Free EPPP Practice Exam: 600+ Questions Across 8 Domains

Prepare for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) Part 1-Knowledge with 600+ practice questions organized across all eight content areas and weights published by ASPPB. Every sample question includes the correct answer and a detailed explanation.

The EPPP (Part 1-Knowledge) has 225 questions (175 scored and 50 unscored pretest questions) in 4 hours 15 minutes. ASPPB recommends a scaled score of 500 on a 200-800 scale for independent practice. Start with the 10-question EPPP quick-start practice exam, then drill any content area below. For a fast review of high-yield facts, use the free EPPP cheat sheet.

Source: EPPP (Part 1-Knowledge) exam topics, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). Last reviewed October 11, 2026.

Pass-rate figures: ASPPB 2025 Psychology Licensing Exam Scores by Doctoral Program (first-time test takers, 2020 through 2024).

EPPP Content Areas

Domain 1: Biological Bases of Behavior (10%)

neuroanatomy, psychopharmacology, behavioral genetics, major treatment trials, and brain imaging methods.

Practice Biological Bases of Behavior questions

Domain 2: Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior (13%)

intelligence, learning, memory, motivation, emotion, and cognitive processes.

Practice Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior questions

Domain 3: Social and Cultural Bases of Behavior (11%)

social cognition, group processes, personality theories, cultural psychology, identity, and oppression.

Practice Social and Cultural Bases of Behavior questions

Domain 4: Growth and Lifespan Development (12%)

developmental theories, family development, life events, risk and resilience, and developmental disorders.

Practice Growth and Lifespan Development questions

Domain 5: Assessment and Diagnosis (16%)

psychometrics, assessment methods and instruments, differential diagnosis, base rates, and outcome measurement.

Practice Assessment and Diagnosis questions

Domain 6: Treatment, Intervention, Prevention and Supervision (15%)

treatment models, evidence-based interventions, consultation, career development, telepsychology, and supervision.

Practice Treatment, Intervention, Prevention and Supervision questions

Domain 7: Research Methods and Statistics (7%)

sampling, research designs, statistical analysis and interpretation, validity threats, and program evaluation.

Practice Research Methods and Statistics questions

Domain 8: Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues (16%)

APA and CPA ethics codes, laws and court decisions, ethical decision-making, client rights, and research and supervision ethics.

Practice Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues questions

EPPP Sample Questions with Answers

Sample Question 1 — Assessment and Diagnosis

A screening test for a disorder has a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 90%. It is given to 1,000 people in a population where the base rate of the disorder is 5%. Of the people who screen positive, approximately what percentage actually have the disorder?

  1. A. 10%
  2. B. 32% (Correct answer)
  3. C. 50%
  4. D. 90%

Correct answer: B

Explanation: B is correct because 50 people have the disorder and 45 of them screen positive; 950 do not and 10% of them, 95 people, also screen positive, so 45 of 140 positives (about 32%) are true positives. A is incorrect because 10% is the false-positive rate among people without the disorder, not the proportion of positives who have it. C is incorrect because predictive value depends on the base rate, and with a 5% base rate false positives outnumber true positives. D is incorrect because 90% is the test's sensitivity, the proportion of people with the disorder who test positive, which is not the same as positive predictive value.

Sample Question 2 — Biological Bases of Behavior

A client who has taken lithium for bipolar I disorder for several years begins taking ibuprofen daily for back pain. Two weeks later the client has a coarse tremor, vomiting, diarrhea, and confusion. What is the MOST likely explanation?

  1. A. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome triggered by the addition of a new medication
  2. B. Tardive dyskinesia emerging after years of mood stabilizer treatment
  3. C. Lithium toxicity, because NSAIDs reduce the kidneys' clearance of lithium (Correct answer)
  4. D. Serotonin syndrome caused by an interaction between lithium and the NSAID

Correct answer: C

Explanation: C is correct because NSAIDs such as ibuprofen decrease renal lithium excretion, so serum levels rise; coarse tremor, gastrointestinal upset, and confusion are classic signs of lithium toxicity. A is incorrect because neuroleptic malignant syndrome is associated with dopamine-blocking antipsychotics and presents with severe muscle rigidity and high fever. B is incorrect because tardive dyskinesia is a late effect of long-term dopamine antagonists that produces involuntary orofacial movements, not acute vomiting and confusion. D is incorrect because serotonin syndrome follows combinations of serotonergic drugs and typically shows hyperthermia, clonus, and agitation; ibuprofen is not serotonergic.

Sample Question 3 — Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior

Spearman proposed that performance on any mental test reflects which combination of influences?

  1. A. Separate analytical, creative, and practical abilities that work together
  2. B. A general ability shared by all tests plus an ability specific to that test (Correct answer)
  3. C. Several independent primary abilities with no overarching general factor
  4. D. Fluid reasoning and crystallized knowledge that change differently with age

Correct answer: B

Explanation: B is correct because Spearman's two-factor theory holds that every test draws on general intelligence (g), which explains why mental tests intercorrelate, plus a specific factor (s) unique to that test. A is incorrect because this describes Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence. C is incorrect because this describes Thurstone's primary mental abilities, which Thurstone originally argued made a single general factor unnecessary. D is incorrect because this is the fluid-crystallized distinction of Cattell and Horn, not Spearman's account.

Sample Question 4 — Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues

Eighteen months after therapy ended, a former client contacts a psychologist and asks to begin a romantic and sexual relationship. There was no such contact during or after therapy. According to the APA Ethics Code, the psychologist should:

  1. A. Agree after consulting a colleague, because more than one year has passed
  2. B. Decline, because the Code bars sexual intimacy for at least two years after therapy (Correct answer)
  3. C. Agree, because the former client initiated contact after therapy had ended
  4. D. Decline, because the code prohibits such relationships under all circumstances

Correct answer: B

Explanation: B is correct because Standard 10.08(a) prohibits sexual intimacies with former clients for at least two years after therapy ends, and 18 months falls within that period; even after two years, 10.08(b) permits them only in the most unusual circumstances. A is incorrect because the code sets a minimum of two years, not one, and consultation does not shorten that period. C is incorrect because who initiates contact does not change the two-year prohibition in Standard 10.08(a). D is incorrect because Standard 10.08(b) permits them after two years only in the most unusual circumstances, with the psychologist bearing the burden of showing no exploitation, so it is not an absolute ban.

Sample Question 5 — Growth and Lifespan Development

During which period of prenatal development is exposure to a teratogen MOST likely to cause major structural malformations of organs and limbs?

  1. A. The germinal period, the first two weeks after conception
  2. B. The embryonic period, from about week 3 to week 8 (Correct answer)
  3. C. The final month of pregnancy, just before delivery
  4. D. The fetal period, from about week 9 until birth

Correct answer: B

Explanation: B is correct because the major organs and body structures form during the embryonic period, so this is the critical period in which most teratogens produce major structural defects. A is incorrect because exposure in the germinal period tends to have an all-or-none effect, either ending the pregnancy or leaving no lasting defect. C is incorrect because late exposure mainly affects growth, brain maturation, and the newborn's condition rather than causing major structural malformations. D is incorrect because organs are already formed in the fetal period, so exposure then more often affects growth and function than basic structure.

Sample Question 6 — Research Methods and Statistics

A single group of adults completes a measure of attitudes toward mental health treatment, attends a 10-week stigma-reduction program, and completes the measure again. During those 10 weeks a celebrity's widely covered disclosure of depression dominates the news. Which threat to internal validity is MOST relevant?

  1. A. Testing
  2. B. Statistical regression
  3. C. Maturation
  4. D. History (Correct answer)

Correct answer: D

Explanation: D is correct because an outside event that occurs between pretest and posttest and could itself change attitudes is a history threat, and a one-group design cannot separate it from the program's effect. A is incorrect because testing refers to changes caused by taking the pretest itself, not by events in the wider environment. B is incorrect because regression applies when participants are selected for extreme scores, and this group was not selected that way. C is incorrect because maturation refers to natural changes within participants over time, such as growing older or more tired, rather than an outside event.

Sample Question 7 — Social and Cultural Bases of Behavior

After a staff meeting, a manager says a new employee stayed quiet because the employee is shy, but says the manager's own silence in the same meeting was because the topic was outside the manager's area. This pattern is BEST described as:

  1. A. The spotlight effect
  2. B. The false consensus effect
  3. C. The self-serving bias
  4. D. The actor-observer bias (Correct answer)

Correct answer: D

Explanation: D is correct because the manager explains the other person's behavior by disposition and the manager's own identical behavior by the situation, which is the asymmetry the actor-observer bias describes. A is incorrect because the spotlight effect is overestimating how much other people notice one's own appearance or behavior, not a contrast in how behavior is explained. B is incorrect because that effect is overestimating how many other people share one's own opinions and behaviors. C is incorrect because that bias concerns taking credit for successes and blaming the situation for failures, and staying quiet in a meeting is neither.

Sample Question 8 — Treatment, Intervention, Prevention and Supervision

A client with obsessive-compulsive disorder spends hours each day washing after touching objects the client believes are contaminated. Which psychological treatment has the strongest evidence for this presentation?

  1. A. Psychodynamic therapy aimed at the conflicts behind the obsessions
  2. B. Systematic desensitization paired with relaxation training
  3. C. Exposure and response prevention (Correct answer)
  4. D. Thought stopping whenever an obsession begins

Correct answer: C

Explanation: C is correct because repeated exposure to feared contamination cues while refraining from washing lets anxiety decline without the compulsion, and it is the most strongly supported psychological treatment for OCD. A is incorrect because psychodynamic therapy lacks the controlled evidence for OCD that exposure-based treatment has. B is incorrect because relaxation-based desensitization does not block the compulsion and has been outperformed by exposure with response prevention. D is incorrect because attempts to suppress obsessions tend to increase their frequency, and thought stopping is not an evidence-based treatment for OCD.

The EPPP Is Changing in 2027

ASPPB plans to launch an integrated EPPP in fall 2027 with six content domains. Part 1-Knowledge and Part 2-Skills will then no longer be available to first-time candidates; candidates who have not yet passed may retake their exam through March 31, 2028. If you test before the change, prepare for the current eight-domain Part 1 exam.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EPPP exam format?

The EPPP (Part 1-Knowledge) has 225 multiple-choice questions: 175 scored questions and 50 unscored pretest questions. Candidates have 4 hours and 15 minutes to complete the exam items, and each question has three or four answer options with one best answer. Confirm current details in the ASPPB EPPP Candidate Handbook.

What score do you need to pass the EPPP?

ASPPB reports EPPP results as scaled scores from 200 to 800 and recommends a scaled score of 500 for independent practice (450 for supervised practice). All licensing boards currently accept 500 for independent practice on Part 1-Knowledge, though passing standards for supervised practice vary by jurisdiction.

How many questions do you need to get right to pass the EPPP?

A scaled score of 500 corresponds to roughly 70% of the 175 scored questions. The exact number of correct answers needed changes from one exam form to another, because ASPPB equates scores so that easier forms require more correct answers and harder forms require fewer. The 50 unscored pretest questions do not count toward your score.

What is the EPPP pass rate?

According to ASPPB's 2025 report on first-time test takers from 2020 through 2024, 75.07% of the 17,748 candidates from APA- or CPA-accredited doctoral programs passed on their first attempt, compared with 44.85% of candidates from nonaccredited or other programs. ASPPB notes that the first-time pass rate for accredited-program candidates exceeds 80% in most years and dropped by about 5% over the most recent five years.

How much does the EPPP cost?

EPPP Part 1-Knowledge costs $600 plus a $91.88 test center sitting fee, for $691.88 per attempt. Part 2-Skills, where required, is $450 plus the same sitting fee. Rescheduling or canceling within 31 days of your appointment costs $87.50, and ASPPB's optional sample exams cost $30 online or $82.50 at a test center. ASPPB has announced that the exam fee will rise to $650 from April 1, 2028. Your licensing board charges its own application fees.

How do you get your EPPP score?

You receive an unofficial score at the test center as soon as you finish. The score is then posted to your ASPPB candidate account, and your licensing board decides whether it meets its passing standard. Candidates who score below 500 automatically receive performance feedback by content area. Scores for other jurisdictions are sent through ASPPB's score transfer service.

How long should you study for the EPPP?

ASPPB does not set a study timeline, and the right amount depends on how recently you finished coursework and how you perform on practice questions. A practical approach is to take a mixed diagnostic first, schedule review by domain weight and weak areas, and save full-length timed practice for the final weeks. After a failed attempt, ASPPB recommends waiting about 90 days before retesting to allow time to prepare.

Is this EPPP practice exam aligned with the current content areas?

Yes. The practice bank is organized across the eight EPPP (Part 1-Knowledge) content areas and weights published by ASPPB, and each question is mapped to one of the 71 knowledge statements in the Candidate Handbook. FlashGenius questions are independent practice materials, not official ASPPB items.

Are these official EPPP exam questions?

No. These are independently written practice questions. They are not copied or reconstructed from the EPPP, and FlashGenius is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB).

Is the EPPP practice exam free?

Yes. You can review one sample question from every domain on this page, take the 10-question mixed quick-start test, and open each domain practice page without paying. The full question bank and timed 225-question exam simulation are part of FlashGenius Premium.

How is this different from ASPPB's official sample exams?

ASPPB sells optional 100-question sample exams built from retired EPPP items, taken online or at a test center, and ASPPB notes they are not designed to show where you need more study. FlashGenius practice gives you explanations for every answer and domain-level practice so you can target weak areas.

Is the EPPP changing in 2027?

Yes. ASPPB plans to launch an integrated EPPP in fall 2027 with six content domains. Part 1-Knowledge and Part 2-Skills will no longer be available to first-time candidates once the integrated exam takes effect, and candidates who have not yet passed may retake their exam through March 31, 2028. If you test before then, prepare for the current eight-domain Part 1 exam.

Does this practice exam cover EPPP Part 2-Skills?

No. This practice bank covers EPPP Part 1-Knowledge only. Part 2-Skills is required only in jurisdictions that have adopted it, so check with your licensing board.

Which EPPP domains should I study first?

Three domains make up nearly half of the exam: Assessment and Diagnosis (16%), Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues (16%), and Treatment, Intervention, Prevention and Supervision (15%). Start with a mixed quick test to find weak areas, then combine targeted review with these higher-weight domains.

How many times can you take the EPPP?

Retake rules are set by each licensing board, but ASPPB does not allow either part of the EPPP to be taken more than four times in any 12-month period. ASPPB recommends waiting about 90 days between attempts to allow time to prepare.

How often is this EPPP exam information reviewed?

The domain names, weights, and exam format were last reviewed on October 11, 2026 against the ASPPB EPPP Candidate Handbook (September 2026). Check ASPPB for the latest official information.

How should I use the sample tests?

Read each question carefully, commit to the single best answer, and study the explanation for every option, including the ones you got right. Track misses by domain, then build up to timed, full-length practice to work on pacing across the 4 hour 15 minute session.

FlashGenius is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASPPB. EPPP is a registered trademark of ASPPB.