Question 1

Childhood patterns of behavior that are diagnosed as bipolar disorder differ from adult patterns in that:

Accepted Answer

Children with bipolar disorder often exhibit rage and aggression, which can be mistaken for or differ from the classic manic episodes seen in adults.

Question 2

The typical child may not realize that the thoughts and beliefs of others are different from theirs or be able to anticipate future negative events. Therefore:

Accepted Answer

The fact that children may not be able to recognize that others have different beliefs or anticipate negative events means that the symptoms of childhood anxiety may not be the same as adult symptoms. For example, a child with separation anxiety may not understand that their parent will return and may have trouble sleeping or going to school, while an adult with separation anxiety may experience panic attacks or avoid social situations.

Question 3

For which anxiety disorder would you expect the childhood pattern to be MOST similar to the adult pattern?

Accepted Answer

The answer of For which anxiety disorder would you expect...

Question 4

A large survey of parents and their children shows that parents:

Accepted Answer

The survey shows that parents generally underestimate how worried their children are, indicating that they may not be as aware of their children's concerns as they think they are. Options A and B are incorrect as they present a view contrary to what the survey shows. Option D is incorrect as it is not supported by the information given in the question.

Question 5

A child has repeatedly engaged in shoplifting and in hitting neighborhood pets with rocks. The child frequently is aggressive and has engaged in an increasing number of fights. The MOST appropriate diagnosis for this child is:

Accepted Answer

The child's repeated engagement in destructive and aggressive behavior suggests a diagnosis of conduct disorder, which is characterized by a pattern of behavior that violates the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate social norms. Oppositional defiant disorder (A) is a less severe diagnosis that involves chronic disobedience and hostility towards authority figures. ADHD (B) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that involves symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, but does not typically involve intentional rule-breaking or aggressive behavior. Antisocial personality disorder (D) is a diagnosis typically reserved for adults and involves a pervasive disregard for others' rights and the law.

Question 6

Childhood disorders for which there are no similar adult disorders are called:

Accepted Answer

Elimination disorders, such as enuresis (bedwetting) and encopresis (fecal incontinence), are unique to childhood and typically do not persist into adulthood.

Question 7

Critics believe that bipolar disorder has become a catch-all diagnosis for children who display uncontrolled rage. DSM-5 addressed this concern by:

Accepted Answer

DSM-5 addressed concerns about the overdiagnosis of bipolar disorder in children by creating a new disorder called disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, which is characterized by severe and persistent irritability and frequent episodes of extreme verbal or behavioral outbursts. This new diagnosis is intended to provide a more accurate and specific diagnosis for children who display uncontrolled rage, while also helping to reduce the overdiagnosis of bipolar disorder in this population.

Question 8

A particular concern among children and adolescents would be:

Accepted Answer

Bullying can greatly affect a child's mental health and self-esteem, and can lead to long-term consequences such as depression and anxiety. It is important for parents and educators to be aware of and address bullying behavior. While racism and peer pressure to try alcohol or have sex can also be concerns, bullying is a more pervasive issue that affects a larger percentage of children and adolescents.

Question 9

Boys and girls have about the same percentage chance of being diagnosed with:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Boys and girls have about the same...

Question 10

A child is openly hostile toward his parents. He argues with them constantly and will not do anything they say. They cannot control him. The diagnosis he is MOST likely to receive is:

Accepted Answer

The child's behavior is characteristic of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), which is diagnosed when a child exhibits a consistent pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior, or vindictiveness for at least 6 months. Conduct Disorder and Juvenile Delinquency involve more serious and aggressive behavior, including rule-breaking, aggression towards people or animals, and destruction of property. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) involves inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity, but not necessarily overt hostility towards parents.

Question 11

Perhaps the biggest problem facing school administrators who try to deal with bullying is that:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Perhaps the biggest problem facing school administrators...

Question 12

A child whose therapist asks him to draw pictures about his life and then introduces games and stories to help the child work through his conflicts and change his emotions and behavior is MOST likely receiving:

Accepted Answer

The use of drawing and play to facilitate expression of emotions and resolution of conflicts is a key feature of play therapy. Cognitive therapy focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns, while insight therapy aims to increase self-awareness and understanding of past experiences. Classroom therapy is not a recognized form of therapy.

Question 13

The National Institute of Mental Health study known as TADS (Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study) produced three major surprises. Which is NOT true about the study's findings?

Accepted Answer

The study did not find that the danger to adolescents from antidepressants was overemphasized and not significant. In fact, the study did find a small increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors in the group receiving antidepressant medication alone.

Question 14

Results from TADS (Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study) BEST support which conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The TADS study found that while both antidepressants and cognitive-behavioral therapy were effective treatments for adolescent depression, the combination of the two was the most effective. This supports the conclusion that treatment that works for one category of people (in this case, adults with depression) may not be effective for another category of people (adolescents with depression) and that a combination of treatments may be necessary for optimal results.

Question 15

A child will not obey her mother. When threatened with punishment, she swears, throws things, and threatens to break everything in the house. Her outbreaks seem to be restricted to her parents, but she is almost completely unmanageable. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a childhood behavioral disorder characterized by disobedience, argumentativeness, and a tendency to deliberately annoy others. Children with ODD often display anger and become easily frustrated. They may throw tantrums, argue with adults, and refuse to comply with reasonable requests. ODD is typically diagnosed in childhood, although some symptoms may persist into adulthood. It is more common in boys than girls.

Question 16

A child does almost everything with her mother and seems extremely anxious at school, getting frequent stomachaches and wanting to go home. If the child has an anxiety disorder, it is MOST likely:

Accepted Answer

The child's behavior of being overly attached to her mother and experiencing anxiety and physical symptoms when separated from her is consistent with separation anxiety disorder. Agoraphobia involves fear of open spaces or public places, bipolar disorder involves mood swings, and dependent personality disorder involves a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of. None of these disorders fully align with the symptoms described.

Question 17

Behavioral and somatic symptoms, such as clinginess, sleep difficulties, and stomach pain, rather than cognitive symptoms are MORE characteristic of anxiety disorders:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that children with anxiety disorders are more likely to exhibit somatic and behavioral symptoms, such as clinginess, sleep difficulties, and stomach pain, rather than cognitive symptoms. This is particularly true for younger children, suggesting that anxiety symptoms may present differently in children compared to adults. Furthermore, research has not shown a significant difference in anxiety symptoms between children of different generations. While psychotropic medications may be effective for treating some types of anxiety disorders, the presence of somatic and behavioral symptoms is not necessarily indicative of whether a medication is appropriate.

Question 18

A similarity among children with separation anxiety and those with school refusal is that they both fear going to school and often stay home. The difference in the symptoms of these diagnoses is that:

Accepted Answer

Children with school refusal often have a variety of fears related to school, such as fear of others, academic fears, and fears of objects at school. On the other hand, in separation anxiety, the fear is limited to being away from a specific person or people. Option A is incorrect as children with school refusal may require professional intervention to overcome their fears. Option B is incorrect as separation anxiety does not always last into adulthood. Option C is incorrect as separation anxiety is not limited to school but can also occur in other situations where the child is separated from their attachment figure.

Question 19

Hormonal changes, life demands, and body dissatisfaction are all reasons to explain why:

Accepted Answer

Postpubertal girls have higher rates of depression than postpubertal boys due to hormonal changes, life demands, and body dissatisfaction.

Question 20

The main concern over the rise in diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and, in particular, the treatment of bipolar disorder in children is:

Accepted Answer

The main concern over the rise in diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children is the use of adult medications, as these medications can have significant side effects and are not fully understood for use in children. Treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, and psychodynamic therapy may be useful as adjuncts to medication, but medication is often the primary mode of treatment for bipolar disorder in children.

Quiz 17: Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence