Deck 12: Psychological Disorders

Question 1

Alberta is a psychologist who is trying to assess whether her patient is exhibiting abnormal behavior. Alberta follows a practical approach. Which of the following will not help Alberta decide if her patient has impaired functioning?

A)Content of the behavior
B)Sociocultural context
C)Behavioral consequences
D)Genetic predispositions

Answer 1

Genetic predispositions

Question 2

Being able to play basketball at the skill level of Michael Jordan is very rare. Thus, Michael Jordan might be viewed as abnormal from the __________ approach to defining abnormality.

A)statistical infrequency
B)norm violation
C)personal suffering
D)practical

Answer 2

statistical infrequency

Question 3

Mr. Garrison spends hours each day having conversations with his hand puppet. Mr. Garrison's behavior would be considered abnormal according to all of the following except

A)the statistical infrequency criterion.
B)the personal suffering criterion.
C)the norm violation criterion.
D)the practical approach.

Answer 3

the personal suffering criterion.

Question 4

Gary takes great pleasure in torturing animals. With this information, Gary's behavior would be classified as abnormal according to all but which of the following criteria?

A)Statistical infrequency criterion
B)Norm violation criterion
C)Personal suffering criterion
D)The practical approach

Question 5

Edison believes that all psychological disorders have anatomical or chemical causes. He is interested in research that would help to uncover the genetic influences of such disorders. Edison must support the __________ model of psychopathology.

A)social-cognitive
B)neurobiological
C)psychological
D)biopsychosocial

Question 6

Darlene met Giani at a campus party and thought he was cute, but then became extremely uncomfortable talking to him because he stood only five inches away from her. Giani would be considered abnormal under which of the following criteria?

A)Personal suffering
B)Norm violation
C)Impaired functioning
D)The practical approach

Question 7

Although mental health researchers have disagreed in the past about the causes of disordered behavior, most researchers in Western cultures now agree that the __________ model best explains the appearance of psychopathology.

A)biopsychosocial
B)sociocultural
C)psychological
D)medical

Question 8

Ayse and Ali are discussing the causes of the high rate of depression among women. Ali points out how early childhood environment affects women's depression when they encounter stress later in life. On the other hand, Ayse thinks that higher rates of depression among women are solely due to oppression of women in a male-dominated society. Ali seems to adopt a __________ approach whereas Ayse seems to adopt a __________ approach to causes of depression.

A)biological; psychological
B)diathesis-stress; psychological
C)sociocultural; psychological
D)diathesis-stress; sociocultural

Question 9

As a clinical psychologist, you are concerned with patterns of thinking and behaving that are maladaptive, disruptive, and/or uncomfortable for the person affected or for others. In other words, you are interested in

A)psychokinesis.
B)psychopathology.
C)psychodiagnosis.
D)psychoanalysis.

Question 10

A researcher who subscribes to the psychological model of mental disorder is least likely to investigate

A)distorted perceptions of reality.
B)disturbances in the anatomy and chemistry of the brain.
C)unconscious conflicts between inborn impulses and the limits placed on those impulses by society.
D)thought patterns and past learning experiences.

Question 11

Dr. Noonan believes that psychological disorders are the result of unresolved unconscious conflicts from childhood. For example, she believes that panic attacks occur when a person's instinctual impulses become too overwhelming. Dr. Noonan believes in the __________ approach to psychopathology.

A)psychodynamic
B)humanist
C)cognitive-behavioral
D)diathesis-stress

Question 12

Twenty-year-old Elton inherited a predisposition to depression and was brought up by a mother who suffered from bipolar disorder. Until now, Elton has avoided depressive or manic symptoms, but according to the diathesis-stress model, he may develop depression if he

A)fails to undergo psychotherapy.
B)encounters very stressful events.
C)fails to recognize his genuine feelings about himself.
D)develops serious diathesis.

Question 13

In the diathesis-stress model of psychopathology, a person with a higher diathesis would

A)develop a psychological disorder in response to higher levels of stress.
B)have a theoretical immunity to psychological disorders.
C)develop a psychological disorder in response to lower levels of stress.
D)have a higher proclivity toward culture-specific disorders.

Question 14

Marsha and Jan are identical twins whose mother and aunt both suffer from depression. Marsha falls in love with and marries a wonderful guy, gets her dream job, and wins the lottery. Jan is lonely because she is constantly rejected by guys, hates her job, and despises living next to an airport. In this scenario, __________ is more likely to develop depressive symptoms according to the __________ model.

A)Marsha; psychodynamic
B)Marsha; diathesis-stress
C)Jan; psychodynamic
D)Jan; diathesis-stress

Question 15

To better understand the onset, progression, and treatment of psychological disorders, Phyllis wants to take the most comprehensive and holistic approach. She believes that such multifactorial perspective will most benefit her study. To that end, you should recommend that Phyllis investigate the __________ model of abnormality.

A)vulnerability
B)sociocultural
C)biopsychosocial
D)comorbidity

Question 16

In the __________ model, abnormality is seen as an illness that is caused physically and that can be treated physically.

A)social-learning
B)medical
C)humanist
D)psychodynamic

Question 17

Huang, who lives in Malaysia, is afraid that one day soon his penis will shrivel and retract into his body thus killing him. His psychiatrist realizes that Huang has a condition called koro that is seen almost exclusively in Southeast Asia. Koro is a __________ disorder.

A)culture-general
B)somatization
C)hysterical
D)culture-specific

Question 18

During an episode of the TV show Seinfeld , one of the characters was identified as "The Close Talker," meaning that he stood too close to people when he spoke to them. This person's behavior would most likely be judged abnormal on the basis of the __________ criterion for abnormality.

A)dysfunction
B)personal suffering
C)norm violation
D)impracticality

Question 19

While interviewing Joe, Dr. Willard discovers that Joe has a genetic predisposition for schizophrenia because his uncle and mother had schizophrenia. Dr. Willard also believes the fact that Joe was homeless for several months after being expelled from school and "disowned" by his parents triggered his schizophrenia. Dr. Willard probably follows the __________ model of psychological disorders.

A)medical
B)sociocultural
C)psychological
D)diathesis-stress

Question 20

All of the following are considered part of the medical model of explaining psychopathology except

A)cognitive distortions.
B)having an imbalance of humors in the body.
C)neurobiological factors.
D)genetic influences.

Question 21

With which belief forwarded by Thomas Szasz would most mental health professionals disagree?

A)The process of psychological diagnosis ignores people's strengths and the features that make them unique.
B)Labeling people with a mental illness forces them to undergo unnecessary treatment.
C)Attaching the label of a given mental illness to a person dehumanizes them.
D)Labeling a person with a specific diagnostic label hurts his/her chances for improvement.

Question 22

According to the Thinking Critically section about bias in psychological diagnosis, what conclusions were deemed most reasonable?

A)There is no bias in diagnosis toward African Americans.
B)African Americans are diagnosed with disorders less frequently than Caucasian Americans.
C)Cognitive biases may lead to more African Americans than Caucasian Americans being diagnosed with severe mental disorders.
D)African Americans should not be diagnosed by Caucasian Americans.

Question 23

Which of the following is not a likely reason for misdiagnosis of psychological problems?

A)People's problems often don't fit neatly into a single category.
B)Few guidelines exist for what constitutes "clinically significant impairment."
C)The DSM may not account for cultural differences in how distress is expressed.
D)There is no accepted diagnostic classification system.

Question 24

Mr. Herakovich was classified by several psychologists according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-5 ). One classified this problem as bipolar disorder, another as antisocial personality disorder, and a third as narcissistic personality disorder. These results best reinforce which criticism of DSM-5 ?

A)Low interrater reliability
B)Low validity
C)Dehumanization of clients
D)The self-fulfilling prophecy effect

Question 25

According to Thomas Szasz, the concept of mental illness

A)is inappropriate and harmful.
B)seems perfectly appropriate.
C)is appropriate only for behavior disorders with no clear physical basis.
D)is inappropriate only for organic mental disorders.

Question 26

Annie suffers from a disorder for which the DSM-5 has been criticized for having very unacceptable levels of interrater reliability. Which of the following conditions might she have given this criticism?

A)Bipolar disorder
B)An anxiety disorder
C)Schizophrenia
D)Major depressive disorder

Question 27

Anxiety disorders are characterized by all of these symptoms except

A)panic attacks.
B)free-floating anxiety.
C)a split between affect and cognition.
D)inconvenience in living.

Question 28

Frequently and without warning, images of germs pop into Corbin's mind, and he feels an irresistible urge to stop whatever he is doing, run to a sink, and wash his hands repeatedly. After washing his hands, he feels safe and comfortable; during an attack he is convinced that he will die if he is not allowed to wash his hands. Corbin appears to suffer from a(n)

A)physiological dependence on water.
B)personality disorder.
C)psychotic disorder.
D)obsessive-compulsive or related disorder.

Question 29

To minimize the cultural biases that may occur during diagnosis, it is suggested that diagnosticians do all of the following except

A)focus less on the concepts of normality and abnormality.
B)become more aware of cognitive shortcuts that can impair clinical judgments.
C)diagnose solely based on published criteria and standardized interview formats.
D)rely less on their own clinical impressions.

Question 30

Which of the following is one of the criticisms that many have offered of the DSM-5?

A)It continues the DSM's long tradition of focusing only on weaknesses and problems.
B)It is far too similar, and as such redundant, with the ICD-10.
C)Its validity is so strong that it can be used to diagnose anyone with a mental disorder.
D)It does not contain enough empirically supported treatment recommendations.

Question 31

Of the following diagnostic categories, where would you be most likely to see a condition that involved problematic responses to events like a natural disaster, sexual assault, or combat-related experience?

A)Neurocognitive disorders
B)Disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders
C)Dissociative disorders
D)Trauma- and stressor-related disorders

Question 32

If you wanted to have the highest possible level of interrater reliability between two clinicians evaluating the same client, you would be well-advised to use __________ as the primary assessment tool.

A)the MMPI-2
B)a projective test like the Rorschach inkblot test
C)neuroimaging techniques
D)a structured interview

Question 33

Thomas Szasz has argued that it is wrong to diagnose people as having psychological disorders. Rather, he suggests that people have problems in living. He presents several arguments about why this is a better approach to take. Which of the following is not an argument presented by Szasz?

A)Labels are useless because it is more likely that a person will receive an incorrect diagnosis than it is that they will receive a correct diagnosis.
B)Labeling a person as "sick" puts that person in an inferior position.
C)Once you label people, they take on the role of "patient" and stop trying to help themselves because they are expected to follow orders and wait for a cure.
D)It becomes easy to give up on a person who has a diagnosis with a poor prognosis.

Question 34

The classification system most commonly used in the United States, the DSM, is currently in its _____ edition, while the system often used in other countries, the ICD, is set to be released in its _____ edition in the next few years.

A)third; tenth
B)eleventh; fifth
C)tenth; third
D)fifth; eleventh

Question 35

Of the following diagnostic categories, where would you be most likely to see a condition that involved the inability to hold urine or feces after an age where such control would be considered developmentally appropriate?

A)Elimination disorders
B)Cognitive and intellectual disorders
C)Neurodevelopmental disorders
D)Paraphilic disorders

Question 36

Which of the following is not considered to be an anxiety disorder?

A)Panic disorder
B)Dissociative amnesia
C)Specific phobia
D)Generalized anxiety disorder

Question 37

Alexia is content to stay in her house because she becomes nervous and afraid when she ventures too far from home. Alexia is probably suffering from

A)agoraphobia.
B)a specific phobia.
C)social anxiety disorder.
D)panic disorder.

Question 38

Dr. Humber is a psychologist who is trying to diagnose his patient's psychological disorder. Dr. Humber knows that this might be difficult to do. Which of the following is not true about the difficulty in classifying disorders?

A)People's problems often do not fit neatly into one category.
B)The DSM-5 gives general labels, such as neurosis and psychosis.
C)The same symptoms often appear as part of more than one disorder.
D)Diagnostic criteria can be open to judgment and interpretation.

Question 39

Claudia has not left her house in ten years. If she steps on the front porch she becomes so uneasy that she has to return inside. Claudia is most likely suffering from __________, which is a(n)__________ disorder.

A)depression; affective
B)agoraphobia; anxiety
C)a conversion reaction; somatic symptom
D)a social phobia; obsessive-compulsive

Question 40

Of the following diagnostic categories, where would you be most likely to see a condition that involved problems with sexual attraction to situations that involve socially or legally inappropriate activities or targets?

A)Elimination disorders
B)Paraphilic disorders
C)Neurodevelopmental disorders
D)Somatic symptom and related disorders

Question 41

Urvi has become preoccupied with an imaginary deformity on her face. She often avoids going out in public and has even looked into corrective surgery, even though the deformity does not exist. Urvi is most likely suffering from

A)body dysmorphic disorder.
B)somatization disorder.
C)conversion disorder.
D)illness anxiety disorder.

Question 42

For the last two months, Thomas has been worried that something bad is going to happen. He can't pinpoint the source of this feeling, but he is jumpy, irritable, can't sleep, and can't concentrate. His symptoms suggest that he may be suffering from __________ disorder.

A)a dissociative
B)panic
C)generalized anxiety
D)conversion

Question 43

One of the defining characteristics of somatic symptom and related disorders is that

A)there is a loss of ability to be self-motivated, as well as severe physical disturbances.
B)there is a pathological level of overwhelming anxiety that disturbs functioning.
C)there is a loss of contact with reality and an inability to distinguish what is real from what isn't.
D)there is no physical cause for the symptoms reported by the sufferer.

Question 44

According to the biological model, anxiety disorders develop because of

A)some physical condition or disease.
B)societal pressure to react with anxiety to certain situations.
C)the learning of coping mechanisms.
D)a predisposition to suffer severe anxiety.

Question 45

Shelly is worried about being negatively evaluated by others when she gives her class presentation next week. Her anxiety becomes very intense and persistent to the point that she is unable to give the presentation or even go to class. Shelly is suffering from __________, which is a(n)__________ disorder.

A)claustrophobia; somatic symptom
B)a conversion disorder; somatic symptom
C)social anxiety disorder; anxiety
D)a conversion disorder; anxiety

Question 46

A law student preparing for the state bar exam underwent a battery of tests for partial paralysis in his dominant hand. Although doctors could find no physical cause for this paralysis, the student was able to postpone the exam. Then, strangely enough, the paralysis subsided. A possible diagnosis could be __________ disorder.

A)pain
B)dissociative
C)conversion
D)illness anxiety disorder

Question 47

Kristine and Nicole are seeing therapists for their psychological problems. Kristine constantly thinks that she is stupid and worthless, and sometimes she has thoughts of killing herself. Nicole cleans her house so much that she doesn't have time to do anything else; she realizes that her house is already clean, but she can't stop herself. Their therapists are most likely treating Kristine for her __________ and treating Nicole for her __________.

A)obsessions; obsessions
B)obsessions; compulsions
C)compulsions; compulsions
D)compulsions; obsessions

Question 48

Whenever Martin sees a cat, he runs away in fear. In fact, Martin can't even look at pictures of cats without experiencing intense feelings of anxiety. Martin appears to be suffering from

A)agoraphobia.
B)a specific phobia.
C)social anxiety disorder.
D)panic disorder.

Question 49

Grace was sitting in class when, without warning, her heart began to pound, her chest felt tight, and a feeling of dizziness came over her. She felt extremely fearful. Over the next few weeks, the same thing happened several times. Her doctor did not find anything wrong with her heart. Grace was probably suffering from

A)generalized anxiety disorder.
B)obsessive-compulsive disorder.
C)panic disorder.
D)social anxiety disorder.

Question 50

You would be more biologically prepared to have a __________ phobia than a(n)__________ phobia.

A)snake; book
B)water; height
C)school; insect
D)worm; insect

Question 51

Marie goes to her doctor several times a month. She insists that she has pain in her lower abdomen and believes that her appendix is about to burst. After several visits that showed no signs of physical disorder, Marie's doctor believes that she might suffer from

A)obsessive-compulsive disorder.
B)generalized anxiety disorder.
C)conversion disorder.
D)illness anxiety disorder.

Question 52

Lyndsay finds herself often thinking about the possibility of getting an infection from germs in her dorm room, and so she constantly is washing her hands to the point where her skin is red and sore. Lyndsay may be suffering from __________ disorder, and her persistent thoughts are known as __________.

A)panic; compulsions
B)obsessive-compulsive; obsessions
C)obsessive-compulsive; compulsions
D)panic; obsessions

Question 53

Ivan has been worried for months, but he really cannot pinpoint the source of his concerns. He is also jumpy and irritable, and has difficulty sleeping. Ivan is probably experiencing

A)generalized anxiety disorder.
B)a specific phobia.
C)panic disorder.
D)somatic symptom disorder.

Question 54

Spencer is about to be evaluated at his job, when he wakes up Monday morning and finds he is paralyzed and cannot go to work. On Friday evening, Spencer is miraculously able to walk again, yet the following Monday he is once again paralyzed. Spencer is most likely suffering from __________ disorder.

A)panic
B)illness anxiety disorder
C)conversion
D)somatization

Question 55

All of the following are examples of somatic symptom and related disorders except

A)Anne endures excessive stress, and she develops an ulcer.
B)Betty feels that she has developed heart disease, although she is in great shape physically.
C)Colleen finds that her legs are paralyzed during the day, but she is able to sleepwalk at night.
D)Dana complains of severe and constant pain in her back and joints, but the pain does not appear to have any physical cause.

Question 56

Lynae is terrified of going into elevators. The last time she was in one, she experienced intense heart palpitations, pressure in her chest, sweating, and dizziness. Lynae most likely had

A)conversion disorder.
B)dysthymic disorder.
C)pain disorder.
D)a panic attack.

Question 57

Which of the following is an outdated term for the condition that is now called illness anxiety disorder?

A)Hypochondriasis
B)Somatization disorder
C)Somatic pain disorder
D)Functional neurocognitive disorder

Question 58

Cigdem thinks that she has a form of cancer, but no doctor has been able to find anything wrong with her. She has been going from one doctor to another for five years now with serious complaints. She is most likely suffering from

A)somatic pain disorder.
B)conversion disorder.
C)somatization disorder.
D)illness anxiety disorder.

Question 59

Jose has an intense fear of golf tees. Sometimes he imagines that he is being chased by millions of tiny wooden tees. While Jose admits that this fear seems ridiculous, he refuses to go near a golf course or a store that sells golf tees. Jose suffers from

A)panic disorder.
B)a specific phobia.
C)generalized anxiety disorder.
D)obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 60

Samuel avoids speaking in public. He's extremely afraid of appearing stupid and can't stand the thought of being embarrassed. Samuel suffers from

A)obsessive-compulsive disorder.
B)agoraphobia.
C)social anxiety disorder.
D)panic disorder.

Question 61

On the TV show 24 , Terri experiences several stressors. She and her daughter are kidnapped, her husband is on a danger mission to track down terrorists, and after escaping from their captors, Terri witnesses her daughter become a victim of a fiery car crash. After fainting, Terri awakens and cannot remember any personal information about herself or her family. It appears Terri is suffering from

A)dissociative amnesia.
B)a fugue reaction.
C)anterograde amnesia.
D)somatic pain disorder.

Question 62

Researchers have found all of the following as explanations for the development of somatic symptom and related disorders except

A)abnormal serotonin functioning.
B)massive repression of unwanted impulses or memories.
C)the presence of severe stressors in a person's life.
D)childhood experiences in which physical illness brought special attention.

Question 63

According to research, approximately ____ percent of people in North America and Europe are likely to deal with a depressive disorder at some point in their lives.

A)5
B)11
C)17
D)21

Question 64

Damon is suffering from persistent depressive disorder. Damon

A)switches from being somewhat sad to somewhat manic.
B)probably needs to be hospitalized.
C)always feels either extremely depressed or extremely manic.
D)has been feeling somewhat sad and depressed for quite a long period of time.

Question 65

People who talk about suicide are

A)unlikely to attempt suicide.
B)more likely to try it than the general population.
C)most often men; women do not talk about suicide in advance.
D)more likely to actually kill themselves than are people who attempt suicide but don't talk about it.

Question 66

The textbook notes that there was an "epidemic" of dissociative identity disorder diagnoses in the 1970s, and offers which explanation for this increase in frequency of this condition?

A)Clinicians were looking more carefully for symptoms of DID.
B)There was a television program that unintentionally hypnotized a number of viewers into demonstrating DID symptoms.
C)People watched the President of the United States reveal that he had struggled with DID and this led to people believing that they had the condition.
D)It was a side effect to some new psychotropic medications that people were taking.

Question 67

Jamie's sleep patterns have been erratic over the course of the past few months, and she lacks the energy to do anything except lay on her couch. Jamie also feels completely hopeless, and she wonders if life is worth living anymore. Jamie is most likely suffering from

A)major depression.
B)dysthymic disorder.
C)mania.
D)cyclothymic disorder.

Question 68

Which of the following groups of people are most likely to die by suicide?

A)European American males between forty-five and sixty-five years of age
B)People over seventy-five
C)Adolescents
D)African American females

Question 69

Norman is a hotel owner with a calm, laid-back style of living who occasionally "splits" into a different personality. This other personality is a cranky, violent old woman. Norman is exhibiting

A)dissociative identity disorder.
B)bipolar disorder.
C)schizophrenia.
D)cyclothymia.

Question 70

Which of the following is not representative of someone with dissociative identity disorder? The person

A)has a tendency to show cynical hostility.
B)may have escaped the trauma of abuse by making "new personalities."
C)may have experienced an event he or she would like to forget.
D)is skilled at self-hypnosis.

Question 71

Raul often vacillates between days of unbridled exuberance and a feeling that he can "take on the world" to days when he cannot drag himself from bed to go to class. According to the DSM-5 , Raul most likely has a(n)__________ disorder.

A)neurocognitive
B)mood
C)somatic symptom and related
D)anxiety

Question 72

Since Jack's forced retirement, he has experienced overwhelming sadness and has withdrawn from his friends and family. He has gained twenty pounds and has been sleeping much more than usual. Most noticeably, he is no longer interested in participating in his life-long hobby of playing several rounds of golf each week. Most likely Jack is experiencing

A)a fugue reaction.
B)bipolar disorder.
C)conversion disorder.
D)major depressive disorder.

Question 73

Bruce is usually a quiet, well-mannered man. On some occasions, however, Bruce acts like a completely different person; he becomes very angry and violent and responds only to the name Hulk. Bruce has no recollection of these recurrent episodes. Bruce probably suffers from

A)a fugue reaction.
B)dissociative amnesia.
C)dissociative identity disorder.
D)schizophrenia.

Question 74

Jena had a pimple that left a tiny mark on her shoulder after it healed. She is now convinced that the mark is an enormous scar, and she is afraid to wear any garment that exposes her shoulder. She will not wear bathing suits, tank tops, or blouses that do not completely cover her shoulder. Her friends all tell her that the mark is barely visible, but she feels that it makes her entire upper body hideous to look at and she begs her parents for plastic surgery to correct it. Jena may be suffering from

A)body dysmorphic disorder.
B)orthorexia nervosa.
C)somatic symptom disorder.
D)conversion disorder.

Question 75

After Trung was robbed at gunpoint, he was found wandering around his neighborhood aimlessly. Although he had no physical injuries, he was unable to recall personal information, such as his name or home address. Trung was most likely suffering from

A)dissociative amnesia.
B)conversion disorder.
C)dissociative identity disorder.
D)schizophrenia.

Question 76

When reviewing the causes and factors that contribute to somatic symptom and related disorders, it is clear that

A)causes vary considerably depending on the specific somatic symptom and related disorder.
B)genetics and biology play virtually no role in their prevalence.
C)there is a strong possibility that patients are malingering.
D)the overall rate of somatic symptom and related disorders is higher in Western cultures.

Question 77

Robert has had major depressive disorder for most of his adult life. As he became older, he would tell his wife that when he uses the kitchen sink, he believes his corpuscles are being washed out of his body. Robert is exhibiting

A)delusions.
B)dysthymia.
C)hypomania.
D)neologisms.

Question 78

One of the major factors in the development of dissociative disorders appears to be

A)chronic mild stress.
B)physical abuse or trauma.
C)heredity.
D)environmental conditions.

Question 79

Holden has been in a sad mood for the last three years. His parents notice that he just does not seem interested in things, does not have any friends, hardly ever seems really happy, and always seems tired. Holden most likely suffers from

A)persistent depressive disorder.
B)a social phobia.
C)bipolar disorder.
D)cyclothymic disorder.

Question 80

Research on dissociative disorders have offered all of the following conclusions except that

A)people who suffer from these disorders appear to be skilled at self-hypnosis.
B)dissociations allow people to escape the trauma of abuse.
C)memory loss and other dissociations tend to not be genuine.
D)people displaying DID have experienced traumas they would rather forget.