Question 1

People with personality disorders:

Accepted Answer

Personality disorders usually develop during adolescence or early adulthood and persist throughout the lifetime.

Answer: D 
 People with personality disorders often display maladaptive traits such as being grumpier, aloof, or more self-centered than normal people.

Therefore, the correct answer would be CD.

Question 2

By definition _____ are inflexible, maladaptive patterns of thoughts, emotions, behavior, and interpersonal functioning that are stable over time and across situations, and deviate from the expectations of an individual's culture.

Accepted Answer

Personality disorders fit the definition provided as they involve longstanding and inflexible patterns of behavior and functioning that deviate from cultural expectations. Anxiety disorders and bipolar disorders can involve maladaptive patterns, but they are not necessarily stable over time and across situations in the same way that personality disorders are. Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in memory, perception, or identity, rather than patterns of functioning.

Question 3

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition identified ____ distinct personality disorders organized into ____ basic clusters.

Accepted Answer

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition identifies 10 distinct personality disorders organized into three basic clusters.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

The biosocial developmental theory of BPD proposes that the disorder arises from a combination of biological vulnerabilities and a chaotic, invalidating childhood environment. It posits that individuals with BPD have a heightened sensitivity to emotional stimuli and a difficulty regulating their emotions, and that this vulnerability is exacerbated by an environment where their emotional responses are not validated or understood. This theory emphasizes the interaction between biological and environmental factors in the development of BPD.

Question 5

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 proposes that borderline personality disorder is caused by a combination of biological vulnerability (such as genetics or temperament), early life experiences (such as abuse or neglect), and invalidating environments (such as families that do not acknowledge or validate emotions). While the other personality disorders listed may also have biological, psychological, and environmental factors, the biosocial developmental theory specifically emphasizes this combination as the cause of borderline personality disorder.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that up to 10 percent of individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder may eventually commit suicide, highlighting the severe impact of the disorder.

Question 7

Personality disorders are evident in approximately _____ percent of the general population.

Accepted Answer

According to research, personality disorders are evident in approximately 10 percent of the general population. This means that a significant minority of people may struggle with difficulties related to their personality and may benefit from seeking support and treatment from mental health professionals.

Question 8

Someone who has a personality disorder that is characterized by a pervasive pattern of disregarding and violating the rights of others has, by definition, a(n) _____ personality disorder.

Accepted Answer

The description of disregarding and violating the rights of others aligns with the diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder. Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy. Borderline personality disorder is characterized by instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects. Avoidant personality disorder is characterized by social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation.

Question 9

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. It 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:

Accepted Answer

Melissa's intense emotions, need for constant attention and reassurance, difficulty with rejection, and impulsive behaviors (such as overdosing on tranquilizers) suggest Borderline Personality Disorder. This disorder is characterized by intense and unstable emotions, an unstable sense of self, impulsivity, fear of abandonment, and difficulty with relationships. The abrupt ending of the relationship and Melissa's extreme reaction to it are also typical of individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is the most commonly diagnosed personality disorder and is considered to be the most serious, severe, and disabling. Individuals with this disorder have unstable moods, behavior, and relationships, and are at high risk for self-harm and suicide. Antisocial personality disorder is also considered to be serious, but it may not be diagnosed as frequently as borderline personality disorder. Narcissistic personality disorder and avoidant personality disorder are also serious, but may not be as disabling as borderline personality disorder.

Question 11

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 swindled money out of unsuspecting tourists. He has been in and out of drug rehab for alcohol abuse several times. Howard's pattern of behaviors seems to fit:

Accepted Answer

Howard's behavior fits the characteristics of antisocial personality disorder, which includes engaging in deceitful or criminal behavior, disregarding the rights of others, impulsivity, and a lack of remorse or guilt. His history of lying, criminal activity, and substance abuse all support this diagnosis. Dissociative identity disorder involves the development of multiple distinct personalities, which is not evident in Howard's case. Borderline personality disorder is characterized by intense and unstable emotions, self-destructive behavior, and unstable relationships, which do not fit Howard's pattern of behaviors. Narcissistic personality disorder involves an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy, which are not evident in Howard's behavior.

Question 12

A person with _____ personality disorder is also referred to as a psychopath.

Accepted Answer

Antisocial personality disorder is commonly referred to as psychopathy or sociopathy. People with this disorder have a disregard for the rights of others and often engage in criminal behavior or manipulation for personal gain. Borderline personality disorder is characterized by unstable emotions and relationships, schizoid personality disorder is characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, and narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance.

Question 13

A person with _____ personality disorder is more likely than normal individuals to be self-destructive, to threaten to self-mutilate or commit suicide, and to carry out those threats.

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by a pattern of unstable relationships, self-image, emotions, and impulsive behavior. People with borderline personality disorder are at a higher risk of engaging in self-destructive behavior, including self-mutilation and suicide attempts. They typically have intense and volatile relationships, fears of abandonment, and a lack of clear identity. While individuals with other personality disorders may also engage in self-destructive behavior, borderline personality disorder is strongly associated with such behavior.

Question 14

Deceiving and manipulating others for one's own personal gain is a hallmark of _____ personality disorder.

Accepted Answer

Deceiving and manipulating others for personal gain is a central feature of antisocial personality disorder. The other disorders listed may involve some degree of manipulation, but it is not their defining characteristic.

Question 15

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 such as vandalism and shoplifting, is consistent with the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder. Borderline personality disorder is characterized by instability in mood, self-image, and relationships, while Tourette's disorder involves the presence of motor and vocal tics. Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that typically develops in the late teens or early adulthood and includes symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized speech and behavior, which are not mentioned in the scenario.

Question 16

Personality traits are:

Accepted Answer

Personality traits are relatively stable predispositions to behave or react in certain ways. While traits can change over time, they are generally considered to be consistent over the course of a person's life. Dissociative disorders and schizophrenia are not related to personality traits in this way.

Question 17

Which is NOT one of the three basic clusters of personality disorders identified in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition?

Accepted Answer

The delusional, dissociative cluster is not one of the three basic clusters of personality disorders identified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition. The correct clusters are the dramatic, emotional, or erratic cluster, the anxious, fearful cluster, and the odd, eccentric cluster.

Question 18

Which of the following terms does NOT belong with the others?

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is a distinct type of personality disorder, whereas antisocial personality disorder, psychopath, and sociopath are related to each other, with the latter two often considered subtypes or informal terms associated with antisocial personality disorder.

Question 19

Estimates suggest that borderline personality disorder affects approximately _____ percent of the population.

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder affects approximately 6% of the population.

Question 20

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by a pattern of unstable relationships, emotions, and self-image. People with this disorder often experience intense fear of abandonment and engage in desperate efforts to avoid it. They may also exhibit impulsive behavior and have frequent mood swings.

Quiz 13: Psychological Disorders