Deck 5: Stress and Physical and Mental Health

Question 1

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale ________

A) examines the role that coping plays in dealing with life changes.
B) did not acknowledge that happy events create life changes and, as a consequence, stress.
C) is an imperfect means of quantifying the level of stress experience over a period of time.
D) has been used to demonstrate that life events and health are not related.

Answer 1

is an imperfect means of quantifying the level of stress experience over a period of time.

Question 2

Which of the following is not considered a life change?

A) Being promoted
B) Being diabetic
C) Getting pregnant
D) A death in the family

Answer 2

Being diabetic

Question 3

Coping strategies are ________

A) efforts to deal with stress.
B) efforts to avoid conflict.
C) the same thing as eustress.
D) the dynamic interaction between the types of stressors and the person.

Answer 3

efforts to deal with stress.

Question 4

Stress tolerance is ________

A) a biological attribute
B) a pressure
C) a person's ability to withstand stress without becoming seriously impaired
D) a crisis for most people

Question 5

The term "crisis" refers to ________

A) any time when a stressful situation exceeds one's ability to cope.
B) encountering a number of stressors simultaneously.
C) a period of especially acute stress.
D) any encounter that requires a readjustment of self concept.

Question 6

According to the text, a factor that does not make one stressor more serious than another includes________.

A) severity
B) chronicity
C) geographic region
D) how expected it is.

Question 7

Crisis is ________

A) a double avoidance conflict.
B) when the individual cannot make a decision.
C) an internal pressure.
D) when a stressful situation overwhelms the individual.

Question 8

The term "stress" is used in the text to refer to ________

A) only those external events in our lives that challenge us.
B) any positive demand made on an organism.
C) the effects of external stressors within the organism.
D) anything that makes us unhappy.

Question 9

What do positive and negative stressors have in common?

A) They usually last indefinitely.
B) Both occur without warning.
C) They have an equivalent potential for causing lasting damage.
D) Both tax one's resources and coping skills.

Question 10

Who is likely to have the most severe stress?

A) Anne, who is planning her wedding
B) Bill, who has a deadline the next day for an important project
C) Lauren, who sees the aftermath of an accident
D) Josh, who has just been told he has cancer and whose wife announces she is leaving him when he tells her the news

Question 11

The development of new methods of coping ________

A) may be an outcome of a crisis.
B) always occurs when adaptive capabilities are exceeded.
C) increases the expectation of future failures.
D) is continuously needed as we face new stressors on a daily basis.

Question 12

Which of the following psychological disturbances does not occur in response to an identifiable experience?

A) Adjustment disorder
B) Acute stress disorder
C) Depression
D) Post-traumatic stress disorder

Question 13

According to your textbook, which of the following is most stressful to people and animals?

A) Constant stressors
B) Predictable stressors
C) Uncontrollable stressors
D) Physical stressors

Question 14

What is the difference between a stressor and a crisis?

A) There is no difference, these are just two words for the same thing.
B) While all crises are stressors, not all stressors are crises.
C) There is a biological response to stress, but not to crisis.
D) A stressor is an unexpected crisis.

Question 15

What is not a key factor in making a stressor more serious?

A) How long it lasts
B) How severe it is
C) Its type or category
D) How expected it is

Question 16

Which of the following factors is linked to a person's ability to cope better?

A) Intelligence
B) Social support
C) Absence of the 5HT-TLPR gene
D) Early life stress

Question 17

Selye ________

A) recognized that both happy and sad life events can be sources of stress.
B) conducted extensive research on the effects of stress on the immune system.
C) failed to acknowledge the role of the environment in adapting to stress.
D) focused on the cognitive component of the stress response.

Question 18

Distress is ________

A) seen when a situation is ambiguous.
B) a response to a happy life event.
C) the same thing as eustress.
D) a response to a negative event.

Question 19

In DSM-5, a new category has been added. What is this new category?

A) Stress not specified
B) Positive stressor disorders
C) Stress and psychopathology
D) Trauma- and stressor-related disorders

Question 20

Which of the following terms refers to efforts to deal with stress?

A) Coping strategies
B) Compensatory strategies
C) Sublimation
D) Projection

Question 21

What is the term for the biological cost of adapting to stress?

A) Allostatic load
B) Homeostatic load
C) Sympathetic load
D) Parasympathetic load

Question 22

Which of the following will lessen the impact of a stressful situation?

A) Holding unrealistic expectations about the stressor
B) Minimizing the use of social support
C) Preparing for the stressor
D) Being uncertain as to how long the stressor will persist

Question 23

Which of the following is the biological cascade that is activated with prolonged stress?

A) The adrenal-hypothalamic-prefrontal axis
B) The cortical-thalamic-neural axis
C) The psycho-neuro-biological axis
D) The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis

Question 24

B-cells are ________

A) cells that engulf antigens.
B) cells that produce antibodies.
C) cells that harm the immune system.
D) cells that are antigens.

Question 25

Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of the interaction between the ___________.

A) nervous system and the immune system
B) psychological system and the nervous system
C) psychological system and the immune system
D) nervous system and the hypothalamic system

Question 26

According to your textbook, which of the following is a factor that increases resilience?

A) Being female
B) Being older
C) Being African American
D) Being Latino

Question 27

An individual with a high stress tolerance ________

A) can function well in the face of a high level of stress.
B) is likely to be particularly vulnerable to slight frustration.
C) may feel threatened more readily than those with low stress tolerance.
D) is particularly vulnerable to acute stress disorder.

Question 28

Which of the following is a criticism of the life event, interview-based scales?

A) They do not recognize that joyful events can be stressful.
B) They limit the kind of events that can be reported.
C) They do not recognize that multiple life changes will produce greater stress.
D) They are more expensive to administer.

Question 29

Which of the following statements about stress is correct?

A) The response an individual will have to a stressor can be readily predicted.
B) Cognitive factors do not play a role in determining the severity of stress.
C) Some people are predisposed to respond poorly to demands.
D) Changes in the level of external supports one has are unrelated to stress reactions.

Question 30

Healthy psychological and physical functioning after a potentially traumatic event is called ________.

A) coping
B) resilience
C) compensation
D) adaptation

Question 31

A client is administered the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Which of the following would be measured?

A) Severe crises
B) Major life transitions
C) Availability of coping resources
D) Common, stressful life experiences

Question 32

Which type of cells release interleukin?

A) B-cells
B) Macrophages
C) Red blood cells
D) Neurons

Question 33

Which is not a stressor linked to immunosuppression, according to the text?

A) Vacation
B) Sleep deprivation
C) Spaceflight
D) Death of a spouse

Question 34

I often find that when I am ill, I am not able to cope effectively with the normal hassles of life. I find myself becoming irritated by things that I would usually be able to ignore. Which of the following would explain this phenomenon?

A) When using resources to deal with one stressor, the ability to tolerate additional stressors may be compromised.
B) Major life changes may impair the ability to cope effectively with daily hassles.
C) During the exhaustion phase of the general adaptation syndrome illness becomes likely.
D) Allostatic load leads to psychological and biological vulnerability.

Question 35

Which of the following can cause stress-induced immunosuppression?

A) Serotonin
B) Adrenaline
C) GABA
D) Glucocorticoids

Question 36

The Life Events and Difficulty Schedule ________

A) is another name for the Social Readjustment Rating Scale.
B) allows the rater to consider the person's unique circumstances.
C) was developed prior to the Social Readjustment Rating Scale.
D) does not provide any more information than the Social Readjustment Rating Scale.

Question 37

The stress glucocorticoid that is produced in humans is called ________.

A) adrenalin
B) estrogen
C) cortisol
D) repression

Question 38

Cortisol ________

A) is always stable in humans.
B) does not respond to stress.
C) prepares the body for fight or flight.
D) prepares the body for sleep.

Question 39

The Life Event and Difficulty Schedule ________

A) provides a quick way to assess stress responses and coping skills.
B) allows raters to consider different circumstances around the same stressor.
C) focuses on how difficult life events are handled.
D) provides a timeline for describing the stress response.

Question 40

What is the name of the system that is designed to mobilize resources and prepare a fight-or-flight response?

A) The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system
B) The cortex-thalamus cortisol system
C) The sympathetic-adrenomedullary system
D) The parasympathetic prefrontal cortex system

Question 41

For an adjustment disorder, the symptoms must appear within __________ months of the stressor?

A) two
B) nine
C) three
D) six

Question 42

The field of psychoneuroimmunology ________

A) focuses on the relationship between stress and mental illness.
B) explores the neurological basis of autoimmune conditions.
C) seeks to establish a link between psychological functioning and vulnerability to illness.
D) examines the effects of stressors on the immune system.

Question 43

What is a risk factor?

A) A variable that can occur within 6 months of a stressor
B) A variable that increases the likelihood of a specific negative outcome
C) A biological factor that increases resistance to disease
D) A reaction to a normal event

Question 44

What seems to be the most important component for coronary heart disease in the Type A behavior pattern?

A) Hostility
B) Time urgency
C) Competitiveness
D) Work commitment

Question 45

Positive psychology is a school of thought that focuses on a person's ________

A) strengths and virtues.
B) ability to achieve rewards.
C) mathematical abilities.
D) ability to distinguish right from wrong.

Question 46

Which was not an effective treatment for stress-related disorders, according to your text?

A) Psychoanalysis
B) Emotional disclosure
C) Meditation
D) Biofeedback

Question 47

People with heart disease are ____ times more likely than healthy people to be depressed.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five

Question 48

According to the text, PTSD _________

A) is a diagnosis that entered the DSM in 1990.
B) has little preexisting vulnerabilities.
C) has symptoms that tend to decrease with time in most people.
D) is viewed as an abnormal response to a normal stressor.

Question 49

Which cytokine has been associated with depression and caring for family members with Alzheimer's disease?

A) HIV
B) Adrenaline
C) GABA
D) Interleukin-6

Question 50

Stress slows the healing of wounds by as much as ___ to ___ percent.

A) 5; 10.
B) 12; 15.
C) 24; 40.
D) 55; 70.

Question 51

What is considered the "front line" of immune system defense?

A) Antigens
B) Cortisol
C) Leukocytes
D) Hypothalamus

Question 52

Prolonged stress leads to suppression of the immune system. What might explain the evolution of such a seemingly flawed reaction?

A) There is no reasonable explanation for this.
B) Susceptibility to disease would increase the likelihood of an early death.
C) Immune suppression has no lasting effects on overall health.
D) Such immune suppression might prevent the development of autoimmune illnesses.

Question 53

Stress tends to do what to telomeres?

A) Increases their strength
B) Decreases their strength
C) Increases their physical length
D) Decreases their physical length

Question 54

In regards to stress research, a risk factor is ________

A) something about the nature of a stressor that makes it worse for most people.
B) something in a person's history that makes that person more vulnerable to stress.
C) something in a person's learning experiences that makes that person a thrill seeker.
D) something in a person's genetic makeup that makes that person respond well to stress.

Question 55

Work-related stress in the form a highly demanding job combined with ________ can elevate risk of coronary heart disease.

A) little opportunity for advancement
B) little decision-making control
C) a Type B personality
D) introversion

Question 56

The pituitary gland ________

A) controls the release of hormones by the hypothalamus.
B) is part of the immune system.
C) produces adrenalin.
D) is important to the release of stress hormones.

Question 57

What is Type D personality type?

A) The "depressed" type
B) The "dysfunctional" type
C) The "distressed" type
D) The "detached" type

Question 58

What is the term for the procedure that aims to make a patient more aware of such things as their heart rate, level of muscle tension, or blood pressure?

A) Relaxation
B) Meditation
C) Hypnosis
D) Biofeedback

Question 59

Sudden cardiac death is ______ times higher in men with high levels of anxiety.

A) two
B) four
C) six
D) eight

Question 60

Clyde is unmarried and has few friends. Why is he at greater risk for developing coronary heart disease than the general population?

A) He is unlikely to seek help if he notices problems.
B) Social isolation has been associated with increased risk of the disease.
C) He has no knowledge of his problems.
D) He is socially awkward and thus has increased risks for disease.

Question 61

According to DSM-5, acute stress disorder becomes PTSD when _________

A) the trauma is an event out of the realm of normal life experience.
B) the symptoms last for more than 2 weeks.
C) the symptoms last for more than 4 weeks.
D) the symptoms begin within 6 months of the trauma.

Question 62

A main symptom of PTSD in DSM-5 is _________

A) development of stress-related diseases.
B) reexperiencing of the traumatic event.
C) panic attacks when remembering the trauma.
D) depression.

Question 63

Based on occupation, which of the following would have the lowest rates of PTSD following rescue work during a major disaster?

A) Waitresses comforting the injured at the medical tent
B) Construction workers trying to clear rubble
C) Teachers asked to hold bandages in place
D) Police officers removing the seriously injured from the site

Question 64

Why should we study the causal factors in PTSD, since we already know traumatic events cause it?

A) Because if we do not study it, we will not diagnose it.
B) Political lobbying requires the study of it.
C) Victims often feel guilt about their reaction to the trauma.
D) Because not everyone who is exposed to a trauma develops PTSD.

Question 65

Feelings of control over stressors _________

A) do not make a difference when it comes to extremely severe stressors like torture.
B) can make a difference even for victims of torture-if the person feels he or she has some control, he or she tends to be less affected by the stressor over the long term.
C) can make people feel worse because they believe they should have been able to change what happened.
D) can make a difference even for victims of torture-if the person feels he or she has some control, he or she tends to be more affected by the stressor over the long term.

Question 66

"Combat exhaustion" is known as ________ today.

A) acute stress disorder
B) shell shock
C) PTSD
D) war neurosis

Question 67

It is believed that the incidence of combat exhaustion during WWII has been underestimated because _________

A) there was a debate as to how to differentiate between combat exhaustion and PTSD.
B) many men were treated in the field and never formally diagnosed.
C) those who were discharged for medical reasons were not counted when estimates were made.
D) many men who were diagnosed with the brain disorder "shell shock" were probably suffering from combat exhaustion.

Question 68

During WWII, the descriptors of the traumatic reactions to combat conditions _________

A) emphasized that these were a product of organic processes.
B) placed too much emphasis on physical exhaustion.
C) did not differentiate these reactions from other psychological problems, such as drug abuse.
D) were comparable to what is now called acute stress disorder.

Question 69

According to your textbook, what percentage of Army soldiers and Marines in Iraq report that they have been attacked or ambushed?

A) 56%
B) 63%
C) 77%
D) 92%

Question 70

Estimates of the prevalence of PTSD _________

A) have not been made.
B) indicate that most people who experience a traumatic event develop PTSD.
C) demonstrate that it is more commonly seen in women.
D) find that it rarely exists as a comorbid condition.

Question 71

The impact of torture _________

A) is always a severe level of PTSD.
B) can vary depending on the type of torture used.
C) can vary depending on if the torture was perceived as uncontrollable or not.
D) depends on whether the person previously had another psychological disorder.

Question 72

For which of the following would the use of stress-inoculation training be most effective?

A) Preparing for chemotherapy
B) Dealing with the aftermath of a rape
C) Coping with the loss of a loved one
D) Minimizing the impact of losing one's home, after it is lost

Question 73

In the DSM-5, PTSD is a part of a diagnostic category called ________.

A) Anxiety Disorders
B) Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders
C) Depressive Disorders
D) Transient- and Chronic Distress Disorders

Question 74

Which of the following will lower a soldier's risk of developing PTSD?

A) No prior experience in combat
B) Believing strongly in the goals of the combat
C) Whether he or she is in combat in a familiar country or not
D) Whether he or she talks about experiences

Question 75

Stress-inoculation training ________

A) has been employed in the military and been found to be ineffective.
B) prepares one to deal with a stressor by considering solutions to the problems that are likely.
C) is a form of cognitive preparation that can be used to minimize the impact of an anticipated threat.
D) can be used to prepare for most any disaster.

Question 76

Why is there such a high likelihood of long-lasting psychological problems resulting from active combat experiences?

A) Research has revealed that those who enlist are more likely to be emotionally unstable.
B) When task-oriented coping strategies are ineffective, emotional breakdown is inevitable.
C) Combat situations present highly stressful situations for which there may be no truly effective coping mechanisms.
D) Basic training is ineffective at preparing new recruits for any of the challenges they will likely face.

Question 77

Which is an individual risk factor for developing PTSD?

A) Higher levels of social support
B) Having no family history of depression
C) Believing that their symptoms are a sign of personal strength
D) Being neurotic

Question 78

Stress-inoculation training _________

A) involves learning new ways to think about an anticipated threat and then applying these techniques to several different types of threats.
B) prepares one to deal with a stressor by considering solutions to the problems that are likely to arise.
C) is a form of cognitive preparation that can be used to minimize the impact of any life challenge.
D) can be used to prepare for almost any disaster.

Question 79

Having a history of psychological problems before going into combat _________

A) will make a soldier much more likely to develop PTSD.
B) will make a soldier much more likely to develop PTSD only if the combat situation is extreme.
C) sometimes increases risk of PTSD, but may lower it because the person is used to anxiety and copes automatically with it.
D) doesn't have an impact on developing PTSD.

Question 80

Approximately ____ percent of women develop PTSD over the course of their lives.

A) 5
B) 10
C) 15
D) 20