Sierra went to her new doctor complaining of a variety of physical pains and symptoms. After a thorough exam and testing over multiple days, her doctor verified that nothing was wrong with Sierra physically. He noted from her chart that in high school she had reported recurring pains but that medications did little to help. He suspected Sierra was a hypochondriac-a person who repeatedly complains of physical symptoms that actually have a psychological origin-and so referred her to a clinical psychologist. The psychologist used the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), a widely used method for diagnosing mental disorders to diagnose Sierra with hypochondriasis. Which assumption would have changed the psychologist's mind?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The psychologist used the DSM-5 to diagnose Sierra with hypochondriasis, which is a disorder characterized by the persistent belief that one has a serious medical condition despite evidence to the contrary. However, if Sierra actually had a difficult-to-diagnose physical ailment, then her symptoms would not be purely psychological, and the diagnosis of hypochondriasis would not be accurate. Therefore, if the assumption were changed to indicate that Sierra had a physical condition causing her symptoms, it would cause the psychologist to reconsider the diagnosis of hypochondriasis.

Sierra Went to Her New Doctor Complaining of a Variety