Deck 13: Psychological Disorders, Therapy, and Womens Well-Being

Question 1

Which of the following is a reason for the DSM to be revised in part?

A) More mental illnesses are being discovered all the time.
B) The group creating the DSM is actively working to remove sexism.
C) Beliefs about what is normal have and continue to change.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Answer 1

Beliefs about what is normal have and continue to change.

Question 2

Pre-menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) was NOT included in the appendix of the DSM-IV because

A) of insufficient research support for the diagnosis.
B) there was no medication available for treatment.
C) the diagnosis was not applicable to men.
D) there was no medication available for treatment and the diagnosis was not applicable to men.

Answer 2

of insufficient research support for the diagnosis.

Question 3

The term "normal"

A) is relative.
B) refers exclusively to statistical probability.
C) is always in the context of comparison.
D) is an objective term referring to clinically significant syndromes.

Answer 3

is relative.

Question 4

An assault victim does not want to prosecute the offender or be counseled by a professional. Which of the following is likely to occur if her culture and socioeconomic group are not considered?

A) Her range of available options may be underestimated.
B) She is likely to be blamed for her own victimization.
C) Her coping strategies may be viewed more positively.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 5

Which of the following is true of people who have power in society?

A) They do not have the ability to define themselves.
B) They are likely to be punished for engaging in undesirable behavior.
C) They decide what is normal, typically in reference to their social group.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 6

Stereotyped beliefs about psychological illnesses lead to

A) similar labels being attached to symptoms displayed by women and men.
B) the same behaviors as being perceived and labeled differently when exhibited by a woman versus by a man.
C) similar treatment of different symptoms for women and men.
D) similar labels being attached to symptoms displayed by women and men and similar treatment of different symptoms for women and men.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of moodiness and fear?

A) They are more characteristically stereotyped as working class rather than middle class.
B) They are more characteristically stereotyped as female rather than male.
C) They are more characteristically stereotyped as Black rather than White.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 8

Which of the following has historically been true of androcentric cultures?

A) Women have been labeled unreasonable.
B) Women have been labeled crazy.
C) Women have been blamed for men's mental disorders.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 9

Labeling women as masochistic

A) provided them with appropriate responsibility.
B) is unusual in industrialized nations.
C) provided a rationalization or justification for their subordinate status.
D) provided them with appropriate responsibility and is unusual in industrialized nations.

Question 10

Until 1973, ________ was included in the DSM as a mental illness.

A) self-defeating personality disorder
B) menstruation
C) hysteria
D) homosexuality

Question 11

Until feminist psychology gained a solid foothold in psychology, psychologists routinely

A) ignored mental illness in women.
B) labeled women's behavior disordered when compared to a male standard.
C) ignored mental illness in men.
D) blamed masochism for mental illness in women.

Question 12

Which of the following statements regarding hysteria is FALSE?

A) It means "wandering womb."
B) It refers to reproduction-related symptoms.
C) It is no longer a diagnosis in the DSM-IV.
D) Research on it is based on samples of both men and women.

Question 13

If a therapist has sexist assumptions about psychological symptoms, then

A) a male client's probability of receiving appropriate care decreases.
B) a female client's probability of receiving appropriate care increases.
C) this will lead him or her to overdiagnose certain conditions and underdiagnose others.
D) a female client's probability of receiving appropriate care decreases.

Question 14

Samples employed in research studies on disorders are usually non-random and non-representative. Which of the following can be inferred from this statement?

A) A bias in the understanding of the disorder can result, which can then lead to bias in diagnostic criteria.
B) Research is being done on samples not including the problem in question.
C) Biology is typically strongly related to gender-typed disorders.
D) A connection between gender stereotypes and psychological diagnoses and research is being done on samples not including the problem in question.

Question 15

Which of the following is a symptom of depression?

A) appetite changes
B) sleep disruption
C) fatigue
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 16

Dr. Foster is a clinical psychologist who accepts stereotyped-based explanations that women are more predisposed to particular psychological disorders than men. Dr. Foster would probably agree with which of the following?

A) Women's traditional roles create double-binds, contributing to psychological illness.
B) Women and men are influenced by different psychosocial contexts.
C) Women's biology is the cause of many psychological disorders.
D) Women's traditional roles create double-binds, contributing to psychological illness, and women and men are influenced by different psychosocial contexts.

Question 17

Which of the following is responsible for gender-related difference in the rates of some mental health issues?

A) Women and men may differ in willingness to seek treatment.
B) Women and men may differ in willingness to admit they're struggling.
C) Some disorders may occur more frequently in women than in men.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 18

Which of the following is true of defining mental disorders?

A) The decision on who is mentally ill and who is not is sometimes more dependent on society's response to a behavior rather than on the behavior itself.
B) The decision on who is mentally ill and who is not has historically fallen on women to decide.
C) The decision on who is mentally ill and who is not is often viewed as a spiritual problem in modern life.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 19

According to some feminist critics of the DSM, which of the following affects whether a behavior is tolerated from particular individuals in a given cultural context?

A) gender
B) race/ethnicity
C) class (socioeconomic status)
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 20

Studies of the relationship between depression and gender reveal that

A) gender roles may be more important than biological sex in affecting women's behaviors associated with depression.
B) biological sex may be more important than gender roles in affecting behaviors associated with depression among men.
C) biological sex may be more important than gender roles in affecting behaviors associated with depression among women.
D) gender roles and biological sex are similarly related to behaviors associated with depression.

Question 21

Which of the following is true of the "rest cure" that was used as the standard treatment for nervous disorders in the mid-nineteenth century?

A) The patient was isolated from his or her family and friends.
B) The patient was confined to bed.
C) The patient was "punished" for enjoying being ill.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true of women with bulimia?

A) They are usually dangerously underweight.
B) They are usually dangerously overweight.
C) They are usually of normal or above normal weight.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 23

The disorder once known as hysteria is now called

A) schizophrenia.
B) dysthymic disorder.
C) somatization disorder.
D) antisocial personality disorder.

Question 24

In the context of eating disorders, identify a true statement about people suffering from anorexia nervosa.

A) They exert rigorous control over their physical activity.
B) They usually lose their appetites completely.
C) They engage in food binges followed by purging through vomiting.
D) They have a clear perception of body weight and size.

Question 25

The "rest cure," developed by Silas Weir Mitchell, was at one time a standard psychological treatment for

A) women.
B) men and women.
C) the elderly.
D) children.

Question 26

Progressive women's initial reactions to Freudian ideas were

A) negative because he only wrote about women.
B) positive because he never wrote about women.
C) negative because he wrote about female sexuality.
D) positive because he wrote about female sexuality.

Question 27

Which of the following is a syndrome whose diagnostic criteria included symptoms that applied only to women?

A) hysteria
B) neurosis
C) traumatic stress syndrome
D) cholera

Question 28

Which of the following is true of a number of women with eating disorders?

A) They also have depression.
B) They also have anxiety.
C) They are socially rewarded for their low weight.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 29

The long-lasting variant of depression is called

A) major depressive disorder.
B) bipolar disorder.
C) cyclothymia.
D) persistent depressive disorder.

Question 30

Recent studies on gender and depression indicate that

A) gender-related differences have begun to disappear.
B) girls and women may respond to negative life events with thinking patterns that contribute to low mood.
C) multiple roles contribute to depression in women but not in men.
D) role conflict and role strain are important sources of depression for both women and men.

Question 31

Identify a true statement about eating disorders.

A) The prevalence of eating disorders in general is similar among different populations of women.
B) Around 90 percent of individuals diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are male.
C) Depression and anxiety in women rarely co-occur with eating disorders.
D) Ethnic minority girls and women are greatly vulnerable to eating disorders as they identify with mainstream society.

Question 32

Which of the following is true of women with anorexia?

A) They have intense fears of gaining weight or becoming fat.
B) They have a body image disturbance.
C) They are in denial of the seriousness of their low weight.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 33

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which of the following is categorized as a depressive disorder?

A) bulimia nervosa
B) borderline personality disorder
C) anorexia nervosa
D) premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Question 34

Women are more likely to be diagnosed with ________ disorder and men with ________ disorder.

A) borderline personality; antisocial personality
B) schizoid personality; schizotypal personality
C) obsessive-compulsive personality; borderline personality
D) antisocial personality; schizoid personality

Question 35

Rosenfield (2000) suggests that women's higher rates of ________ disorders and men's higher rates of ________ disorders are due to gender socialization.

A) substance abuse; depressive
B) externalizing; internalizing
C) internalizing; externalizing
D) depressive; substance abuse

Question 36

Which of the following is a disorder that is characterized by an excessive need to be cared for that leads to submissive and clingy behavior?

A) persistent depressive disorder
B) dependent personality disorder
C) borderline personality disorder
D) major depressive disorder

Question 37

In the context of eating disorders, identify a true statement about people suffering from bulimia.

A) They exert rigorous control over their food intake and physical activity.
B) They refrain from engaging in food binges.
C) They are of lower-than-normal body weight.
D) They purge through vomiting after consuming large amounts of food.

Question 38

Rosenfield (2000) suggests women's higher rates of internalizing disorders and men's higher rates of externalizing disorders is due to

A) substance abuse.
B) inadequate mothering.
C) gender socialization.
D) personality disorders.

Question 39

Which of the following statements is most likely true of binge-eating disorder (BED)?

A) During a binge-eating episode, the individual eats slower than normal.
B) People feel out of control during the binge.
C) The prevalence of BED is the same for both men and women.
D) Men are diagnosed with BED about twice as often as women.

Question 40

Which of the following is experienced by individuals with dependent personality disorder?

A) They have a longing to nurture, care, and protect.
B) They are extremely adept at making minor daily decisions.
C) They require a lot of reassurance and advice.
D) They easily express their disagreement with others.

Question 41

Which of the following statements is true of feminist therapy?

A) It focuses on the social factor of gender while ignoring age, race, ethnicity, and class.
B) It is meant to replace therapeutic strategies like cognitive behavioral techniques.
C) It focuses primarily on the individual and her "personal" problems.
D) It helps women feel empowered and positive about themselves.

Question 42

People who have depression may have low levels of the neurotransmitter

A) serotonin.
B) dopamine.
C) GABA.
D) acetylcholine.

Question 43

Which of the following is a characteristic of feminist therapists?

A) They strive for egalitarian relationships.
B) They strive to empower their clients.
C) They take into account gender roles and the effects of androcentric society while working with clients.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 44

What cultural factors do feminists use to explain the epidemic of female psychological disorders during the Victorian era?

Question 45

In the context of anxiety disorders, which of the following is defined as a fear of being in places from which it could be difficult or embarrassing to escape?

A) gamophobia
B) acrophobia
C) agoraphobia
D) xenophobia

Question 46

________ is diagnosed when an individual has experienced repeated, unexpected periods of sudden intense fear or discomfort followed by at least a month of worry about having another episode.

A) Panic disorder
B) Anorexia nervosa
C) Persistent depressive disorder
D) Dependent personality disorder

Question 47

Which of the following is characterized by a pattern of instability in relationships, self-concept, and emotions accompanied by terror at the idea of abandonment?

A) antisocial personality disorder
B) borderline personality disorder
C) depersonalization disorder
D) factitious disorder

Question 48

Dwelling on distress rather than actively distracting oneself or seeking out social support is called

A) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
B) frotteurism.
C) dysthymic disorder.
D) rumination.

Question 49

Which of the following is a criticism of traditional psychotherapy approaches?

A) They inflate the value of traditional roles.
B) They focus on individual rather than social change.
C) They designate feminine sexuality as deviant.
D) They underestimate individual women's strengths to overcome illness.

Question 50

Why is psychological diagnosis so much more problematic than physical diagnosis?

Question 51

What is the problem with the diagnoses of borderline and dependent personality disorders in women?

Question 52

Nolen-Hoeksema (1995) suggests that women's tendency to dwell on their distress is related to

A) obsessive-compulsive personality traits.
B) hormones.
C) inherited tendencies.
D) their subordinate social status.

Question 53

Which of the following is a novel approach being used in feminist therapy?

A) There is considerable disparity in power between the patient and the therapist.
B) It involves exercise therapy.
C) It is believed that there is a necessary process of adjustment to social conditions.
D) None of the answers is correct.

Question 54

Which of the following is believed by many feminist therapists?

A) Men can benefit from feminist therapy in many ways.
B) Men are the enemy of their clients.
C) Men can benefit from conforming closely to the traditional masculine gender role.
D) Men need to become more independent and assertive.

Question 55

Cite one piece of evidence indicating that gender stereotypes affect clinical diagnosis and the treatment of psychological disorders.

Question 56

Identify a true statement about feminist therapy.

A) It is concerned only with women's pathology.
B) It relies on the use of diagnostic labels.
C) It tries to help clients understand that personal problems are sometimes social and political.
D) It sees gender as the only site of oppression.

Question 57

Outline the sexist biases in the treatment of psychological disorders. Include in your discussion Salpêtrière, Charcot and his influence on Freud, Mitchell's rest cure, and reasons for institutionalization in the nineteenth century.

Question 58

Feminist criticisms of traditional psychotherapy include

A) its neglect of the role of unconscious forces within the mind.
B) its focus on the individual as the source of his or her psychological distress.
C) its focus on social rather than personal change.
D) the fact that most practitioners of traditional psychotherapy are not psychologists.

Question 59

In general, hormonal explanations are ________ in accounting for the gender-related difference in depression.

A) more than adequate
B) never relevant
C) only relevant in women who have a history of bipolar disorder
D) insufficient

Question 60

Which of the following is a characteristic of borderline personality disorder?

A) It is accompanied by an intense fear of being in places from which it might be difficult or embarrassing to escape.
B) It is characterized by a pattern of instability in relationships accompanied by impulsivity and a severe fear of abandonment.
C) It involves extreme trouble in making independent decisions, even minor daily ones.
D) It is characterized by an excessive need to be cared for that leads to submissive and clingy behavior.

Question 61

Provide examples of ways in which the DSM is biased against women. Discuss the social construction of mental illness using previous and current versions of the DSM.

Question 62

Which factors should feminist therapists be aware of when treating older women?

Question 63

Provide examples of sexist prescription patterns and psychiatric diagnoses, including information on how the advertising industry targets women.

Question 64

How are anxiety, depression, and eating disorders related to the objectification of women? What factors contribute to a woman developing or resisting eating disorders?

Question 65

Discuss how feminist therapy is conducted. How does feminist therapy differ from non-feminist therapy?

Question 66

In what ways can men benefit from feminist therapy?

Question 67

Discuss the feminist therapy perspective.

Question 68

Discuss the ways in which psychology has blamed women for distress and disorders over the last 200 years.

Question 69

What is hysteria? Why is hysteria a biased diagnosis?

Question 70

How have tranquilizers and sedatives been targeted at women?

Question 71

Why are women diagnosed more often than men with depression? Include in your discussion the importance of biological, social, and cultural contributors.

Question 72

Discuss factors that feminist therapists should keep in mind when working with women of color.

Question 73

Discuss the consequences of sexual misconduct by therapists.

Question 74

How will you think differently about "women's diagnoses" like eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and hysteria? In what ways can you use this information to challenge the "crazy woman" stereotype?