Ch15 Key to Review Quest. on Psych Disorders

Key to Review Questions for Ch 15 Psych Disorders

15.1 What are Psych Disorders?

 

In the harmful dysfunction definition of psychological disorders, dysfunction involves ________.

  1. the inability of a psychological mechanism to perform its function
  2. the breakdown of social order in one’s community
  3. communication problems in one’s immediate family
  4. all the above

A

Patterns of inner experience and behavior are thought to reflect the presence of a psychological disorder if they ________.

  1. are highly atypical
  2. lead to significant distress and impairment in one’s life
  3. embarrass one’s friends and/or family
  4. violate the norms of one’s culture

B

Critical Thinking Question

Discuss why thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that are merely atypical or unusual would not necessarily signify the presence of a psychological disorder. Provide an example.

Just because something is atypical or unusual does not mean it is disordered. A person may experience atypical inner experiences or exhibit unusual behaviors, but she would not be considered disordered if they are not distressing, disturbing, or reflecting a dysfunction. For example, a classmate might stay up all night studying before exams; although atypical, this behavior is unlikely to possess any of the other criteria for psychological disorder mentioned previously.

15.2 Diagnosing & Classifying Disorders

The letters in the abbreviation DSM-5 stand for ________.

  1. Diseases and Statistics Manual of Medicine
  2. Diagnosable Standards Manual of Mental Disorders
  3. Diseases and Symptoms Manual of Mental Disorders
  4. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

D

A study based on over 9,000 U. S. residents found that the most prevalent disorder was ________.

  1. major depressive disorder
  2. social anxiety disorder
  3. obsessive-compulsive disorder
  4. specific phobia

A

Critical Thinking Questions

Describe the DSM-5. What is it, what kind of information does it contain, and why is it important to the study and treatment of psychological disorders?

The DSM-5 is the classification system of psychological disorders preferred by most U.S. mental health professionals, and it is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). It consists of broad categories of disorders and specific disorders that fall within each category. Each disorder has an explicit description of its symptoms, as well as information concerning prevalence, risk factors, and comorbidity. The DSM-5 provides a common language that enables mental health professionals to communicate effectively about sets of symptoms.

15.4 Anxiety Disorders

In which of the following anxiety disorders is the person in a continuous state of excessive, pointless worry and apprehension?

  1. panic disorder
  2. generalized anxiety disorder
  3. agoraphobia
  4. social anxiety disorder

B

Which of the following would constitute a safety behavior?

  1. encountering a phobic stimulus in the company of other people
  2. avoiding a field where snakes are likely to be present
  3. avoiding eye contact
  4. worrying as a distraction from painful memories

C

Critical Thinking Question

Describe how cognitive theories of the etiology of anxiety disorders differ from learning theories.

Learning theories suggest that some anxiety disorders, especially specific phobia, can develop through a number of learning mechanisms. These mechanisms can include classical and operant conditioning, modeling, or vicarious learning. Cognitive theories, in contrast, assume that some anxiety disorder, especially panic disorder, develop through cognitive misinterpretations of anxiety and other symptoms.

15.5 Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders

Which of the following best illustrates a compulsion?

  1. mentally counting backward from 1,000
  2. persistent fear of germs
  3. thoughts of harming a neighbor
  4. falsely believing that a spouse has been cheating

A

Research indicates that the symptoms of OCD ________.

  1. are similar to the symptoms of panic disorder
  2. are triggered by low levels of stress hormones
  3. are related to hyperactivity in the orbitofrontal cortex
  4. are reduced if people are asked to view photos of stimuli that trigger the symptoms

C

Critical Thinking Questions

Discuss the common elements of each of the three disorders covered in this section: obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and hoarding disorder.

Each of the three disorders is characterized by repetitive thoughts and urges, as well as an uncontrollable need to engage in repetitive behavior and mental acts. For example, repetitive thoughts include concerns over contamination (OCD), imaged physical defects (body dysmorphic disorder), and over discarding one’s possessions (hoarding disorder). An uncontrollable need to engage in repetitive behaviors and mental acts include persistent hand-washing (OCD), constantly looking in the mirror (body dysmorphic disorder), and engaging in efforts to acquire new possessions (hoarding disorder).

15.6 PTSD

Symptoms of PTSD include all of the following except ________.

  1. intrusive thoughts or memories of a traumatic event
  2. avoidance of things that remind one of a traumatic event
  3. jumpiness
  4. physical complaints that cannot be explained medically

D

Which of the following elevates the risk for developing PTSD?

  1. severity of the trauma
  2. frequency of the trauma
  3. high levels of intelligence
  4. social support

A

Critical Thinking Question

List some of the risk factors associated with the development of PTSD following a traumatic event.

Risk factors associated with PTSD include gender (female), low socioeconomic status, low intelligence, personal and family history of mental illness, and childhood abuse or trauma. Personality factors, including neuroticism and somatization, may also serve as risk factors. Also, certain versions of a gene that regulates serotonin may constitute a diathesis.

15.7 MOOD Disorders

Common symptoms of major depressive disorder include all of the following except ________.

  1. periods of extreme elation and euphoria
  2. difficulty concentrating and making decisions
  3. loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
  4. psychomotor agitation and retardation

A

Suicide rates are ________ among men than among women, and they are ________ during the winter holiday season than during the spring months.

  1. higher; higher
  2. lower; lower
  3. higher; lower
  4. lower; higher

C

Critical Thinking Question

Describe several of the factors associated with suicide.

The risk of suicide is high among people with mental health problems, including mood disorders and substance abuse problems. The risk is also high among those who have made a prior suicide attempt and who have lethal means to commit suicide. Rates of suicide are higher among men and during the springtime, and they are higher in the mountain states of the west than in other regions of the United States. Research has also shown that suicides can have a “contagious” effect on people, and that it is associated with serotonin dysfunction.

15.8 SCHIZOPHRENIA

Clifford falsely believes that the police have planted secret cameras in his home to monitor his every movement. Clifford’s belief is an example of ________.

  1. a delusion
  2. a hallucination
  3. tangentiality
  4. a negative symptom

A

A study of adoptees whose biological mothers had schizophrenia found that the adoptees were most likely to develop schizophrenia ________.

  1. if their childhood friends later developed schizophrenia
  2. if they abused drugs during adolescence
  3. if they were raised in a disturbed adoptive home environment
  4. regardless of whether they were raised in a healthy or disturbed home environment

C

Critical Thinking Question

Why is research following individuals who show prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia so important?

This kind of research is important because it enables investigators to identify potential warning signs that predict the onset of schizophrenia. Once such factors are identified, interventions may be developed.

15.10 PERSONALITY DISORDERS

People with borderline personality disorder often ________.

  1. try to be the center of attention
  2. are shy and withdrawn
  3. are impulsive and unpredictable
  4. tend to accomplish goals through cruelty

C

Antisocial personality disorder is associated with ________.

  1. emotional deficits
  2. memory deficits
  3. parental overprotection
  4. increased empathy

A

Critical Thinking Question

Imagine that a child has a genetic vulnerability to antisocial personality disorder. How might this child’s environment shape the likelihood of developing this personality disorder?

The environment is likely to be very instrumental in determining the likelihood of developing antisocial personality disorder. Research has shown that adverse family environments (e.g., divorce or marital problems, legal problems, and drug use) are connected to antisocial personality disorder, particularly if one is genetically vulnerable. Beyond one’s family environment, peer group delinquency and community variables (e.g., economic deprivation, community disorganization, drug use, and the presence of adult antisocial models) heighten the risk of violent behavior.