident, Raj relives it in flashbacks, startles easily, sleeps badly and avoids the road where it happened. Which disorder fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "posttraumatic stress disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • Paranoid, schizoid and schizotypal personality disorders belong to which cluster? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "personality disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • Since her teens, Jo's moods, friendships and sense of who she is have swung sharply and unpredictably, causing her great distress. Which personality disorder fits best? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "borderline personality disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • Stacks of old newspapers and boxes fill every room of a man's house, and he becomes very upset when anyone suggests throwing something away. Which disorder does this suggest? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "hoarding"; course topic 5.4
  • Tara's fear of heights is so strong that she turned down a job on the fifth floor. Which diagnosis fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "specific phobia" and "acrophobia"; course topic 5.4
  • To what does the dopamine hypothesis link schizophrenia? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "dopamine hypothesis"; course topic 5.4
  • Which disorder is defined by two or more distinct identities that each take control of a person's behavior at different times? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "dissociative identity disorder" and "schizophrenia"; course topic 5.4
  • Which eating disorder is defined by an excessive fear of weight gain, persistent refusal of food and a disturbed perception of body image? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "anorexia nervosa"; course topic 5.4
  • Which eating disorder is defined by recurrent binge eating that is followed by compensatory behaviors? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "bulimia nervosa" and "binge-eating disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • Which of these is a negative symptom of schizophrenia? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "negative symptom" and "flat affect" and "positive symptom"; course topic 5.4
  • Which pattern defines bipolar II disorder? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "bipolar disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • Which set of personality disorders makes up Cluster B? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "personality disorder"; course topic 5.4
  • "Window seven the green ran because table sky." What is speech like this, with words strung together without logical connection, called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "word salad"; course topic 5.4
  • Without warning, Iris has sudden surges of terror with a pounding heart and shortness of breath, and she now worries constantly about the next one. Which disorder fits? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "panic disorder"; course topic 5.4

Topic 5.5: Treatment of disorders 26

  • A client believes, "If I make one mistake, I am worthless." Her therapist helps her notice the belief, test it against the evidence and replace it. Which technique is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "cognitive restructuring"; course topic 5.5
  • A client watches a screen that displays her heart rate and muscle tension, and she practices bringing the readings down. Which technique is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "biofeedback"; course topic 5.5
  • A client who fears flying learns deep muscle relaxation, then stays relaxed while imagining each step from booking a ticket to takeoff. Which therapy is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "systematic desensitization"; course topic 5.5
  • A psychologist picks a treatment by combining the best available research with her clinical expertise and the client's culture and preferences. What is this called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "evidence-based practice"; course topic 5.5
  • A researcher pools the results of 300 separate studies of psychotherapy into one overall estimate of its effect. What is this technique called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "meta-analysis"; course topic 5.5
  • A therapist asks a client to say whatever comes to mind, however trivial or embarrassing, without holding anything back. Which technique is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "free association"; course topic 5.5
  • A therapist directly disputes a client's demand that "I must do outstandingly well at everything, or I am an inadequate person." Which therapy is this most typical of? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "rational emotive behavior therapy"; course topic 5.5
  • A therapist listens closely and restates what the client has said to be sure she has understood it. Which technique, typical of person-centered therapy, is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "active listening"; course topic 5.5
  • After years on an older antipsychotic drug, a patient develops tremors and involuntary movements of the face. What is this side effect called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "tardive dyskinesia"; course topic 5.5
  • The cognitive triad describes negative beliefs about which three things? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "cognitive triad"; course topic 5.5
  • For which patients is electroconvulsive therapy most often used? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "electroconvulsive therapy"; course topic 5.5
  • For which use does research evidence support hypnosis? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "hypnotherapy" and "age regression"; course topic 5.5
  • Free association and dream interpretation are techniques of which family of therapies? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "free association" and "dream analysis"; course topic 5.5
  • In a drug trial, patients who receive an inert pill report feeling better because they expect the pill to work. What is this called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "placebo effect"; course topic 5.5
  • In the late 20th century, large numbers of patients were moved out of psychiatric hospitals and into care in their home communities. What is this shift called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "deinstitutionalization"; course topic 5.5
  • In therapy for a phobia, what is the list of feared situations ranked from least to most threatening called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "anxiety hierarchy"; course topic 5.5
  • Lithium is used mainly in the management of which disorder? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "lithium"; course topic 5.5
  • The lobotomy, which cut nerve tracts in the frontal lobe, is the best-known example of what kind of treatment? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "psychosurgery" and "lobotomy"; course topic 5.5
  • Most antidepressant drugs are thought to work by increasing the availability of which chemicals? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "antidepressant"; course topic 5.5
  • On a hospital ward, patients earn points for attending group sessions and keeping their rooms tidy, and they trade the points for snacks and television time. What is this program? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "token economy"; course topic 5.5
  • To help a client quit an unwanted habit, a therapist pairs the habit with an unpleasant taste each time it occurs. Which behavioral technique is this? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "aversion therapy"; course topic 5.5
  • What does group therapy offer that individual therapy does not? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "group therapy" and "individual therapy"; course topic 5.5
  • What is the cooperative working relationship between a client and a therapist called? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "therapeutic alliance"; course topic 5.5
  • Which ethical principle is summed up in the words "do no harm"? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "principle of nonmaleficence"; course topic 5.5
  • Which therapy combines behavioral and cognitive methods with mindfulness, helping clients both to accept their lives and to change them? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "dialectical behavior therapy"; course topic 5.5
  • Which treatment stimulates a region of the brain by means of a changing magnetic field in coils placed around the head? APA Dictionary of Psychology, "transcranial magnetic stimulation"; course topic 5.5

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to Unit 5 (Mental and Physical Health) of the College Board's AP Psychology Course and Exam Description, https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-psychology-course-and-exam-description.pdf, read 2026-10-08. Each fact was read on 2026-10-08 in the entry of the APA Dictionary of Psychology (American Psychological Association, https://dictionary.apa.org) named under its question. Licence: Own work.

How it works

This AP Psychology Unit 5 practice test has 92 of our own questions on Mental and Physical Health, from stress to treatment. It is unofficial, not affiliated with or endorsed by the College Board, and exam practice, not medical advice.

Read the full guide

What Unit 5 covers

By the College Board's course description, read October 8, 2026, Unit 5 has five topics. The description gives none a share, so the spread is ours: 12 questions on health psychology and stress, 7 on positive psychology, 13 on explaining and classifying disorders, 34 on the categories of disorders and 26 on treatment.

Sources you can check

Each answer names the APA Dictionary of Psychology entry its fact was read in, and a link opens the entry.

If your book numbers the units differently

This page follows the current description, which has five units. If your book numbers its units differently, match it by topic name: stress, psychological disorders and treatment.

  • Pair the near twins: obsessive-compulsive disorder has obsessions and compulsions, and the personality disorder is a lasting pattern of perfectionism and control.
  • Sort the symptoms of schizophrenia by asking whether something is added, as with delusions, or missing, as with flat affect.
  • Tie each technique to its perspective: free association is psychodynamic, a token economy behavioral, active listening humanistic.

Questions and answers

What is Unit 5 in AP Psych?

Mental and Physical Health, the last of five units: health psychology and stress, positive psychology, explaining and classifying psychological disorders, selected categories of disorders, and their treatment.

How much of the AP Psychology exam is Unit 5?

Between 15 and 25% of the 75 multiple-choice questions, by the College Board's course page. Each of the five units has the same range.

What disorders are on the AP Psychology exam?

Only those listed in Topic 5.4: ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, then the schizophrenic spectrum, depressive, bipolar, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, dissociative, trauma-related, eating and personality disorders. No other diagnosis is an answer here.

Is this the AP Psychology Unit 5 Progress Check MCQ?

No. The Progress Check is the College Board's own set of about 30 multiple-choice questions for Unit 5, assigned by teachers in AP Classroom. These questions were written for this site from the course description and are not taken from the Progress Check.

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