Deck 15: Late Life and Psychological Disorders

Question 1

Which of the following statements is an example of selective mortality?

A)Today's older adults are less likely to seek mental health services because when they were growing up,mental illness was stigmatized.
B)Because exercise has become widely promoted in the media,many older adults are now exercising and thus healthier than predicted by earlier measures of their physical well-being.
C)Because of the effects of aging on the brain,older adults do worse than younger adults on measures of "fluid" intelligence.
D)In a longitudinal study,many of the elderly subjects died before the follow-up data was collected.

Answer 1

In a longitudinal study,many of the elderly subjects died before the follow-up data was collected.

Question 2

In cross-sectional research on aging,

A)two age groups are compared at one point in time.
B)people with different mental disorders are compared at one point in time.
C)the same group of people is followed over time.
D)people from different cultures are compared at one point in time.

Answer 2

two age groups are compared at one point in time.

Question 3

What is an early sign of Alzheimer's disease?

A)loss of sensation or motor control on one side of the body
B)difficulty comprehending speech
C)difficulty remembering new material
D)clouded states of consciousness

Answer 3

difficulty remembering new material

Question 4

Which of the following statements is an example of a time-of-measurement effect?

A)Today's older adults are less likely to seek mental health services because when they were growing up,mental illness was stigmatized.
B)Because exercise has become widely promoted in the media,many older adults are now exercising and thus are healthier than predicted by earlier measures of their physical well-being.
C)Because of the effects of aging on the brain,older adults do worse than younger adults on measures of "fluid" intelligence.
D)In a longitudinal study,many of the elderly subjects died before the follow-up data was collected.

Question 5

Alzheimer's disease is partly characterized by

A)plaques between neurons.
B)pick bodies within neurons.
C)cerebellum deterioration.
D)swelling of the cortex.

Question 6

Social selectivity refers to

A)cultivating only one's most important social relationships.
B)restricting one's social interactions only to family members.
C)seeking out new social interactions.
D)seeking out solitary social activities.

Question 7

Generally older adults

A)are lonely.
B)are unhappy.
C)complain about minor physical symptoms.
D)have mild cognitive losses.

Question 8

Ageism refers to

A)the physical deterioration that accompanies old age.
B)the intellectual deterioration that frequently occurs as a person ages.
C)the diversity present among older adults.
D)prejudice against a person based on their age.

Question 9

As the hippies of the 1960s reach old age,research may find increased drug abuse among older adults.This increase would be a(n)

A)age effect.
B)cohort effect.
C)longitudinal effect.
D)time-of-measurement effect.

Question 10

Which of the following may serve as a protective factor against Alzheimer's disease?

A)low fat diet
B)strong baseline mental abilities and continued engagement in cognitive activities
C)an active lifestyle involving daily exercise and social interaction
D)high spatial relations skills

Question 11

Which of the following has been shown to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease?

A)head injury
B)immune system functioning
C)an abnormality on chromosome 21
D)All of the above are correct.

Question 12

In what brain areas are abnormalities found in Alzheimer's patients?

A)frontal cortex
B)sensory cortical areas
C)hippocampus
D)both a and c

Question 13

Longitudinal studies involve

A)testing several different age groups on two or more measures.
B)testing age effects vs.cohort effects in a population.
C)testing one cohort over time.
D)testing the effects of time-of-measurement.

Question 14

Compared with young people,people over the age of 60 tend to

A)experience more negative emotion.
B)experience less negative emotion.
C)experience more physiological reactivity in response to emotionally charged topics.
D)report more somatic symptoms.

Question 15

Alzheimer's disease is the result of

A)age-based slowing of all bodily processes.
B)low social and intellectual stimulation.
C)tangled abnormal protein filaments called neurofibrillary tangles.
D)side-effects of long-term medication,such as anti-Parkinson's medication.

Question 16

A group of people age 40 is compared to a group age 70.This type of research is called

A)longitudinal.
B)time-of-measurement.
C)cross-sectional.
D)cohort effect.

Question 17

Plaques,which develop as part of Alzheimer's disease,are

A)protein deposits that are outside neurons.
B)cholesterol remains from poor diet.
C)composed of serotonin and fatty deposits.
D)equivalent to neurofibrillary tangles.

Question 18

Which of the following medical problems is a particular problem for older adults?

A)kidney disease
B)lung cancer
C)high blood pressure
D)insomnia

Question 19

The age at which one is considered 'old,' which is now 65,is based upon

A)clear biological changes that begin at about that age.
B)social policy.
C)the age at which individuals begin to refer to themselves as old.
D)a scientific standard.

Question 20

Impairment in which of the following areas is the most prominent symptom of dementia?

A)memory
B)abstract thinking
C)judgment
D)language

Question 21

When psychological disorders such as depression occur in older adults,there is a tendency to misattribute the problems to

A)dementia.
B)longstanding personality traits.
C)interpersonal difficulties.
D)genetic factors.

Question 22

Which of the following mood disorders are most common among older adults?

A)major depression
B)cyclothymic disorder
C)mania
D)bipolar I disorder

Question 23

Dementia with Lewy bodies can be divided into the following subtypes:

A)occurring with Alzheimer's or occurring without Alzheimer's
B)occurring with Alzheimer's or occurring with Parkinson's
C)occurring with Parkinson's and occurring without Parkinson's
D)none of the above

Question 24

Individuals with dementia are at high risk for

A)delirium.
B)meningitis.
C)schizophrenia.
D)dehydration.

Question 25

Psychological treatments for individuals with Alzheimer's

A)focus on helping the individual admit to and understand their cognitive deficiencies and limitations.
B)are usually psychodynamic
C)focus on helping patients and families deal with the effects of the disease
D)can remove their memory deficits.

Question 26

Reported rates of psychopathology in older adults are low because

A)older people are mentally healthier.
B)older people are reluctant to admit problems.
C)disturbed people tend to die younger.
D)All of the above are correct.

Question 27

Depression in older adults can be distinguished from depression in younger adults by higher levels of

A)cognitive symptoms.
B)suicidal ideation.
C)hostility.
D)agitation.

Question 28

Delirium that is not treated

A)resolves itself.
B)reoccurs.
C)can be fatal.
D)progresses into dementia.

Question 29

Delirium,but not dementia,is characterized by

A)slow onset.
B)cognitive confusion.
C)daily fluctuations
D)poor judgment.

Question 30

The symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies are similar to those of

A)Parkinson's.
B)Alzheimer's.
C)Huntington's chorea.
D)Both a and b.

Question 31

Which of the following predicts resiliency among caregivers?

A)When the patient has more severe behavioral problems.
B)When the caregiver has high levels of social support.
C)When the caregiver works in mental health services.
D)When the caregiver is committed to changing the behavior of the patient.

Question 32

Which of the following is not a reason for why rates of psychopathology are so low late in life?

A)Older adults may underreport symptoms.
B)Cohort effects
C)People with mental illness are at risk for early death.
D)Dementia masks most other psychopathology.

Question 33

Standard treatment for Alzheimer's disease includes

A)behavior therapy to maintain cognitive skills.
B)helping the victim recognize deterioration and make plans.
C)drugs to reduce toxic neurotransmitter levels.
D)drugs to increase acetylcholine levels.

Question 34

Which of the following diseases can produce dementia?

A)meningitis
B)encephalitis
C)HIV
D)All of the above are correct.

Question 35

Frontal-temporal dementias (FTD)are characterized by

A)early onset Alzheimer's disease.
B)primarily Acetylcholine disturbance.
C)problems with executive function such as planning and problem solving.
D)Huntington's chorea.

Question 36

Delirium can occur only

A)after age 70.
B)following a stroke.
C)after a significant life stressor such as loss of a spouse.
D)None of these are correct.Delirium can occur at any time.

Question 37

Compared with care giving for other disorders,care giving for people with _________ requires much more time.

A)delirium
B)schizophrenia
C)bipolar disorder
D)dementia

Question 38

After being released from a brief hospitalization for minor surgery,70-year-old Mrs.Bee seemed distractible and disoriented.She did not even recognize her husband when he came to pick her up from the hospital.After they returned home,they discussed their plans for the weekend and Mrs.Bee seemed fine,but as night came on,she could not sleep and began accusing Mr.Bee of throwing away her belongings while she was away.Which of the following disorders best fits Mrs.Bee's symptoms?

A)delusional (paranoid)disorder
B)early dementia,probably Alzheimer's disease
C)delirium
D)depression

Question 39

Stress following surgery is a common precipitant for the onset of

A)Alzheimer's disease.
B)delirium.
C)Parkinson's disease.
D)hydrocephalus.

Question 40

If you are talking to a person with delirium,it may feel like you are talking

A)to someone who has suffered amnesia.
B)to a child.
C)to someone who is depressed.
D)to someone who is drunk.

Question 41

Treatment for older adults is best provided when

A)family is present
B)they are treated in the same way young patients are
C)a and b
D)explanations are paced carefully

Question 42

Moving an elderly family member to a nursing home

A)can improve the quality of the relationships.
B)increases stress in the family due to loss of control.
C)usually leads to a severing of the relationship between the parent and child.
D)is the first choice for most families in the U.S.who can afford it.

Question 43

Which of the following depressed individuals is most likely to commit suicide?

A)82-year-old white male
B)34-year-old white male
C)90-year-old African American female
D)83-year-old white female

Question 44

Depression in older adults is often linked to

A)medical illnesses.
B)dopamine changes.
C)retirement.
D)social isolation.

Question 45

Which of the following is not an established intervention for depression in older adults?

A)psychotherapy
B)antidepressant medication
C)St.John's Wort
D)electroconvulsive therapy

Question 46

Distinguish between dementia and delirium.

Question 47

Elderly individuals placed in good quality nursing homes may still deteriorate more quickly than individuals who stay in their homes.This may occur because

A)family members provide better care than even good nursing homes.
B)good nursing care means more drugs with increased risks of overdose.
C)people wait too long to enter nursing homes due to the high financial costs.
D)good care discourages them from keeping up independent living skills.

Question 48

At any point in time,about ___% of elderly people live in long-term facilities Moving an elderly family member to a nursing home

A)5
B)35
C)2
D)50

Question 49

For individuals who develop depression in late life,

A)interpersonal therapy appears to better than a placebo.
B)interpersonal therapy does not appear to better than a placebo.
C)medication is the only thing that can help.
D)there is no available treatment.

Question 50

Describe cohort effects and time-of-measurement effects.How do these issues figure in research with older adults?

Question 51

Discuss the different treatment care options for families with older adult members requiring treatment beyond that possible in the home.

Question 52

What factors have contributed to the stereotypes associated with dementia and delirium among older adults?

Question 53

Which of the following is currently used in the treatment of depression in the elderly?

A)antihypertensive medication
B)psychosurgery
C)placebos
D)electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT)

Question 54

The most common cause of paranoia in older adults is

A)schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
B)delirium and dementia.
C)brief psychotic disorder.
D)depression.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT a common cause of paranoid suspiciousness in the elderly?

A)overinvolvement with frightening themes from television programs
B)filling in the blanks caused by hearing and memory loss
C)social isolation limiting opportunities to check suspicions
D)justified suspiciousness as older people are often taken advantage of by others

Question 56

Which is characteristic of continuing care retirement communities?

A)Ability to move from independent living to nursing care as needed.
B)Integrated programs to support those continuing to live in the community.
C)High levels of professional staff support to maintain functioning.
D)More affordable housing.

Question 57

Treatment of paranoia in older adults involves

A)supportive approaches accompanied by cognitive therapy.
B)demonstrating to the patient the inaccuracy of their delusions,often with the help of significant others.
C)stopping medications to determine whether prescription drugs are causing the symptoms.
D)All of the above are appropriate first steps.

Question 58

Late onset first depressive episodes appear to be tied to

A)vascular disease.
B)dementia.
C)AIDS.
D)mental retardation.

Question 59

How would a practitioner distinguish between delusional disorder,delirium,and dementia in an older adult?

Question 60

In an attempt to improve the quality of care in nursing homes,

A)several state governments have tried to move patients into assisted living facilities.
B)the federal government has imposed specific quality control indices.
C)nursing homes now require that all staff have at least an associate's degree.
D)nursing homes are limiting the number of people admitted.

Question 61

Discuss the contributions of members of an interdisciplinary team for the treatment of older adults.