Know how the exam is built. Exploit its construction.
The numbers that define the battlefield. Every parameter is a constraint you can use.
8 content domains: BIO, COG, SOC, DEV, ASS, TRX, ETH, RES. Delivered at Pearson VUE across 320+ centers. Supervised practice pass threshold is 450. The 50 pretest items are indistinguishable from scored items — you cannot tell which count and which don't.
Every question on the EPPP passes through this gauntlet. Understanding it reveals how questions think.
Surveys thousands of licensed psychologists to define what content gets tested. This is why the exam reflects real practice — not textbook chapters.
Recruits and trains volunteer item writers. Oversees the entire creation process and sets quality standards.
Licensed psychologist volunteers write questions from home/office with references. Each item is peer-reviewed before advancing.
Validates accuracy, relevance, mastery level, public protection value, and bias-free language. Items must demonstrate professional-level thinking.
Ensures compliance with EPPP style guidelines. Standardizes language, structure, and presentation across all items.
Reviews EVERY item. Must reach consensus. Checks clarity, language, correctness, and cultural sensitivity. These are the real gatekeepers.
50 unscored items are mixed into live exams. Real candidates answer them under real conditions. Performance data is collected silently.
Statistical evaluation of item performance. Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis identifies potential bias across demographic groups.
Reviews DIF-flagged items for cultural bias. Has authority to remove items — but only 7 of 1,300+ have ever been pulled. The bar is surgical.
Approved items become operational (scored). They enter the live item bank and count toward your pass/fail determination.
The people who control what appears on the exam.
The EPPP uses Item Response Theory — and understanding it changes your strategy.
Unlike simple percentage scoring, IRT weights each question based on its difficulty, discrimination power, and guessing probability. Harder questions you get right boost your score more. The 225 raw responses are converted to a scaled score from 200–800.
~70% correct maps to a 500 scaled score (pass for independent practice). You can miss roughly 53 of the 175 scored items and still pass. But since 50 pretest items are mixed in and indistinguishable, you're effectively answering 225 questions without knowing which 175 count. Treat every question as scored.
50 pretest items represent 22% of your exam experience. They consume time, attention, and confidence — even though they don't affect your score. This is by design. The pretests exist to calibrate future items, not to help you. Budget your energy accordingly.
We ran 2,054 EPPP-style questions through a 4-model AI consensus analysis. The results challenge ASPPB's own domain classifications.
The current exam format has an expiration date. Here's the transition timeline.
The planned EPPP Part 2 (skills-based assessment) was put on hold after resistance from licensing boards and training programs.
A 14-member Content Integration Task Force was established to reimagine the EPPP from scratch.
New content domains, weighted categories, and sample questions will be published. This is when the new exam's shape becomes visible.
Integrated single-session EPPP replaces the current format. The 8-domain structure will be retired.
If you're taking the EPPP before Q4 2027, the current 8-domain format is your battlefield. Everything in this briefing applies. After that, new rules.
What this intelligence means for how you prepare.
Arizona holds 2 of 7 ASPPB Board seats — disproportionate influence for a single state. Mellott serves as President-Elect and Olvey as Secretary-Treasurer. This means Arizona's licensing perspective is heavily represented in exam governance decisions.