Deck 16: Law,society,and the Mental Health Profession

Question 1

A person who had a serious mental illness and was in need of treatment could,nevertheless,not be civilly committed unless that person was also:

A) a danger to himself or herself.
B) a danger to others.
C) a danger to his or her parents.
D) a danger either to himself or herself,or to others.

Answer 1

a danger either to himself or herself,or to others.

Question 2

Which statement does NOT describe how well mental health professionals can predict dangerousness?

A) They are better at accurately predicting short-term than long-term risks of dangerousness.
B) They tend to overestimate the likelihood that a patient will be violent.
C) They are wrong more often than they are right when predicting long-term violence.
D) They are better at accurately predicting long-term than short-term risks of dangerousness.

Answer 2

They are better at accurately predicting long-term than short-term risks of dangerousness.

Question 3

Which principle is MOST likely to result in a conflict with the mental health professional's obligation to maintain confidentiality for the patient?

A) the duty to protect
B) the acknowledgement of the professional's limitations
C) the prohibition against professionals having sex with patients
D) the need for validity and accuracy in court testimony

Answer 3

the duty to protect

Question 4

The current trend in legislation and treatment regarding people who commit sex crimes and are also mentally ill is to:

A) emphasize treatment and deemphasize imprisonment.
B) require both punishment for the crime and treatment.
C) emphasize the rights of the sex criminal.
D) require restitution rather than punishment.

Question 5

Which is an example of the way a patient's rights might interfere with the patient's recovery (that is,an example of a time when patients' rights are not good for the patients)?

A) The right to refuse medication may limit a patient's recovery.
B) Payment for work done enhances token economy programs.
C) The right to refuse medication helps lower treatment costs.
D) Our present state of knowledge does not justify overriding a patient's decisions.

Question 6

Michel heard voices telling him a neighbor was plotting to destroy the earth.In a fit of rage,Michel killed his neighbor.He is likely to be sent to a mental institution because:

A) no crime was committed.
B) he was mentally unstable at the time of the crime.
C) a person who commits such a crime must be insane.
D) he was mentally unstable at the time of the trial and unable to defend himself.

Question 7

Which do NOT belong together in terms of Internet use and potential behavioral disorders?

A) social media site postings and bullying
B) social networking and peer pressure
C) constant texting and tweeting,and attention problems
D) e-mail use and depression

Question 8

Which statement accurately reflects current trends in civil commitment?

A) Many people who could be described as "social deviants" (drug addicts,check bouncers,counterculture adherents)are committed.
B) Fewer people are institutionalized through civil commitment procedures today than in the past
C) Today more people are institutionalized through civil commitment than ever before.
D) States are currently moving to make commitment regulations and standards even stricter.

Question 9

Which case caused the uproar and outrage that led to a return to the M'Naghten rule in determining insanity?

A) Sirhan Sirhan's assassination of Robert F.Kennedy
B) Oliver North's indictment in the Iran-Contra scandal
C) John Hinckley's attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan
D) a Bulgarian zealot's attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II

Question 10

Vanessa discovered that her partner was cheating on her with her best friend.She was so enraged when she confronted them that she killed them both in a fit of rage.She may be eligible for an insanity defense under the:

A) M'Naghten rule.
B) irresistible impulse test.
C) Durham test.
D) American Law Institute test.

Question 11

What is a legal test that holds people to be insane at the time they committed a crime if their act was the result of a mental disorder?

A) Durham test
B) M'Naghten rule
C) Organic deficiency test
D) Irresistible impulse test

Question 12

In the case of Wyatt v.Stickney,the U.S.Supreme Court ruled that people who have been involuntarily committed have a right to:

A) treatment.
B) a hearing.
C) a fair trial.
D) periodic reviews of their status.

Question 13

A person who is accused of a crime cannot be convicted if he or she is mentally unstable either at the time of the crime or at the time of the trial.This minimum standard of competence to stand trial is important to ensure that the person:

A) knows whether he or she is guilty.
B) may argue coherently on the witness stand.
C) understands the charges and can work with his or her lawyer.
D) can show the jury his or her state of mind at the time of the crime.

Question 14

If Dr.Phil were a licensed psychologist,would he be ethically allowed to offer advice to people on television?

A) No,psychologists can only offer advice to people who are ongoing clients.
B) No,psychologists can only offer advice in newspapers but not on television.
C) Yes,as long as he bases his advice on appropriate psychological practice.
D) Yes,as long as he also sees the person for follow-up therapy.

Question 15

Some experts have suggested the next revision of the DSM should include a new disorder describing excessive and dysfunctional tweeting,texting,blogging,and Internet shopping called:

A) social networking disorder.
B) Internet exhibitionism.
C) isolationistic disorder.
D) Internet use disorder.

Question 16

During an insanity defense trial,the testimony of the clinicians hired by the defense conflicts with the testimony of the clinicians hired by the prosecution.This suggests that:

A) scientific knowledge about abnormal behavior is incomplete and uncertain.
B) there is no basis for either of their testimonies.
C) the field has made great strides in its ability to predict abnormal behavior.
D) people really do have free will.

Question 17

A recent national mental health survey of psychotherapists found that more than three-quarters of them reported being in therapy themselves at least once and that they:

A) are likely to seek therapy because they feel inadequate.
B) seek therapy for the same problems that affect other people.
C) are more likely to seek help for depression than are other people.
D) experience more anxiety disorders than other people because they feel obligated to appear well-adjusted.

Question 18

"I'm sorry I did that.I didn't know it was wrong," is MOST consistent with the:

A) Durham test.
B) irresistible impulse test.
C) American Law Institute test.
D) M'Naghten rule.

Question 19

What is the top reason people become therapists?

A) to help people
B) to make a good salary
C) to obtain professional autonomy
D) to understand others

Question 20

The legal system and the scientific community generally see _____ as fundamentally different.

A) the degree of free will that people have regarding their behavior
B) the definition of mental illness
C) the level of equality between men and women
D) dangerousness

Question 21

The majority of criminals institutionalized for psychological treatment in the United States are there because:

A) they were judged mentally incompetent.
B) they were judged not guilty by reason of insanity.
C) prison officials decided they needed treatment.
D) their trials resulted in hung juries.

Question 22

You have witnessed a crime and are testifying for the prosecution.What type of question should the defense attorney ask you to invalidate your testimony?

A) one that requires you to retell the events from beginning to end
B) one that uses inaccurate information in the question
C) one that emphasizes the importance of correct eyewitness testimony
D) one that asks you to remember only the important details

Question 23

The burden of proof in an insanity case is usually:

A) on the defense attorneys to prove that the defendant is insane.
B) on the prosecution attorneys to prove that the defendant is sane.
C) on the defense for federal cases and on the prosecution for most state cases.
D) on the defense for most state cases and on the prosecution for federal cases.

Question 24

If you are the typical therapist,you have:

A) had a sexual relationship with at least one client.
B) never been sexually attracted to a client.
C) had a sexual relationship with a client you were not attracted to.
D) been sexually attracted to a client but not had a sexual relationship with a client.

Question 25

If a person with paranoid schizophrenia committed murder and was not able to control his or her actions and follow the law,that person would NOT be eligible for an insanity defense under the:

A) Durham test.
B) American Law Institute test.
C) irresistible impulse test.
D) M'Naghten rule.

Question 26

What does it mean if a person receives a two-physician certificate?

A) The person successfully involuntarily committed a child.
B) The person was involuntarily committed.
C) The person is considered a sexual predator.
D) The person's prognosis is "incurable."

Question 27

When seeking clear and convincing proof,the U.S.Supreme Court has ruled that there must be:

A) total certainty.
B) 75 percent certainty.
C) equivalent to beyond a reasonable doubt.
D) equivalent to near-total certainty

Question 28

Why have states begun to adjust or abolish existing mentally disordered sex offender laws?

A) Evidence shows racial bias can affect the application of the law.
B) Courts are becoming more sensitive to treatments for sex offenders.
C) The public wants sex offenders to have harsher punishments.
D) Clinicians are better able to predict who is sexually dangerous.

Question 29

What is enhanced interrogation?

A) torture-based questioning
B) clinical assessment questioning
C) face-to-face interviewing
D) compassionate concern

Question 30

What can a person who is found to be guilty but also mentally ill expect?

A) no prison term and treatment in a mental health facility
B) a prison term with the recommendation for treatment
C) a prison term with no treatment
D) no prison term and no treatment

Question 31

The type of system that many health insurance companies have set up to try to curtail expenses associated with providing treatment is referred to as a(n):

A) managed care system.
B) private insurance company.
C) employee assistance program.
D) health maintenance organization.

Question 32

Danica is a student who would like to eventually have a career that combines both mental health topics and working with the legal and judicial systems.She should be directed toward:

A) forensic psychology.
B) behavioral neuroscience.
C) medical science.
D) neurology.

Question 33

Which is NOT true about profiling?

A) Profile information needs to be combined with other more compelling clues.
B) Profiling is based on traits shared by those who commit particular kinds of crimes.
C) Profiling can be inaccurate.
D) Profiling is realistically portrayed on most television shows.

Question 34

What is an antitreatment network?

A) an online site that tries to guide people away from seeking help for psychological problems
B) a support group that does not have a mental health professional present
C) telemental health care
D) social media that focuses on getting people psychological care

Question 35

Imagine that you are a therapist working on the border between the United States and Mexico but you don't speak Spanish.What is proper ethical behavior for you?

A) You should acknowledge your limitations and seek further training.
B) You should pretend to be knowledgeable so as not to upset your clients.
C) You should ignore the potential influence of culture and language because the basic concerns of all people are the same.
D) You should continue to practice as you were originally taught.

Question 36

Which of these is a difficulty with the mentally disordered sex offender classification?

A) Sex offenders whose classification becomes known are often abused in prison.
B) It does not allow for treatment in a mental health facility for sex offenders.
C) Racial bias appears to affect who is given this classification.
D) It allows sex offenders to escape a criminal record.

Question 37

Kaylin lives in a rural area and there are no psychologists working in her community.She wants treatment for her anxiety,so she will be meeting with a therapist over videoconferencing.What type of treatment will she be getting?

A) telemental health care
B) traditional psychoanalysis
C) online support
D) Internet-based support

Question 38

Suffering from a psychophysiological disorder such as headaches,alcoholism,and substance abuse might make one eligible for an insanity defense under the:

A) M'Naghten rule.
B) irresistible impulse test.
C) Durham test.
D) American Law Institute test.

Question 39

A _____ is a body of principles and rules for ethical behavior,designed to guide decisions and actions by members of a profession.

A) code of ethics
B) duty to protect
C) right to treatment manual
D) compassionate concern system

Question 40

Which of these is NOT an effect of technology on the mental health field?

A) new triggers for the expression of abnormal behavior
B) the production of new psychological disorders
C) the creation of managed care programs
D) expansion of clinical treatment into telemental health

Question 41

The version of the insanity defense that declares that a person cannot be held responsible for his or her actions if those actions were the result of mental disease or mental defect is called the:

A) Durham test.
B) M'Naghten rule.
C) organic deficiency test.
D) irresistible impulse test.

Question 42

The biggest fear therapists have regarding their patients is that a patient will:

A) predispose others to mental illness.
B) criticize their work.
C) make a malpractice complaint.
D) commit suicide.

Question 43

Which is the BEST way to describe the growth of social media use in the past five years?

A) slow but steady growth
B) older people catching up with younger people in social media use
C) declining use of social media
D) fast growth

Question 44

A practitioner has admitted a patient to a state hospital and has prescribed medication for that patient.The chances that the practitioner is a psychologist are:

A) zero; psychologists cannot admit patients and cannot prescribe medication in any state.
B) low; a few states allow psychologists to admit patients and to prescribe medication.
C) moderate; some states allow psychologists to admit patients,and most states allow them to prescribe medication.
D) moderate; most states allow psychologists to admit patients,but few states allow them to prescribe medication.

Question 45

An important current distinction between psychologists and psychiatrists that is changing is that:

A) psychologists use mental tests and psychiatrists do not.
B) psychologists do psychotherapy and psychiatrists do not.
C) psychiatrists prescribe drugs and psychologists may not.
D) psychologists may order biological treatments and psychiatrists may not.

Question 46

Which person would never have to stand trial for a crime he or she might have committed?

A) one judged not guilty by reason of insanity
B) one judged mentally unstable at the time of the trial
C) one unable to assist in his or her defense at the time of the trial
D) one who had experienced criminal commitment

Question 47

Currently,which is the BEST conclusion one can draw about telemental health?

A) The use of technology in therapy is clearly lagging behind its use in other areas.
B) The American Psychological Association advises against the use of telemental health techniques.
C) There aren't enough controlled studies to fully assess telemental health's impact.
D) We will probably be seeing less rather than more of telemental health in the future.

Question 48

How does telemental health differ from traditional therapy?

A) Quality control is not a concern.
B) It limits the number of people who can access it.
C) The therapist has more schooling and training.
D) The therapist is not physically present.

Question 49

You are watching a TV show in which police call in an expert to provide a psychological profile of the murderer,whose identity is unknown.If the show reflects reality,the profile given will be:

A) very accurate; there are several characteristics all murderers have in common.
B) reasonably accurate; there are several characteristics almost all murderers have in common.
C) somewhat accurate; there are several characteristics that murderers often have in common.
D) inaccurate; there are almost no characteristics that murderers often have in common.

Question 50

If you were having marital problems that were affecting your work and your employer made mental health services available to you to deal with those problems,your employer would be providing you with:

A) services mandated by law.
B) an employee assistance program.
C) a peer review system.
D) a wellness plan.

Question 51

Before an individual can be committed,there must be:

A) clear and convincing proof of mental illness.
B) a need to avoid danger to others.
C) conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.
D) a need to relieve the family of the burden to treat.

Question 52

Addison has a mental disorder.She has attempted suicide multiple times but refuses to seek out treatment.Her family seeks to involuntarily commit her.For Addison to be involuntarily committed,a mental health professional must provide clear and convincing proof of mental illness:

A) beyond a reasonable doubt.
B) with 75 percent certainty.
C) with 51 percent certainty.
D) based on two of three assessment instruments.

Question 53

Dr.Subban is an expert in social anxiety disorder and has decided to create a Web site sharing current research on the topic.What is a likely benefit of this Web site?

A) The public will be better informed on the topic of social anxiety disorder.
B) People will start to self-diagnose instead of seeking costly treatment.
C) Dr.Subban will make a lot more money.
D) The Web site will help people so much they won't need to seek therapy.

Question 54

After being accused of a crime,Lavinia is found not guilty by reason of insanity.A judge orders that Lavinia be committed to a psychiatric facility for treatment.What does this exemplify?

A) 2 PCs
B) incarceration
C) civil commitment
D) criminal commitment

Question 55

Which is NOT a characteristic of serial murderers?

A) They are mostly male.
B) They have average to high intelligence.
C) They have empathy for their victims.
D) They are skillful manipulators.

Question 56

According to studies regarding psychological disorders and prisoners,which is an accurate statement?

A) Psychological disorders are more common in prison populations than in the general population.
B) Psychological disorders are less common in prison populations than in the general population.
C) Psychological disorders are as common in prison populations as in the general population.
D) Psychological disorders do not exist in prison populations.

Question 57

In the past 20 years or so,how has the authority of psychologists and psychiatrists to make decisions about things such as admitting patients and prescribing medication changed?

A) Psychiatrists have been granted some authority previously held only by psychologists.
B) Both psychiatrists and psychologists have been granted some authority previously held only by the other.
C) Psychologists have been granted some authority previously held only by psychiatrists.
D) Psychiatrist/psychologist authority has remained unchanged.

Question 58

The recent cases that have increased the patient's right to refuse treatment have focused largely on the right to refuse:

A) psychotherapy.
B) civil commitment.
C) biological treatments.
D) any form of treatment.

Question 59

The intersections between the mental health field and the legal and judicial systems are collectively referred to as:

A) forensic psychology.
B) the U.S.legal system.
C) scientific law.
D) legal psychology.

Question 60

In the past,people with mental disorders were less likely than those without mental disorders to commit violent or dangerous acts.Why do we think that is?

A) Many more were hospitalized in the past than are now.
B) The newer antipsychotic drugs do not control violence as well as older drugs did.
C) Fewer people with mental disorders are living in the community now than in the past.
D) Those with less severe mental disorders are showing an increase in violence these days.

Question 61

In response to a recommendation by the American Psychiatric Association regarding insanity pleas,current federal practice is MOST like the:

A) M'Naghten rule.
B) irresistible impulse test.
C) Durham test.
D) American Law Institute test.

Question 62

If a psychologist wanted to write a newspaper column on mental health issues in the community,what would that psychologist need to do to comply with professional ethical standards?

A) Psychologists can't give advice in newspapers; they can only give it face to face.
B) The psychologist would need to make sure the advice was based on sound research.
C) The psychologist would have to be supervised by a psychiatrist who oversaw the work.
D) The psychologist could not give information about medication in the articles.

Question 63

According to Foucha v.Louisiana,hospitalized offenders can be institutionalized only if they are:

A) insane.
B) dangerous.
C) substance abusers.
D) without resources.

Question 64

In recent years,public advocates for those with mental disorders have turned their attention to the rights of _____ to receive treatment.

A) mental patients in hospitals
B) medical patients in hospitals
C) mental patients in the community
D) nursing home residents

Question 65

Offenders are being released from mental hospitals earlier and earlier because of:

A) the increasing effectiveness of drug therapy.
B) the inability to accurately diagnose.
C) the overcrowding of mental hospitals.
D) the pleas of insanity that are later overturned.

Question 66

In the case of Foucha v.Louisiana,the Supreme Court ruled that the only acceptable basis for determining the release of hospitalized offenders is whether they are still:

A) mentally ill.
B) insane.
C) dangerous.
D) unable to assist with their defense.

Question 67

The American Psychological Association's code of ethics states that sexual relationships between a psychologist and client are:

A) permitted if both parties agree.
B) permitted as soon as treatment ends.
C) prohibited only for therapeutic purposes.
D) prohibited under almost all circumstances.

Question 68

The rise of managed care programs for treating mental disorders has resulted in:

A) a focus on maintaining confidentiality at all costs.
B) a preference for short-term rather than long-term improvement.
C) less detail about the patient being shared with fewer insurance employees.
D) return of treatment decisions to the therapists rather than to the insurance companies.

Question 69

A man is having trouble coping with his financial problems and is getting depressed about them.He seeks out someone at his company who counsels employees on such issues and tries to address problems before they get worse.The man is seeking help from:

A) stress-reduction seminars.
B) problem-solving seminars.
C) an employee assistance program.
D) an outpatient counseling center.

Question 70

Currently in the United States,patients who are criminally committed to a mental hospital can be released:

A) only after they have been hospitalized an amount of time equal to the time they would have spent in prison.
B) only when they are judged to be no longer dangerous.
C) when they are no longer considered insane.
D) after they have spent time in a halfway house.

Question 71

If you were an air traffic controller and your employer required you to attend a seminar on dealing with stress in healthy ways,you would be receiving:

A) individual therapy.
B) an employee assistance program.
C) health maintenance insurance.
D) a problem-solving seminar.

Question 72

What is the MOST difficult question for a forensic psychologist to answer correctly?

A) Was the defendant sane at the time of the crime?
B) What is the mental disorder that the defendant has now?
C) Would treatment be beneficial for the defendant?
D) Was what the defendant is alleged to have done wrong?

Question 73

Mental health services made available by a place of business are called:

A) managed care.
B) group therapy sessions.
C) telemental health services.
D) employee assistance programs.

Question 74

Given the changes in sex-offender laws,the emphasis of concern appears to be swinging toward:

A) protecting children.
B) sympathizing with sex offenders.
C) non-Hispanic white Americans.
D) states' rights.

Question 75

What focused on setting up a system to investigate possible abuse and neglect of the mentally ill?

A) the M'Naghten test
B) the Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act of 1986
C) the Robinson v.California Supreme Court decision
D) the American Law Institute test

Question 76

The state has a right to make decisions on behalf of an individual,so long as it is in the individual's best interest.The state also has the right to protect society from harm.These rights have been used to support:

A) use of the insanity defense.
B) the process of criminal commitment.
C) the process of involuntary commitment.
D) use of the diminished-capacity defense.

Question 77

Which is NOT a typical concern that psychologists have regarding Internet support groups?

A) Along with accurate information about mental health on the Internet,there is also a lot of bad information to be found there.
B) There is a distressing number of sites that encourage abnormal behavior (e.g.,pro-suicide and pro-anorexia sites).
C) There is a lack of demand for the therapies currently available.
D) It is difficult to maintain quality with so many people offering online support.

Question 78

If a person with a mental illness committed murder but was convicted of committing manslaughter,that person probably lived in a state that had a:

A) guilty but mentally ill option.
B) guilty with diminished capacity option.
C) not guilty by reason of insanity option.
D) guilty by reason of insanity option.

Question 79

The preference insurance companies show for short-term mental health services,by default,favors:

A) those with more severe disorders.
B) psychodynamic over cognitive-behavioral therapies.
C) drug treatment over talk therapies.
D) psychologists over psychiatrists.

Question 80

The issue underlying the dispute between psychiatrists and psychologists about prescription-prescribing privileges is:

A) fear of malpractice suits.
B) professional boundary issues.
C) ethical concerns about patient safety.
D) insurance company control over patient treatment.