Deck 16: Developmental Psychopathology

Question 1

All of the following are criteria that have been used for identifying psychologically abnormal behavior EXCEPT

A)behavior must be statistically outside of the normal range.
B)behavior must be present prior to young adulthood.
C)behavior must interfere with personal and social adaptation.
D)behavior must cause personal distress.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

How are cultural considerations handled in the DSM-IV section on depression?

A)It has separate diagnostic criteria to be used in each of the industrialized nations.
B)It indicates that Asians are more likely to report somatic ailments than psychological ailments.
C)It notes that in many cultures the preferred treatment of exorcism is "spiritual cleansing."
D)Cultural and developmental variations are identified as irrelevant to diagnosis and treatment.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

As developmental psychologists, Rutter and Sroufe (2000) argue that psychological disorders are best

A)described in terms of a disease.
B)conceptualized as a pattern of adaptation that unfolds over time.
C)thought to be defects lying within the person.
D)understood without knowledge concerning the individual's personal characteristics, history, or developmental status as these factors bias the diagnosis.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Social norms are best defined as

A)the tendency to go against what others are doing.
B)cross-cultural expectations for behavior that are devoid of social context.
C)genetic-based programming that results in the expression of specific behaviors.
D)expectations of how to behave in a given social context.

Question 5

Which characteristic would not be found on an accurate list of symptoms of major depression?

A)Significant weight loss
B)Decreased ability to concentrate
C)Excessive sleep
D)Feelings of extreme shyness

Question 6

The "DSM" in DSM-IV refers to the

A)Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
B)Doctor's Scientific/Psychological Medical Guide
C)Diagram of Severe Mental Illnesses
D)Direct Services Method of Psychological Intervention

Question 7

According to the developmental pathways model,

A)psychological disorders are best characterized as diseases.
B)once a person's behavior deviates from the normal path, it will not return to normal.
C)normal genes and normal environments tend to push development along a normal course.
D)with age, individuals whose early development is maladaptive will almost always show deviation back to the norm.

Question 8

Which major depressive disorder criteria will likely be dropped in the DSM-5?

A)Psychomotor agitation or sluggishness
B)Recurrent suicidal thoughts
C)Should not better be described as reaction to bereavement
D)Not due the direct result of a substance abuse

Question 9

Developmental psychopathologists focus on

A)developing therapies for treatment of psychological disorders.
B)disorders of infancy and early childhood.
C)studying the origins and the path of maladaptive behaviors.
D)trying to establish genetic contributions to maladaptive behavior.

Question 10

Which statement best describes an element of the developmental pathways model?

A)Different developmental pathways can lead to the same outcome.
B)Change is only possible during one specific point of development.
C)A particular pathway can lead only in one direction.
D)The line between normal and abnormal behavior is clear and absolute.

Question 11

When commenting on his patient's compulsive behavior, Dr. Hernandez says, "He is not just a little compulsive, his level of behavior is as severe as I have ever seen." Dr. Hernandez's comment best illustrates the criteria of _____ in defining abnormal behavior.

A)social norms
B)personal distress
C)statistical deviance
D)joint attention

Question 12

When describing his problem, John says, "I know that my fear of spiders is not that unusual and that I still have my job as an exterminator, but this fear is mentally killing me!" John's comments illustrate the criteria of _____ in defining abnormal behavior.

A)maladaptiveness
B)personal distress
C)statistical deviance
D)joint attention

Question 13

Your psychology professor asks you to list at least five somatic symptoms. Which of the following should be on your accurate list?

A)Loss of appetite
B)Paranoia
C)Shame
D)Lack of conscience

Question 14

Vanna takes a lifespan neurodevelopmental view concerning depression. As such, she would be most interested in

A)parental modeling.
B)the developing brain.
C)social norms.
D)repressed memories.

Question 15

When describing the voices that he hears in his head, Bell says, "They really don't bother me, but they did cost me my job as a telephone operator as I kept giving out numbers to the voices rather than the callers." Bell's situation illustrates the criteria of _____ in defining abnormal behavior.

A)maladaptiveness
B)personal distress
C)statistical deviance
D)joint attention

Question 16

Forty-year-old Alfred has been accurately diagnosed with major depressive disorder. This means that you would be most likely to expect him to

A)be hyperactive.
B)show great interest in usual activities.
C)be more decisive in decision-making.
D)have recurrent thoughts of death.

Question 17

It has been proposed that in the DMS-V, discussion on the concept of autism

A)will be removed from the text.
B)be discussed as a single category of "autism spectrum disorders" rather than a list that includes numerous subcategories.
C)will be replaced with a broader category referred to as "conduct disorders of autistic type" and will drop references to linguistic problems.
D)will remain unchanged.

Question 18

If drafters of the DMS-5 have their way, the term "_____" will be replaced with the term "intellectual disability."

A)learning disability
B)multiple personality
C)cognitive disability
D)mental retardation

Question 19

To be accurately diagnosed with major depressive disorder, you would have to display at least five symptoms from a nine-symptom list. That nine-item list includes all of the following except

A)significant weight loss or weight gain.
B)insomnia or too much sleeping.
C)feelings of worthlessness or extreme guilt.
D)auditory or visual hallucinations.

Question 20

With regard to depressive disorders, the DSM-IV

A)defines major depression by the presence of a group of symptoms consistently evident for a period of time.
B)recommends the use of MAO inhibitors as a treatment.
C)includes affective symptoms like sad moods in the definition of depression but excludes behavioral symptoms like sleep disturbance.
D)recognizes that some people may suffer from major depression with as few as one or two symptoms.

Question 21

Suppose two people experience the same stressful events, and as a result of the experience, one person develops an affective disorder while the second person shows no ill effects. The diathesis-stress model would most likely explain this by saying that the

A)person who developed the disorder was older than the other person.
B)disordered person must be female and the other person male.
C)two people had different predispositions for the disorder and had likelyexperienced different levels of stress during past encounters with similar stimuli.
D)person who developed the disorder had a gene that guaranteed the disorder would develop at some point (even without any stress).

Question 22

In the diathesis-stress model, the term diathesis refers to a(n)

A)genetic or personality-based predisposition toward vulnerability.
B)state of calm.
C)anxiety-producing environmental event.
D)social norm.

Question 23

Echolalia is best described as

A)parroting what someone else is saying.
B)not speaking at all.
C)saying socially inappropriate things.
D)a lack of organized speech.

Question 24

According to the diathesis-stress model, the death of a loved one

A)would have no impact on the development of major depression.
B)is typically not enough to trigger major depression.
C)typically triggers major depression.
D)virtually always triggers the development of major depression.

Question 25

According to the diathesis-stress model, _____ should be the most likely to show the most extreme levels of a psychological disorder.

A)Bert, who is highly resilient and in an extremely stressful environment
B)Ernie, who is highly resilient and in a very low-stress environment
C)Grover, who is highly vulnerable and in an extremely stressful environment
D)Fozzie, who is highly vulnerable and in a very low-stress environment

Question 26

The question, "Is it appropriate for a 2-year-old to suck his thumb, but inappropriate for a 42-year-old to engage in the same behavior?" underlies the issue of

A)imprinting.
B)comorbidity.
C)generativity.
D)age norms.

Question 27

In the fictitious country of Rosieland, all married men are expected to wear pink hats when attending any soccer match. Within this culture, this expectation is best described as a(n)

A)form of imprinting.
B)social norm.
C)non-normative event.
D)type of psychopathology.

Question 28

Research using the diathesis-stress model indicates that

A)genes cannot predispose some people to depression but can influence the extent to which an individual experiences stressful life events.
B)genes predispose some people to depression but cannot influence the extent to which an individual experiences stressful life events.
C)genes predispose some people to depression and influence the extent to which an individual experiences stressful life events.
D)genes cannot predispose people to depression nor influence their experiences to stressful life events.

Question 29

The fact that depressed children in Thailand are less likely to engage in "acting out" behavior, because the Thai culture places great emphasis on internalizing problems, best illustrates the concept of _____ norms.

A)test
B)social
C)gender
D)age

Question 30

According to the diathesis-stress model, psychopathology results when

A)a stressful event triggers an already existing vulnerability or predisposition.
B)the id develops.
C)a gene that is programmed to activate at a certain point during the lifespan "turns on" without any trigger.
D)a mentally healthy person takes a psychoactive drug.

Question 31

According to Kanner's original description, _____ is not a defining feature of autism.

A)abnormal social development
B)impaired language and communicative skill development
C)repetitive, stereotyped behavior
D)moderate to severe mental retardation

Question 32

An age norm is best defined as

A)societal expectations for the behavior of all people in a particular social context.
B)expectations regarding behavior that is appropriate or inappropriate at a given age.
C)expectations for how to behave at a party.
D)cross-cultural expectations for behavior that are not tied to age.

Question 33

Augie has been correctly diagnosed with autism. As such, you should expect that Augie will be most likely to

A)show great empathy.
B)exhibit a superb ability to read the emotions of others.
C)have a great desire to make eye contact with peers.
D)find social contact to be aversive.

Question 34

Diathesis is to stress as

A)gene is to the environment.
B)externalized is to internalized.
C)cultural is to individual.
D)cause is to effect.

Question 35

Tom has noticed that his 2-year-old son, Jerry, often repeats phrases that he has heard on television. Interestingly, these are the only vocalizations that Jerry makes. A psychologist would be most likely to classify Jerry's deviant language behavior as

A)underextension.
B)private speech.
C)echolalia.
D)overregularization.

Question 36

If the diathesis for a psychological disorder is strong, then

A)personality or genetic predisposition will play a significant role in whether it is expressed.
B)the behavior will not occur until midlife.
C)it is more common in females than males.
D)the environment can shape the cause but not the course of the disorder.

Question 37

Doc Oc adheres to the diathesis-stress position when it comes to explaining the development of psychological disorders. As such, he would predict that if stress is the sole contributor to depression, than in a group of 100 individuals all carrying the same "at-risk gene" for depression who live in a stress-free world, _____ would develop depression.

A)0
B)25
C)50
D)100

Question 38

According to the diathesis-stress model, if 100% of individuals with a genetic predisposition to a disorder actually display symptoms of the disorder, regardless of their environmental experiences, this indicates that the behavior is

A)strongly related to diathesis.
B)strongly related to stress.
C)strongly related to both diathesis and stress.
D)neither related to diathesis nor stress.

Question 39

An imbalance in _____ appears to play a role in the acquisition of major depressive disorder.

A)serotonin levels
B)sensorimotor and concrete-operational thinking
C)beta-amyloids
D)corpus callosum activity

Question 40

If research indicated that having an extra 22nd chromosome and being very jolly made an individual at risk for developing schizophrenia, then for schizophrenia the extra 22nd chromosome and a jolly personality would exemplify a

A)somatic symptom.
B)recessive trait.
C)diathesis.
D)social norm.

Question 41

What behavior would an infant display that would lead a competent doctor to accurately suspect the child is suffering from autistic disorder?

A)Failure to respond to human voices
B)Excessive levels of joint attention
C)Showing a clear preference for human over nonhuman stimuli
D)An obsession with playing peek-a-boo and other social games

Question 42

Concerning genetic explanations of autism,

A)at this point there is no evidence of any genetic basis of the disorder.
B)there is clear evidence that autism is solely due to the presence of a third 21st chromosome.
C)the genes involved appear to cause a rapid deceleration of head and brain development over the course of the first three years after birth.
D)many genes have been implicated including some that appear to have been copied too many times.

Question 43

Mirror neurons

A)allow us to relate the feelings of others to our own experiences.
B)generate multiple copies of themselves, and each copy leads to an increase in dopamine levels.
C)are very fragile, and when they "die," they produce excessive levels of neuritic plaque.
D)only fire when they are stimulated by other mirror neurons.

Question 44

The social impairment that defines autism is now viewed as being

A)qualitatively and quantitatively different than from typical social behavior.
B)qualitatively rather than quantitatively different from typical social behavior.
C)quantitatively rather than qualitatively different from typical social behavior.
D)qualitatively and quantitatively similar to that of typical social behavior.

Question 45

The mirror neuron simulation hypothesis is best associated with the disorder of

A)autism.
B)schizophrenia.
C)depression.
D)attention deficit disorder.

Question 46

A now retracted article by Wakefield and others claimed that autism is caused by

A)baby formula fortified with iron.
B)lead poisoning.
C)the MMR vaccine.
D)excessive infantile exposure to television and computer screens.

Question 47

Which statement concerning the incidence of autism is true?

A)The rates of autism have declined in recent years.
B)Autism affects about 1 out of every 10 children.
C)The rate of autism is higher in males.
D)Most autistics with normal levels of intelligence are female.

Question 48

Rex is a teenager who characterized by his peers as a "little professor" who knows and talks a lot about one topic, dinosaurs. Given this description, Rex would most likely have _____ syndrome.

A)Turner
B)Down
C)Kleinfelter
D)Asperger

Question 49

All of the following are currently legitimate suspected causes of autism except

A)a lack of executive functions.
B)cold, rigid parenting.
C)genetic defect.
D)lack of a theory of mind.

Question 50

Which brain areas have been implicated as a possible cause of the behavioral problems found in individuals with autism?

A)The amygdala and frontal cortex
B)The hypothalamus and temporal cortex
C)The hippocampus and parietal cortex
D)The thalamus and the occipital cortex

Question 51

On the DSM-IV, Asperger syndrome would be found under the label "_____ disorders."

A)personality
B)autism spectrum
C)somatoform
D)anxiety

Question 52

The most likely reason for the increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders is that

A)in the 1990s, autism was removed from the U.S. list of disabilities eligible for special education services.
B)the rise has corresponded with the significant increase in the number of infants born with HIV.
C)in the 1990s, Asperger syndrome was removed from the DSM-IV.
D)there is now a broader definition for what used to be just autism.

Question 53

You enter a room and see an average-looking child wildly flapping his arms repetitively for no apparent reason. You then notice that this child becomes extremely agitated when an adult pulls a shade on a window down just a few inches. As a knowledgeable psychology student, you would rightly surmise that this child

A)has Down syndrome.
B)suffers from autism.
C)has muscular dystrophy.
D)is suffering from rubella.

Question 54

Under which DSM-IV category would you find autism spectrum disorders?

A)Personality disorders
B)Dissociative disorders
C)Adjustment disorders
D)Pervasive developmental disorders

Question 55

Which would indicate that a child is reversing pronouns?

A)Encountering a very smelly stranger and saying "I stink" rather than "you stink"
B)Correcting a stranger by saying, "My name is Ed not Edward"
C)Mixing up the concept of pet by referring to a "dog" using the word "cat"
D)Confusing when something happened by saying "I goed" instead of "I will go"

Question 56

What key evidence has emerged to disprove the myth that thimerosal (a mercury-based preservative) is responsible for autism?

A)Historically, no children with autism ever came into direct contact with thimerosal.
B)The incidence of autism has climbed after thimerosal was removed from the MMR vaccine.
C)As the amount of thimerosal in baby food has increased, the incidence of autism has decreased.
D)The incidence of autism has decreased significantly, but only in females who are immune the impact of thimerosal.

Question 57

Why is autism referred to as a "spectrum" of disorders?

A)It can occur at any time of the lifespan.
B)It includes a wide variety of conditions.
C)It impacts speech, behavior, and social skills.
D)It is related to other anxiety and mood disorders.

Question 58

Which is the best example of a stereotyped repetitive behavior?

A)Never speaking
B)Rocking back and forth continuously
C)Being depressed all of the time
D)Getting mad while you are taking a test

Question 59

Winne has good verbal skills and is highly intelligent, but has social relationship skills typical of an autistic child. Given this description, Winnie is most likely to be diagnosed with _____ syndrome.

A)Turner
B)Down
C)Kleinfelter
D)Asperger

Question 60

Which statement concerning the intellectual abilities of autistic individuals is most accurate?

A)The vast majority of autistics are mildly to severely mentally retarded.
B)Autistic individuals tend to score lower higher on nonverbal than verbal measures of intelligence.
C)More than half of children with autism score above 71 on IQ tests.
D)The description of some individuals with autism as "savants" with special abilities in a given area (e.g., quickly calculating the days of the week corresponding to dates on a calendar) is a myth.

Question 61

Which statement concerning the long-term prognosis for autistic children is true?

A)Most can be improved significantly through drug treatment.
B)Most autistics achieve a normal level of functioning when they reach adulthood.
C)The best interventions involve intensive and highly structured behavioral and educational programs aimed at young children.
D)Intensive behavior modification programs have been shown to increase levels of aggressiveness and self-stimulation.

Question 62

The most accurate statement concerning the use of behavioral and cognitive interventions with children with autism is that they

A)are virtually worthless at changing behaviors.
B)can lead to significant gains, especially in young children who do not have severe intellectual disabilities.
C)can lead to significant gains, especially in older children who do have significant intellectual disabilities.
D)typically lead to significant improvements in all children, regardless of their age or level of intellect.

Question 63

The major criticism of Lovaas's research findings on autism was that his research

A)was not a true experiment because participants were not randomly assigned to treatment and control groups.
B)used physical pain as an unethical form of punishment.
C)can never be replicated because the drugs he administered to the children are now illegal.
D)was sexist as he only studied males with autism.

Question 64

According to the executive dysfunction hypothesis, autistic behavior is the result of a brain that is

A)too small.
B)unable to plan and change one's course of actions.
C)lacking Broca's area.
D)overrun with mirror neurons.

Question 65

Who is displaying an externalizing problem?

A)Darrin, who is worrying about his psychology exam
B)Samantha, who is depressed
C)Tabitha, who punches other children on the playground
D)Stevens, who is extremely shy

Question 66

Internalizing is to externalizing as

A)being inhibited is to acting out.
B)aggression is to depression.
C)undercontrolled is to overcontrolled.
D)hyperactive is to inactive.

Question 67

Baron-Cohen has recently suggested that the extreme _____ hypothesis may explain the cause of Asperger syndrome.

A)theory-of-mind
B)executive dysfunction
C)central coherence
D)male brain

Question 68

How many of the following (having a clinically depressed father, living in a disturbed family environment, residing in a stressful environment) would the diathesis-stress model consider as risk factors for a child exhibiting a psychological disorder?

A)0
B)1
C)2
D)3

Question 69

Depression-like symptoms are most likely to be seen in infants who

A)show no somatic reactions.
B)have experienced perinatal complications.
C)are mentally retarded.
D)show a disorganized pattern of attachment.

Question 70

Recent research has shown that the nasal administration of _____ appears to improve social information and understanding in high-functioning individuals with autism.

A)beta-amyloid
B)thimerosal
C)antihistamines
D)oxytocin

Question 71

Despite having been born of normal weight, 1-year-old Trevor's weight has not increased as expected. In addition, he is showing depression-like responses. Given these symptoms, Trevor is best diagnosed with

A)autism.
B)failure to thrive.
C)Down syndrome.
D)agoraphobia.

Question 72

Executive functions are thought to take place in the _____ cortex of the brain.

A)occipital
B)temporal
C)prefrontal
D)parietal

Question 73

According to the extreme male brain theory of autism, the key problem with individuals with autism is that they

A)lack empathy and do not attempt to keep the world orderly.
B)lack empathy and try too hard to keep the world orderly.
C)are too empathetic and do not attempt to keep the world orderly.
D)are too empathetic and try too hard to keep the world orderly.

Question 74

Failure to thrive in otherwise healthy infants is usually

A)attributed to perinatal complications.
B)so severe that it cannot be undone.
C)the result of having unaffectionate or depressed caregivers.
D)misdiagnosed as autism.

Question 75

Internalizing problems are

A)actions that violate social expectations.
B)particularly disruptive to people who come in contact with the child.
C)easier to directly observe than externalizing disorders.
D)more prevalent among girls than boys.

Question 76

The defining element of an externalizing problem involves

A)hallucinations.
B)delusions.
C)acting out.
D)phobias.

Question 77

Which statement best describes an internalizing problem?

A)More disruptive to self than others
B)Almost always illegal
C)Difficult to control one's actions
D)Violation of social expectations

Question 78

Which of the following is an example of an internalizing disorder?

A)Constantly interrupting the activities of others
B)Constantly worrying about whether you are performing adequately
C)Loudly refusing to follow the rules established for the classroom
D)Hitting other children

Question 79

Ivar Lovaas conducted pioneering research on children with autism in which he was able to use _____ to significantly improve their language and social skills.

A)psychoactive medications
B)psychoanalysis
C)reinforcement principles
D)mirror therapy

Question 80

Which is true regarding depression in infancy?

A)Infants do not exhibit depression-like symptoms.
B)Infants experience the same cognitions that are common among adults (e.g., feelings of low self-esteem, worthlessness, hopelessness).
C)Infants who display depression-like symptoms are those who are most securely attached to their caregivers.
D)Infants sometimes display depression-like symptoms and states.