Question 1

For the past 4 months, Ryan has been feeling sad and empty. Although he has no reason to, Ryan feels guilty and worthless. Ryan has been sleeping poorly and he is unusually fatigued. Ryan usually loves to play soccer, but his interest in playing has disappeared. Ryan is not eating well and he has lost weight even though he wasn't trying to do so. What disorder would Ryan MOST likely be diagnosed with?

Accepted Answer

Ryan's symptoms align with major depressive disorder, characterized by a persistent sad or empty mood, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, changes in sleep and appetite, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, and significant weight change, lasting for more than two weeks. Persistent depressive disorder involves chronic symptoms for at least two years, cyclothymic disorder involves mood swings but not full major depressive episodes, and bipolar disorder includes episodes of mania or hypomania, which are not mentioned in Ryan's case.

Question 2

The symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder:

Accepted Answer

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms are persistent and broad, not limited to specific situations or objects. They involve excessive anxiety and worry about various aspects of daily life, not just intense fear of specific situations or sudden bursts of fear.

Question 3

In _____ disorders, a person loses awareness of, or becomes disconnected from, essential parts of the self. This can include a person's memories, emotions, or identity.

Accepted Answer

Dissociative disorders involve a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. People with these disorders escape reality in ways that are involuntary and unhealthy, causing problems with functioning in everyday life.

Question 4

When he was a child, Vihaan experienced a traumatic event. However, Vihaan has no memory of that event, although he can remember events that happened before it as well as events that happened after it. Vihaan's experience of forgetting this period of his life is BEST described as:

Accepted Answer

Dissociative amnesia is characterized by an inability to recall important personal information, usually of a traumatic or stressful nature, that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness. Vihaan's inability to remember the traumatic event, despite remembering events before and after it, aligns with this definition.

Question 5

You are taking a test on schizophrenia in your abnormal psychology class. Several questions focus on how the brain of a person with schizophrenia differs from the brain of a person who does not have schizophrenia. Because you studied this material, you know that the brain of a person with schizophrenia is likely to have:

Accepted Answer

The brain of a person with schizophrenia is likely to have larger than normal ventricles, which is associated with a reduction in the volume of brain tissue. This finding is consistent with neuroimaging studies of individuals with schizophrenia.

Question 6

Jaron is an outgoing person who loves his friends and family, but for the past 6 months he has rarely seen them. Neither Jaron nor his friends find this unusual, however, because Jaron is an elite dancer who recently began traveling on tour with his dance company across the United States and Europe. All of Jaron's time has been taken up with practicing and performing. Jaron's story BEST demonstrates that _____ is not always problematic.

Accepted Answer

Jaron's deviation from social norms, such as regularly seeing friends and family, is not problematic in this context because it is due to his commitment to his career as an elite dancer, which involves extensive travel and practice. This deviation is understood and accepted by his social circle.

Question 7

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by unwanted, repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and uncontrollable actions (compulsions) performed in response to those thoughts, which is what option D describes.

Question 8

The biological theory of abnormality states that psychological disorders are caused by:

Accepted Answer

The biological theory of abnormality attributes psychological disorders to biological factors, including neurochemical imbalances and genetic predispositions.

Question 9

Alogia, avolition, anhedonia, and flat affect are _____ symptoms of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia refer to the absence or diminishment of normal behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Alogia (reduced speech), avolition (lack of motivation), anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure), and flat affect (diminished emotional expression) are all considered negative symptoms because they represent a reduction or loss of normal functions.

Question 10

_____ is a disorder emerging in childhood that features significant social interaction deficits and rigid, repetitive patterns of behavior.

Accepted Answer

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by significant social interaction deficits and rigid, repetitive patterns of behavior, typically emerging in childhood.

Question 11

_____ is an emotional state of excessively elated mood and overabundant energy.

Accepted Answer

Mania is characterized by an excessively elated mood and overabundant energy, often seen in bipolar disorder.

Question 12

Sarah has periods in which she has low-intensity symptoms of both depression and mania. Sarah has had these symptoms for 3 years. What disorder does Sarah MOST likely have?

Accepted Answer

Cyclothymic disorder is characterized by periods of hypomanic symptoms (less severe than full mania) and periods of depressive symptoms that are not as severe as those in major depression, lasting for at least 2 years in adults. Sarah's symptoms match this description.

Question 13

Danielle has schizophrenia. One of her symptoms is that she shows little emotion. Danielle also speaks very little and she appears uninterested in most things. Danielle's symptoms are defined as _____ symptoms.

Accepted Answer

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are characterized by deficits or decreases in normal emotional and behavioral functions, such as reduced expression of emotions, diminished speech, and lack of interest in activities, which align with Danielle's symptoms. Positive symptoms, on the other hand, involve excesses or distortions, such as hallucinations and delusions. Dissociative symptoms are more related to a disruption of identity, memory, or consciousness, and cognitive symptoms involve problems with thought processes, but these are not what Danielle is experiencing based on the description.

Question 14

Which statement is FALSE about bulimia nervosa?

Accepted Answer

Bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are distinct eating disorders, each with its own specific diagnostic criteria. While both disorders involve concerns about body weight and shape, bulimia nervosa is characterized by binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging, whereas anorexia nervosa involves restriction of energy intake leading to significantly low body weight.

Question 15

In therapy, a counselor will often focus on the client's suffering. This suffering is called:

Accepted Answer

Personal distress is the term used to describe the suffering a client may be experiencing, which a counselor often focuses on in therapy. This term encompasses the emotional or psychological pain that an individual may be going through.

Question 16

Jason has an eating disorder in which he overeats and then immediately takes steps to compensate for the overeating. Jason's weight is average for someone of his age and height. The disorder Jason MOST likely has is:

Accepted Answer

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors, such as vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise, to prevent weight gain. Individuals with bulimia nervosa often maintain an average weight, distinguishing it from other eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, where there is significant weight loss, or binge eating disorder, where there is no regular use of compensatory behaviors. Purging disorder involves purging without binge eating, which does not match Jason's symptoms.

Question 17

Trait explanations of abnormality emphasize:

Accepted Answer

Trait explanations of abnormality focus on specific aspects of an individual's personality or their long-standing behavior patterns. These explanations look at how certain personality traits can predispose someone to various forms of psychological distress or disorders.

Question 18

Loose associations, word salad, and neologisms are all evidence of the _____ symptoms of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Loose associations, word salad, and neologisms are...

Question 19

The _____ theory of abnormality states that factors within the body, such as a person's brain structure and genes, are the primary cause of psychological disorders.

Accepted Answer

The biological theory of abnormality attributes psychological disorders primarily to internal physical factors such as genetics, brain structure, and biochemical imbalances.

Question 20

In the United States, a health professional who diagnoses or treats psychological disorders is MOST likely to use the:

Accepted Answer

In the United States, health professionals who diagnose or treat psychological disorders most commonly use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders