Question 1

As Sheldon learns about obsessive-compulsive disorder, he is likely to learn that it ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of As Sheldon learns about obsessive-compulsive disorder, he...

Question 2

Melissa's therapist encourages her to interpret her emotional and physical tension as "normal anxiety" and to redirect her attention from herself to others in social situations. The therapist is using which behavioral treatment?

Accepted Answer

The therapist is using cognitive restructuring by helping Melissa to reinterpret her feelings of tension as normal, thereby changing her thought patterns to reduce anxiety. This technique involves altering negative or harmful thought patterns to improve emotional well-being.

Question 3

Sam has persistent and distressing thoughts of germs; he cannot eat without washing his hands three times before and three times after every meal. Although his hands are raw from the washings, he is overwhelmed with anxiety if he doesn't wash using this method. Sam's problems illustrate ____.

Accepted Answer

Sam's behavior is indicative of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or rituals (compulsions) that the individual feels driven to perform. In Sam's case, the obsession is with germs, and the compulsion is washing his hands multiple times before and after meals.

Question 4

Wanda is obsessed with thinking about washing her hands and cannot stop these intrusive thoughts. This demonstrates which cognitive characteristic of OCD?

Accepted Answer

Control is the correct answer because OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) involves obsessions (intrusive thoughts that are difficult to control, such as an excessive worry about cleanliness) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors driven by these thoughts).

Question 5

Sue screams for her husband every time she sees a spider or a spider web. Even if the spider is dead, she starts to shake in terror. She often calls her husband and begs him to deal with the spider immediately. Sue finally agrees to see a therapist. Over several sessions, she views videos of people picking up spiders, then watches her therapist pick up a plastic spider in the office, and then a real spider. Finally, Sue is able to pick up a spider herself and place it outside. The therapy described is known as ____.

Accepted Answer

The therapy described is known as modeling, where Sue observes others interacting with spiders before doing it herself.

Question 6

Ahmad has a specific phobia about elevators. His therapist teaches him how to relax and then has him relax when he is in a building with elevators. Next, he practices being relaxed when pushing an elevator button and finally, when taking an elevator ride. What kind of therapy is Ahmad experiencing?

Accepted Answer

Ahmad is experiencing systematic desensitization, a type of therapy that involves gradually exposing the patient to the feared object or situation while teaching them relaxation techniques to cope with the anxiety. This process starts with less frightening situations and gradually moves to more directly confronting the fear, as described in the scenario.

Question 7

Jack has been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. He has persistent thoughts that are upsetting and engages in ritualistic actions to reduce anxiety. He feels that he has control over his thoughts and actions, but chooses not to stop them. Jack's case is unusual is that OCD patients usually ____.

Accepted Answer

OCD patients typically feel that they do not have control over their obsessive thoughts and the compulsive actions they perform to alleviate the distress caused by these thoughts.

Question 8

Angel is worried that her intrusive, unacceptable thoughts are signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Research suggests that ____.

Accepted Answer

Intrusive thoughts are a common experience for many people. What distinguishes those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is not merely having intrusive thoughts, but the extent to which these thoughts cause significant distress or are uncontrollable, often leading to compulsive behaviors to manage the anxiety caused by these thoughts.

Question 9

Drugs that most successfully treat obsessive-compulsive disorder raise the level of which neurotransmitter in the brain?

Accepted Answer

Drugs that are most effective in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) typically work by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in mood regulation and has been linked to various mental health conditions, including OCD.

Question 10

Which statement is a cognitive characteristic of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Accepted Answer

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that the person feels driven to perform. The statement "I have to be absolutely certain that I turned off the computer." reflects the need for certainty and the presence of compulsive checking, a common symptom of OCD.

Question 11

Cheryl spends four hours every day in the shower, scrubbing her skin raw with a loofa brush for fear that she is contaminated with urine or feces. She sees a cognitive-behavioral therapist for treatment. The cognitive-behavioral therapist is most likely to write which note about Cheryl's case?

Accepted Answer

Cheryl's behavior is indicative of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), where the excessive concern with cleanliness and contamination is driven by anxiety and dysfunctional beliefs. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and correcting these beliefs to alleviate the compulsive behavior and reduce anxiety.

Question 12

Before Hannah can leave the house, she must turn all four gas burners on her stove on and off 24 times, each in sequence. She performs this ritual because she does not trust her memory and fears she can't be sure the burners are actually off without doing this. Hannah is demonstrating which cognitive characteristic of OCD?

Accepted Answer

Hannah's behavior is an example of disconfirmatory bias, where she feels the need to repeatedly check the burners to disconfirm her fear that they might be left on, despite evidence to the contrary.

Question 13

Barbara was told by her psychiatrist that she is being treated with the "medication of choice" for her generalized anxiety disorder. She is not sure what drug she is taking, but she knows it works. This drug is likely to be ____.

Accepted Answer

SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants are commonly used as the first-line treatment for generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 14

GAD is most likely to occur among which group?

Accepted Answer

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is more likely to occur among individuals facing significant stress and adversity, such as African American females living in poverty. This group often experiences higher levels of stress due to socioeconomic factors, which can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders like GAD.

Question 15

What is a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Accepted Answer

Difficulty controlling intrusive and irrational thoughts is a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Individuals with OCD experience persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that they feel driven to perform.

Question 16

V.J. suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. According to the biological perspective, he is likely to show ____.

Accepted Answer

The biological perspective on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) suggests abnormalities in brain function, particularly in the frontal lobes. Increased metabolic activity in the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere is consistent with findings in individuals with OCD, indicating a biological basis for the disorder.

Question 17

For days after visiting Disneyland, the words and tune for "It's a Small World" keep invading Jessica's thoughts. She cannot get them out of her head. Jessica's experience is similar to the ____.

Accepted Answer

The experience described is similar to obsessions seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder, where unwanted, intrusive thoughts persistently occupy a person's mind, much like a catchy tune can.

Question 18

Dr. Duran is a cognitive-behavioral therapist. When treating patients with anxiety disorders, he is most likely to focus on ____.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Duran, as a cognitive-behavioral therapist, would focus on how patients' thoughts influence their experiences of anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) emphasizes the role of cognitive processes in the development and maintenance of psychological disorders, including anxiety disorders.

Question 19

When explaining the cause of obsessive-compulsive disorder, a psychologist who supports a cognitive-behavioral approach would be likely to make which statement?

Accepted Answer

A cognitive-behavioral approach to explaining obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) focuses on how certain thoughts and behaviors that initially reduce anxiety become repetitive because the reduction in anxiety reinforces the behavior, making it more likely to occur again. This explanation aligns with choice B, which emphasizes the role of thoughts and actions in reducing anxiety through repetition.

Question 20

Cognitive-behaviorists propose obsessive-compulsives repeat behaviors in order to ____.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive-behaviorists believe that obsessive-compulsives repeat behaviors primarily to reduce anxiety, not necessarily to understand the world, get in touch with their inner self, or eliminate threats in a systematic way.

Quiz 5: Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders