Which of the following is the most obvious problem associated with a self-rating system when diagnosing psychological disorders?

• A. Self-rating systems guarantee a diagnosis without the need for further assessment.
• B. Self-rating systems are more expensive than structured clinical interviews.
• C. Self-rating systems always require a trained clinician to interpret the results.
• D. Individuals may provide biased or inaccurate responses due to social desirability or lack of self-awareness.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the purpose of self-rating systems in psychological assessment: they are tools where individuals report on their own symptoms or behaviors.
2. Recognize that a key limitation of self-rating systems is the potential for biased or inaccurate responses, which can occur because individuals might want to present themselves in a favorable light (social desirability) or may lack full awareness of their own symptoms.
3. Compare the given options to identify which one highlights this limitation: the problem is not about cost, guaranteed diagnosis, or the need for a clinician, but about the reliability of the individual's responses.
4. Focus on the concept of response bias in psychology, which refers to systematic tendencies of respondents to answer questions inaccurately or falsely, affecting the validity of self-reports.
5. Conclude that the most obvious problem with self-rating systems is that individuals may provide biased or inaccurate responses due to social desirability or lack of self-awareness, impacting the accuracy of diagnosis.