Question 1

A risk factor may be best defined as:
A)The likelihood that a disorder will be found in another culture
B)The likelihood of contracting a disorder in a given time period
C)The proportion of a population that has a disorder now
D)A characteristic that increases the likelihood of developing a disorder

Accepted Answer

A risk factor is a characteristic or variable that increases the likelihood of developing a disorder or experiencing a negative outcome. It does not refer to the current proportion of a population with a disorder or the likelihood of a disorder in a specific time period; these are prevalence and incidence, respectively. The first choice refers to cross-cultural factors, which may or may not be related to the concept of risk factors.

Question 2

What two risk factors did the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study identify to be the strongest predictors of later mental health problems?
A)Failure to graduate high school; parent mental disorder
B)Parent mental disorder; childhood sexual abuse
C)Childhood sexual abuse; low socioeconomic status
D)Low socioeconomic status; failure to graduate high school

Accepted Answer

The 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study identified parent mental disorder and childhood sexual abuse to be the two strongest predictors of later mental health problems. Choice A, failure to graduate high school, is a risk factor for mental health problems but not identified as one of the strongest predictors in this study. Choice C, low socioeconomic status, is also a risk factor but not identified as one of the strongest predictors in this study. Choice D is incorrect as it combines both risk factors identified in the study with the incorrect order.

Question 3

Because Graciela's mother has schizophrenia, Graciela is more likely to develop schizophrenia herself. This is an example of:
A)Risk factor
B)Incidence
C)Prevalence
D)Occurrence

Accepted Answer

A risk factor is any attribute, characteristic, or exposure of an individual that increases the likelihood of developing a certain condition or disease. In this case, having a mother with schizophrenia is a risk factor for Graciela to develop schizophrenia herself.

Question 4

Dr. Cuthbert assesses the number of new cases of pathological gamblers after a new casino is built beside Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. She is assessing the ________ of the disorder.
A)prevalence
B)incidence
C)base-rate
D)case-rate

Accepted Answer

Incidence refers to the rate of new cases of a disorder or disease within a population over a certain period of time, while prevalence refers to the proportion of individuals in a population who have the disorder or disease at a specific point in time. Base-rate refers to the frequency of occurrence of a particular event or behavior within a population, while case-rate is not a commonly used term in epidemiology. In this scenario, Dr. Cuthbert is specifically interested in the number of new cases of pathological gambling that occur after the casino is built, indicating a focus on incidence.

Question 5

For her dissertation, Isabelle is interviewing ten women about their experiences of going to university full-time while battling an eating disorder. What type of research is she conducting?
A)Case study research
B)Experimental research
C)Qualitative research
D)Quantitative research

Accepted Answer

Isabelle is conducting qualitative research because she is collecting non-numerical data (i.e. interviews) to gain an understanding of the women's experiences with battling an eating disorder while attending university full-time.

Question 6

Epidemiology is the study of
A)unique cases or unusual disorders.
B)the rates and correlates of disorders in a population.
C)the development of disorders over the life span.
D)mental disorders in other cultures.

Accepted Answer

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution, frequency, and patterns of health events and their causes in a defined population. It aims to identify risk factors and correlates of disorders, and to inform prevention and intervention efforts. It does not focus exclusively on unique or unusual disorders, the development of disorders over the life span, or mental disorders in other cultures.

Question 7

According to the results of the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study, the biggest early risk factor for a subsequent mental disorder is:
A)Failure to graduate from high school
B)Having low income
C)Parental mental disorder
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

According to the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study, the biggest early risk factor for a subsequent mental disorder is having a parental mental disorder. This suggests a genetic or environmental risk factor that may impact the development of mental health issues later in life. While failure to graduate from high school and having low income may be associated with increased risk of mental disorders, they are not identified as the biggest early risk factor in this study.

Question 8

In order for the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement Study to identify the strongest predictors of later mental health problems, what type of research design did the researchers use?
A)An experimental design
B)A mixed design
C)A correlational design
D)A case study design

Accepted Answer

The 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement Study used a correlational design to identify the strongest predictors of later mental health problems. This design allows researchers to examine the relationship between two or more variables and determine if there is a correlation or association between them, without manipulating any variables.

Question 9

"About 2% of adults have obsessive-compulsive disorder." This is a statement about the __________ of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
A)incidence
B)prevalence
C)risk factor
D)correlation coefficient

Accepted Answer

Prevalence refers to the proportion of individuals in a population with a particular condition at a specific point in time. Therefore, the statement about 2% of adults having obsessive-compulsive disorder is referring to its prevalence.

Question 10

According to the results of the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study, the biggest early risk factor for a subsequent mental disorder is:
A)Failure to graduate from high school
B)Low income
C)Being unemployed
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

The 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study did not specifically identify any of the listed options (A, B, C) as the biggest early risk factor for a subsequent mental disorder, indicating that the correct answer is D) None of the above.

Question 11

Epidemiology seeks to establish:
A)The prevalence of a disorder
B)The incidence of a disorder
C)The risk factors associated with a disorder
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

Epidemiology seeks to establish all of the above - prevalence, incidence, and risk factors - in order to understand the distribution and determinants of health and disease in a population. Prevalence refers to the proportion of individuals in a population with a particular disorder at a given time, while incidence refers to the number of new cases of the disorder that occur over a specified period of time. Risk factors are characteristics or exposures that increase the likelihood of developing a disorder.

Question 12

Qualitative research conducted with formerly depressed women (Lafrance & Stoppard, 2006)revealed that the women
A)felt victimized by their romantic partners.
B)felt they needed to be perfect now to make up for their behaviour when depressed.
C)underwent a transformation and no longer felt like the same person.
D)underwent treatment that put their depression into remission.

Accepted Answer

The study found that formerly depressed women experienced a transformation and no longer felt like the same person after their depression.

Question 13

The main difference between a case study and qualitative research is:
A)The type of questions asked
B)The number of participants
C)The goal of the researcher
D)The outcome of the research

Accepted Answer

The answer of The main difference between a case study...

Question 14

Researchers went door to door conducting structured diagnostic interviews to determine how common particular psychiatric diagnoses were. Which type of research was this?
A)Case study
B)Epidemiological
C)Correlational
D)Experimental

Accepted Answer

The researchers were conducting a study to determine the prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses in a population, which falls under the category of epidemiological research.

Question 15

Prevalence refers to
A)the likelihood that a disorder will be found in another culture.
B)the proportion of a population that has a disorder now.
C)the number of people who contract a disorder in a given time period.
D)the likelihood that a person will have a disorder given that they have a particular characteristic.

Accepted Answer

Prevalence refers to the proportion of a population that currently has a particular disorder. It is often expressed as a percentage or a per capita rate.

Question 16

Epidemiological research is helpful for
A)addressing third variable and directionality problems.
B)determining the effectiveness of different treatments.
C)planning for health care needs of communities.
D)intensive analysis of a disease in a single individual.

Accepted Answer

Epidemiological research helps to plan for the health care needs of communities by providing information about the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for different diseases or health conditions within specific populations. It also provides insights into patterns of disease and can help identify areas where targeted public health interventions may be needed. While it may indirectly inform treatment decisions or suggest areas for further research, its primary focus is on understanding disease and health at the population level rather than analyzing the effectiveness of individual treatments. Additionally, epidemiological research is generally not designed to address the third variable or directionality problems that may arise in experimental or observational studies, and is unlikely to be used for intensive analysis of a single individual.

Question 17

Incidence refers to
A)the likelihood that a disorder will be found in another culture.
B)the number of people who contract a disorder for the first time in a given time period.
C)the proportion of a population that has a disorder now.
D)the likelihood that a person will have a disorder given that they have a particular characteristic.

Accepted Answer

Incidence refers to the number of people who contract a disorder for the first time in a given time period. It is an important measure when studying the pattern of new cases of a particular disorder or disease.

Question 18

One advantage to qualitative research in clinical psychology is that it
A)allows researchers to detect underlying themes.
B)allows researchers to make broad claims with limited participants.
C)allows participants to feel fully heard.
D)allows participants to focus on one aspect of their disorder.

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research allows for in-depth exploration of participants' experiences and perspectives, which can reveal underlying themes and patterns that may not be captured by quantitative methods.

Answer: C 
 Qualitative research often involves open-ended questions and active listening, which can create a space for participants to share their full experiences and feel fully heard and understood.

Question 19

Dr. Cuthbert assesses the proportion of people on the island who have a gambling addiction one year after a new casino is built beside Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. She is assessing the ________ of the disorder.
A)prevalence
B)incidence
C)base-rate
D)case-rate

Accepted Answer

Prevalence refers to the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disorder or condition at a specific point in time. In this case, Dr. Cuthbert is assessing the proportion of people on the island who have a gambling addiction after the new casino is built, which is a measure of prevalence. Incidence refers to the number of new cases of a disorder that occur over a specific period of time, base-rate refers to the overall frequency of a disorder in a given population, and case-rate is not a commonly used term in epidemiology.

Question 20

"Approximately 1500 new cases of AIDS were diagnosed in 1988 in San Francisco." This is an estimate of the ________________ of AIDS.
A)prevalence
B)incidence
C)risk factor
D)statistical significance

Accepted Answer

Incidence refers to the number of new cases of a disease that occur within a specific time period. In this case, the statement is referring to the number of new cases of AIDS diagnosed in San Francisco in 1988, making it an estimate of the incidence of the disease in that location and time period.

Quiz 4: Research Methods in the Study of Abnormal Behaviour

A risk factor may be best defined as:

What two risk factors did the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study identify to be the strongest predictors of later mental health problems?

Because Graciela's mother has schizophrenia, Graciela is more likely to develop schizophrenia herself. This is an example of:

Dr. Cuthbert assesses the number of new cases of pathological gamblers after a new casino is built beside Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. She is assessing the ________ of the disorder.

For her dissertation, Isabelle is interviewing ten women about their experiences of going to university full-time while battling an eating disorder. What type of research is she conducting?

Epidemiology is the study of

According to the results of the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study, the biggest early risk factor for a subsequent mental disorder is:

In order for the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement Study to identify the strongest predictors of later mental health problems, what type of research design did the researchers use?

"About 2% of adults have obsessive-compulsive disorder." This is a statement about the __________ of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

According to the results of the 1990 Ontario Mental Health Supplement study, the biggest early risk factor for a subsequent mental disorder is:

Epidemiology seeks to establish:

Qualitative research conducted with formerly depressed women (Lafrance & Stoppard, 2006) revealed that the women

The main difference between a case study and qualitative research is:

Researchers went door to door conducting structured diagnostic interviews to determine how common particular psychiatric diagnoses were. Which type of research was this?

Prevalence refers to

Epidemiological research is helpful for

Incidence refers to

One advantage to qualitative research in clinical psychology is that it

Dr. Cuthbert assesses the proportion of people on the island who have a gambling addiction one year after a new casino is built beside Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. She is assessing the ________ of the disorder.

"Approximately 1500 new cases of AIDS were diagnosed in 1988 in San Francisco." This is an estimate of the ________________ of AIDS.