10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
The MHTC exam has 75 questions and runs 2 hours.
These 10 free MHTC questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Mental Health Technician Certification blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
A patient with schizophrenia points toward the television and says, 'The announcer is sending people here to hurt me.' The patient appears frightened but is speaking calmly and has made no threats. Which reply acknowledges the distress without reinforcing the belief?
Correct answer: B - 'That sounds frightening. I don't see anyone threatening you. Let's sit somewhere quieter.'
At an outpatient intake, a 16-year-old answers yes to the NIMH Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) item about wishing to be dead in recent weeks. The other three screening answers are no, and the patient denies thoughts of killing themself right now. No additional immediate safety concerns are identified. What follow-up does this result require under the ASQ pathway?
Correct answer: A - Notify the clinician for a brief suicide safety assessment; this is a non-acute positive screen.
A 78-year-old with mild Alzheimer's disease usually recognizes staff and participates in conversation. This morning, the patient alternates between drowsiness and agitation, cannot sustain attention to a simple question, and has a temperature of 38.4°C. The technician has requested an immediate nursing assessment. Which possibility deserves priority in the handoff?
Correct answer: A - Delirium superimposed on dementia
An adult with obsessive-compulsive disorder is practicing a clinician-prescribed exposure exercise: touch a clean door handle, then wait 10 minutes without the usual handwashing ritual. The patient reports rising anxiety but says, 'I want to keep trying.' There are no medical symptoms or immediate safety concerns. The technician should support the exercise by:
Correct answer: B - Acknowledging the anxiety and supporting the agreed waiting period without performing the ritual.
At a scheduled follow-up, an adult's PHQ-9 score has decreased from 22 to 17. Item 9, concerning death or self-harm thoughts, is scored 0 on both forms. The patient asks, 'Does the lower score mean I'm well again?' The most accurate explanation is:
Correct answer: A - 'Your reported symptoms have decreased, but 17 still falls in the moderately severe range.'
Three days after a risperidone dose increase, a patient repeatedly stands, walks a few steps, and sits again. 'I feel like I have to keep moving,' the patient says. The delusions have become less intrusive; no shuffling gait or repetitive mouth movements are observed. What best explains the new restlessness?
Correct answer: D - Akathisia
A nurse asks the technician to listen as a patient explains the home-care plan for lithium. Which comment signals that the teaching needs to be revisited?
Correct answer: C - 'For muscle aches, I can take nonprescription ibuprofen without checking with my prescriber.'
During an ordered orthostatic assessment, an adult's blood pressure is 134/82 mm Hg after lying down for 5 minutes and 118/68 mm Hg at both 1 and 3 minutes after standing. The patient reports no dizziness. How should these measurements be interpreted?
Correct answer: C - Abnormal orthostatic response, because the diastolic pressure fell by 14 mm Hg.
At breakfast, a patient pushes an untouched tray away, says, 'I feel sick,' and returns to bed. The technician notifies the nurse at 08:10. Select the entry that accurately documents what occurred.
Correct answer: D - Pushed tray away, stated 'I feel sick,' and returned to bed. Nurse notified at 08:10.
Following acute psychiatric stabilization, a patient can remain safe at home with family but still needs a structured, hospital-level treatment program during most of each weekday. The team recommends daily groups and clinical monitoring, without overnight admission; a lower-intensity outpatient schedule has been insufficient. The service that matches this level of care is:
Correct answer: C - Partial hospitalization program
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