Question 1

A person with _____ personality disorder is more likely to be self-destructive and threaten to self-mutilate or commit suicide.

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by unstable moods, behaviors, and relationships. People with this disorder may engage in impulsive and risky behavior and have a history of self-harm or suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This is not typically seen in individuals with antisocial, narcissistic, or schizoid personality disorder.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of a dissociative experience that is pathological or abnormal?

Accepted Answer

Being unable to remember your own name or other important details about your life is a symptom of dissociative amnesia, which is a pathological or abnormal dissociative experience. The other options (A, B, and C) are all examples of normal dissociative experiences that are common in everyday life.

Question 3

Miguel's wife brought him to the emergency room because Miguel could not remember his name, the names of his family members, where he worked, or any other information he should easily be able to remember. Extensive tests at the hospital indicated that Miguel's memory problems were not due to an injury, an illness, drugs, or any other physical or medical condition. A clinical psychologist suggested that Miguel might be suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Miguel's sudden memory loss without any physical or medical condition is indicative of dissociative amnesia, which is a psychological disorder characterized by the inability to recall important personal information, usually due to severe trauma or stress.

Question 4

When people first meet 14-year-old Micah, they find him to be an attractive, charming young man. But Micah's adoptive parents, his teachers, and his schoolmates know otherwise. Micah is a chronic liar, manipulator, and bully. In the past four years he has been caught several times vandalizing other people's property in his neighborhood and at his school. He has been arrested twice for shoplifting and was also caught trying to cash a forged check. Based on this information it is probably safe to say that Micah would be diagnosed as having:

Accepted Answer

Micah's pattern of behavior, including lying, manipulating, and engaging in criminal activities indicates symptoms of conduct disorder. Conduct disorder is a childhood or adolescent behavioral disorder characterized by persistent patterns of behavior that violate the rights of others or societal norms. While Micah's behavior doesn't necessarily fit the criteria for borderline personality disorder, Tourette's disorder, or paranoid schizophrenia, more information would be needed to make a definitive diagnosis.

Question 5

When Spencer first started dating Melissa, their relationship quickly became very intense. But after a couple of weeks, Spencer became increasingly uneasy because Melissa seemed to constantly need his attention and reassurances of his commitment to her. When Melissa showed up unexpectedly at Spencer's office to have lunch with him, she became enraged when Spencer told her that he was taking two important clients to lunch. Shortly after this incident Spencer tried to break off the relationship with Melissa, which turned into an ugly scene with her screaming profanities at him in the middle of the street. Several days later, Spencer learned that Melissa had been hospitalized for overdosing on tranquilizers. Melissa's pattern of behavior seems to fit which of the following disorders?

Accepted Answer

Melissa's intense need for attention and reassurance, as well as her extreme reaction to Spencer's decision to have lunch with his clients, are consistent with the symptoms of borderline personality disorder. The emotional instability and impulsivity of people with this disorder can lead to intense, volatile relationships, as well as self-destructive behaviors such as suicide attempts. Melissa's overdose on tranquilizers also suggests that she may struggle with regulating her emotions and impulsivity.

Question 6

According to the biosocial developmental theory, _____ personality disorder is the outcome of a unique combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

Accepted Answer

The biosocial developmental theory suggests that borderline personality disorder is the result of a combination of biological vulnerability (such as emotional reactivity) and environmental factors (such as childhood trauma). It does not apply to the other disorders listed.

Question 7

A(n) _____ disorder is diagnosed when disruptions in personal identity, awareness, or memory are extreme, frequent, and seriously impair the ability to function in everyday life.

Accepted Answer

Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in personal identity, awareness, or memory. The symptoms are extreme, frequent, and seriously impair the ability to function in everyday life. Anxiety and depressive disorders are characterized by different symptoms such as persistent nervousness, worry, and sadness or loss of interest in activities, respectively. Personality disorders involve long-term patterns of behavior and inner experience that differ significantly from cultural norms.

Question 8

Disruption in attachment relationships in early childhood has been suggested to be an important cause in the development of _____ since this disorder is characterized by intense and chronic fears of abandonment.

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by intense and chronic fears of abandonment, and disruption in attachment relationships in early childhood has been suggested as an important cause.

Question 9

Howard is a 27-year-old man who lives in San Francisco. He has been fired from numerous jobs, usually because he got caught lying or repeatedly failed to show up for work. Howard has also been arrested twice for running various "con" games in which he swindles money out of unsuspecting tourists. He has been in and out of drug rehab for alcohol misuse several times. Howard's pattern of behaviors seems to fit which of the following disorders?

Accepted Answer

Howard's repeated lying, disregard for social norms and the rights of others, and criminal behavior are all consistent with the diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder. The other disorders listed do not fit Howard's pattern of behavior.

Question 10

In most cases, the disorder called dissociative amnesia occurs as a response to:

Accepted Answer

Dissociative amnesia is a dissociative disorder caused by severe stress, trauma, or an extremely distressing situation. It is a response to overwhelming emotional or psychological trauma and often involves the inability to remember important personal information or events. Therefore, the answer is A, as stress, trauma or an extremely distressing situation is the main cause of dissociative amnesia.

Question 11

Leahy believes that some children are born with a biologically sensitive temperament that makes them more vulnerable to develop borderline personality disorder, especially when they are raised by caregivers who do not teach them how to control their impulsiveness or help them learn how to understand, regulate, and appropriately express their emotions. Dr. Leahy's views are consistent with the:

Accepted Answer

Dr. Leahy's views align with the biosocial developmental theory of BPD, which posits that both biological vulnerabilities and environmental factors, such as poor parenting practices, contribute to the emergence of the disorder. The theory suggests that individuals with a sensitive temperament are more likely to develop BPD if they experience invalidating environments, such as those in which their emotions are dismissed or punished.

Question 12

The personality disorder that is most commonly diagnosed and considered to be the most serious, severe, and disabling of all the personality disorders is _____ personality disorder.

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is the most commonly diagnosed and considered the most severe, serious, and disabling of all personality disorders. It is characterized by instability in mood, behavior, and self-image, as well as a history of unstable relationships, impulsive behavior, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies.

Question 13

Dennis, a New York City investment broker, quit his job in a fit of rage after being accused of embezzling thousands of dollars of his clients' money. Four months later, the police discovered Dennis driving a cab in Los Angeles. Dennis claimed that his name was actually Michael Hart, that he had always been a cab driver in Los Angeles, and that he had no knowledge of Dennis. Even after he was positively identified as Dennis, "Michael Hart" insisted that he was someone else. Assuming that he was not faking his condition to escape arrest, Dennis was probably suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Dennis's behavior is consistent with dissociative fugue, which involves a sudden and unexpected departure from home or work, a loss of memory for one's past, and the assumption of a new identity. His claim of being someone else and having no knowledge of Dennis is a classic symptom of dissociative fugue. The other answer choices do not fit the symptoms described in the scenario.

Question 14

The theory that borderline personality disorder (BPD) is the result of a unique combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors, is called the:

Accepted Answer

The biosocial developmental theory of BPD proposes that both biological susceptibility and adverse early experiences, such as childhood abuse or neglect, contribute to the development of BPD. It suggests that individuals with BPD have a heightened emotional sensitivity and a tendency towards impulsive behavior, which, when combined with invalidating childhood environments, result in the characteristic symptoms of the disorder.

Answer: C
 The triple vulnerabilities model of BPD suggests that the disorder arises from three interconnected vulnerabilities: emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and a heightened sensitivity to environmental stressors. This model proposes that the interplay between these vulnerabilities leads to the development of BPD symptoms, with stressors exacerbating emotional dysregulation and triggering impulsive behaviors.

Both B and C are valid options as they represent different theories that explain the development of BPD.

Question 15

In a dissociative experience, what normally integrated aspects of personality are divided or separated?

Accepted Answer

Dissociative experiences involve a separation or division of various aspects of personality, such as awareness, memory, and personal identity. These aspects are normally integrated in a unified sense of self, but dissociation can disrupt this integration and create a sense of detachment or fragmentation. Emotion, motivation, and mood may also be affected, but they are not the core aspects that are typically divided or separated in dissociation.

Question 16

Jack was found sleeping on a park bench. When awakened by a police officer, he could not remember who he was or where he lived. Later, investigators discovered that Jack's wife had left him the night before after a violent fight in which he tried to attack her. Jack insists that he has no memories of the dispute with his wife or even of having been married. Jack is probably suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Jack is exhibiting symptoms of dissociative amnesia, as he is unable to remember important personal information such as his own identity and place of residence. This is likely a result of psychological trauma from the violent fight with his wife. Neither dissociative identity disorder nor dissociative possession state is indicated in the scenario, as there is no evidence of alternate personalities or supernatural possession. Schizophrenia also does not fit the description of Jack's symptoms, as it is a separate disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking, none of which are mentioned in the scenario.

Question 17

Underscoring the seriousness of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is the grim statistic that up to _____ percent of those who meet the criteria for this disorder eventually commit suicide.

Accepted Answer

Up to 10 percent of individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) eventually commit suicide, highlighting the severe impact and seriousness of this mental health condition.

Question 18

Disassociate fugues are thought to be associated with:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Disassociate fugues are thought to be associated...

Question 19

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by unstable emotions and relationships, as well as fears of abandonment. Option A describes Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, Option C describes Avoidant Personality Disorder, and Option D describes Paranoid Personality Disorder.

Question 20

A disorder called _____ is characterized by symptoms of extensive amnesia, wandering or traveling, and confusion about one's personal identity.

Accepted Answer

The disorder described in the question is dissociative fugue, which is a subtype of dissociative amnesia. People with dissociative fugue experience sudden and unexpected travel or wandering, accompanied by confusion about their personal identity and amnesia for their past. Borderline dissociative state is not a recognized disorder, and schizophrenia is not characterized by the specific symptoms described in the question.

Quiz 13: Section 2: Psychological Disorders