Question 1

Amanda has been concerned lately with how much she weighs. She tries to diet, but she hasn't lost much weight. Amanda weighs about what someone her age and height should, but she still thinks she is overweight. Although it embarrasses Amanda, there are times when she will eat a significant amount of food at one sitting. After these times, however, Amanda will make herself throw up to avoid gaining weight from the food she ate. The disorder that BEST matches Amanda's behaviors is:

Accepted Answer

Amanda's behaviors match the criteria for bulimia nervosa, which is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by purging to prevent weight gain.

Question 2

Nolan has been experiencing a lot of anxiety. He finds it hard to leave the house in the morning and often misses class. Nolan hasn't felt like going out with his friends and avoids interaction when possible. Although his friends understand, it has caused strain between them and Nolan. What aspect of abnormality BEST describes what Nolan is experiencing?

Accepted Answer

Nolan's experiences indicate an impairment in daily functioning, as his anxiety significantly interferes with his ability to attend class and maintain social interactions, which are key aspects of daily life.

Question 3

James's parents notice that he has problems focusing. He is also easily distracted and forgetful. James often loses what he needs to finish school tasks. James's parents see no issues with his level of activity and he is not impulsive. What disorder would James MOST accurately be diagnosed with?

Accepted Answer

James's symptoms of difficulty focusing, being easily distracted, forgetfulness, and losing things necessary for tasks are indicative of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), particularly the inattentive type, as there is no mention of hyperactivity or impulsivity.

Question 4

Which disorder is classified as an anxiety disorder?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which disorder is classified as an anxiety...

Question 5

You were assigned to do a paper on a psychological disorder of your choice. You chose to write your paper on the disorder in which a person has more than one distinct personality. These personalities are distinct from one another and often have different abilities and memories. What disorder did you choose to write about?

Accepted Answer

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities that control a person's behavior in different situations. This matches the description given.

Question 6

Dr. Lizza is a scientist whose research program studies how schizophrenia manifests as a result of a person's genes, brain structure, and exposure to viruses. Dr. Lizza MOST likely subscribes to the _____ theory of abnormality.

Accepted Answer

The biological theory of abnormality focuses on the role of genes, brain structure, and exposure to viruses in the development of schizophrenia.

Question 7

Agatha quit school 6 months ago and, while she found a job, she finds it unfulfilling. During this time, Agatha has felt sad and worthless. Agatha knows she should probably re-enroll in school, but she has no energy to start that process. She also lacks any interest in going out, and her inability to enjoy companionship has resulted in lost friendships and loss of potential relationships. Agatha would MOST likely be diagnosed with _____ disorder.

Accepted Answer

Agatha's symptoms, including persistent sadness, feelings of worthlessness, lack of energy, and loss of interest in activities and relationships, are indicative of major depressive disorder. These symptoms align with the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder, which includes experiencing a depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, along with other symptoms that significantly impair one's ability to function.

Question 8

In your abnormal psychology class, you learned about how psychological disorders are diagnosed in the United States: mental health professionals use a book that outlines the criteria for disorders, as well as how common they are, cultural considerations, and the development of disorders over time. The book you learned about is the:

Accepted Answer

The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is the book used by mental health professionals in the United States to diagnose psychological disorders. It includes criteria for disorders, prevalence information, cultural considerations, and developmental aspects.

Question 9

Elle has a psychological disorder and her symptoms worry her significantly. Elle is in therapy to help deal with these symptoms because they upset her. Elle is seeking therapy to address which aspect of abnormal functioning?

Accepted Answer

Elle is seeking therapy due to personal distress caused by her symptoms, indicating that her psychological disorder is causing her significant emotional discomfort.

Question 10

Saadia's friends are concerned about her. They don't see her as much as they used to. Saadia wants to hang out with her friends but she has become increasingly focused on her weight and how much she eats. Saadia sees herself as overweight and tries to diet but frequently ends up breaking her diet by eating a large amount of food, usually very quickly. After these periods, Saadia doesn't take steps to compensate for the food she's eaten, although she is embarrassed by eating so much. Saadia MOST likely has which disorder?

Accepted Answer

Saadia's symptoms align with binge eating disorder, characterized by episodes of eating large amounts of food quickly and feelings of embarrassment without compensatory behaviors like purging.

Question 11

Which statement is FALSE about personality disorders?

Accepted Answer

The statement that genetic factors are believed to be the primary cause of personality disorders is false. While genetics can play a role in the development of personality disorders, they are considered to be caused by a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and social factors. No single cause, including genetics, is identified as the primary cause for these disorders.

Question 12

Boys are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at _____ times the rate of girls.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Boys are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder...

Question 13

When people have an intense and irrational fear when they must perform in front of others, they MOST likely have:

Accepted Answer

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might be judged or scrutinized by others. This includes a fear of performing in front of others, making it the correct choice.

Question 14

_____ and _____ are the factors typically given the most weight when diagnosing psychological disorders.

Accepted Answer

Personal distress and impairment in daily functioning are key factors considered in diagnosing psychological disorders because they directly affect an individual's well-being and ability to manage daily activities.

Question 15

Jenny has an eating disorder in which she restricts how much she eats, has a very low body weight, and an intense fear of gaining weight. Jenny sees herself as weighing more than she does, even though she is clearly very thin. Which disorder does Jenny MOST likely have?

Accepted Answer

Jenny's symptoms align with anorexia nervosa, characterized by restricted eating leading to significantly low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image where the individual sees themselves as overweight despite being underweight.

Question 16

The lifetime prevalence for anxiety disorders is approximately:

Accepted Answer

The lifetime prevalence for anxiety disorders is approximately 25-30%, indicating that about a quarter to a third of individuals will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.

Question 17

_____ is an anxiety disorder in which symptoms of unjustified apprehension persists for a long time across a wide range of situations.

Accepted Answer

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable, and often irrational worry about everyday things that is disproportionate to the actual source of worry. This worry is pervasive and persistent, affecting many areas of an individual's life, unlike specific phobias or social anxiety disorder, which are related to specific situations or objects. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions), which is distinct from the generalized and non-specific anxiety seen in GAD.

Question 18

A disorder new to the current DSM is _____, which is a combination of severe emotional and physical symptoms that some women experience on a regular basis during the time of their period.

Accepted Answer

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that has been recognized in the DSM-5. It is characterized by significant emotional and physical symptoms that interfere with a woman's daily life, particularly in the week or two before menstruation starts.

Question 19

You recently learned about a disorder in class in which a person has symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and unusual speech patterns. In this disorder, people often have a problematic excess or deficit of behaviors. The disorder you learned about is MOST likely:

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenia is characterized by symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and significant impairment in social or occupational functioning, including behaviors that can be in excess (like agitation) or deficient (like apathy).

Question 20

If you wanted to look up the official definitions for mental disorders, you would use the:

Accepted Answer

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the United States and contains the official definitions of mental disorders.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders