Question 1

For which type of phobia does the age of onset peak at about seven years of age?

Accepted Answer

Animal and natural environment phobias typically have an age of onset that peaks at about seven years of age. These phobias include fears of specific animals, storms, heights, or water, which often develop in childhood.

Question 2

A culture-bound syndrome in Chinese cultures is known as Pa-leng.What characterizes those who have this disorder?

Accepted Answer

Pa-leng is characterized by the belief that the body is vulnerable to cold, and therefore sufferers wear many layers of clothing to keep warm even in warm temperatures.

Question 3

At what age does social phobia usually begin,and when does it end?

Accepted Answer

Social phobia typically begins in adolescence, with a median age of onset around 13 years old. Without treatment, social phobia can persist over a lifetime, but with effective therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy, symptoms can be managed and remission can occur. Therefore, it usually ends in old age.

Question 4

What is the most prevalent psychological disorder in the general population?

Accepted Answer

Social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder, is the most prevalent psychological disorder in the general population. It affects approximately 7% of adults in the United States.

Question 5

Even though phobias may interfere with an individual's functioning,only the most severe cases come for treatment.Why?

Accepted Answer

People with phobias often arrange their lives to avoid the object or situation that triggers their fear, so they may not seek treatment unless the phobia interferes significantly with their functioning. Less severe phobias may also fade over time without treatment. However, stigma surrounding mental disorders may also contribute to some people avoiding treatment. But the best answer is A because it covers the most common reason why people with phobias do not seek treatment.

Question 6

A relative who suffers from panic disorder asks you what treatment would have the most long-lasting benefits.Because you have just read about the double-blind NIMH research study evaluating psychological treatments with and without medication,what would you say?

Accepted Answer

The double-blind NIMH research study found that a panic-control treatment that includes cognitive-behavioural therapy was the most effective in reducing symptoms and preventing relapse, with long-lasting benefits. Therefore, the best choice would be to first try panic-control treatment that includes cognitive-behavioural therapy.

Question 7

What is the approximate sex ratio of individuals who experience social phobia at some point in their lives?

Accepted Answer

According to research, the approximate sex ratio of individuals who experience social phobia at some point in their lives is slightly more females than males.

Question 8

To address panic symptoms,a panic-control treatment (PCT)was developed at one of Barlow's clinics.Which of the following would be included in this therapy?

Accepted Answer

PCT (panic-control treatment) involves exposure to interoceptive sensations, which are the physical symptoms of panic attacks. This helps individuals to become desensitized to these sensations, reducing their fear of them and ultimately decreasing the likelihood of panic attacks. Minimizing heart rate at all times is not an effective or feasible treatment option, anti-anxiety medication may be used in conjunction with PCT, but it is not the focus of the therapy, and psychoanalysis is not a common treatment for panic disorder.

Question 9

What is the main difference between situational phobia and panic disorder with agoraphobia?

Accepted Answer

People with situational phobia experience panic attacks specifically in the context of their phobia, such as fear of flying or claustrophobia, and do not generally have panic attacks outside of these situations. In contrast, individuals with panic disorder with agoraphobia can experience panic attacks in a variety of situations, not limited to public places, and their fear often revolves around the difficulty of escaping or finding help in the event of a panic attack, which can lead to avoidance of a wide range of situations.

Question 10

Which of the following "normal" childhood fears correctly matches the corresponding approximate age of onset?

Accepted Answer

Fear of evaluation by others and anxiety over physical appearance typically begin around age ten, as children become more aware of social dynamics and self-image.

Question 11

A man who has an extreme snake phobia was told repeatedly as a child about the dangers of snakes in high grass.He also was encouraged to wear rubber boots to protect himself,even on city streets.What mode of developing a phobia does this example illustrate?

Accepted Answer

This example illustrates information transmission, where a phobia develops through hearing about the dangers of snakes from others, in this case, being told repeatedly as a child about the dangers.

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of how a phobia may develop?

Accepted Answer

Observing someone else experiencing severe fear, known as vicarious learning, can contribute to the development of a phobia. This is especially true during childhood when children are more susceptible to learning from observing others.

Question 13

In a major double-blind NIMH research study looking at the separate and combined effects of both psychological and drug treatments (Barlow et al.,2000),patients were randomized into five different treatment conditions.Which of the following was one of these treatment conditions?

Accepted Answer

The study investigated the separate and combined effects of both psychological and drug treatments, therefore, psychoanalysis and hypnosis (psychological treatments) are unlikely to be chosen as one of the treatment conditions. Flooding is a specific psychological treatment for phobias, but the study examined a range of disorders, making this also an unlikely choice. The study was double-blind, meaning that neither the researchers nor the patients knew which condition they were in, making it likely that one of the conditions was a placebo. Therefore, the best choice is D, placebo.

Question 14

Which of the following would be considered an example of social phobia?

Accepted Answer

Social phobia is a fear or avoidance of social situations where one may be evaluated by others, leading to anxiety or embarrassment. The individual who is afraid of embarrassing herself at a party is exhibiting symptoms consistent with social phobia. The other options, while they may be related to anxiety or fear, do not fit the criteria for social phobia.

Question 15

A friend stated that when she went to a clinic,she had to spend 30- to 60-second sessions shaking her head from side to side,spinning in a chair,tensing all her muscles,hyperventilating,or breathing through a narrow straw.What is she receiving treatment for?

Accepted Answer

These activities are part of exposure therapy, a common treatment for panic disorder. They simulate the physical sensations of a panic attack, helping patients learn to cope with them in a controlled environment.

Question 16

While more women than men experience fear of snakes,for which of the following phobias is the sex ratio approximately equal?

Accepted Answer

The answer of While more women than men experience fear...

Question 17

Cedella just fainted as a result of her phobia.What type of phobia does Cedella have?

Accepted Answer

Cedella's fainting is indicative of a blood-injury-injection phobia. This type of phobia is unique in that individuals may experience a drop in blood pressure and heart rate when faced with their fear, which can result in fainting. Situational phobias are characterized by a fear of specific situations or places, natural environment phobias are typically related to natural disasters or phenomena, and animal phobias are a fear of specific animals.

Question 18

In the type of specific phobia called "blood-injury-injection," there is an inherited vasovagal response and a tendency to faint.What causes this tendency?

Accepted Answer

The inherited vasovagal response in blood-injury-injection phobia causes a sudden drop in blood pressure, which can result in fainting.

Question 19

What psychological disorder in children is characterized by unrealistic and persistent worry that something will happen to the child's parents,and may result in a child refusing to leave home?

Accepted Answer

Separation anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder in children characterized by unrealistic and persistent worry that something will happen to the child's parents, and may result in a child refusing to leave home. School phobia and situational phobia are specific phobias, while globus hystericus is a physical symptom rather than a psychological disorder.

Question 20

Amy was just given a prescription.Her father,who is a psychiatrist,asks for the name of the drug. Amy tells him,and he says,"But I thought you were getting treatment for your panic disorder?" Which of the following drugs would Amy have been prescribed?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Amy was just given a prescription.Her father,who...

Quiz 5: Anxiety,Trauma-Related,and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders