Deck 9: Physical Disorders and Health Psychology Physical Disorders and Health Psychology

Question 1

Using the word psychosomatic to describe a disorder with an obvious physical component is considered misleading because

A)it gives the impression that psychological disorders like anxiety or depression do not have a biological component.
B)it assumes that the physical aspects of a disorder are less important than the psychological aspects.
C)it emphasises the psychological symptoms of a disorder instead of the physical symptoms.
D)it gives the impression that biological disorders are not influenced by psychological factors.

Answer 1

it gives the impression that psychological disorders like anxiety or depression do not have a biological component.

Question 2

What percentage of deaths that are attributed to the top ten causes of death in the US can be traced to lifestyle choices?

A)10%
B)25%
C)50%
D)75%

Answer 2

50%

Question 3

'AIDS, a disease of the immune system, is directly affected by stress.Stress may then promote the deadly progression of the disease.' These two statements are an example of ________ factors influencing ________ processes.

A)psychological; biological
B)biological; psychological
C)sociocultural; genetic
D)genetic; sociocultural

Answer 3

psychological; biological

Question 4

Knowledge derived from the behavioural sciences applied to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of medical problems is called

A)health psychology.
B)behavioural medicine.
C)psychophysiological disorders.
D)psychosomatic medicine.

Question 5

What is the name of the new field of study that reflects the shift in focus from infectious disease to psychological/behavioural factors as causes of illness and death?

A)behavioural medicine
B)abnormal psychology
C)medical psychology
D)physical medicine

Question 6

The physiological response of an individual to a stressor is called __________________.

A)adaptation
B)fight-or-flight reaction
C)stress
D)a syndrome

Question 7

In 1936 Canadian researcher Hans Selye discovered that giving injections to laboratory rats caused them to develop ulcers.His finding led to a new area of study called

A)stress physiology.
B)stress psychology.
C)animal psychology.
D)psychosomatic pathology.

Question 8

Research has shown that increased levels of cortisol in response to stress may cause damage to parts of the

A)skeletal system.
B)brain.
C)lungs.
D)stomach.

Question 9

Which of the following factors is most closely related to how well you think you can cope with a threat or challenge?

A)control
B)effort
C)cortisol
D)practice

Question 10

In response to sustained stress, the body goes through several stages that together constitute the general adaptation syndrome (GAS), a concept proposed by researcher Hans Selye.The GAS consists of all the following stages EXCEPT

A)alarm.
B)resistance.
C)exhaustion.
D)remediation.

Question 11

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the leading cause of death in the USA was

A)automobile accidents.
B)infectious diseases.
C)heart attacks.
D)suicides.

Question 12

According to the text, some of the major contributing factors to illness and death in the United States are currently

A)viral and bacterial.
B)behavioural and psychological.
C)neurological and endocrinological.
D)pharmacological and hormonal.

Question 13

Health psychology, a subfield of behavioural medicine, focuses on all of the following EXCEPT

A)promotion and maintenance of health.
B)health policy formation.
C)improvements in healthcare systems.
D)psychosomatic effects on health.

Question 14

In which of the following ways do psychological and social factors influence health?

A)They can affect basic biological processes resulting in illness and disease.
B)Risky behaviours can increase the likelihood of developing physical disorders.
C)both of these
D)neither of these

Question 15

According to the principles of health psychology, which of the following is the best protection against acquiring AIDS?

A)getting an injection of the AIDS vaccine
B)being treated for HIV before it develops into AIDS
C)changing risky behaviours that can lead to disease acquisition
D)deciding to be sexually abstinent after years of being sexually active

Question 16

Research has shown that excessive secretion of the stress hormone cortisol can result in cell death in the hippocampal region of the brain in cases of

A)substance abuse.
B)mania.
C)posttraumatic stress disorder.
D)AIDS.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)50% of deaths from the ten leading causes of death in the United States can be traced to behaviours common to certain lifestyles.
B)Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.
C)Smoking has been estimated to cause 20% of all deaths.
D)all of the above

Question 18

Continuous secretion of the stress hormone cortisol by the adrenal glands can lead to all of the following EXCEPT

A)damage to the hippocampus.
B)impaired functioning of the immune system.
C)muscle atrophy.
D)low blood pressure in the cardiovascular system.

Question 19

Which of the following statements accurately describes a process in the activation of the HPA (hormonal) axis?

A)The hippocampus secretes corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF).
B)CRF stimulates the thyroid gland.
C)The hippocampus (via the somatic nervous system) activates the adrenal glands.
D)The adrenal glands secrete the stress hormone cortisol.

Question 20

Which of the following best represents the emotional continuum believed to be related to coping with threat and challenge?

A)anxiety, stress, depression, excitement
B)stress, anxiety, depression, excitement
C)depression, stress, excitement, anxiety
D)excitement, stress, anxiety, depression

Question 21

Research findings have suggested that it might not be the stressful event itself that lowers immune system functioning but rather the accompanying ___________.

A)dissociation
B)isolation
C)depression
D)anger

Question 22

Whether or not stress and/or anxiety develop in a stressful situation appears to be related to one's perceived sense of

A)happiness.
B)excitement.
C)control.
D)acceptance.

Question 23

The immune system identifies and eliminates foreign materials, which are called

A)antigens.
B)mitogens.
C)lymphokines.
D)antibodies.

Question 24

Based on your knowledge of recent research studies, which of the following people would you predict is LEAST likely to catch a cold following exposure to the virus?

A)Karen, a very sociable woman who has many good friends
B)Mmusi, a very intelligent student who understands complex information and concepts
C)Jasmine, a very assertive individual who frequently says exactly what's on her mind
D)Mpho, a very compulsive person who likes to point out other people's mistakes

Question 25

Contrary to the earlier belief that the brain and immune system operate independently of each other, scientists now know that

A)immune system functioning can be suppressed through classical conditioning.
B)there are many connections between the nervous system and the immune system.
C)there are psychological influences on the neurological responding implicated in our immune response.
D)all of the above

Question 26

Group psychotherapy for cancer patients tends to

A)reduce recovery times.
B)increase survival times.
C)affect mental but not physical health.
D)cure cancer.

Question 27

B cells are associated with ________ immunity, while T cells are associated with ______ immunity.

A)humoral; memory
B)humoral; cellular
C)cellular; humoral
D)vascular; suppressor

Question 28

Too many T4 (helper) cells can result in

A)an autoimmune disease.
B)diminished antibody responses.
C)long-term immune activity.
D)diminished immune functions.

Question 29

Psychoneuroimmunology focuses on the study of

A)physiology, neurones and immune function.
B)psychology, neurological responses and immune function.
C)psychology, nature and illness.
D)physiological numbers and images.

Question 30

The work of Cohen and his associates suggests that

A)the intensity of stress one experiences impacts the severity of cold symptoms.
B)social support has no effect on cold symptoms.
C)exposure to friends increases the chance of illness.
D)cold symptoms are mostly psychological.

Question 31

The cells of the humoral immune system that produce immunoglobulins are called

A)B cells.
B)T cells.
C)NK cells.
D)macrophages.

Question 32

Which of the following immune cells enhance immune system responses by signalling B cells to produce antibodies and signalling other T cells to destroy antigens?

A)B cells
B)helper T cells
C)T suppressor cells
D)NK cells

Question 33

All of the following situations have been associated with lowered immune system functioning EXCEPT

A)marital conflict or relationship difficulties.
B)job loss.
C)death of a loved one.
D)pregnancy.

Question 34

In 2011, it was estimated that the total number of people afflicted with HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, was slightly more than _______ million.

A)13
B)23
C)34
D)43

Question 35

Which of the following statements about AIDS is TRUE?

A)An infected person immediately develops AIDS-related complex (ARC).
B)The median time for the development of full-blown AIDS is around seven to ten years.
C)The death rate from AIDS has increased 80% since 1990.
D)The current successful treatment of AIDS is the result of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which eliminates the virus.

Question 36

The immune system is weakened in AIDS patients because the human immunodeficiency virus directly attacks the lymphocytes called

A)killer T cells.
B)T4 (helper cells).
C)suppressor T cells.
D)B cells.

Question 37

AIDS is now treated with new combinations of drugs called 'highly active antiretroviral therapy'(HAART), which

A)suppress the virus in people who are HIV positive.
B)cure AIDS by eliminating the virus from the body.
C)reduce herpes virus but not HIV cells.
D)are well tolerated and cause minimal side effects.

Question 38

Stress affects immune function

A)but only if the stressful event is life-threatening.
B)within two hours of exposure to a stressful event.
C)in real life but not in the lab.
D)only in the chronically ill.

Question 39

Lunga has recently started losing weight, has developed a fever and experiences night sweats.He may be have

A)HIV.
B)AIDS.
C)pneumonia.
D)AIDS-related complex.

Question 40

Estimates regarding the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in southern Africa indicate that

A)12% of the population in South Africa is infected with HIV/AIDS, which corresponds to 17% the cases of HIV/AIDS worldwide.
B)the prevalence of HIV in South African does not differ by race or province.
C)the life expectancy of people living with HIV and AIDS receiving ART in South Africa is about 50% of normal life expectancy, as long as treatment is started early.
D)all of the above

Question 41

During laboratory stress tests, which of the following individuals has been shown to have greater reactivity in their blood pressure?

A)those with normal blood pressure whose parents had normal blood pressure
B)those with normal blood pressure whose parents had high blood pressure
C)those with very low blood pressure whose parents had low blood pressure
D)those with very low blood pressure whose parents had normal blood pressure

Question 42

'Benefit finding' refers to

A)looking for the positive consequences of getting cancer.
B)obtaining adequate healthcare coverage for cancer.
C)promoting immune function in response to cancer.
D)enhancing medical treatments for cancer.

Question 43

Grant has just learned that his spouse of 28 years has died in an automobile accident.Upon hearing the news, Grant collapsed and was rushed to the hospital in apparent heart failure.Grant probably suffered

A)myocardial infarction.
B)transient coronary attack.
C)angina pectoris.
D)myocardial stunning.

Question 44

Since heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, it would be very important, in terms of prevention, to determine if

A)better medications can be found to treat heart disease.
B)changes in behaviour, lifestyle and attitude can prevent heart attacks.
C)psychotherapy can help people adjust to having an artificial heart.
D)heart transplants can be made available to more patients.

Question 45

Based on findings from clinical research, treatment programmes for chronic pain focus primarily on

A)surgical procedures.
B)herbal remedies.
C)psychological factors.
D)experimental procedures for pain relief.

Question 46

Mr Oosthuizen is participating in a clinical research study that is investigating psychological factors that may influence the development of heart disease.When he is instructed to imagine a situation in which he was very angry, the sensors monitoring his heart reveal that

A)his heartbeat has slowed significantly.
B)his heart is pumping less efficiently.
C)the area around his heart has become swollen and inflamed.
D)he is having a 'painless' heart attack.

Question 47

Thandi was slightly injured in an accident but has fully recovered.Although she has been given medical clearance to go back to work and resume her normal activities, she maintains that she is still suffering from pain.You would correctly assess Thandi as someone who probably has

A)adequate coping skills.
B)strong family and social support.
C)no history of anxiety and/or depression.
D)a disability claim pending.

Question 48

Which of the following is a correct match of medical condition and its definition?

A)angina: obstruction caused by build-up of plaque in the arteries
B)atherosclerosis: deficiency of blood to a body part caused by narrowing of the arteries
C)myocardial infarction: death of heart tissue due to a completely clogged artery
D)ischaemia: chest pain caused by partial obstruction of the arteries

Question 49

Essential hypertension refers to

A)the need to hold blood pressure levels constant.
B)hypertension caused by a disease.
C)hypertension caused by pregnancy.
D)hypertension with no verifiable physical cause.

Question 50

Unhealthy and/or risky behaviours that impact directly on the cardiovascular system may contribute to

A)strokes and high blood pressure only.
B)coronary heart disease only.
C)strokes, high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
D)reduced immunity to autoimmune diseases.

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT true?

A)Group psychotherapy always prolongs life in cancer patients.
B)Group psychotherapy seems to decrease depression in cancer patients.
C)Group psychotherapy may prolong life in some cancer patients.
D)Mothers of children with cancer benefit from therapy.

Question 52

Researchers who study the clinical experience of pain have determined that pain is

A)entirely due to physical causes.
B)entirely due to psychological causes.
C)neither entirely physical, nor entirely psychological.
D)always due to unknown and unpredictable factors.

Question 53

In comparison to men in the USA, Japanese men exhibit

A)increased type A behaviour and decreased coronary heart disease (IHD).
B)decreased type A behaviour and decreased IHD.
C)increased type A behaviour and increased IHD.
D)decreased type A behaviour and increased IHD.

Question 54

In reference to the clinical research studies focusing on factors that are implicated in heart disease, which of the following is an accurate statement?

A)Males who displayed a type A behaviour pattern were less likely to develop coronary heart disease than females in the type A group.
B)Younger males in the type A group were much less likely to develop coronary heart disease than older males in the type A group.
C)Both men and women with the type A behavioural pattern were twice as likely to develop coronary heart disease than were non-type A individuals.
D)In comparison to 'white collar' workers, men in lower socioeconomic positions were more likely to develop coronary heart disease.

Question 55

People who experience phantom limb pain

A)have lost an arm or a leg.
B)can describe in exquisite detail the exact location and type of pain.
C)experience changes in the sensory cortex of the brain.
D)all of the above

Question 56

Cardiac problems have recently been found to be related to

A)anger.
B)anxiety.
C)depression.
D)all of the above

Question 57

All of the following are examples of 'pain behaviours' EXCEPT

A)complaining about pain to others.
B)grimacing.
C)positional changes (while sitting or walking).
D)suffering in silence.

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT an example of the complex interaction of physical and psychological factors in the experience of pain?

A)the gate control theory of pain
B)phantom limb pain
C)chronic pain
D)delusional pain

Question 59

Various psychological factors have been used to explain individual variations in blood pressure including all of the following EXCEPT

A)coping style.
B)personality.
C)level of stress.
D)cognitive skills.

Question 60

Which of the following does NOT describe an effective psychosocial intervention that has been reported in oncology research studies?

A)the use of psychological treatments that reduce pain and depression and enhance feelings of well-being
B)the use of videotapes and dolls that reduce children's stress and anxiety during medical procedures
C)the use of therapy sessions that temporarily prolong life for breast cancer patients both during and after the intervention
D)the use of cognitive imaging techniques that temporarily render the AIDS virus inactive for brief periods

Question 61

At various times, the symptoms of the disorder known as chronic fatigue syndrome were attributed to all of the following EXCEPT

A)viral infection.
B)environmental toxins.
C)clinical depression.
D)brain atrophy.

Question 62

The same symptoms that were diagnosed in the nineteenth century as a condition called neurasthenia are currently referred to as

A)somatisation disorder.
B)chronic fatigue syndrome.
C)wasting disease.
D)psychogenic pain disorder.

Question 63

The development of chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with

A)an extremely stressful life event.
B)over-exercise.
C)achievement-oriented lifestyles.
D)a tendency to minimise pain.

Question 64

A treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome developed by Michael Sharpe includes all of the following EXCEPT

A)medication.
B)increased activity.
C)regulated rest periods.
D)breathing exercises.

Question 65

The 'natural' opioids called endorphins or enkephalins act like neurotransmitters to

A)increase awareness of pain.
B)shut down the sensation of pain.
C)cause a 'natural' addiction.
D)relieve the pain caused by a heroin overdose.

Question 66

In the mid-nineteenth century, symptoms of fatigue, vague aches and pains, low-grade fever and lack of energy were attributed to a disorder called _______________.

A)neurasthenia
B)neurosis
C)hysteria
D)somatic syndrome

Question 67

Regarding gender differences in the experience of pain, women suffer more frequently than men from all of the following EXCEPT

A)migraine headaches.
B)arthritis.
C)carpal tunnel syndrome.
D)backache.

Question 68

The procedure known as biofeedback involves a process by which a person is first helped to become aware of his/her

A)physiological functions.
B)psychological state of mind.
C)negative thoughts.
D)level of pain.

Question 69

In the phenomenon known as 'operant' control of pain, the pain behaviours manifested by an individual are determined by

A)the type of injury.
B)social consequences.
C)the side effects of medications.
D)the patient's reaction to treatment.

Question 70

Females may have an 'extra' pain-regulating pathway focused on relieving pain associated with the reproductive system.One implication of this biological gender difference is that

A)men need more pain relief than women following surgical procedures.
B)women do not need pain relief during childbirth.
C)males and females may benefit from different kinds of medications and different kinds of pain management.
D)the psychological experience of pain is the same for men and women.

Question 71

Endogenous opioids have been implicated in a variety of psychopathological conditions including

A)eating disorders.
B)phobias.
C)obsessive-compulsive disorder.
D)personality disorders.

Question 72

Cassandra is sitting cross-legged on her rug with her arms outstretched.She closes her eyes and makes a sound like 'ummmm'.She continues this procedure.Cassandra is demonstrating ______________ and the sound is a(n) ______________.

A)relaxation response; focus
B)meditation; mantra
C)biofeedback; focus
D)hypnosis; focal point

Question 73

Pain may be associated with

A)decreased natural killer (NK) cells.
B)increased natural killer (NK) cells.
C)increased B cells.
D)decreased T cells.

Question 74

A controlled research study investigating the effects of a cognitive-behavioural treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome resulted in improvement on

A)measures of fatigue.
B)measures of illness belief.
C)both measures of fatigue and measures of illness belief.
D)neither measures of fatigue nor measures of illness belief.

Question 75

In the 1960s, Neal Miller, using _________ with animals, discovered the first experimental evidence that physiological functions were subject to voluntary control.

A)classical conditioning
B)physical retraining
C)operant conditioning
D)obedience training

Question 76

It has been suggested that biofeedback relieves the pain of tension headaches because it 'teaches people to relax', but it is more likely that

A)the patients whose pain is seemingly relieved by biofeedback are probably also taking aspirin or Tylenol.
B)biofeedback training gives patients a sense of control over their headache pain.
C)biofeedback has a 'numbing effect' because it affects the nerve endings in the somatic nervous system.
D)patients experience a placebo effect because the headache pain returns once the biofeedback sessions are completed.

Question 77

In regard to the gate control theory, the ______are thought to open the gates allowing pain sensations to be transmitted, while ______ are thought to close the gate and block the sensations.

A)small fibres; large fibres
B)large fibres; small fibres
C)small fibres; internal fibres
D)psychological factors; physiological factors

Question 78

In the 1970s, Herbert Benson developed a brief relaxation procedure that involved focusing on a

A)word.
B)photo.
C)person.
D)musical note.

Question 79

In biofeedback procedures, clinicians use physiological monitoring equipment to make the responses ______________ to the patient.

A)visible
B)audible
C)visible and/or audible
D)tactile

Question 80

All of the following are psychosocial treatments that have been developed for physical disorders and pain EXCEPT

A)biofeedback.
B)hypnosis.
C)relaxation procedures.
D)acupuncture.