Deck 9: Personality Disorders

Question 1

The behavioral patterns of individuals with personality disorders

A) are thought to be relatively consistent over time, with little adaptation to new kinds of experiences.
B) are remarkable in their tendency to shift dramatically from one kind of disorder to another.
C) tend to fluctuate over time.
D) tend to normalize with experience as an individual matures.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Misdiagnoses are common when looking at potential personality disorders because

A) the diagnostic criteria are subjective.
B) it is usually not possible to determine when the problematic behavior began.
C) many of the personality disorders share common features.
D) most of those in treatment for personality disorders are heavily medicated.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The best single-word description for the person with paranoid personality disorder is

A) impulsive.
B) mistrustful.
C) delusional.
D) unemotional.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Unlike the person with paranoid schizophrenia, the person with paranoid personality disorder

A) has persistent loss of reality contact.
B) tends to confide in others and assume the loyalty of his or her friends.
C) becomes delusional in response to an actual betrayal or hurtful incident with another person.
D) are in contact with reality, although they may have transient psychotic symptoms.

Question 5

There is a general agreement among researchers that personality

A) is mainly learned.
B) is mainly genetic.
C) has an infinite number of possible trait dimensions.
D) can be characterized by five basic trait dimensions.

Question 6

Since there are substantial problems with reliability and validity of the diagnoses of personality disorders,

A) they are rarely used in clinical practice.
B) they are considered by clinicians only as suggestions and do not have an impact on treatment decisions.
C) it is less likely that research on a disorder will be able to be replicated by other researchers.
D) very little research or search for treatments is done.

Question 7

People find Adam difficult to be around. His behavior is unpredictable but most often is annoying to others. He doesn't seem to learn from his bad experiences, instead he keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over. His family says Adam has been like this since at least junior high school. Adam most likely has

A) an anxiety disorder.
B) a personality disorder.
C) a mood disorder.
D) a dissociative disorder.

Question 8

The clusters used to divide personality disorders are

A) based on research that shows disorders clearly fall into these different categories.
B) no longer used by anyone.
C) criticized because their validity is questionable.
D) evidence that there is little overlap between personality disorders.

Question 9

Which of the following is a factor that complicates determining the causes of personality disorders?

A) the availability of only prospective data
B) the inability to gather information from the patients themselves, due to the prevalence of memory disorders amongst those with personality disorders
C) the wealth of biological data available
D) the high likelihood that an individual with one personality disorder may also have another

Question 10

Unlike disorders like depression and PTSD,

A) personality disorders are found on Axis III.
B) multiple causal events can be identified when a personality disorder has developed.
C) personality disorders develop gradually.
D) those with personality disorders experience considerable subjective distress.

Question 11

Individuals with personality disorders

A) have a strong sense of self.
B) are unable to live up to societal expectations.
C) reject societal expectations.
D) comply with societal expectations.

Question 12

Individuals who seem odd and eccentric to others may have personality disorders from

A) Cluster A.
B) Cluster B.
C) Cluster C.
D) proposed diagnostic categories needing further study.

Question 13

The 5 factor model

A) is a model that attempts to explain personality disorders by dividing them into 5 main categories.
B) is a 5 step model for the treatment of personality disorders.
C) is a model that explains the causes of personality disorders by describing the 5 most important factors that lead to their development.
D) is a model of normal personality that includes an expanded description of the 5 basic personality dimensions.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a Cluster B personality disorder?

A) depressive
B) narcissistic
C) histrionic
D) borderline

Question 15

Helen is suspicious and doubts the loyalty of even her friends. She is unwilling to forgive perceived insults and never forgets a grudge. She is most likely to be diagnosed with personality disorder.

A) histrionic
B) schizoid
C) paranoid
D) schizotypal

Question 16

What do all of the Cluster A disorders have in common?

A) social dysfunction
B) clear link to schizophrenia
C) distrust of others
D) lack of emotional expression

Question 17

Which basic personality traits from the 5 factor model seem most important in the development of paranoid personality disorder?

A) excitement seeking and neuroticism
B) antagonism and neuroticism
C) introversion and openness to feelings
D) fantasy proneness and tough mindedness

Question 18

Which statement about personality disorders is accurate?

A) Even the milder cases of personality disorders produce severe impairments in social and occupational functioning.
B) Most of the personality disorders are extreme reactions to stressful life events.
C) The personality disorders are considered situation-specific problems in behaving.
D) The category is broad and encompasses behavioral problems that vary widely in form and severity.

Question 19

Sam shows little emotion and is loner. He has no social relationships, other than his family, and he seems to experience little pleasure, if any. What personality disorder might Sam have?

A) narcissistic
B) borderline
C) schizoid
D) paranoid

Question 20

According to the DSM-IV-TR, which of the following must be true for a personality disorder diagnosis?

A) The patient must experience clinically significant distress.
B) Signs of psychosis must be present.
C) The person's behavior problems must cause them distress or impairment.
D) The patient's behavior must reflect a lack of impulse control.

Question 21

Which basic personality traits from the 5 factor model seem most important in the development of histrionic personality disorder?

A) high conscientiousness and low assertiveness
B) high extraversion and high neuroticism
C) low openness to feelings and high fantasy proneness
D) high neuroticism and low agreeableness

Question 22

A cognitive explanation for schizoid personality disorder proposes that the individual with this disorder believes that

A) no one can live up to their expectations.
B) few people can be trusted.
C) they are basically alone.
D) they are misunderstood.

Question 23

Tom tells you that he can make his roommate take out the trash by simply thinking about his roommate doing it. He agrees with you that this could sometimes just be a coincidence, but he seems to truly believe he can sometimes get people to do things just by thinking about it. You find him understandable when he talks, but sometimes hard to follow. His clothes are messy and don't match. Tom tells you not to tell anyone about his power, because he knows that other people don't like him because they are jealous and they would hurt him if they could. The best diagnosis for Tom is

A) borderline personality disorder.
B) schizotypal personality disorder.
C) paranoid personality disorder.
D) schizoid personality disorder.

Question 24

Which basic personality traits from the 5 factor model seem most important in the development of schizoid personality disorder?

A) low agreeableness and high antagonism
B) high introversion and low agreeableness
C) high introversion and low openness to feelings
D) low excitement seeking and high fantasy proneness

Question 25

Which of the following personality disorders might be the female equivalent of antisocial personality disorder?

A) avoidant
B) borderline
C) narcissistic
D) histrionic

Question 26

Lori is vain and self-centered. When she goes out, it is not at all uncommon for her to do things that ensure she is the center of attention. Her close friends describe her as a "drama queen." Assuming that her behavior is sufficient to warrant an Axis II diagnosis, which of the following personality disorders is she most likely to be diagnosed with?

A) antisocial
B) histrionic
C) narcissistic
D) borderline

Question 27

Which of the following best accounts for why women are more likely to be diagnosed with histrionic personality disorder than men?

A) The symptoms tend to be exaggerations of traits normally seen in women.
B) The primary feature of this disorder is emotionality and women are more emotional than men.
C) Women are more likely to develop this disorder.
D) Women are naturally more likely than men to engage in attention-seeking behaviors.

Question 28

Greg has been diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. Knowing this, which of the following jobs would he be most likely to enjoy?

A) elementary school teacher who works with children who have emotional problems
B) receptionist at a busy dentist's office
C) night-time security guard who works alone
D) insurance inspector who uncovers clues that criminal behavior has occurred

Question 29

Individuals with schizoid and paranoid personality disorders differ significantly in their

A) level of emotionality.
B) ability to function.
C) likelihood of recovery.
D) display of psychotic symptoms.

Question 30

Transient psychotic symptoms are seen in which of the following personality disorders?

A) schizotypal and schizoid
B) schizoid and antisocial
C) paranoid and schizotypal
D) paranoid and schizoid

Question 31

Like many individuals with personality disorders, individuals with histrionic personality disorder are rarely able to maintain relationships over time. Why?

A) Their exaggerated sense of self-importance is generally off-putting.
B) Their self-reliance leads them to feel that they do not need anyone else.
C) Their extreme distrust makes lasting relationships impossible.
D) Their need for attention is likely to drive others away.

Question 32

The central problem of schizoid personality disorder is

A) a marked disregard for the feelings of others.
B) an inability to form attachments to other people.
C) recurrent depression.
D) cognitive and perceptual distortions.

Question 33

Histrionic personality disorder is most likely to be diagnosed in people who

A) are emotionally unexpressive and prefer living alone.
B) are attention-seeking and overly emotional.
C) depend on others because they do not feel competent.
D) later develop schizophrenic symptoms.

Question 34

Which of the following is most typical of the interpersonal attitudes and behaviors of someone with histrionic personality disorder?

A) excessive trust and dependence on others' opinions
B) vacillation between overidealization and bitter disappointment
C) cruel and callous exploitation of others for personal gain
D) repeated manipulation of others to gain attention

Question 35

While the individual with personality disorder appears cool and aloof, the individual with ________ personality disorder is best described as odd.

A) schizoid; schizotypal
B) schizoid; avoidant
C) schizotypal; avoidant
D) avoidant; schizotypal

Question 36

Schizophrenic disorders seem to be most strongly linked genetically to personality disorder.

A) schizoid
B) avoidant
C) schizotypal
D) Both A and B.

Question 37

Visual, attentional, and memory deficits comparable to those seen in schizophrenia have been documented in personality disorder.

A) paranoid
B) schizoid
C) borderline
D) schizotypal

Question 38

Which of the following personality disorders is most likely to be mistaken for schizophrenia?

A) borderline
B) schizotypal
C) avoidant
D) schizoid B

Question 39

Luisa is a lively and emotional graduate student. She dresses provocatively and behaves in a very seductive manner with her male professors. She has had a long string of short-lived, stormy romances. Luisa is most likely to have a diagnosis of

A) passive-aggressive personality disorder.
B) dependent personality disorder.
C) histrionic personality disorder.
D) narcissistic personality disorder.

Question 40

Which of the following core dysfunctional beliefs might explain the development of histrionic personality disorder?

A) "If I am not fun, they will abandon me."
B) "I need a man to define me."
C) "I am completely helpless."
D) "I am the only one I can trust."

Question 41

Which of the following is most typical of the interpersonal attitudes and behaviors of someone with borderline personality disorder?

A) cruel and callous exploitation of others for personal gain
B) repeated manipulation of others to gain attention
C) excessive trust and dependence on others' opinions
D) vacillation between overidealization and bitter disappointment

Question 42

A lack of parental indulgence of a child's overconfidence might play a causal role in personality disorder.

A) antisocial
B) histrionic
C) narcissistic
D) borderline

Question 43

Hope believes that she is the "star" of her graduate class and that the other students dislike her because they are jealous of her superior intelligence. She believes that she is entitled to be exempted from an important exam because of her outstanding performance in class. Hope probably suffers from

A) histrionic personality disorder.
B) schizoid personality disorder.
C) dependent personality disorder.
D) narcissistic personality disorder.

Question 44

Which of the following is most typical of the interpersonal attitudes and behaviors of someone with antisocial personality disorder?

A) repeated manipulation of others to gain attention
B) vacillation between overidealization and bitter disappointment
C) excessive trust and dependence on others' opinions
D) cruel and callous exploitation of others for personal gain

Question 45

The histrionic seeks ________, while the narcissist needs _.

A) admiration; attention
B) acceptance; admiration
C) acceptance; approval
D) attention; admiration

Question 46

personality disorder is much more common in men than women and involves the exploitation of others without remorse.

A) Histrionic
B) Paranoid
C) Borderline
D) Antisocial

Question 47

At a young age, children are not able to understand that the world that others experience is different from their own. Children also tend to overestimate their own abilities. A failure to outgrow these youthful characteristics might explain the development of personality disorder.

A) antisocial
B) narcissistic
C) histrionic
D) borderline

Question 48

Both a lack of parental indulgence and parental overindulgence have been proposed as explanations for ________ personality disorder.

A) antisocial
B) histrionic
C) narcissistic
D) borderline

Question 49

Loretta has a long history of first idealizing men and then feeling they have abandoned her. Feelings of emptiness change into reckless acts of sexual promiscuity, gambling, and suicide attempts. She feels that she has never had a sense of self. Loretta probably has personality disorder.

A) dependent
B) borderline
C) histrionic
D) narcissistic

Question 50

Why is it that people with narcissistic personality disorder are unlikely to seek treatment?

A) They are hypersensitive to criticism.
B) They think they are nearly perfect and in no need of change.
C) They are suspicious that therapists will steal their ideas.
D) They are afraid they will become dependent on the therapist.

Question 51

Early criminal behavior is most characteristic of

A) schizotypal personality disorder.
B) borderline personality disorder.
C) schizoid personality disorder.
D) antisocial personality disorder.

Question 52

Which of the following distinguishes narcissistic personality disorder from the other Cluster B disorders?

A) emotionality
B) impulsivity
C) grandiosity
D) vanity

Question 53

Some people always think that everyone is looking at them and talking about them. This self-focused view of the world would be expected in someone with personality disorder.

A) paranoid
B) histrionic
C) borderline
D) narcissistic

Question 54

Henry was a charming middle-aged man who came to the attention of authorities on bigamy charges. He had a long history of courting and supposedly marrying elderly widows, then absconding with their money. His diagnosis is most likely

A) antisocial personality disorder.
B) narcissistic personality disorder.
C) histrionic personality disorder.
D) borderline personality disorder.

Question 55

Self-mutilation, such as is seen in borderline personality disorder, is

A) a form of suicidal behavior.
B) associated with an increase in anxiety and depression.
C) done to reduce anxiety and depression.
D) a form of self-punishment.

Question 56

Antisocial personality disorder differs from the other Cluster B disorders in that

A) symptoms are usually present before age 15.
B) it is seen equally on men and women.
C) a need for approval or attention is not displayed.
D) a lack of concern for the feelings of others is displayed.

Question 57

Transient psychotic and dissociative experiences can occur in personality disorder.

A) obsessive-compulsive
B) antisocial
C) narcissistic
D) borderline

Question 58

Symptoms of what Axis I diagnosis are present in individuals who later develop antisocial personality disorder?

A) attachment disorder
B) conduct disorder
C) attention deficit disorder
D) depression

Question 59

Which basic personality traits from the 5 factor model seem most important in the development of narcissistic personality disorder?

A) low excitement seeking and high neuroticism
B) low agreeableness and high fantasy proneness
C) high extraversion and high agreeableness
D) low fantasy proneness and high impulsivity

Question 60

Impulsivity and extreme instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and mood best characterizes

A) avoidant personality disorder.
B) antisocial personality disorder.
C) borderline personality disorder.
D) histrionic personality disorder.

Question 61

Avoidant personality disorder is extremely similar to and hard to distinguish from

A) paranoid personality disorder.
B) schizoid personality disorder.
C) generalized social phobia.
D) generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 62

The individual with avoidant personality disorder is unlikely to develop lasting relationships as a result of their

A) fear of rejection.
B) callousness.
C) desire to control others.
D) lack of interest.

Question 63

Which basic personality traits from the 5 factor model seem most important in the development of dependent personality disorder?

A) high neuroticism and high agreeableness
B) high introversion and low conscientiousness
C) high excitement seeking and low openness to feelings
D) high fantasy proneness and low neuroticism

Question 64

People who lack self-confidence despite good skills, who panic at the possibility of being separated from their spouse, and remain in abusive relationships have many of the symptoms of _ personality disorder.

A) dependent
B) histrionic
C) avoidant
D) narcissistic

Question 65

According to Paris' multidimensional theory of borderline personality disorder BPD), people with high levels of impulsivity and affective instability

A) come to enjoy acting out.
B) come mainly from intact homes and are unlikely to develop BPD.
C) are likely to develop BPD if they are exposed to trauma.
D) are likely to develop BPD in response to even minor stressors.

Question 66

Which basic personality traits from the 5 factor model seem most important in the development of borderline personality disorder?

A) high antagonism and low neuroticism
B) high impulsivity and affective instability
C) high agreeableness and low excitement seeking
D) high extraversion and low fantasy proneness

Question 67

Helena has avoidant personality disorder. She is likely to

A) have no interest in social relationships.
B) engage in a series of intense, unstable relationships.
C) avoid achievement situations where she might fail.
D) be hypersensitive to any sign of criticism or rejection.

Question 68

The fear of abandonment is seen in both borderline and dependent personality disorder. A key difference is their reaction to it:

A) The person with borderline personality disorder gets into new relationships and the person with dependent personality disorder is afraid to seek out new relationships.
B) The person with borderline personality disorder gets angry and the person with dependent personality disorder becomes submissive.
C) The person with borderline personality disorder gets depressed and the person with dependent personality disorder gets angry.
D) The person with borderline personality disorder goes to other people for a replacement and the person with dependent personality disorder stays alone and sad.

Question 69

The research on the association between borderline personality disorder and childhood sexual abuse

A) suggests that some genetic component underlies both the disorder in the child and the parents' tendency to abuse.
B) shows child sexual abuse is the leading cause of borderline personality disorder.
C) are problematic-the abuse most likely is occurring with other factors that might be more important.
D) has shown that the reports of sexual abuse were mostly false reports.

Question 70

Stu has no friends except his brother. He would desperately love to date women but is certain no woman would be interested in him. He tried a dating service but was convinced that the secretary was trying to get rid of him because he was such a poor candidate. The most likely diagnosis for Stu is

A) schizotypal personality disorder.
B) paranoid personality disorder.
C) schizoid personality disorder.
D) avoidant personality disorder.

Question 71

The key causal factor in borderline personality disorder seems to be

A) a negative attributional style.
B) an inability to empathize with other people.
C) failure to develop an articulated self-identity.
D) inconsistent or highly punitive discipline in childhood.

Question 72

Sharon says, "I would love to be in an intimate relationship. My life is terribly boring and lonely. But I am extremely shy and I would fall apart if any man criticized me in the slightest." This description best matches the symptoms of personality disorder.

A) avoidant
B) dependent
C) antisocial
D) borderline

Question 73

What core belief might explain the behavior of the individual with dependent personality disorder?

A) "I am helpless."
B) "Others exist to benefit me."
C) "I don't know who I am without you."
D) "Unless I make people laugh, they will not like me."

Question 74

Involvement in an abusive relationship as the one who is abused) would be most expected of the individual with personality disorder.

A) borderline
B) antisocial
C) dependent
D) schizotypal

Question 75

The individual with avoidant personality disorder behaves most similarly to someone with ________ personality disorder.

A) schizotypal
B) schizoid
C) borderline
D) antisocial

Question 76

Which basic personality traits from the 5 factor model seem most important in the development of avoidant personality disorder?

A) high extraversion and low openness to feelings
B) high antagonism and low neuroticism
C) high introversion and high neuroticism
D) high agreeableness and high angry hostility

Question 77

Emily calls her husband every day at work to ask him what she should make for dinner. She spends her days at her mothers, because Emily worries that something will go wrong in her own home that she won't be able to handle. Even though she paints and draws well, Emily has never tried to take a class or use her talent, because she says she knows she really isn't good enough. Emily's most likely diagnosis is

A) dependent personality disorder.
B) paranoid personality disorder.
C) schizoid personality disorder.
D) borderline personality disorder.

Question 78

In contrast to schizoid individuals, those with avoidant personality disorder

A) are emotional and dramatic.
B) are impulsive and self-destructive.
C) are exploitative rather than compliant.
D) are extremely upset by their lack of social relationships.

Question 79

John has a great need for order and perfectionism. He can't leave the house until every hair is in place and he has been known to iron the same shirt over and over to ensure that he is wrinkle-free. What personality disorder does John's behavior suggest?

A) avoidant
B) narcissistic
C) obsessive-compulsive
D) dependent

Question 80

Hattie has a dependent personality disorder. This means that she

A) prefers being alone rather than being with people who might criticize her.
B) has difficulty in initiating relationships.
C) has acute discomfort when she is alone.
D) experiences little distress in her life.