Question 1

Although Katie's mother had bipolar disorder, Katie herself has been experiencing a less severe form of distinctly elevated mood called __________.

Accepted Answer

The less severe form of elevated mood is hypomania, which is often associated with bipolar disorder. The other answer options are not related to elevated mood or bipolar disorder.

Question 2

Michael was diagnosed with bipolar disorder several years ago. This means that he will experience mood states that include which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of both depression and mania. Normal mood states may also be experienced in between these episodes. Aggression is not necessarily a symptom of bipolar disorder, although it may sometimes be associated with manic episodes.

Question 3

Tai lives in China, and as a result of some recent losses and problems he has become depressed. Compared with someone in a similar situation in the United States, Tai's depressive symptoms will tend to be __________.

Accepted Answer

Cultural differences may influence the manifestation of depressive symptoms. In China, psychological symptoms such as sadness and hopelessness may be seen as weakness and socially undesirable, leading to a greater emphasis on physical symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbances. Therefore, someone in a situation similar to Tai's may experience more bodily symptoms and may be less likely to report psychological symptoms. Additionally, cultural stigma surrounding mental illness in China may make it more difficult to seek and receive appropriate treatment, making it harder to treat depressive symptoms.

Question 4

In discussing the prevalence of mood disorders, __________.

Accepted Answer

All of the above statements are true. Bipolar disorder is estimated to occur in about 0.5 to 1% of the population, while between 10 and 20% of all Americans will experience a major depressive episode at some point in their lives. It is also true that both major depression and bipolar disorder are more frequently diagnosed in women than in men.

Question 5

Robert repeatedly missed work during the last year. A year ago he became hyperactive, staying up for numerous nights working on projects that caught his interest. He gradually became quiet and withdrawn. Recently, Robert swallowed a large quantity of sedatives. He is probably suffering from __________.

Accepted Answer

Robert's behavior suggests that he may be suffering from bipolar disorder. The hyperactivity, followed by withdrawal and missing work is consistent with the manic and depressive episodes characteristic of bipolar disorder. Additionally, his suicidal behavior is a common symptom of bipolar disorder.

Question 6

Stacy has gone into a manic state over the past few days. Which of the following would we NOT expect to observe as a symptom?

Accepted Answer

Individuals in a manic state often have difficulty handling frustration and may experience irritability, impatience, and even aggression. Therefore, we would not expect Stacy to be able to handle frustration easily.

Question 7

Which one of the following people is most likely to successfully commit suicide?

Accepted Answer

Bart, who seems to be regaining energy, might be at higher risk because individuals recovering from depression may have enough energy to act on suicidal thoughts before their mood fully stabilizes.

Question 8

Missy has been having a very bad couple of days at work. According to research on attributions, Missy will be at greater risk for depression if she attributes these bad events to __________ causes.

Accepted Answer

According to research on attributions, individuals are more likely to experience depression if they attribute negative events to stable, global, and internal causes. Stable causes are those that are unlikely to change over time, global causes are those that affect multiple areas of life, and internal causes are those that are within the individual's control. Missy's bad couple of days at work could easily be attributed to stable and global causes (e.g. "I'm not good at my job" or "Everything always goes wrong for me"), which would put her at greater risk for depression.

Question 9

Although the DSM-IV-TR lists specific criteria for the diagnosis of depression, the experience of depression may manifest itself differently in adolescents and younger adults. Which of the following symptoms would be consistent with the experience of depression in an adolescent?

Accepted Answer

Adolescents experiencing depression may exhibit a range of behaviors that differ from typical adult symptoms. These can include a preoccupation with nihilistic themes, academic issues like missed classes, oppositional behaviors such as belligerence and defiance, and substance abuse, all of which can be manifestations of their struggle with depression.

Question 10

Doug has been diagnosed with unipolar depression for the first time. If he is like most patients diagnosed with unipolar depression, he will __________.

Accepted Answer

Patients diagnosed with unipolar depression typically experience periods of deep depression, but not manic episodes. While some patients may struggle with depression throughout their life span, this is not necessarily true for all individuals with unipolar depression. Additionally, mood swings every few hours are more indicative of bipolar disorder rather than unipolar depression.

Question 11

A depressed individual is most likely to commit suicide __________.

Accepted Answer

The risk of suicide can increase at the beginning of recovery from a depressive episode because the individual may start regaining the energy and motivation that was lacking during the deepest phase of depression, which can unfortunately make it more feasible for them to plan and attempt suicide.

Question 12

Tariq lives in Iraq and has seen years of war, with several of his relatives and friends killed; Taylor lives in the United States and has had a relatively sheltered upbringing, with no significant losses. Which of the following is most likely to be true?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that exposure to chronic stress and loss, such as that experienced by Tariq, increases the risk of developing depression. On the other hand, individuals like Taylor who have experienced less stress and loss may have lower risk of developing depression. However, depression is a complex disorder and multiple risk factors can contribute to its development, so it is impossible to say definitively that one individual will be more or less likely to develop depression solely based on their experiences.

Question 13

Darius has been experiencing major depressive disorder for the past two months. He has had a fairly severe episode. Which of the following symptoms could occur as part of his major depressive disorder?

Accepted Answer

Delusions or hallucinations can occur in severe cases of major depressive disorder, disrupted attention and short-term memory are common symptoms, and fatigue, weakness, and sleep disorders are also associated with major depressive disorder. Therefore, all of the above symptoms could occur as part of Darius's major depressive disorder.

Question 14

Cristina has been depressed for weeks and has found herself thinking negatively about herself and her situation. She wonders what role these thoughts play in her depression. According to Beck's cognitive theory of depression, __________.

Accepted Answer

Beck's cognitive theory of depression posits that negative thoughts about oneself, one's world, and one's future can cause depression. These negative thoughts, or cognitive distortions, lead to a pessimistic outlook and feelings of depression.

Question 15

Schizophrenia, literally translated, means __________.

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenia is derived from the Greek words skhizein meaning "to split" and phren meaning "mind." Therefore, the literal translation of schizophrenia is "split mind." This refers to the splitting of mental functions that people with schizophrenia experience, such as a loss of contact with reality, delusions, and hallucinations. The other choices are incorrect: A) multiple personality refers to dissociative identity disorder, B) cleft mind is not an accurate term for schizophrenia, and D) mixed brain does not describe the symptoms or causes of schizophrenia.

Question 16

Researchers generally believe that problems with neurotransmitter activity are associated with depression, and several lines of evidence support this belief. At the same time, chemical models of depression are inadequate because __________.

Accepted Answer

Antidepressant drugs indeed increase neurotransmitter levels quickly, but their mood-improving effects take weeks to manifest, suggesting that the relationship between neurotransmitter levels and depression is more complex than a direct cause-and-effect. This discrepancy highlights the inadequacy of purely chemical models of depression.

Question 17

Janice and Bill are married, live in the same house, and have similar jobs. Despite their similar situations, as a woman Janice is more likely to become depressed than Bill. One reason for this gender difference in depression is that __________.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that women tend to ruminate more on their emotional difficulties, which can increase their risk of depression. Men may be socialized to distract themselves from negative emotions or to seek solutions for their problems, which may explain why they are less likely to develop depression. The other options do not accurately explain the gender difference in depression.

Question 18

With respect to the genetic components of mood disorders, it has been shown that __________.

Accepted Answer

Studies have consistently shown that genetic factors play a stronger role in bipolar disorder than in unipolar depression. Concordance rates for identical twins are higher than for fraternal twins, indicating a genetic component. However, it is not true that mood disorders are generally inherited through matrilinear descent, and the genetic factors giving rise to unipolar and bipolar disorders are not the same.

Question 19

Both Cindy and Jim are thinking seriously of committing suicide. Although Cindy is more likely to attempt suicide, Jim is more likely to die of suicide. Why is this?

Accepted Answer

Research shows that women attempt suicide more frequently than men, but men are more likely to die from suicide. This is because women tend to use methods that are less lethal, such as overdose, while men often use more lethal methods such as firearms or hanging. Therefore, option C is the correct choice. Options A and B are incorrect as they do not fully explain the reason behind the higher mortality rate in men.

Question 20

Jamie is poor and lives in an area with high unemployment; Jason is well educated and comes from an upper-middle-class family. What is true of their relative risk for mood disorders?

Accepted Answer

Socioeconomic factors, such as poverty and unemployment, are associated with a higher risk of major depressive disorder, while factors like higher education and socioeconomic status have been linked to a slightly increased risk of bipolar disorder.

Quiz 16: Psychopathology