Question 1

A therapist detects early signs of schizophrenia in his client, and he works to try to prevent a psychotic episode that will seriously disrupt his client's life. Although he cannot make his client's schizophrenia go away, he can help his client avoid further deterioration through the process of

Accepted Answer

The answer of A therapist detects early signs of schizophrenia...

Question 2

A therapist detects early signs of social anxiety in her client, and she works with the client to relieve the symptoms of anxiety. This therapist is using

Accepted Answer

The therapist is actively working to alleviate the client's social anxiety, which falls under the category of intervention. Prevention would involve strategies to prevent social anxiety from arising in the first place, detention is not applicable, and identification refers to simply recognizing the symptoms of social anxiety without taking action to address them.

Question 3

__________ is avoiding a disorder from occurring, whereas __________ is identifying a disorder in its early stages and relieving it.

Accepted Answer

Prevention involves taking measures to avoid a disorder from happening, while intervention involves identifying a disorder at its early stage and taking steps to relieve it. Therefore, prevention and intervention are the more appropriate terms. The terms avoidance and maintenance do not adequately capture the distinction between the two concepts.

Question 4

Community psychologists have designed prevention programs for a variety of problem behaviors, from aggression and suicide to eating disorders. One general conclusion that can be drawn from these efforts so far is

Accepted Answer

Many prevention programs, despite being well-intentioned, have not consistently demonstrated effectiveness. The emphasis on relying on research rather than solely on good intentions underscores the importance of evidence-based approaches in evaluating the success of these programs.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of prevention?

Accepted Answer

Banning lead and other toxic substances that can damage the brain is an example of prevention because it aims to stop the harm from occurring in the first place. The other options involve treatment or intervention once a problem has already developed.

Question 6

Insanity refers to

Accepted Answer

Insanity refers to the defendant's state of mind at the time of the crime. Specifically, the insanity defense is used when a defendant is unable to understand the nature of their actions or distinguish right from wrong due to a mental illness or defect.

Question 7

Which of the following statements regarding insanity is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

The statement that the majority of defendants found not guilty by reason of insanity go free after their trial is not true. While defendants may be acquitted of criminal responsibility due to insanity, they are typically still confined to a secure facility for treatment and evaluation. The duration and conditions of this confinement vary by jurisdiction and individual case.

Question 8

Teaching students how to use an optimistic explanatory style when negative life events happen can help those students avoid becoming depressed. Helping these students to avoid depression is an example of

Accepted Answer

Prevention refers to taking steps to avoid future negative outcomes or problems. In this case, teaching students how to use an optimistic explanatory style is a way of preventing the potential negative outcome of depression.

Question 9

A psychologist has been hired to develop a prevention program to reduce teenage smoking. This person would be trained as a

Accepted Answer

A community psychologist would be best suited for developing a prevention program to reduce teenage smoking since they focus on how individuals interact with their social and physical environments. They would take a holistic approach and consider factors such as family, peer group, and community influences on smoking behavior. Cognitive psychologists focus on how people think, learn, and process information, but may not have the same level of expertise in developing prevention programs. Radical behaviorism is a philosophical approach to studying behavior based on the principles of operant conditioning, which may not be the most effective approach for reducing smoking behavior. Rational-emotive therapy is a form of psychotherapy that may be used to help individuals stop smoking, but is not focused on developing a prevention program at a community level.

Question 10

Which type of psychologist would typically design programs for preventing psychological problems?

Accepted Answer

Community psychologists are specialists in designing programs aimed at preventing psychological problems by addressing the social and cultural factors that contribute to them. They work with communities and groups to promote mental health and prevent mental illness by addressing social and cultural factors such as poverty, discrimination, and social inequality.

Quiz 15: Abnormality, Therapy, and Social Issues