Question 1

Torrence is engaged in cognitive-behavioural therapy to treat his social phobia. Although tranquilizers may be effective in the short term, they are not a long-term solution to Torrence's problem. Based on this logic and on the research findings in the textbook, which other treatment might Torrence benefit from?

Accepted Answer

Social skills training has been found to be an effective long-term treatment for social phobia. It focuses on teaching individuals with social phobia the necessary skills and strategies to overcome their fears and interact more effectively with others. Psychoanalysis and ECT are not typically used to treat social phobia, and while antidepressant medication may be effective in some cases, it is not as effective as cognitive-behavioural therapy or social skills training.

Question 2

Dr. Arjuna has several patients who suffer from anxiety symptoms, and he is interested in finding a treatment or combination of treatments which will be effective in the long term and have the fewest side effects. Dr. Arjuna should prescribe:

Accepted Answer

Cognitive-behavioural therapy is a first-line treatment for anxiety and has been found to be effective in the long term with minimal side effects. Medications such as tricyclic antidepressants and tranquilizers can have more side effects and carry the risk of dependence or tolerance. Therefore, cognitive-behavioural therapy should be tried first before considering medication.

Question 3

When tranquilizers are used for the treatment of phobias:

Accepted Answer

Tranquilizers can provide temporary relief from phobic symptoms, but they do not address the underlying causes of the phobia. When the drug is no longer administered, the phobia is likely to return. Therefore, using tranquilizers alone as a treatment for phobias is not a long-term solution.

Question 4

In comparing cognitive-behavioural therapy and the drug imipramine for treating panic disorder, Barlow found that:

Accepted Answer

Barlow found that cognitive-behavioural therapy worked better over the long term for treating panic disorder compared to the drug imipramine. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Question 5

Your friend has been prescribed a treatment consisting of the drug clomipramine, exposure, and response prevention. It is most likely your friend was diagnosed with:

Accepted Answer

Clomipramine is a medication used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is characterized by intrusive and repetitive thoughts, impulses or images, and/or repetitive behaviors or rituals aimed at reducing anxiety. Exposure and response prevention is a form of therapy used to treat OCD that involves gradually exposing the person to situations or objects that trigger their obsessions or compulsions while preventing them from engaging in the associated behaviors to reduce anxiety.

Question 6

A friend reports that he is constructing a fear hierarchy regarding his anxiety of heights for use in his next therapy session. He is suffering from:

Accepted Answer

The construction of a fear hierarchy is a common technique used in exposure therapy for individuals suffering from phobias. This involves gradually exposing the person to feared stimuli in a controlled manner, with the goal of reducing their anxiety over time. Therefore, the friend's anxiety of heights is most likely a phobia.

Question 7

Karine had a spider phobia and completed a behavioural treatment for her phobia. From what you know about behavioural treatment for phobias, which was the most effective part of the treatment?

Accepted Answer

The most effective part of behavioural treatment for phobias is exposure therapy, where the patient is gradually exposed to the feared object or situation. This process is usually done using a fear hierarchy, where the patient ranks their fears from least to most anxiety-provoking. Relaxation training can also be helpful to reduce anxiety, but it is not the most effective part of the treatment. Induced hyperventilation is not commonly used in phobia treatment.

Question 8

Lee-Joon is in a research study in which researchers compare brain changes in people receiving different types of treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Lee-Joon recently completed cognitive behavioural therapy and now will have his brain scanned.
Compared to people receiving other kinds of therapy, Lee-Joon's brain:

Accepted Answer

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can lead to similar brain changes as drug therapy, as both can alter brain function and structure in ways that alleviate symptoms of disorders like OCD.

Question 9

Traynor is suffering another bout of major depression. Since the 1970s, he has tried all of the major types of antidepressants and few seemed to work well for him. He is also concerned about side effects, especially sexual side effects, from medication. Which of the following drugs will his doctor be most likely to prescribe to Traynor?

Accepted Answer

Bupropion is a good choice for Traynor as it has a lower risk of sexual side effects compared to other antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are another option with a lower risk of sexual side effects, but Traynor may have already tried and failed on those. Tricyclics and neuroleptics are older classes of antidepressants with a higher risk of side effects, while monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) have a high risk of dangerous interactions with certain foods and medications. Therefore, bupropion or an SSRI would be the best options for Traynor.

Question 10

LaToya, who is depressed, was recruited for a research study in which she will receive either an antidepressant or a placebo. LaToya receives the drug treatment. Compared to people receiving placebo treatment, she will:

Accepted Answer

The wording of the question implies that the drug treatment is effective. Therefore, participants receiving the drug treatment are expected to have a higher likelihood of experiencing symptom relief compared to those receiving placebo treatment. Expectancy alone (choice B) is not enough to produce symptom relief if the treatment is not effective. Choice A is not correct because it assumes no difference between the drug and placebo treatments. Choice C is not correct because it assumes a lower expectancy of symptom relief, which may not necessarily be the case.

Question 11

Persons diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder frequently perform the same act over and over again. The best explanation for this is that the act:

Accepted Answer

The repeated act serves to relieve or reduce anxiety, which is a common characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 12

In a study in which treatment with the drug clomipramine was compared with exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder, it was found that:

Accepted Answer

The study found that exposure and response prevention was more effective than treatment with the drug clomipramine.

Question 13

Panic disorder is best treated by:

Accepted Answer

Panic disorder involves the experience of intense fear and physical symptoms even in the absence of a specific trigger or danger. Helping clients realistically assess danger through cognitive behavioral therapy can be an effective treatment for panic disorder by addressing and correcting exaggerated fears and anxiety. Neuroleptic drugs may be used in some cases, but are typically not considered a first-line treatment. Self-disclosure and insight therapy are not evidence-based treatments for panic disorder.

Question 14

Research on relapse in patients with depression compares the effects of placebo treatment to active drug treatment for a year after patients' depression has subsided. This research has shown that:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that active drug treatment is more effective in preventing relapse than placebo treatment. While both can prevent relapse, the active drug treatment has a stronger effect. Option C is not supported by the research, as relapse rates can still be high after a year, and it is not guaranteed that depression will "cure itself". Option D is also not supported, as the research specifically compares drug treatment to placebo treatment, not behavioural therapy.

Question 15

Don has a cleanliness obsession which revolves around a fear of dirt, germs, and other unclean things. His compulsion involves handwashing. If he believes he has touched something unclean, he will wash his hands until they are raw. In treatment for his disorder, Don is asked to touch all of the doorknobs in his therapist's office building, and is then told he cannot wash his hands. He and the therapist then sit together while Don tries to relax and overcome his feelings of extreme discomfort. This treatment:

Accepted Answer

The treatment described is an example of exposure therapy, which is a well-established and effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). By repeatedly exposing Don to the object of his fear (doorknobs), but preventing him from engaging in his compulsive behavior (handwashing), the therapist is helping Don to learn that his fear of contamination is not necessarily accurate or logical. Over time, this can help to reduce Don's overall anxiety and feelings of discomfort. Research has shown that exposure therapy is often more effective than medication for treating OCD.

Question 16

One of the most effective treatments for panic disorder is ____________ because it helps people ____________.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive therapy helps individuals with panic disorder to correctly estimate the danger involved in a panic attack and identify and challenge any harmful or unrealistic thoughts that may contribute to panic symptoms. This therapy also involves teaching coping skills and relaxation techniques to better manage anxiety symptoms.

Question 17

Spinning a client around in a chair to induce hyperventilation might be effective in teaching behavioural extinction in:

Accepted Answer

Spinning a client around in a chair to induce hyperventilation may be effective in teaching behavioural extinction in panic disorder. This technique is often used in exposure therapy, which is an effective treatment for panic disorder. By inducing hyperventilation and experiencing panic-like symptoms in a controlled environment, the client can learn to tolerate and eventually extinguish the fear response. This technique is not typically used in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia, or severe depression.

Question 18

Kim has obsessive-compulsive disorder which is focused on behaviours related to cleaning and checking. If she takes an antidepressant like Prozac, ____________, an effect also found with depressed patients.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Kim has obsessive-compulsive disorder which is focused...

Question 19

Anxiety hierarchies are useful in ____________ therapy.

Accepted Answer

Anxiety hierarchies are used in desensitization therapy, which is a form of exposure therapy used to treat anxiety disorders. The hierarchy helps the therapist and client identify the specific fears or anxieties that need to be addressed and helps the client gradually confront them in a controlled and safe manner. This process can help the client reduce their anxiety and develop more effective coping strategies.

Question 20

Trisha has experienced symptoms of panic disorder, like spontaneous racing heart and sweating palms, but does not experience a fear of danger or a feeling of impending doom. Instead, her symptoms all seem to be physical. Which of the following therapies would likely be most effective in preventing another panic attack?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Trisha has experienced symptoms of panic disorder,...

Quiz 15: Treatment of Psychological Disorders