Question 1

In which disorder do people feel ill much of the time and visit doctors repeatedly for problems, such as vomiting or nausea, shortness of breath, and difficulty swallowing, but with no physical cause beingfound for their distress?

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder is a disorder in which individuals experience persistent physical symptoms that are distressing or impairing, but without any identifiable medical cause. Patients with this disorder often seek medical attention repeatedly, leading to excessive use of medical resources. Delusional disorder is a psychotic disorder characterized by persistent delusions, dissociative disorder involves disruptions in consciousness or memory, and psychosomatic disorder is a physical illness that is believed to be caused or exacerbated by psychological factors.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of somatic symptom disorder?

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder is characterized by excessive concern or preoccupation with physical symptoms that are either very mild or not apparent at all. Wally's belief that he has blocked arteries is an example of somatic symptom disorder. Mary's use of a knee brace, Steve's muscle spasms, and Amy's elevated blood pressure have clear physical causes and are not indicative of somatic symptom disorder.

Question 3

Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen by proxy syndrome are types of __________ disorders.

Accepted Answer

Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen by proxy syndrome are both factitious disorders, which are characterized by individuals feigning or inducing physical or psychological symptoms for the purpose of assuming the sick role and receiving medical attention or sympathy.

Question 4

Factitious disorders and conversion disorder would be classified in the DSM-5 as

Accepted Answer

Factitious disorders and conversion disorder are classified as somatic symptom and related disorders in the DSM-5. Somatic symptom disorders involve physical symptoms that are either excessive or disproportionate to any known medical condition, and are often associated with significant distress or impairment. Factitious disorders involve the intentional creation or exaggeration of physical or psychiatric symptoms in order to assume the sick role, while conversion disorder involves the development of physical symptoms that cannot be explained by any known medical condition and are believed to be due to psychological factors. Both conditions fall under the category of somatic symptom and related disorders because they are characterized by physical symptoms that are either not fully explains by medical condition or intentionally created.

Question 5

Before the doctor sees Mina, the nurse asks Mina a series of questions regarding her bodily complaints.Mina tells the nurse that in the past week she has had vomiting, constipation, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, numbness in her feet at night, a painful tingling in her feet during the day, and headaches that keep her in bed most of the day.The nurse suspects that Mina may have a(n)__________ disorder.

Accepted Answer

A somatic symptom disorder involves experiencing physical symptoms that are not fully explainable by medical conditions or substances, and can cause significant distress and disruption in daily life. Mina's presentation of multiple physical complaints without a clear medical explanation points towards a somatic symptom disorder. Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in consciousness and identity, obsessive-compulsive disorders involve unwanted obsessive thoughts and behaviors, and conversion disorders involve neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by medical conditions.

Question 6

When an affected person fakes the medical problems of someone in his or her care in order to gain attention, that person would be diagnosed with

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is consistent with Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which an individual (usually a caregiver of a child or vulnerable adult) fabricates or induces illness in the person they are caring for in order to gain attention or sympathy for themselves. Munchausen syndrome (choice A) involves fabricating or inducing illness in oneself. Prader-Willi syndrome (choice B) is a genetic disorder that affects growth and development. Conversion disorder (choice D) involves experiencing physical symptoms without any underlying medical cause. While it is possible for a person with Munchausen syndrome to also exhibit conversion disorder, the scenario described in the question specifically involves an individual faking medical problems in someone else, rather than experiencing physical symptoms themselves.

Question 7

Even though she is very healthy, Renee is overconcerned with her health.She is preoccupied with developing cancer, so she spends a lot of time reading about cancer, checking her moles, and going for cancer screenings more often than necessary.Renee is most likely suffering from a

Accepted Answer

Renee's preoccupation and excessive worry about developing cancer, as well as her behavior of continually checking for signs of cancer and going for screenings more often than necessary, suggest somatic symptom disorder. This disorder involves excessive focus on physical symptoms or health concerns, leading to distress and impairment in daily functioning. The other options (conversion disorder, dissociative fugue, and psychosomatic illness) do not accurately describe Renee's symptoms.

Question 8

To gain attention, an affected person fakes his or her medical problems or those of someone in his or her care with this mental disorder called a(n)__________ disorder.

Accepted Answer

The term "factitious" refers to something that is created artificially or not genuine. In the case of factitious disorder, the affected person intentionally fakes symptoms of an illness in order to gain attention, sympathy, or other benefits. This disorder can be seen in both adults and children and is considered a mental illness. Therefore, option A is the correct answer. Options B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not refer to a disorder where an individual intentionally fakes symptoms.

Question 9

Mac has been to numerous doctors regarding the pain in his hips and knees.Although Mac is clearly experiencing pain in these areas, the doctors can find no sign of arthritis or muscular damage.Mac may be experiencing

Accepted Answer

Mac may be experiencing somatic symptom disorder, which is characterized by physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition. This disorder often co-occurs with anxiety and depression.

Question 10

People with which of the following disorders are usually mothers who fabricate their children's illnesses and sometimes even deliberately harm their children to make them sick?

Accepted Answer

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (also known as factitious disorder imposed on another) is a rare type of mental illness where a caregiver, usually a mother, fabricates or induces illness in their child to gain attention or sympathy for themselves. It is a type of child abuse and can result in serious harm or even death for the child. Somatization disorder involves multiple physical symptoms without any underlying medical cause. Klinefelter's syndrome is a genetic disorder where males have an extra X chromosome, leading to physical and developmental differences. Conversion disorder involves the development of neurological symptoms without any underlying neurological cause. None of these disorders involve intentionally harming a child to make them sick.

Question 11

Sarah says that she feels "sick" all the time and has consulted many different doctors regarding her numerous physical complaints.However, no organic cause can be identified for any of these physical complaints.Sarah most likely has a(n)

Accepted Answer

Sarah's symptoms suggest that she may be experiencing a somatic symptom disorder, which is characterized by physical symptoms that have no known organic cause. Psychosomatic illnesses may also have no known organic cause, but they are typically caused or worsened by psychological factors. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves persistent, intrusive thoughts and compulsions, whereas conversion disorder involves the experience of neurological symptoms without a clear physical cause.

Question 12

Edgar is experiencing severe back pain that has no identifiable physical cause, that is, there is no damage to bone, muscle, or nerve tissue.Edgar's imaginary pain would be classified as a

Accepted Answer

Edgar's pain is classified as a somatic symptom disorder, which is characterized by physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition. The pain is not imaginary, but rather is experienced by the individual as real and distressing.

Question 13

People who suffer from which disorders appear to have a pathological need to seek attention and sympathy from medical professionals?

Accepted Answer

Factitious disorders, also known as Munchausen syndrome, involve consciously feigning or exaggerating symptoms in order to gain attention and sympathy from medical professionals. In severe cases, individuals may even go so far as to induce actual physical symptoms in themselves in order to elicit a medical response.

Question 14

Halley enjoys the attention she receives when she goes to the doctor, so she has been making herself appear sick by deliberately causing minor ankle sprains or digestion problems or by complaining of frequent "headaches" and "heart palpitations." Halley would most likely be diagnosed with

Accepted Answer

Halley's behavior of deliberately causing physical symptoms for attention and sympathy from medical professionals is characteristic of Munchausen syndrome. This disorder is also sometimes referred to as factitious disorder imposed on self.

Question 15

Justine was diagnosed with Munchausen syndrome by proxy.This means that she

Accepted Answer

Munchausen syndrome by proxy involves a caregiver who fakes, induces, or exaggerates medical symptoms in someone in their care to gain attention or sympathy. Therefore, option B is the correct choice. Option A describes Munchausen syndrome, where a person fakes their own medical problems. Option C describes somatic symptom disorder, where emotional conflicts are manifested as physical symptoms. Option D describes dissociative amnesia, where a person experiences frequent episodes of depersonalization and amnesia.

Question 16

When people fake their own medical problems in order to gain attention and sympathy from medical professionals, they would be diagnosed with

Accepted Answer

Munchausen syndrome is a factitious disorder in which individuals intentionally produce or exaggerate symptoms of an illness or injury for the primary purpose of gaining attention and sympathy from medical professionals.

Question 17

Trenton was diagnosed with Munchausen syndrome.This means that he

Accepted Answer

Munchausen syndrome is a mental disorder in which a person fakes or exaggerates their own medical problems in order to gain attention and sympathy from medical professionals and loved ones. Option A is the correct definition of this syndrome. Option B refers to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, which is a related disorder in which a person fakes or causes medical problems in someone in their care. Option C refers to conversion disorder, in which emotional conflicts produce physical symptoms, and option D refers to dissociative disorder.

Question 18

In a somatic symptom disorder, the person

Accepted Answer

In a somatic symptom disorder, the person expresses his or her anxieties through various bodily complaints, such as pain or fatigue, even though no medical explanation can be found for the symptoms.

Question 19

Even though Tomas has never smoked, he immediately thinks that his bad cough is the result of lung cancer rather than the common cold.If he has a mild rash, he immediately thinks he has skin cancer or shingles and goes to the doctor.His friends tell Tomas that he is a hypochondriac, but the correct DSM-5 diagnosis for Tomas' condition is

Accepted Answer

Tomas' symptoms suggest somatic symptom disorder, which is characterized by excessive and disproportionate thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to perceived physical symptoms or health concerns. This disorder often involves anxiety and fear about one's health, frequent visits to healthcare providers, and persistent worry and preoccupation with one's physical well-being. People with somatic symptom disorder may also have physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition, and their concerns about health and physical symptoms often interfere with their daily functioning. Conversion disorder, dissociative disorder, and psychosomatic illness are all different types of medical conditions and do not fit Tomas' symptoms.

Question 20

Ben was usually in the hospital at least 15 times a year.He was taking 19 different medications, and his mother said that she desperately wanted him to be healed.The doctors discovered that there was nothing wrong with Ben.It was determined that Ben's mother had a pathological need to seek attention and sympathy from medical professionals by "keeping her child sick." Ben's mother had which of the following disorders?

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are consistent with Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which a caregiver deliberately makes someone else (often a child) ill in order to gain attention or sympathy.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders.