Question 1

Rosenhan conducted a study in which he and several colleagues got themselves admitted to mental institutions and once they were in the hospitals, they acted normally. The results from this study revealed that

Accepted Answer

Rosenhan's study demonstrated that once diagnostic labels are applied, they can color the interpretation of a person's behavior, leading to normal behaviors being seen through the lens of the diagnosis.

Question 2

Which of the following was NOT one of the problems with the categorical system used by the DSM-IV-TR?

Accepted Answer

The DSM-IV-TR's categorical system was criticized for not capturing the severity of symptoms, not accounting for symptoms that were significant but not severe enough to meet criteria for a disorder, and for the fact that people with the same diagnosis could present differently. However, it was not criticized for being unreliable; in fact, the DSM series has been developed with an emphasis on improving reliability, or the consistency of diagnostic outcomes across different practitioners.

Question 3

An explanation for the demonstration that personal and situational factors can interact with one another is found in the _______________.

Accepted Answer

The vulnerability-stress model explains how personal factors (vulnerabilities) and situational factors (stressors) interact to influence the likelihood of developing psychological disorders. This model suggests that individuals with certain vulnerabilities or predispositions may be more likely to develop mental health issues when exposed to stressful situations or environments.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is most consistent with the psychodynamic perspective of depression?

Accepted Answer

The psychodynamic perspective, rooted in the theories of Freud, suggests that psychological disorders, including depression, are the result of unresolved psychological conflicts, often stemming from childhood experiences.

Question 5

All of the following were discussed as potential limitations of the use of diagnostic systems such as the DSM-5 EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The DSM-5 and similar diagnostic systems aim to increase the reliability and validity of mental disorder assessments, not decrease them. The other options (B, C, D) are recognized potential limitations or consequences of psychiatric diagnoses.

Question 6

A clinical psychologist is using a particular diagnostic classification system to diagnose a psychological disorder. She finds that her system yields consistent results but, unfortunately, it does not appear to be accurately assessing the disorder in which she is interested. This would mean that her classification system is

Accepted Answer

The classification system is reliable because it yields consistent results, but it is not valid because it does not accurately assess the disorder of interest. Reliability refers to consistency, while validity refers to the accuracy of measuring what it is supposed to measure.

Question 7

When treating a person with a psychological disorder, a therapist makes the assumption that the person's difficulties stem in large part from his extreme and inappropriate use of defence mechanisms such as repression. This therapist most likely identifies with the ___________ perspective of psychological disorders.

Accepted Answer

The therapist's focus on defense mechanisms such as repression aligns with the psychodynamic perspective, which emphasizes unconscious processes and childhood experiences as key factors in psychological disorders.

Question 8

If we say that a diagnostic classification system, such as the DSM-5, is reliable, this specifically means that

Accepted Answer

Reliability in the context of diagnostic classification systems like the DSM-5 refers to the consistency of the system in its application across different contexts and evaluators. This means that the system should yield the same diagnostic outcomes when used by different clinicians or in different settings, assuming the same symptoms and patient information are presented.

Question 9

The first evidence that psychological disorders may be caused by a physiological disorder came in the 1800s with the identification of a physical condition, resulted in bizarre behaviour called ________________.

Accepted Answer

General paresis, a disorder resulting from syphilis infection, provided early evidence that psychological disorders could have a physiological cause. This discovery in the 1800s marked a significant shift in understanding mental health conditions.

Question 10

The ability of a diagnostic classification system to effectively differentiate between various disorders and to accurately capture the essential features of these disorders is most relevant to which of the following qualities?

Accepted Answer

Validity is the quality that ensures a diagnostic classification system can accurately differentiate between various disorders and capture their essential features. It refers to the accuracy and appropriateness of the diagnoses made using the system.

Question 11

Biological, psychological, or environmental predispositions can combine with current or recent events to produce psychological disorders called ___________.

Accepted Answer

Vulnerabilities refer to the predispositions in biological, psychological, or environmental aspects of an individual's life that, when combined with current or recent stressors, can lead to the development of psychological disorders.

Question 12

Someone who has psychologically caused problems of consciousness and self-identification, such as amnesia, would be classified as falling into which of the different major diagnostic categories?

Accepted Answer

Dissociative disorders are characterized by disruptions or breakdowns of memory, awareness, identity, or perception. Problems such as amnesia, which involve issues with consciousness and self-identification, are typical of dissociative disorders.

Question 13

Two siblings can grow up in identical environments and as adults, one develops a psychological disorder and the other does not. Psychologists have taken biological, psychological, and environmental factors and explored how these factors relate to each other in order to explain the above situation. This is called the

Accepted Answer

The vulnerability-stress model (also known as the diathesis-stress model) explains how the interaction of biological vulnerability (or predisposition) and environmental stressors can lead to the development of psychological disorders. This model is relevant to the scenario where two siblings, despite sharing the same environment, may have different outcomes in terms of psychological health due to their unique biological vulnerabilities and experiences of stress.

Question 14

Maladaptive and self-defeating thought patterns are most central to the ____________ perspective of psychological disorders.

Accepted Answer

The cognitive perspective of psychological disorders emphasizes the role of maladaptive and self-defeating thought patterns. It suggests that the way individuals perceive and interpret their experiences can lead to psychological issues.

Question 15

Sara lost both of her parents when she was a young child. Primarily because of this historical event, she develops an anxiety disorder when she learns that the life of her best friend is threatened by cancer. This example provides the best illustration of

Accepted Answer

The vulnerability-stress model suggests that individuals have certain predispositions (vulnerabilities) that, when combined with stressful life events, can lead to the development of psychological disorders. In Sara's case, her early loss (vulnerability) combined with her friend's life-threatening illness (stress) leads to the development of an anxiety disorder, illustrating this model.

Question 16

Regarding a diagnostic classification system for psychological disorders, reliability means that clinicians using the classification system should show high levels of agreement in their diagnostic classifications, whereas, if the categories accurately capture the essential features of the disorders, this is called ______________.

Accepted Answer

Validity refers to the extent to which a concept, conclusion, or measurement is well-founded and likely corresponds accurately to the real world. In the context of diagnostic classification systems for psychological disorders, validity means that the categories accurately capture the essential features of the disorders, ensuring that diagnoses reflect the true nature of the conditions they are meant to represent.

Question 17

In the vulnerability-stress model of psychological disorders, vulnerabilities

Accepted Answer

The vulnerability-stress model posits that psychological disorders arise from the interaction of an individual's vulnerabilities (which can be biological, psychological, or environmental) with stressful experiences.

Question 18

Negative perceptions in both the people being diagnosed and in others can be generated as one of the detrimental effects of ______________.

Accepted Answer

Psychiatric labelling can generate negative perceptions both in the individuals being diagnosed and in others, due to the stigma often associated with mental health diagnoses. This can lead to discrimination, self-stigma, and a range of other negative outcomes.

Question 19

When considering the term "insanity," it is important to remember that

Accepted Answer

Insanity is primarily a legal term used to describe a defendant's inability to understand right from wrong or the nature of their actions at the time a crime was committed, rather than a specific psychological diagnosis. It pertains to the defendant's state of mind at the time the crime was committed, not during the trial, and is not classified within the Axis I or Axis II disorders of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

Question 20

The newly introduced DSM-5 improved upon the DSM-IV-TR by adding what type of measurement system to the diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

The DSM-5 introduced a dimensional measurement system for diagnosis, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the severity and spectrum of mental health disorders, rather than just a categorical presence or absence of a disorder.

Quiz 16: Psychological Disorders