Question 1

With regard to treatment of psychological disorders, many psychological professionals believe medications work best in combination with __________.

Accepted Answer

While medications can be effective, they often work best when used in conjunction with psychotherapy or talk therapy. This allows for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the underlying causes of psychological disorders and can provide patients with the tools they need to manage their symptoms over the long term. Electroconvulsive therapy, psychosurgery, and deep brain stimulation are all more invasive treatment options that are typically reserved for cases where other treatments have been ineffective.

Question 2

Family therapy is a form of group therapy in which __________.

Accepted Answer

Family therapy involves the entire family participating, as the focus is on the family dynamic and relationships rather than just one individual being seen as the problem.

Question 3

Typical antipsychotic drugs work by blocking what neurotransmitter?

Accepted Answer

Typical antipsychotic drugs primarily work by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain. This helps to reduce the activity of dopamine, which is believed to be involved in symptoms of psychosis such as hallucinations and delusions.

Question 4

Mason's wife comes home angry from her job, and he immediately assumes that he has done something wrong. Such irrational thinking is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

Personalization is a cognitive distortion where an individual believes that everything others do or say is some kind of direct, personal reaction to them. In this scenario, Mason is assuming his wife's anger is directly related to something he did, which is a classic example of personalization.

Question 5

John's son Cade was afraid of dogs. John took Cade to a therapist to help him overcome his fear but was surprised when the therapist brought a dog into the room. At first Cade was asked to watch from across the room as the therapist showed him how to approach and pet the dog and not grab its tail. Eventually, Cade was asked to come over and mimic the behavior he had observed. After just a few sessions, Cade was no longer fearful of dogs. What technique did the therapist use with Cade?

Accepted Answer

The therapist used participant modeling, which involves the client observing someone else performing the desired behavior and then imitating it themselves. In this case, Cade watched the therapist approach and pet the dog before trying it himself.

Question 6

In bilateral anterior cingulotomy, __________.

Accepted Answer

In bilateral anterior cingulotomy, a thin wire electrode is inserted into the brain and used to destroy a small area of brain tissue in the anterior cingulate cortex. This procedure is used to treat severe cases of OCD and depression.

Question 7

For both children and adults, and for many undesirable behaviors, the use of __________ or some form of "time-out" can be quite effective.

Accepted Answer

Extinction involves removing the reinforcement that maintains a behavior, which can effectively decrease its occurrence over time. In the case of undesirable behavior in children and adults, removing any attention or reinforcement for the behavior can be helpful. Time-out is a common technique used in which the person is removed from a reinforcing environment for a short period of time, thereby decreasing the likelihood of the behavior occurring again in the future. Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement involve adding something in order to increase or decrease a behavior, respectively, which may not be as effective for undesirable behavior. Arbitrary inference is not a behavioral technique and does not relate to the management of undesirable behavior.

Question 8

Yvonne sat down with her daughter, Angela, and together wrote out a list of things that Angela was expected to do each day and the rewards she would get if she accomplished them, as well as the penalties she would face if she did not do them. This is most like which technique?

Accepted Answer

Yvonne and Angela developed a contingency contract which outlines the specific behaviors and consequences, both rewards and punishments. Contingency contracting is a behavior modification technique that involves creating a formal agreement between the individual performing the behavior and the individual providing the reinforcement or punishment.

Question 9

As part of the medical treatment trial she is participating in for severe and suicidal depression, Aldina was given __________, which is being investigated due to its seemingly immediate, although short-term, effects.

Accepted Answer

Ketamine is currently being investigated for its rapid antidepressant effects, although its effects are short-term. The other options have been used in treating depression, but do not have the same immediate effects as ketamine.

Question 10

Dewayne gets a text message from his girlfriend saying that she will have to work overtime tonight. Dewayne immediately assumes his girlfriend is seeing someone else at work. Beck would say that Dewayne has engaged in what type of distorted thinking?

Accepted Answer

Dewayne has made an arbitrary inference by jumping to a conclusion without evidence. He assumes his girlfriend is seeing someone else based on her working overtime, which is a leap without factual support.

Question 11

Both therapists and clients play significant roles in therapy. In order for psychotherapy to be the most effective, __________.

Accepted Answer

Both therapists and clients have important roles to play in therapy, but the effectiveness of therapy is greatly enhanced when the therapist is empathetic and provides a safe and protected setting in which clients feel comfortable revealing their feelings and private thoughts. The client's willingness to open up and actively engage in the process is also crucial for the success of therapy. The other choices (B, C, and D) are not consistent with what is known to be effective in psychotherapy.

Question 12

Taylor tends to blow negative events out of proportion to their importance (magnification) while ignoring relevant positive events (minimization). What therapeutic technique may work best to help Taylor?

Accepted Answer

REBT is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on identifying and changing irrational beliefs and thought patterns. It can help Taylor to recognize and challenge her tendency to blow negative events out of proportion while ignoring positive events. This will help her to develop more balanced thinking patterns and improve her emotional regulation. Group therapy and virtual therapy may also be helpful, but there is no evidence to suggest that bilateral anterior cingulotomy is an effective treatment for cognitive distortions.

Question 13

To overcome her fear of balloons, because of the loud sound they might suddenly make should they pop, Nicole must sit in a room filled with balloons while the therapist pops each one. After a while, Nicole realizes that her fear is unjustified and even begins to pop balloons herself. This technique is known as __________.

Accepted Answer

Flooding is a psychological treatment method where the person is exposed to their fear at its worst in a controlled environment, without any gradual buildup. In this scenario, Nicole is directly exposed to her fear of balloons popping, which aligns with the concept of flooding.

Question 14

Which therapy style requires the therapist to actively confront a client's irrational beliefs?

Accepted Answer

REBT is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that emphasizes identifying and challenging irrational beliefs that contribute to negative emotions and behaviors. The therapist actively confronts and challenges the client's irrational beliefs to help them develop more rational and functional thought patterns. Frontal lobotomy is not a therapy style, but a surgical procedure that was used in the past to treat mental illness. Person-centered therapy is a humanistic therapy style that emphasizes empathy and unconditional positive regard, rather than confrontation. Cognitive restructuring is another form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on identifying and replacing negative thought patterns, but does not necessarily require active confrontation.

Question 15

In the context of positive mental health, which of the following are general strategies highlighted in the text?

Accepted Answer

The text highlights the strategy of caring for your mind and body by getting enough sleep and exercising on a regular basis, preferably outdoors. The other options (B and C) are not mentioned in the text, and option D suggests a haphazard approach to eating and sleeping which may not contribute to positive mental health.

Quiz 15: Psychological Therapies