Question 1

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has ____________ axes used to diagnose clinical disorders.

Accepted Answer

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has 5 axes used to diagnose clinical disorders. These axes include: Axis I, which is used to diagnose clinical disorders such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and psychotic disorders; Axis II, which is used to diagnose personality disorders and mental retardation; Axis III, which is used to diagnose medical conditions that may be contributing to the person's mental health; Axis IV, which is used to assess psychosocial and environmental factors that may be impacting the person's mental health; and Axis V, which is used to assess the person's overall level of functioning on a scale from 0-100.

Question 2

Your textbook describes the case of Tony Rosato, a former SCTV and Saturday Night Live star who had a disorder called Capgras syndrome. Capgras syndrome is most closely associated with:

Accepted Answer

Capgras syndrome is most closely associated with schizophrenia or brain damage. It is a delusional disorder where the sufferer believes that someone close to them has been replaced with an imposter. It is often associated with damage to the brain's recognition pathways.

Question 3

In order to create accurate diagnoses, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual:

Accepted Answer

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual requires a comprehensive assessment of a patient's mental health status, including gathering information from multiple sources such as interviews with the patient, observations of behavior, and medical history. This assessment includes five components: clinical symptoms, impairment of daily functioning, duration of symptoms, underlying factors, and exclusion of other possible causes. The DSM does not group disorders based on gender, age, culture, or severity, nor by which theorist discovered them.

Question 4

Angie often has relationships that are full of drama, and her emotions in these relationships range from extremely loving to angry and depressed. Other people view her as intense and unstable. She has been this way since adolescence and probably won't change much as she ages. Her disorder would be diagnosed as:

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described suggest a personality disorder, which would be diagnosed on Axis II of the DSM-IV-TR.

Question 5

Arianna has stopped washing her hair, going to the grocery store, and talking to people. Some people think that she must be suffering from a mental disorder. Does her behaviour fit the criteria needed to be diagnosed with a disorder?

Accepted Answer

Arianna's behavior meets the criterion of being maladaptive, meaning that it is interfering with her daily functions and causing harm to herself. This could potentially be a symptom of a mental disorder and would require further evaluation by a mental health professional.

Question 6

Zarina is talking to spirits which no one else can see. She sometimes "channels" the spirits so they can talk with living people. Zarina:

Accepted Answer

Zarina's behavior may be considered normal depending on her cultural background and beliefs. In some cultures, communicating with spirits is a normal and accepted practice. It is important to consider cultural factors when evaluating behavior for a potential mental disorder.

Question 7

Which of the following is an accurate difference between the newest edition and the older editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual?

Accepted Answer

The newest edition of the DSM involves a 'multiaxial' system wherein people receive a more complete, holistic diagnosis. This means that the diagnosis includes information about an individual's symptoms, personality, and environmental factors that may impact their mental health. This is a significant difference from the older editions, which primarily focused on identifying specific disorders and did not take into account the individual's broader context.

Question 8

Dawn is a nurse on the psychiatric ward of a hospital. When patients are first admitted to the hospital, she evaluates how well a patient is able to recall recent events, hold a logical and understandable conversation, and follow simple directions. Dawn, therefore, uses the ____________ to initially evaluate her patients' need for treatment.

Accepted Answer

The mental status exam is a commonly used tool by mental health professionals to assess a patient's current mental state and functioning. It evaluates various cognitive and behavioral domains, including memory, language, attention, and perception. It is often used at initial evaluation to guide the treatment plan for patients in psychiatric hospitals. The other options (A, B, and C) are also assessment tools used in mental health, but they are not typically used for the purpose described in the scenario.

Question 9

In determining whether a behaviour indicates psychopathology, which of the following is NOT an important criterion?

Accepted Answer

While recognizing that one has a disorder may be an important criterion in some cases (such as with insight-related disorders), it is not universally applicable in determining whether a behavior indicates psychopathology. Other factors such as deviation from cultural norms, causing distress, and being maladaptive are also important considerations.

Question 10

Tasha has always been extremely dependent on others, even as an adolescent and adult. When asked her opinion, she seems not to know what she thinks or feels, and relies on others to tell her. Her extreme, lifelong dependency on others makes people uncomfortable and causes them to avoid her. Tasha's disorder would be classified as:

Accepted Answer

Tasha's extreme dependency on others is a characteristic of a personality disorder, which is classified on Axis II. Dependencies and avoidance of being alone are typically signs of dependent personality disorder.

Question 11

Your textbook describes the case of Tony Rosato, a former SCTV and Saturday Night Live star who had a disorder called Capgras syndrome. People with Capgras syndrome may:

Accepted Answer

Capgras syndrome is characterized by the delusion that a loved one has been replaced by an imposter, such as a robot or actor.

Question 12

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding the newest edition and the older editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is an accurate...

Question 13

Amelie has not been out of the house in about 2 weeks. She has been hallucinating about people who have passed away and finds this very frightening. She is afraid that if she goes outside, people might be following her. She thinks that there are people watching her from her television set. Her neighbours are very worried about her. Which of the following does NOT characterize Amelie's experience?

Accepted Answer

The statement about Amelie's behaviour being appropriate or not depending on her culture is not a characteristic of her experience. The other three options are all characteristics of abnormal behaviour as defined by the DSM-5 criteria. Maladaptive behaviour interferes with the person's ability to function in daily life, deviation from social norms refers to behaviour that is not accepted by society, and personal distress refers to the individual's own discomfort or upset with their behaviour.

Question 14

The first categorization of psychological disorders developed out of:

Accepted Answer

Kraepelin, a German psychiatrist, was one of the earliest to categorize psychological disorders based on his observation that not all people with abnormal behavior have similar symptoms. He believed that grouping similar symptoms into categories could help in developing effective treatments for these disorders.

Question 15

Mary was recently admitted to the psychiatric ward of a hospital. She does not seem to talk, except for mumbling a few incoherent phrases every few hours. When asked why she thought she was brought to the hospital, Mary just shrugged her shoulders, not seeming to understand the question. What is the best way for hospital staff to assess Mary's psychological state, and why?

Accepted Answer

A mental status exam is the most appropriate assessment tool because it is based on behavioural observations, which is important for someone who is not able to communicate effectively. Projective and thematic tests require active participation from the patient, which may not be possible in Mary's case. The MMPI is a useful tool, but it may not provide as much information about Mary's current psychological state as a mental status exam would.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Axis I diagnosis, used for clinical disorders?

Accepted Answer

Personality disorders are not included in the DSM-5 Axis I diagnosis. Rather, they are classified under Axis II as enduring patterns of behavior and experience that deviate from cultural expectations and cause significant distress or impairment. The other options, dissociative disorders, schizophrenia, and mood disorders, are all included as Axis I diagnoses.

Question 17

Sammy was brought to the hospital because he had been exhibiting some strange behaviours and recently stated he had been hearing voices. When the doctor met him, Sammy was talking in nonsensical sentences and had a very hard time following the doctor's simple directions. In addition, the doctor noticed his hair was uncombed and he wore dirty, mismatching clothes. The doctor took notes about all of these details of Sammy's behaviour and appearance. The doctor was performing:

Accepted Answer

The doctor was performing a mental status exam. This involves observing and assessing a patient's behaviour, appearance, thoughts, and mood to evaluate their mental health and cognitive functioning. The doctor's notes about Sammy's behaviour and appearance suggest that they were conducting a mental status exam.

Question 18

Dr. Hunskor is curious about what kinds of stress his patient, Ms. M., has been experiencing recently. Ms. M. came to see him because she had temporary amnesia, a state which is often brought on by extreme stress. Would Dr. Hunskor include information about life stress as part of a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

The DSM-5 includes a five-component diagnosis that includes information about stressors in a patient's life, making choice D the correct option.

Question 19

As cited in the textbook, one reason to use categories in diagnosing psychopathology is that they:

Accepted Answer

Categories in diagnosing psychopathology help in identifying possible treatments by providing a structured framework for understanding and addressing specific disorders.

Question 20

A critical component for labelling a person's behaviour a consequence of a psychological disorder is that:

Accepted Answer

In order to label someone's behaviour as a consequence of a psychological disorder, it must interfere with some aspect of their life, such as their ability to function at work or in personal relationships. The other options are not necessarily true - not all people with a disorder will exhibit the same behaviours, the behaviour may be outside of the person's control, and not all psychological disorders pose a serious threat to others.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders