Question 1

The inability to resist unhealthy urges is often a symptom of psychological disorders.When it is the primary problem itself,however,a person may be diagnosed with one of several ________ disorders.

Accepted Answer

Impulse control disorders are characterized by the inability to resist urges or impulses that can harm oneself or others, even when aware of the consequences. Examples of impulse control disorders include kleptomania, pyromania, and intermittent explosive disorder. Psychotic disorders usually involve a disconnection from reality, while somatoform disorders involve physical symptoms that cannot be explained by medical conditions. Cognitive and age-related disorders refer to a decline in cognitive function due to aging or illness.

Question 2

What is the difference between kleptomania and ordinary shoplifting?

Accepted Answer

People with kleptomania often get a high from the theft itself rather than the possession of the object that they stole.In fact,they often simply throw away whatever it is that was stolen.

Question 3

Which of the following people would be most likely to receive a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder?

Accepted Answer

Antisocial personality disorder is marked by a disregard for the rules of society and the rights of others.

Question 4

An irresistible urge to set fires that may include a significant enjoyment in watching the fire burn might be indicative of:

Accepted Answer

Pyromania is a disorder that involves recurrent, deliberate, and purposeful fire setting, which is accompanied by a significant fascination or attraction to fire and the act of starting or watching fires. Kleptomania is a disorder characterized by recurrent stealing, trichotillomania is a disorder characterized by recurrent hair pulling, and autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction.

Question 5

Illness anxiety disorder and conversion disorder are both types of ________ disorders.

Accepted Answer

Illness anxiety disorder and conversion disorder both fall under the category of somatic symptom disorders, as they involve physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition. Affective disorders relate to mood disturbances such as depression, bipolar disorder, etc. Schizophrenic disorders involve a disconnection from reality, and dissociative disorders involve disruptions in consciousness, memory, and identity.

Question 6

In the last six months,Shelly has visited her physician ten times to complain of numerous physical symptoms.The physician has been unable to find a physical cause for her symptoms.What category of psychological disorders is the physician likely to suspect Shelly exhibits?

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorders can take the form of bodily ailments that have no physical cause.

Question 7

After witnessing an accident that killed his daughter,George reports that he is blind.He bumps into objects at home and elsewhere.Specialists have found nothing wrong with the structure or function of his eyes and an MRI reveals no evidence of brain damage.After holding a case conference,a team of professionals suggests that George be evaluated for __________.

Accepted Answer

People with conversion disorder have symptoms involving sensory function (e.g.,blindness),for which there is no physiological cause.

Question 8

When Bob noticed a pain in his thigh,he was convinced it was a sign of bone cancer.Although X-rays revealed no sign of cancer,Bob sought the opinions of a dozen other physicians who agreed with the original opinion.What psychological disorder might Bob's behavior indicate?

Accepted Answer

Being excessively worried about one's health and seeking the opinions of many physicians is a symptom of illness anxiety disorder.

Question 9

A person who is preoccupied with every sensation of her body,worries excessively about getting sick,and continuously goes to doctors who never find anything physically wrong with her is likely to be diagnosed with __________.

Accepted Answer

Someone with illness anxiety disorder is excessively worried about getting ill and frequently goes to see doctors.

Question 10

Concerns about health would be of most importance to someone with __________.

Accepted Answer

People suffering from illness anxiety disorder worry obsessively about their own physical health.

Question 11

While engaging in combat in the Gulf War,Sammy found that his hands went numb and he sometimes couldn't move them.The doctors could not find a biological cause for Sammy's condition.Sammy likely has a(n)__________.

Accepted Answer

When a person experiences a loss of function such as this with no identifiable organic cause,it may indicate conversion disorder.

Question 12

Which of the following is a disorder that takes the form of a bodily ailment that has no physical cause?

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder is a disorder in which a person experiences physical symptoms that are inconsistent with or not fully explained by a medical condition. It is often characterized by excessive and persistent thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to the symptoms, and can cause significant distress and impairment. Anxiety, dissociative disorders, and psychophysiological disorders may also involve physical symptoms, but they are not specifically defined as physical symptoms with no physical cause.

Question 13

People with ______ disorders have an excessively chronic,maladaptive pattern of behavior and ways of relating to others.

Accepted Answer

Personality disorders involve deeply ingrained patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotions that often make it difficult for individuals to function effectively in social situations. These patterns develop early in life and persist over time, leading to problems in interpersonal relationships and other areas of functioning. Somatoform disorders involve physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by medical causes, affective disorders involve disturbances in mood, and schizophrenic disorders involve a range of symptoms related to cognition, perception, and social functioning.

Question 14

John has made a career of stealing older people's retirement money by taking advantage of their trust and selling them phony retirement investments.John explains that he has done nothing wrong-if these people were not so greedy,they would not be so eager to invest in his phony schemes.In his mind,his victims got exactly what they deserved.John's behavior and attitude are typical of someone with ______ personality disorder.

Accepted Answer

Someone with antisocial personality disorder has no real conscience and feels no guilt about deceiving or cheating people.

Question 15

Personality disorders usually begin __________.

Accepted Answer

Personality disorders usually begin in childhood or adolescence, although they may not be diagnosed until adulthood.

Question 16

Shirley,a very healthy young woman,noticed that she had several bruises on her legs.Shirley immediately assumed that she must have leukemia,and forgot that she had walked into a table in her dark apartment the day before.If this tendency to worry about her health is persistent and causes significant distress or impairment,Shirley may suffer from _________.

Accepted Answer

The assumption that minor physical symptoms indicate major medical illness is a symptom of illness anxiety disorder.

Question 17

In an attempt to explain impulse control disorders,one neurological theory is that the ________ have gone out of control in people with such conditions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In an attempt to explain impulse control...

Question 18

Jerry is quite a character,and has recently become very frightening to his girlfriend and children.He often yells very loudly over minor issues.When he gets really upset,he commonly throws and breaks things and sometimes he scares people into believing that he is going to become violent and abusive.The diagnosis that would best describe Jerry is:

Accepted Answer

This is an illness that is related to one's inability to control their impulsive temper.Their aggressive behaviors are often out of proportion to the situation that elicits it.

Question 19

Which of the following is a true statement regarding the prevalence of kleptomania?

Accepted Answer

Kleptomania is more commonly diagnosed in females than in males, with studies suggesting it is about twice as common in females.

Question 20

A person who experiences rather dramatic and specific symptoms such as blindness,paralysis,deafness,or numbness of certain body parts,none of which have real physical causes will probably be diagnosed with __________.

Accepted Answer

Conversion disorder involves the presence of physical symptoms that cannot be explained by a medical condition or injury. These symptoms often appear as sudden, dramatic, and specific, affecting certain body parts such as blindness, paralysis, deafness or numbness. Somatization disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by multiple physical symptoms that have no apparent medical cause and that last for several years. Illness anxiety disorder involves constant preoccupation and fear of having a serious illness despite a lack of physical symptoms, while dissociative disorder involves disruptions in consciousness, memory, or identity.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders