Question 1

Rosa's heart was racing from the four cups of coffee she had just finished, but she thought she might be having a heart attack. Her fear seemed to be increasing without end. This might be the beginning of a:

Accepted Answer

Rosa's symptoms, including a racing heart and escalating fear without a specific trigger, are indicative of a panic attack. Panic attacks involve sudden, intense surges of fear or discomfort that can include physical symptoms like those Rosa is experiencing. Manic episodes, specific phobias, and social phobias involve different patterns of symptoms not described here.

Question 2

Which is the BEST example of a broad social anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Apprehension about being evaluated by others is a broad form of social anxiety as it can apply to various situations and interactions, unlike specific scenarios like eating or public speaking.

Question 3

A procedure used to treat social anxiety disorder that forces the client to face his or her dreaded social situation until the fear subsides is:

Accepted Answer

Exposure therapy is a psychological treatment that helps individuals confront their fears by facing the feared object, situation, or activity in a controlled environment. In the context of social anxiety disorder, it involves gradually exposing the client to social situations that they fear until the fear begins to subside.

Question 4

Lorna is very fearful of speaking in public and will do everything she can to avoid being evaluated by others, which causes her significant impairment. The MOST accurate diagnosis for her condition would be:

Accepted Answer

Lorna's fear of speaking in public and her avoidance of situations where she might be evaluated by others are classic symptoms of social anxiety disorder (also known as social phobia). This condition is characterized by a significant and persistent fear of social or performance situations in which embarrassment may occur.

Question 5

Which statement is TRUE about social anxiety disorder?

Accepted Answer

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, affects about 8 percent of people in the United States each year, indicating its prevalence within the population.

Question 6

A person is being treated for a social anxiety disorder. A therapist watches the person act out a social scene, points out what she did correctly and incorrectly, and praises her for what she did well. Which behavioral technique did the therapist NOT use?

Accepted Answer

Modeling involves demonstrating a behavior for the client to observe and imitate, which was not described in the scenario provided. The therapist did not demonstrate any behavior themselves; instead, they observed and provided feedback on the client's actions.

Question 7

Which group emphasizes the beliefs and expectations that lead someone with a social anxiety disorder to overestimate how bad a social interaction went?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive-behavioral theorists focus on the role of negative thoughts and beliefs in the development and maintenance of social anxiety disorder, including the tendency to overestimate the negativity of social interactions.

Question 8

Which thought is consistent with the thinking of someone who has social anxiety disorder?

Accepted Answer

Choice C reflects the fear of being negatively evaluated or embarrassed in a social situation, which is characteristic of social anxiety disorder.

Question 9

A person recently was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. A BEST guess is that the person is in _____ school and is _____ likely than average to have a close relative with social anxiety disorder.

Accepted Answer

Social anxiety disorder often emerges during the teenage years, making high school a common period for its diagnosis. Additionally, there is a genetic component to social anxiety disorder, making individuals with a close relative who has the disorder more likely to develop it themselves.

Question 10

Which is NOT a component of social anxiety disorder, according to research by cognitive theorists?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive theorists suggest that individuals with social anxiety disorder often overestimate the negative outcomes of social events (D) and underestimate their own social competence, not the other way around. They also tend to review social events negatively (A) and believe they have social flaws that make them unlikable or inadequate (B), contributing to their anxiety.

Question 11

A psychotherapist models appropriate social skills for a client with social anxiety disorder, then uses modeling for another client with a phobia for spiders. What the therapist is doing is:

Accepted Answer

Modeling is a common therapeutic technique used in the treatment of both social anxiety disorders and specific phobias, such as arachnophobia. It involves demonstrating healthy behaviors for the client to observe and then emulate, helping them overcome their fears or anxieties.

Question 12

A person who experiences unpredictable panic attacks combined with dysfunctional behavior and thoughts is probably experiencing:

Accepted Answer

Panic disorder is characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress. These symptoms are not just typical panic attacks but are combined with significant behavioral changes and dysfunctional thoughts about the panic attacks themselves, leading to persistent concern or behavior changes to avoid the attacks.

Question 13

A person says, "I've been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, and my therapist wants me to use drug therapy, not psychological therapy. I don't know which to choose." Based on current research, the BEST answer would be:

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that psychological therapies, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are effective for treating social anxiety disorder and can provide lasting benefits with less chance of relapse compared to drug therapy alone. Combining drug therapy with psychological therapy, especially CBT, is often considered best practice for treating social anxiety disorder.

Question 14

Rhoda's fear of attending a party is debilitating. To treat this fear, her therapist has Rhoda rehearse introducing herself. This is called:

Accepted Answer

Role-play is a therapeutic technique where individuals rehearse or act out various scenarios that they may find challenging in real life. In this case, Rhoda is practicing introducing herself to help overcome her fear of attending a party, which is a direct application of role-play.

Question 15

Which is an example of a specific social anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Fear of public speaking is a specific social anxiety as it involves anxiety about a particular social situation.

Question 16

A person asks, "What's the MOST effective treatment for social anxiety disorder?" What is the BEST research-based answer?

Accepted Answer

The best psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder has been shown to be effective both in the speed of symptom reduction and in the long-term maintenance of those improvements, often outperforming drug therapy in terms of sustained benefits without the side effects associated with medications.

Question 17

A person is sweating, experiencing shortness of breath, choking, feeling dizzy, and afraid of dying. Assuming this event is not a heart attack, but rather an indicator of anxiety disorder, it is MOST likely a:

Accepted Answer

These symptoms are characteristic of a panic attack, which is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening and can include symptoms like sweating, shortness of breath, feelings of choking, dizziness, and fearing death, distinguishing them from the specific symptoms or triggers associated with phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Question 18

Manuel is afraid of eating in public because he expects to be judged negatively and to feel humiliated. As a result, he makes up excuses when asked out to eat. His diagnosis would probably be:

Accepted Answer

Manuel's fear of eating in public due to the expectation of negative judgment and feeling humiliated aligns with the characteristics of a social phobia, which involves a significant fear or anxiety about one or more social situations where the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others.

Question 19

Several techniques, such as modeling and role-play, are combined to treat social anxiety disorder in:

Accepted Answer

Social skills training often incorporates techniques like modeling and role-play to help individuals learn and practice skills to overcome social anxiety disorder. This approach focuses on improving interpersonal skills through direct instruction, practice, and feedback.

Question 20

Every once in a while, Ona feels nervous to the point of terror. This feeling seems to come on suddenly and randomly. Her experience is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

Ona's experience of feeling nervous to the point of terror suddenly and randomly is characteristic of panic disorder, which involves sudden and intense episodes of fear or discomfort often without a clear trigger.

Quiz 5: Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders