Question 1

A person asks, "What's the MOST effective treatment for social anxiety disorder?" The BEST research-based answer is:

Accepted Answer

The best research-based answer is that the best psychotherapy eliminates symptoms as fast, and longer, than the best drug therapy. Multiple meta-analyses have shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a highly effective treatment for social anxiety disorder, with long-term benefits lasting up to two years after treatment. In comparison, while medication can provide relief in the short-term, it is not as effective in the long-term and can lead to side effects. Therefore, psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for social anxiety disorder.

Question 2

A psychotherapist models appropriate social skills for a client with social anxiety disorder, then uses modeling for another client with a phobia for spiders. What the therapist is doing is:

Accepted Answer

Modeling is a common technique used in the treatment of social anxiety disorder and specific phobias. It involves the therapist demonstrating and modeling appropriate behaviors for the client to learn and emulate.

Question 3

A person who experiences unpredictable panic attacks combined with dysfunctional behavior and thoughts is probably experiencing:

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described suggest panic disorder, which includes unpredictable panic attacks accompanied by dysfunctional behavior and thoughts. Option A is incorrect because "typical panic attacks" do not necessarily involve dysfunctional behavior or thoughts. Option C is incorrect because the symptoms do not suggest physiological damage. Option D is incorrect because unpredictable panic attacks with dysfunctional behavior and thoughts are not considered a normal response to stress.

Question 4

Steve is afraid of eating in public, expecting to be judged negatively and to feel humiliated. As a result, he makes up excuses when asked out to eat. His diagnosis would probably be:

Accepted Answer

Steve's fear of eating in public and expecting to be judged negatively and humiliated suggest that he is experiencing social anxiety, which is a primary feature of social phobia. Specific phobia involves a marked and persistent fear of a specific object or situation, such as spiders or flying. Generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive worry about a number of everyday events or activities. Posttraumatic stress disorder involves exposure to a traumatic event and subsequent symptoms such as avoidance and re-experiencing of the event.

Question 5

Which is an example of a specific social anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Fear of public speaking is a common example of a specific social anxiety, which is also known as social phobia. It is a fear of being judged or evaluated by others in a social or performance situation. Fear of snakes and tornadoes are not social anxieties while fear of functioning poorly in front of others is a general fear and not a specific social anxiety.

Question 6

A phobic person is exposed to computer graphics that simulate real-world situations. This is an example of the _____ technique

Accepted Answer

The use of computer graphics to simulate real-world situations is an example of virtual reality, which is a technique used in exposure therapy for phobias. This involves creating a safe and controlled environment for the phobic person to gradually face their fears and overcome them.

Question 7

A person recently was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. A BEST guess is that the person is in:

Accepted Answer

Social anxiety disorder typically develops during adolescence, so the person is more likely to be in high school. Additionally, social anxiety disorder runs in families, so the person is more likely than average to have a close relative with the disorder.

Question 8

Raphael was outside the parking garage when, out of nowhere, he suddenly felt overwhelming fear. Raphael noticed that his fear increased, he started to feel out of control, and the intensity of the feelings seemed to reach a peak and then pass within a few minutes. This is an example of a:

Accepted Answer

The sudden onset of overwhelming fear, feeling out of control, and the short duration of the episode fitting the description of a peak and pass within a few minutes point towards a panic attack. Phobic disorders involve a persistent and excessive fear of a specific object or situation, whereas generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive and uncontrollable worry about a range of events or activities. Posttraumatic stress disorder involves persistent and intrusive symptoms following exposure to a traumatic event.

Question 9

Jan is very fearful of speaking in public and will do everything she can to avoid being evaluated by others, which causes her significant impairment. The MOST accurate diagnosis would be:

Accepted Answer

The fear of speaking in public and avoidance of being evaluated by others is characteristic of social anxiety disorder, which involves excessive fear and avoidance of social situations. Specific phobia involves a fear of a specific object or situation, agoraphobia involves fear and avoidance of situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing, and panic disorder involves recurring panic attacks.

Question 10

A person is sweating, experiencing shortness of breath, choking, feeling dizzy, and is afraid of dying. If it is not a heart attack, but an indicator of anxiety disorder, it is probably a:

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are characteristic of a panic attack, which is a sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort that can mimic the symptoms of a heart attack. Panic attacks can occur in the context of anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or social anxiety disorder.

Question 11

Which is the BEST example of a broad social anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Apprehension about being evaluated by others is a broad social anxiety as it encompasses various situations such as meeting new people, attending social gatherings, and participating in group activities. It is a fear of being judged or criticized by others, which can lead to avoidance of social situations altogether. In contrast, options A, B, and D are specific social anxieties related to eating, public speaking, and walking in front of others, respectively.

Question 12

A person is being treated for a social anxiety disorder. A therapist watches the person act out a social scene, points out what she did correctly and incorrectly, and praises her for what she did well. Which behavioral technique did the therapist NOT use?

Accepted Answer

The therapist did not use modeling, which involves the therapist demonstrating the correct behavior for the person to imitate. Instead, the therapist provided feedback and reinforcement during a role play scenario.

Question 13

Which group emphasizes the beliefs and expectations that lead someone with a social anxiety disorder to overestimate how bad a social interaction went?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive theorists focus on the belief and thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and often work to help clients recognize and challenge their negative beliefs and cognitive distortions. In the case of social anxiety disorder, cognitive theorists would address the beliefs and expectations that lead someone to overestimate how bad a social interaction went.

Question 14

Which is NOT a component of social anxiety disorder, according to research by cognitive theorists?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive theorists suggest that individuals with social anxiety disorder may repeatedly review social events after they have occurred, think they have social flaws which leads to anxiety, and overestimate how badly things might go during a social event. However, they do not suggest that individuals with social anxiety disorder underestimate how badly a social event went as this would not align with their heightened fear of negative evaluation.

Question 15

A person experiencing a panic disorder is MOST likely to also have a:

Accepted Answer

Fear of leaving home or agoraphobia is a common phobia that may co-occur with panic disorder. This is because panic attacks often occur in situations where escape may be difficult or help may not be readily available, such as crowded public places or while driving.

Question 16

Which disorder is NOT experienced by more women than men?

Accepted Answer

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects men and women at similar rates, unlike the other disorders listed, which are more prevalent in women.

Question 17

Harry is terrified of the snakes that his 8-year-old son brings home. During his therapy, his therapist demonstrated how to handle them. This is a form of therapy based on:

Accepted Answer

The therapist demonstrated how to handle the snakes, which is a form of modeling, where the therapist is modeling the appropriate behavior for Harry to follow. Flooding, implosive techniques, and covert desensitization are methods that involve exposure therapy, but there is no indication that any of those methods were utilized in this scenario.

Question 18

Every once in a while, Ona feels nervous to the point of terror. It seems to come on suddenly and randomly. Her experience is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

Ona's experience of sudden and random feelings of terror points towards a panic disorder. Panic disorders are characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are brief periods of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms like sweating, heart palpitations, and trembling.

Question 19

Rosa's heart was racing (from the four cups of coffee she had just finished), but she thought she might be having a heart attack. Her fear seemed to be increasing without end. This might be the beginning of a:

Accepted Answer

Rosa's symptoms match those of a panic attack, including racing heart and increasing fear without an obvious trigger. A manic episode is characterized by elevated, euphoric, or irritable mood and increased energy, and does not fit Rosa's symptoms. A specific phobia and social phobia are characterized by intense, irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or social interaction, and do not fit Rosa's symptoms of general anxiety and panic.

Question 20

A person says, "I've been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, and my therapist wants me to use drug therapy, not psychological therapy. I don't know which to choose." Based on current research, the BEST answer would be:

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that psychological therapies, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are effective for treating social anxiety disorder and can provide lasting benefits with less chance of relapse compared to drug therapy alone. Combining drug therapy with psychological therapy, especially CBT, is often considered best practice for treating social anxiety disorder.

Quiz 5: Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders