Question 1

Which of the following biological factors plays a role in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

Accepted Answer

High levels of activity in the frontal cortex, particularly in areas like the orbitofrontal cortex, are associated with OCD, as these areas are involved in decision-making and behavior regulation.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true of individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

Accepted Answer

Individuals with OCD often exhibit a cognitive bias called "overestimation of threat," which involves perceiving potential dangers as more severe than they actually are, particularly if those dangers are personally relevant. This cognitive bias can contribute to the development and maintenance of OCD symptoms. A, B, and D are not true statements of individuals with OCD.

Question 3

Each time Harry feels anxious,he compulsively pulls hair from his scalp or eyebrows.This compulsive urge to pull his hair has made him partially bald.Harry is most likely to be diagnosed with which of the following OCD-related disorders?

Accepted Answer

Harry's compulsive hair-pulling behavior is characteristic of trichotillomania, which is a type of OCD-related disorder that involves repetitive hair-pulling leading to noticeable hair loss or bald spots. Hoarding disorder involves difficulty discarding possessions, excoriation involves skin picking, and body dysmorphic disorder involves preoccupation with perceived flaws or defects in one's appearance.

Question 4

Eric has an extreme fear of being humiliated in public.As a result,he avoids public gatherings and functions.The thought of speaking in front of the crowd induces panic in him.Which of the following best describes Eric's disorder?

Accepted Answer

Eric's extreme fear of being humiliated in public and his avoidance of public gatherings and functions suggest that he may have social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder. The panic induced by the thought of speaking in front of a crowd is a common symptom of social phobia. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder do not specifically involve social anxiety, and algophobia is a specific fear of pain.

Question 5

Since the war eight months ago,Henry,a 35-year-old soldier,has been experiencing flashbacks that causes him to relive the grievous experiences that he went through during the war.Henry is terrified of these flashback episodes and tries to avoid all reminders of the war.He refuses to talk about his feelings and avoids looking at his uniform.This anxiety interferes with Henry's sleep and social functioning.In the context of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders,it can be inferred that Henry is exhibiting the symptoms of _____.

Accepted Answer

Henry is exhibiting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The flashbacks, avoidance of reminders of the war, interference with sleep and social functioning are all common symptoms of PTSD. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves persistent, unwanted thoughts that lead to repetitive behaviors or mental acts, and specific phobia involves an intense fear or anxiety towards a particular object or situation. Antisocial personality disorder involves a disregard for the rights of others and a tendency towards impulsive behavior.

Question 6

_____ is a psychological disorder that develops through exposure to a direful event,a severely oppressive situation,cruel abuse,or a natural or an unnatural disaster.

Accepted Answer

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder that develops as a result of exposure to a traumatic event such as abuse, natural or unnatural disasters, or a severely oppressive situation. Symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance behavior, and heightened arousal.

Question 7

Diana is afraid to throw things away because she feels that she might need them in the future.Consequently,Diana compulsively collects and stores large quantities of old newspapers,broken crockery,and old clothes.In the context of OCD-related disorders,Diana's excessive acquisition of objects and her inability to discard them are typical characteristics of _____.

Accepted Answer

Diana's excessive acquisition of objects and her inability to discard them are typical characteristics of hoarding disorder, one of the OCD-related disorders. Trichotillomania involves the recurrent pulling out of one's hair, while excoriation involves recurrent skin picking. Body dysmorphic disorder involves a preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in one's appearance. None of these disorders involve excessive acquisition and inability to discard objects.

Question 8

Seven months ago,Sandra was involved in a serious car accident.Even though she recovered fully from her injuries,she is still troubled by nightmares and flashbacks of the scene of the accident.Now,Sandra refuses to drive and insists only on using public transport.She is in a constant state of anxiety and has trouble sleeping.In the context of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders,it can be inferred that Sandra shows symptoms suggestive of _____.

Accepted Answer

Sandra's symptoms of nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance behavior, anxiety, and sleep disturbances are characteristic of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a trauma and stressor-related disorder. Social anxiety disorder involves persistent fear or anxiety in social situations, bipolar disorder involves mood swings, and obsessive-compulsive disorder involves recurrent, persistent, and intrusive thoughts, impulses, or images that cause marked anxiety or distress. None of these disorders seem to fit Sandra's symptoms as well as PTSD.

Question 9

Martha believes that if she doesn't keep checking the stove in the kitchen,there may be a gas leakage and an explosion.Consequently,Martha keeps checking whether the stove has been turned off over and over again,sometimes over fifty times a day.This practice interferes with her sleep and disturbs her thoughts.In the context of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders,Martha's recurrent thoughts about the possibility of an explosion are called _____.

Accepted Answer

Martha's recurrent thoughts about the possibility of an explosion indicate that she is experiencing an obsession, which is a common symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Obsessions are persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or impulses that cause significant distress or anxiety. The compulsive behavior of repeatedly checking the stove is also a common symptom of OCD and is a response to the distress caused by the obsession. Delusions and hallucinations are not relevant to Martha's case as she is not experiencing false beliefs or sensory perceptions that are not based in reality.

Question 10

Jillian cannot bear to leave her home without sweeping the floors,vacuuming the carpets,and organizing everything in her cupboards.She knows that her behavior is extreme,but when she tries to go to work without doing all of these things,she is overcome with such overwhelming dread that she never makes it all the way to the office.In the context of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders,it can be inferred that Jillian suffers from _____.

Accepted Answer

Jillian's behavior is indicative of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is characterized by uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that a person feels the urge to repeat over and over again. In this case, Jillian's compulsive behaviors include sweeping, vacuuming, and organizing, which she feels she must do in order to quell her anxiety.

Question 11

Evelyn believes that she must touch the door knob seven times before she opens the door so that her mother will not become deathly ill.In the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder,what is Evelyn's compulsion?

Accepted Answer

Evelyn's compulsion is the action of touching the door knob seven times. This is a behavior she feels she must perform in order to prevent harm to her mother.

Question 12

Kelly experiences a great deal of anxiety over her physical appearance.She believes that her head is too big and her nose is asymmetrical.This troubling preoccupation with her physical features interferes with Kelly's occupational and social functioning.She spends hours in front of the mirror and isolates herself from her friends.In the context of OCD-related disorders,Kelly can be most likely diagnosed with _____.

Accepted Answer

Kelly's preoccupation with her physical appearance, excessive mirror-gazing, and social isolation are characteristic symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder, a type of OCD-related disorder. Excoriation (skin-picking) and trichotillomania (hair-pulling) are also types of OCD-related disorders, but they do not involve preoccupation with physical appearance. Hoarding disorder is also a type of OCD-related disorder, but it does not involve preoccupation with physical appearance either.

Question 13

According to the DSM-5,post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)is likely to occur _____.

Accepted Answer

The DSM-5 states that PTSD can develop in individuals who have directly experienced a traumatic event, witnessed a traumatic event, or even heard about a traumatic event happening to someone close to them. Therefore, all three choices are correct.

Question 14

_____ refers to a psychological disorder in which an individual has anxiety-provoking thoughts that will not go away and urges him to perform repetitive,ritualistic behaviors to prevent or produce some future situation.

Accepted Answer

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that cause anxiety or distress and repetitive, ritualistic behaviors (compulsions) that the individual feels driven to perform to alleviate the anxiety or prevent some future negative outcome.

Question 15

In cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),_____ frequently accompany obsessions and appear to serve the function of reducing the anxiety created by such disturbing thoughts.

Accepted Answer

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that individuals with OCD feel driven to perform in response to their obsessive thoughts. These compulsive behaviors are intended to reduce the anxiety caused by the obsessive thought, although they often end up reinforcing the obsession instead. Manias, hallucinations, and delusions are not typically associated with OCD.

Question 16

Brenda is constantly in the habit of arranging and rearranging the things in her house.She feels very anxious when things are not arranged symmetrically and engages in this behavior to dismiss her negative feelings.Consequently,Brenda forbids children from entering her house because she is afraid that they will disturb the balance of orderliness.In the context of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders,Brenda is most likely to be diagnosed with _____.

Accepted Answer

Brenda's behavior of compulsively arranging and rearranging things in her house and feeling anxious when things are not symmetrical suggests symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Her fear of children disturbing the orderliness further reinforces this diagnosis. Paranoid personality disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder do not fit Brenda's symptoms as well as OCD.

Question 17

In the context of OCD-related disorders,an individual with hoarding disorder is most likely to _____.

Accepted Answer

Individuals with hoarding disorder have a persistent difficulty in discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value, due to a perceived need to save them for future use, a fear of losing important information, or an attachment to these items. This causes clutter to accumulate in their living spaces to the point where it interferes with the intended use of rooms and makes them no longer functional. They do not exhibit the physical compulsions of hair-pulling or skin-picking seen in other OCD-related disorders. They also do not typically display a preoccupation with their physical appearance.

Question 18

_____ is an OCD-related disorder that involves a distressing preoccupation with imagined or slight flaws in one's physical appearance.

Accepted Answer

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an OCD-related disorder that involves a distressing preoccupation with imagined or slight flaws in one's physical appearance. BDD can lead to significant distress and impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning, and it often requires professional treatment. Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder and trichotillomania (hair-pulling) disorder are also OCD-related disorders. Hoarding disorder is a separate diagnosis that involves excessive difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value.

Question 19

Emily is in the habit of picking at her skin every time she feels nervous or anxious.Emily engages in this kind of compulsive behavior to such an extent that she ends up bruising herself in the process.In the context of OCD-related disorders,Emily is most likely suffering from _____.

Accepted Answer

Excoriation disorder, also known as skin-picking disorder, is a type of OCD-related disorder where an individual repeatedly picks at their own skin to the point of causing damage or injury. This behavior is often triggered by anxiety or stress, and is difficult to resist or control. The fact that Emily bruises herself in the process suggests that her skin-picking behavior is particularly extreme and potentially harmful, which is consistent with a diagnosis of excoriation disorder.

Question 20

Alex cannot control his impulse to wash his hands every five minutes.He washes his hands almost 100 times a day because he is terrified of being contaminated by germs.If Alex doesn't wash his hands,he experiences overwhelming anxiety.In the context of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders,it can be inferred that Alex is most likely to be diagnosed with _____.

Accepted Answer

Alex's symptoms of being unable to control his compulsive hand-washing behavior and experiencing anxiety when not doing it are characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder may have other symptoms that are not described in the scenario.

Quiz 15: Psychological Disorders

Which of the following biological factors plays a role in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) ?

Which of the following statements is true of individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) ?