Question 1

In the latter half of the nineteenth century, a person who today is diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder would MOST likely have been diagnosed with:

Accepted Answer

In the latter half of the nineteenth century, somatic symptom disorder was commonly referred to as Briquet's syndrome, named after Paul Briquet, who conducted extensive studies on the disorder.

Question 2

Conversion disorders most often begin between:

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorders most often begin between late childhood and young adulthood, reflecting a period where psychological stressors may manifest as physical symptoms without an organic cause.

Question 3

Why do some researchers believe mass psychogenic illnesses will increase and become more severe in the future?

Accepted Answer

The power of social media can spread information about mass psychogenic illnesses more quickly and widely, which can lead to more people experiencing these illnesses.

Question 4

Just before debuting at Carnegie Hall, a pianist suffered abrupt paralysis of her entire left hand. She has no known medical conditions that are associated with this symptom. This description MOST closely aligns with:

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorder is characterized by neurological symptoms, such as paralysis, that cannot be explained by medical evaluation and are thought to arise in response to psychological stress. The sudden onset of paralysis in the pianist's left hand, with no underlying medical condition, aligns with the characteristics of conversion disorder.

Question 5

A 35-year-old woman hobbles into the office of a physician complaining of a debilitating illness that has robbed her of the use of her left leg and right arm. The physician finds no physical basis for her symptoms. The patient appears totally unaware that the cause of her symptoms may be psychological. The appropriate diagnosis in this case is:

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorder is characterized by neurological symptoms, such as paralysis, that cannot be explained by medical evaluation and are not intentionally produced, suggesting a psychological origin. The patient's lack of awareness of the psychological nature of her symptoms is also consistent with conversion disorder.

Question 6

If a person's bodily symptoms affect his or her voluntary motor and sensory functions, but the symptoms are inconsistent with known medical diseases, this condition is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorder is characterized by neurological symptoms that are inconsistent with or cannot be fully explained by medical conditions, affecting voluntary motor or sensory functions, such as paralysis, blindness, or seizures, without a neurological or medical cause.

Question 7

Which finding would lead you to suspect someone has a conversion disorder rather than another medical cause?

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorder, also known as functional neurological symptom disorder, involves neurological symptoms that are inconsistent with or cannot be fully explained by medical or neurological conditions. The presence of uniform and even numbness in a "damaged" hand, as described in option B, is characteristic of conversion disorder because it does not follow the typical patterns of numbness caused by neurological or medical conditions, which usually have a clear anatomical or neurologic distribution.

Question 8

Which is likely to be useful in distinguishing conversion or somatic symptom disorders from true medical problems?

Accepted Answer

The failure of a condition to develop as expected can be a key indicator in distinguishing conversion or somatic symptom disorders from true medical problems, as these disorders often do not follow the typical or expected progression of a physical illness.

Question 9

If you looked in Leijla's medicine cabinet, you would find dozens of prescriptions and even more over-the-counter medications. Every time she sneezes, Leijla is sure she has the latest deadly flu, although no physician has ever found anything wrong with her. Leijla probably suffers from:

Accepted Answer

Leijla's behavior is indicative of somatic symptom disorder, characterized by an excessive preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness despite medical evaluation not supporting this belief. Her collection of medications and concern over minor symptoms like sneezing align with this disorder's symptoms.

Question 10

Conversion disorders in men:

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorders are more common in women than in men, with men experiencing these disorders approximately half as often as women do.

Question 11

Gabe appeared at the clinic complaining of pain in his knee, shoulder, and abdomen; nausea and vomiting; blurred vision; and exhaustion. The patient history revealed that he had been going to clinics for years trying to get treatment for these complaints as well as a host of other physical symptoms. The diagnostic consensus was that Gabe suffered from:

Accepted Answer

Gabe's presentation of persistent and significant complaints of physical symptoms over years, without a clear medical diagnosis, aligns with somatic symptom disorder. This condition is characterized by an excessive focus on physical symptoms, such as pain or fatigue, which causes major emotional distress and problems functioning, even when no medical explanation is found.

Question 12

Somatic symptom disorders differ from conversion disorders in that conversion disorders:

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorders typically have a shorter duration compared to somatic symptom disorders. Somatic symptom disorders involve persistent concerns and symptoms about health, whereas conversion disorders involve neurological symptoms (like paralysis, blindness, or seizures) without a neurological cause, often resolving more quickly.

Question 13

The disorder with a wide range of vague, long-lasting, and disturbing physical symptoms without a medical cause is:

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder (somatization pattern) is characterized by multiple, current, somatic symptoms that are distressing or result in significant disruption of daily life, where the symptoms are not fully explained by a medical or another mental disorder. This disorder involves a person having a significant focus on physical symptoms, such as pain or fatigue, that causes major emotional distress and problems functioning, without a medical cause being identified.

Question 14

An individual develops somatic symptom disorder after a near-fatal car crash. The diagnosis is:

Accepted Answer

Somatic Symptom Disorder with predominant pain pattern is more likely following a traumatic event like a near-fatal car crash, as the individual may experience persistent pain that is exacerbated by psychological factors. The somatization pattern typically involves multiple, current, somatic symptoms that are distressing or result in significant disruption of daily life, not necessarily related to a traumatic event.

Question 15

A patient with a heart condition complains of adhesions from his postoperative scar, leg cramps, and joint stiffness. He seems to be hurting all over, but no medical reason can be found to explain the symptoms. The BEST diagnosis for this disorder is:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A patient with a heart condition complains...

Question 16

If a person complains of a wide variety of physical symptoms over time in the absence of a physical basis for the symptoms, the diagnosis would likely be:

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder is characterized by an individual experiencing significant focus on physical symptoms, such as pain or fatigue, that results in major distress and/or problems functioning. The individual has excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to the physical symptoms, even though medical tests do not always find a clear cause for the symptoms. This diagnosis fits the description of a person complaining of a wide variety of physical symptoms over time without a physical basis for these symptoms.

Question 17

Abnormalities that are thought to have both biological and psychological causes are diagnosed as:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Abnormalities that are thought to have both...

Question 18

A woman has close female relatives diagnosed with a somatization pattern of somatic symptom disorder. According to research, her probability of being diagnosed with the same disorder is approximately:

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that somatic symptom disorders, including those with a somatization pattern, have a familial aggregation, suggesting a higher likelihood of occurrence among close relatives. The probability of a woman being diagnosed with the same disorder if she has close female relatives with the condition is approximately 20 percent.

Question 19

Disorders that represent the conversion of conflicts and anxiety into physical symptoms would include:

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorders involve the transformation of psychological stress or conflict into physical symptoms, where these symptoms cannot be explained by medical conditions.

Question 20

The relationship between gender and somatic symptom disorder generally is that:

Accepted Answer

Research and clinical observations generally indicate that more women than men are diagnosed with both the somatization pattern and predominant pain pattern forms of somatic symptom disorder. This trend is consistent across various cultures and healthcare settings.

Quiz 10: Disorders Featuring Somatic Symptoms