Deck 13: Personality Disorders

Question 1

A person who does poorly on a task called backward masking is MOST likely to be experiencing:

A) schizoid personality disorder.
B) paranoid personality disorder.
C) borderline personality disorder.
D) schizotypal personality disorder.

Answer 1

schizotypal personality disorder.

Question 2

Selina always feels mysterious forces that she believes she can use to control others and which guide her through life.When she sees a news report of a store robbery in another city,she thinks that it is a warning that her house will be broken into that evening.If she has a diagnosable personality disorder,it is MOST likely:

A) schizoid personality disorder.
B) avoidant personality disorder.
C) paranoid personality disorder.
D) schizotypal personality disorder.

Answer 2

schizotypal personality disorder.

Question 3

The strong relationship between antisocial personality disorder and substance abuse means that:

A) substance abuse causes individuals to develop antisocial personality disorder.
B) antisocial personality disorder causes individuals to abuse substances.
C) there are high rates of substance abuse among those with antisocial personality disorder.
D) if individuals stop abusing substances,their antisocial personality disorder will be cured.

Answer 3

there are high rates of substance abuse among those with antisocial personality disorder.

Question 4

Carla says "I get really mad sometimes,but I often feel empty and weird.So,I have to go do something exhilarating and spur-of-the-moment to feel good and interesting." She likely has which personality disorder?

A) borderline personality disorder
B) antisocial personality disorder
C) narcissistic personality disorder
D) paranoid personality disorder

Question 5

It is clear that very demanding parents caused this person to develop paranoid personality disorder.This statement MOST likely would be made by someone from which theoretical perspective?

A) the cognitive-behavioral perspective
B) the humanistic perspective
C) the sociocultural perspective
D) the psychodynamic perspective

Question 6

Which is characteristic of MOST mass murderers?

A) a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder
B) previous imprisonment
C) feelings of persecution and desire for revenge
D) being under the influence of illegal substances while killing

Question 7

A client is initially very resistant to therapy,cannot acknowledge weaknesses,and ignores feedback.MOST likely,the client is experiencing:

A) schizoid personality disorder and will not make much progress in therapy.
B) schizoid personality disorder and will make a great deal of progress in therapy.
C) narcissistic personality disorder and will not make much progress in therapy.
D) narcissistic personality disorder and will make a great deal of progress in therapy.

Question 8

Ginny has antisocial personality disorder.Which statement would NOT describe her?

A) She lies frequently.
B) She is careless with money and often does not pay her bills or debts.
C) She cares for no one's safety,except for her own and her children's.
D) She is aggressive,irritable,and quick to start fights.

Question 9

If a person primarily fears close social relationships,one would MOST likely conclude that the person is experiencing:

A) social phobia.
B) avoidant personality disorder.
C) both social phobia and avoidance personality disorder.
D) a personality disorder from the dramatic cluster.

Question 10

Which is NOT one of the Big Five supertraits?

A) anger
B) neuroticism
C) extraversion
D) openness to experience

Question 11

The millennial generation is thought to be extremely self-centered,often posting photos of themselves online for others to admire.If this is true,a sociocultural theorist would predict a larger-than-usual percentage of which kind of personality disorder among this generation?

A) narcissistic personality disorder
B) antisocial personality disorder
C) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
D) dependent personality disorder

Question 12

Which is NOT a problem in the use of the DSM-5 to diagnose personality disorders?

A) The criteria are so restrictive that several categories rarely,if ever,are used.
B) People who act very differently may require the same diagnosis.
C) There is considerable overlap of symptoms across many categories.
D) Sometimes the diagnostician must try to figure out why a person does something.

Question 13

Doug runs a "healing" program.He claims he can heal cancer and other serious illnesses simply by petitioning a deity.He charges his patients for sessions,and holds the sessions in front of an audience.While conducting the "healing," Doug constantly solicits donations from the audience,claiming the money is going to various charities and the upkeep of the healing center.However,when Doug's "patients" are seen by health care providers,they are not healed at all.Eventually,he's found to be embezzling the donated money for luxury cars,drugs,and mansions.He is MOST likely suffering from:

A) paranoid personality disorder.
B) antisocial personality disorder.
C) narcissistic personality disorder.
D) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

Question 14

A friend says to you,"He must have antisocial personality disorder; look how careful he is about his own well-being but how careless he is about others' safety." Your MOST accurate reply would be:

A) "You're right; those are classic characteristics of antisocial personality disorder."
B) "You're partly right; most people with antisocial personality disorder are careful about the safety of family members."
C) "You're partly right; most people with antisocial personality disorder are careless about their own safety as well as the safety of others."
D) "You've got it backward; most people with antisocial personality disorder are careless of their own safety but show at least some concern for others' safety."

Question 15

Some researchers note that the majority of those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder are female and that many of these women experienced emotional trauma,victimization,violence,and various forms of abuse as children.As a result,these researchers view the disorder as a special form of:

A) anxiety disorder.
B) obsessive-compulsive disorder.
C) postpartum psychosis.
D) posttraumatic stress disorder.

Question 16

The fact that children may learn antisocial behavior by modeling parental conflict and aggressiveness provides support for:

A) psychodynamic theory.
B) behavioral theory.
C) both psychodynamic and behavioral theories.
D) neither psychodynamic nor behavioral theories.

Question 17

Reese is distrustful of others and reacts quickly to perceived threats.Even though he has no evidence,he is sure his wife is unfaithful.He finds it almost impossible to forgive those he thinks have wronged him.Reese displays the characteristics of:

A) avoidant personality disorder.
B) paranoid personality disorder.
C) narcissistic personality disorder.
D) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

Question 18

Studies report that approximately 12 percent of adults have trouble controlling their anger.Theorists of which perspective would be MOST interested in this as it relates to borderline personality disorder?

A) psychodynamic theorists
B) biosocial theorists
C) biological theorists
D) humanistic theorists

Question 19

The parents of those with schizoid personality disorder are MOST likely to have been:

A) responsive.
B) firm.
C) unaccepting.
D) available.

Question 20

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for avoidant personality disorder focuses on:

A) providing practice in social behaviors in a group setting.
B) changing distressing thoughts and increasing the client's tolerance of emotional discomfort.
C) providing social skills training and exposure treatment that requires clients to gradually increase their social contacts.
D) helping clients uncover the origins of their symptoms and resolve the unconscious conflicts that may be operating.

Question 21

Cognitive-behavioral theorists believe that because those with schizoid personalities have difficulty scanning the environment,perceiving accurately,and picking up emotional cues,they develop _____ very slowly.

A) language and motor skills
B) secondary sex characteristics
C) allergies and other medical problems
D) thinking disorders

Question 22

Which trait is common in people with antisocial personality disorder?

A) recklessness
B) anxiety
C) self-consciousness
D) shyness

Question 23

Some _____ therapists believe that people who are emotionally detached and who use power to form relationships may do so because of a lack of parental love.

A) cognitive-behavioral
B) biological
C) humanistic
D) psychodynamic

Question 24

Which statement MOST accurately reflects up-to-date research on DSM-5 categories of personality disorder?

A) Diagnostic criteria for personality disorders have remained very consistent for many years.
B) Passive-aggressive personality disorder remains the personality disorder easiest to diagnose and treat.
C) Individuals do not necessarily have to have very similar personalities to receive the same diagnosis.
D) Personality disorder clusters are quite distinct from one another.

Question 25

People with _____ personality disorder persistently avoid and are removed from social relationships,and they demonstrate little in the way of emotion.

A) antisocial
B) avoidant
C) borderline
D) schizoid

Question 26

DSM-5,like its predecessor,DSM-IV-TR,identifies 10 personality disorders utilizing a:

A) systematic approach.
B) categorical approach.
C) dimensional approach.
D) phrenological approach.

Question 27

The category of odd personality disorders includes the traits of:

A) anxiousness and fearfulness.
B) being overly dramatic,emotional,or erratic.
C) inflexibility and total loss of contact with reality.
D) extreme suspiciousness,social withdrawal,and cognitive and perceptual peculiarities.

Question 28

The schizoid personality disorder differs from paranoid personality disorder in that:

A) those with schizoid personality disorder seek close affiliations with others,while those with paranoid personality do not.
B) paranoid personality disorder is treatable only through drug therapy; schizoid personality can be treated with psychotherapy.
C) women are more likely to have schizoid personality disorder than paranoid personality disorder; the opposite is true for men.
D) those with schizoid personality disorder desire to be alone; those with paranoid personality are alone because of suspiciousness.

Question 29

The five traits to be included in future revisions of the DSM-5 that utilize a dimensional approach in diagnosing personality disorders are:

A) conscientiousness,negative affectivity,detachment,antagonism,disinhibition.
B) disinhibition,psychoticism,antagonism,agreeableness,extroversion.
C) negative affectivity,detachment,antagonism,disinhibition,psychoticism.
D) detachment,extroversion,neuroticism,antagonism,conscientiousness.

Question 30

Which category of personality disorder contains the disorders MOST commonly diagnosed?

A) odd
B) dramatic
C) anxious
D) strange

Question 31

Christopher was diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder.He tells his therapist that he has trouble figuring out how others feel,and that as a child he had problems with learning language.These findings would make the MOST sense to a theorist with which background?

A) a psychodynamic background
B) a sociocultural background
C) a cognitive-behavioral background
D) a biological background

Question 32

Which statement regarding the treatment of paranoid personality disorder is accurate?

A) Drug therapy generally works best.
B) Psychodynamic therapy involving hypnotic regression is often effective.
C) Cognitive-behavioral therapy usually works well,and in relatively few sessions.
D) Most therapies are of limited effectiveness and progress slowly.

Question 33

Nate has borderline personality disorder.He goes to weekly individual and group therapy skills-building sessions that will last for around a year.The sessions place special emphasis on dealing with self-harm and/or suicide.Nate is receiving:

A) traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy.
B) gestalt therapy.
C) dialectical behavior therapy.
D) humanistic therapy.

Question 34

"It is obvious that this case of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder arises from an early childhood fixation." Which type of psychologist would MOST likely have made that statement?

A) a humanistic psychologist
B) a cognitive-behavioral psychologist
C) a sociocultural psychologist
D) a psychodynamic psychologist

Question 35

People with avoidant personality disorder have difficulty _____ relationships,whereas people with dependent personality disorder have difficulty _____ relationships.

A) initiating; ending
B) ending; initiating
C) ending; maintaining
D) seeking; initiating

Question 36

An individual with a diagnosis of an odd personality disorder is MOST likely to have a parent or sibling who has:

A) bipolar disorder.
B) schizophrenia.
C) one of the paraphilias.
D) alcohol abuse disorder.

Question 37

"I am the greatest!" a famous boxer declared loudly and often.Had he in fact acted throughout his adult life as though he were the greatest,the MOST appropriate diagnosis would be:

A) histrionic personality disorder.
B) narcissistic personality disorder.
C) antisocial personality disorder.
D) impulse-control personality disorder.

Question 38

DSM-5 has been described as functioning like a light switch,which can be on or off.In other words,one either does or does not qualify for a personality disorder diagnosis.Some theorists suggest that degree of symptoms,not symptom absence or presence,is more important,and similar to a:

A) flashlight,running on batteries.
B) dimmer switch,with the light adjustable from all the way off to all the way on.
C) candle,which may be blown out at any time.
D) capacitor,which builds up a charge slowly then discharges it all at once.

Question 39

A person's _____ refers to a lasting pattern of inner experience and outward behavior that affects his or her sense of self,emotional experiences,goals,capacity for empathy,and/or capacity for intimacy.

A) personality
B) personality traits
C) personality characteristics
D) personality disorder

Question 40

Luke constantly strives to be the center of attention,yet the ideas he so eloquently expresses are usually shallow and changeable.If he were diagnosed with a personality disorder,it MOST likely would be:

A) histrionic disorder.
B) borderline disorder.
C) antisocial disorder.
D) obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 41

Some multicultural theorists believe that borderline personality disorder is actually a person's reaction to persistent feelings of marginality,powerlessness,and social failure.If they are correct,then the disorder is a result of:

A) psychological factors.
B) social inequalities.
C) biological factors.
D) childhood abuse.

Question 42

A young boy's parents constantly tell him to "Be a man!" whenever he is in conflict with friends.In turn,his parents themselves often act aggressively toward each other and toward him.The theorist who would BEST be able to explain an adult diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder for this boy would be a _____ theorist.

A) behavioral
B) humanistic
C) biological
D) psychodynamic

Question 43

Which is NOT the name used for a cluster of personality disorders?

A) odd
B) dramatic
C) anxious
D) schizophrenic

Question 44

A patient who has schizotypal personality disorder asks their therapist about drug treatments.What might the therapist say about the use of drug treatments?

A) In low doses,they seem to help some clients
B) In high doses,they seem to help some clients
C) In low doses,they seem to help practically all clients
D) In high doses,they seem to help practically all clients

Question 45

People with _____ personality disorder deeply distrust other people and are suspicious of the motives of others.

A) antisocial
B) avoidant
C) borderline
D) paranoid

Question 46

Cognitive-behavioral theorists propose that people who develop narcissistic personality disorder may have been treated:

A) too positively in early life.
B) too negatively in early life.
C) either too positively or too negatively in early life.
D) ambiguously and neglectfully in early life.

Question 47

You might suspect an "era of narcissism" is approaching for a country when:

A) there is increasing emphasis on self-expression and competitiveness.
B) preferences in women's and men's clothing undergo substantial shifts.
C) there is a decline in materialism and individualism.
D) the sale of inspirational DVDs,books,and tapes suddenly increases.

Question 48

Which personality disorder is marked by a general pattern of disregard for,and violation of,other people's rights?

A) borderline
B) antisocial
C) histrionic
D) narcissistic

Question 49

Which statement about individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder is TRUE?

A) Fewer than half attempt suicide at least once in their lives
B) Fewer than half attempt suicide at least once in their lives,and more than 5 percent succeed
C) More than half attempt suicide at least once in their lives,and almost none succeed
D) About 75 percent attempt suicide at least once in their lives

Question 50

A client is searching for the BEST treatment for borderline personality disorder.Will drug treatment be effective if it is the only intervention the client receives?

A) Yes.Drugs alone work at least as well as drugs plus psychotherapy,and they are less expensive.
B) Yes.Drugs alone work at least as well as drugs plus psychotherapy,but they are expensive.
C) It might work,but only if the client is not suicidal.
D) No.Drugs should be used along with psychotherapy,if used at all.

Question 51

The consistencies of one's characteristics are called:

A) inherited characteristics.
B) learned responses.
C) personality traits.
D) personality typologies.

Question 52

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is MOST common among:

A) unemployed women.
B) women with jobs.
C) unemployed men.
D) men with jobs.

Question 53

A health care provider notes to a new care technician she is working with that,"This patient's personality disorder is becoming very common.Patients often feel like that don't have a stable sense of self-worth or self-esteem.I see someone with this almost every day in the clinic." MOST likely,this doctor is talking about which personality disorder?

A) borderline personality disorder
B) antisocial personality disorder
C) schizoid personality disorder
D) avoidant personality disorder

Question 54

Research has found that borderline personality disorder is more common among:

A) Hispanic Americans.
B) non-Hispanic white Americans.
C) African Americans.
D) Asian Americans.

Question 55

Which individual would MOST clearly fit into the biosocial theory of the development of borderline personality disorder?

A) an individual who has deficits in the functioning of both the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex
B) an individual who has family members who display many of the symptoms of borderline personality disorder
C) an individual who engages in self-injurious behavior while under the influence of illegal substances
D) an individual who has difficulty controlling internal emotions and parents who mislabel those emotions

Question 56

According to the DSM-5,a pattern diagnosed as a personality disorder must deviate substantially from the norms and expectations of the individual's:

A) family.
B) culture.
C) community.
D) racial group.

Question 57

"Be loyal to your family" was what the child heard all the time while growing up,along with,"You shouldn't and can't do it on your own,so don't even try." A cognitive-behaviorist would say this kind of upbringing would be MOST likely to produce which of the personality disorders in the child when he or she reaches adulthood?

A) narcissistic personality disorder
B) antisocial personality disorder
C) avoidant personality disorder
D) dependent personality disorder

Question 58

The MOST important similarity among the personality disorders listed in the text is that:

A) disorders of thought,perception,and attention are present.
B) the personality traits are limited to discrete periods of illness.
C) they are inflexible,maladaptive,and related to impaired functioning or distress.
D) they are social in that they involve an inability to form lasting relationships with other people.

Question 59

"The problem is that they assume they can't take care of themselves,so they think others have to meet their needs.This pattern of thinking is not very helpful in trying to deal with histrionic personality disorder." A psychologist from which perspective would agree MOST strongly with this quote?

A) the biological perspective
B) the sociocultural perspective
C) the cognitive-behavioral perspective
D) the object relations perspective

Question 60

With the help of a therapist,a client with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder has experienced a dramatic decrease in both dichotomous thinking and worrying.The client's behavior is:

A) common.Most clients with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder seek help; this person is most likely receiving cognitive therapy.
B) common.Most clients with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder seek help; this person is most likely receiving psychodynamic therapy.
C) uncommon.Most clients with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder do not seek help; this person is most likely receiving cognitive therapy.
D) uncommon.Most clients with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder do not seek help; this person is most likely receiving psychodynamic therapy.

Question 61

Why are personality disorders difficult to treat?

A) Individuals do not want to change because they enjoy their symptoms.
B) Individuals are often unaware that they have a problem.
C) Individuals do not feel they need treatment because they don't experience distress.
D) Individuals must first be treated for accompanying mood disorders.

Question 62

As part of his treatment,a client with avoidant personality disorder must increase the number of social contacts he makes per day.The person,at the least,must greet others with the sentence,"Hello,how are you doing?" MOST likely,the therapist has which theoretical background?

A) a psychodynamic background
B) a biological background
C) a cognitive-behavioral background
D) a sociocultural background

Question 63

A friend of yours says,"A 15-year-old high school student accused of shooting several classmates received a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder." Your accurate reply would be:

A) "Yes,that kind of behavior often is associated with that diagnosis."
B) "I don't think so; those with that diagnosis seldom engage in criminal activity."
C) "Yes,and I'll bet that wasn't the only diagnosis,either."
D) "No,the student is too young for that diagnosis."

Question 64

People with _____ personality disorder display a range of interpersonal problems marked by extreme discomfort in close relationships,very odd patterns of thinking and perceiving,and behavioral eccentricities.

A) antisocial
B) avoidant
C) schizotypal
D) schizoid

Question 65

Group therapy is particularly useful in the treatment of avoidant personality disorder,mainly because group therapy:

A) allows those in the group to see that others have avoidant personality disorder,too.
B) involves an eclectic combination of theoretical approaches.
C) provides practice in social interactions.
D) requires attendance at therapy sessions.

Question 66

Behaviors,emotions,thoughts and interactions are influenced by each individual's set of uniquely expressed characteristics.This describes which of the following?

A) a trait
B) character
C) personality
D) individuality

Question 67

Assume that a study of prison inmates diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder shows that they generally experience less anxiety than other people when they lie or when they con others.This outcome would MOST strongly support which theoretical position?

A) the sociocultural position
B) the psychodynamic position
C) the cognitive-behavioral position
D) the biological position

Question 68

Avoidant personality disorder seems MOST closely related to:

A) schizophrenia.
B) social anxiety.
C) mania.
D) eating disorders.

Question 69

A child who is severely criticized for acting independently and is praised for doing exactly what parents say to do,later develops dependent personality disorder.The therapist who would be LEAST surprised by this outcome would have which theoretical orientation?

A) a sociocultural orientation
B) a cognitive-behavioral orientation
C) a humanistic orientation
D) a psychodynamic orientation

Question 70

A patient has smaller temporal lobes and high activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine.These symptoms are:

A) psychoneuroimmunological,and the most likely diagnosis is schizotypal personality disorder.
B) psychoneuroimmunological,and the most likely diagnosis is antisocial personality disorder.
C) biological,and the most likely diagnosis is schizotypal personality disorder.
D) biological,and the most likely diagnosis is antisocial personality disorder.

Question 71

The personality disorder that is characterized by a person's need for undying love and admiration is:

A) borderline disorder.
B) histrionic disorder.
C) narcissistic disorder.
D) schizotypal disorder.

Question 72

Based on a structured interview,Diagnostician A classifies an individual's personality disorder to be in the odd cluster.Based on another structured interview of the same type,Diagnostician B classifies an individual's personality disorder to be in the dramatic cluster.If what is described here is typical of what happens when that variety of structured interview is used,one would say the structured interview has:

A) surface validity.
B) construct validity.
C) low reliability.
D) high reliability.

Question 73

What is a pseudocommando mass murderer?

A) a person who uses firearms while committing mass murder
B) a person who expects to be killed while committing mass murder
C) a person who forces others to engage in mass murder
D) a member of the military in a noncombat zone

Question 74

Which statement BEST reflects research related to personality disorders over the past 25 years?

A) Serious interest in personality and personality disorders has rebounded.
B) Research strongly supports the idea that certain rigid personality traits pose no problems.
C) All of the personality disorders have been thoroughly studied.
D) Psychologists have agreed on the most effective way to diagnose and treat personality disorders.

Question 75

Siobhan's parents did not expect nor want any children.After she was born,her parents were distant and neglectful.It was clear early on in school that Siobhan had a low opinion of herself and did not know how to interact with other children.Now she cuts herself and has been to the ER several times.This is a description of the possible development route of:

A) histrionic personality disorder.
B) avoidant personality disorder.
C) schizoid personality disorder.
D) borderline personality disorder.

Question 76

Which of these have sociocultural theorists suggested as a cause for the emergence of borderline personality disorder?

A) rapid social change
B) traditional family structures
C) clinging and dependent parents
D) nontraditional family structures

Question 77

One especially good reason to use a form of group therapy in the treatment of dependent personality disorder is that:

A) because the participants are so dependent,the therapist can still control the group.
B) the group members will see how maladaptive the dependent behavior is when they observe it in the other group members.
C) the group members can model appropriate behaviors and the expression of feelings to one another.
D) the group members tend to see the role of patient as inferior when in treatment individually.

Question 78

"I can't work with that client!" says your friend,the psychotherapist."As soon as I show any empathy at all,it becomes almost impossible to challenge him,and he keeps calling me at all hours of the day." MOST likely,this is a client with:

A) borderline personality disorder.
B) antisocial personality disorder.
C) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
D) schizotypal personality disorder.

Question 79

Which disorder is characterized by an excessive need to be taken care of and a fear of separation?

A) paranoid personality disorder
B) histrionic personality disorder
C) dependent personality disorder
D) narcissistic personality disorder

Question 80

Jasmine always feels like she's on an emotional rollercoaster.She goes between feeling depressed,anxious,and angry.Jasmine's feelings are MOST similar to those of someone with which personality disorder?

A) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
B) narcissistic personality disorder
C) borderline personality disorder
D) antisocial personality disorder