Deck 16: Psychological Disorders

Question 1

The text defines abnormal behaviour as containing all of the following elements EXCEPT:

A) It is personally dysfunctional.
B) It is personally distressing.
C) It is psychologically determined.
D) It is culturally deviant.

Answer 1

It is psychologically determined.

Question 2

Two siblings can grow up in identical environments and as adults, one develops a psychological disorder and the other does not. Psychologists have taken biological, psychological, and environmental factors and explored how these factors relate to each other in order to explain the above situation. This is called the:

A) reliably-valid model
B) predisposition-dysfunction model
C) vulnerability-stress model
D) psychodynamic model

Answer 2

vulnerability-stress model

Question 3

Which of the following statistics concerning psychological disorders is NOT accurate?

A) Psychological disorders are the second leading cause of disability, exceeding physical illnesses and accidents.
B) Each year, more than a million students withdraw from universities in North America because of emotional problems.
C) Medications used to treat anxiety and depression are among the most frequently prescribed drugs in North America.
D) Psychological disorders are one of the leading causes of criminal activity.

Answer 3

Psychological disorders are one of the leading causes of criminal activity.

Question 4

In the vulnerability-stress model of psychological disorders, vulnerabilities:

A) can be environmental factors.
B) can be biological or psychological factors.
C) can be biological factors.
D) can be biological, psychological, or environmental factors.

Question 5

The first historical demonstration of a psychological disorder with a clear biological cause was _.

A) glove anaesthesia
B) general paresis
C) agoraphobia
D) insanity

Question 6

A person alive during the Middle Ages most likely held which of the following views on abnormal behaviour?

A) Psychological disorders are caused by disease.
B) Psychological disorders are caused by supernatural forces.
C) Psychological disorders are caused by physical and psychological vulnerabilities.
D) Psychological disorders are caused by stressful environments.

Question 7

Maladaptive and self-defeating thought patterns are most central to the ________ perspective of psychological disorders.

A) behavioural
B) sociocultural
C) cognitive
D) humanistic

Question 8

Which of the following statements is most consistent with the psychodynamic perspective of depression?

A) Psychological disorders are caused by an overemphasis on individuality and self-control.
B) Psychological disorders are caused by cultural and social factors.
C) Psychological disorders are caused by unresolved psychological conflicts.
D) Psychological disorders are caused by incongruence between self-perceptions and experience.

Question 9

When looking at the historical evolution of attitudes towards psychological disorders, general paresis is a disease with great significance because it:

A) demonstrated how psychological factors can create physical symptoms that have no identifiable biological cause.
B) provided the first evidence supporting the vulnerability-stress model.
C) provided the first evidence of a psychological disorder with a biological cause.
D) showed how psychological factors can produce actual physical abnormalities.

Question 10

The example that homosexuality was officially considered a form of mental illness until 1973 demonstrates the role that play(s) in defining abnormality.

A) cultural expectations
B) biology
C) harmfulness
D) impairment

Question 11

When treating a person with a psychological disorder, a therapist makes the assumption that the person's difficulties stem in large part from his extreme and inappropriate use of defence mechanisms such as repression. This therapist most likely identifies with the perspective of psychological disorders.

A) psychodynamic
B) sociocultural
C) cognitive
D) behavioural

Question 12

The demonological perspective on abnormal behaviour assumes that psychological disorders are caused by:

A) dysfunctional environments.
B) distorted thinking.
C) supernatural forces.
D) physical abnormalities.

Question 13

All of the following were mentioned as one of the three Ds that typically influence judgments regarding abnormal behaviour EXCEPT:

A) distinctive
B) distressing
C) deviance
D) dysfunctional

Question 14

The first evidence that psychological disorders may be caused by a physiological disorder came in the 1800s with the identification of a physical condition, resulted in bizarre behaviour called .

A) trephination
B) paranoia
C) general paresis
D) hysteria

Question 15

A recent immigrant to Canada has been having some difficulties with everyday life, and after some initial hesitation, decides to see a therapist for some assistance. After the interview, the therapist makes a particular diagnosis and is discussing the case with a colleague when the colleague raises some concerns. She points out that the therapist may need to reconsider his diagnosis because the behaviours involved are much more common and are even considered "normal" in the country from which the person came. This example highlights the importance of in defining abnormality.

A) statistical deviation from the norm
B) the expectations of the person's culture of origin
C) harmfulness
D) the expectations of the culture the person currently lives

Question 16

An explanation for the demonstration that personal and situational factors can interact with one another is found in the _ _.

A) vulnerability-stress model
B) learned helplessness theory
C) example of general paresis
D) trauma-dissociation theory

Question 17

Cannibalism has been practiced in many countries around the world but would be considered extraordinarily pathological in North America. This would be an example of how is part of the criteria for defining what is abnormal.

A) dysfunction
B) violates social norms
C) the personal values of a given diagnostician
D) distinctive

Question 18

Biological, psychological, or environmental predispositions can combine with current or recent events to produce psychological disorders called .

A) handicaps
B) stressors
C) traumatic events
D) vulnerabilities

Question 19

The fact that people with psychological disorders usually experience suffering that is long-lasting or disproportionate to the situation best demonstrates how people often make judgments about abnormal behaviours based on the amount of _.

A) dysfunction
B) deviance
C) distress
D) distinction

Question 20

People who held the demonological perspective on psychological disorders would sometimes treat abnormal behaviours by chiselling a small hole in the head of the individual in an attempt to release the evil spirit trapped inside. This procedure was called:

A) primitive psychological surgery.
B) therapeutic chiselling.
C) trephination.
D) spirit elimination.

Question 21

A is strong and intense fear that is evoked in response to a particular situation is called ________.

A) post-traumatic stress disorder
B) panic disorder
C) generalized anxiety disorder
D) a phobia

Question 22

When considering the term "insanity," it is important to remember that:

A) while it has strong reliability, its validity has not yet been fully established.
B) it is a legal term, not a psychological term.
C) it is an Axis II disorder that has substantial overlap with other Axis I and Axis II disorders.
D) it refers to a defendant's state of mind at the time of a trial, not when the crime was committed.

Question 23

A clinical psychologist is using a particular diagnostic classification system to diagnose a psychological disorder. She finds that her system yields consistent results but, unfortunately, it does not appear to be accurately assessing the disorder in which she is interested. This would mean that her classification system is:

A) neither reliable nor valid.
B) valid but not reliable.
C) reliable but not valid.
D) both reliable and valid.

Question 24

The legal term "competency" refers to a person's state of mind at a trial or hearing, while the term is concerned with a person's mental state at the time a crime was committed.

A) "cognition"
B) "insanity"
C) "adequacy"
D) "well-being"

Question 25

Which of the following would be classified as part of the physiological component of anxiety?

A) increased heart rate and sweaty palms
B) a feeling of the inability to cope with a situation
C) avoidance of particular social situations
D) thoughts about being embarrassed or humiliated

Question 26

Regarding a diagnostic classification system for psychological disorders, reliability means that clinicians using the classification system should show high levels of agreement in their diagnostic classifications, whereas, if the categories accurately capture the essential features of the disorders, this is called _.

A) verifiability
B) consistency
C) validity
D) accuracy

Question 27

The term "competency" is most concerned with:

A) the severity of the disorder(s) with which a person has been diagnosed.
B) a person's current state of mind at the time of a trial or hearing.
C) a person's state of mind at the time of a crime.
D) whether a person can meaningfully appreciate the wrongfulness of their acts at the time of a crime.

Question 28

Someone who has psychologically caused problems of consciousness and self-identification, such as amnesia, would be classified as falling into which of the different major diagnostic categories?

A) Anxiety disorders
B) Dissociative disorders
C) Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders
D) Somatic symptom disorders

Question 29

The ability of a diagnostic classification system to effectively differentiate between various disorders and to accurately capture the essential features of these disorders is most relevant to which of the following qualities?

A) validity
B) stability
C) consistency
D) reliability

Question 30

Sara lost both of her parents when she was a young child. Primarily because of this historical event, she develops an anxiety disorder when she learns that the life of her best friend is threatened by cancer. This example provides the best illustration of:

A) the vulnerability-stress model.
B) the demonological perspective.
C) the trauma dissociation model.
D) learned helplessness.

Question 31

If we say that a diagnostic classification system, such as the DSM-5, is reliable, this specifically means that:

A) it can accurately distinguish between different disorders.
B) it is a consistent system.
C) it is a valid system.
D) it is accurately assessing the disorders it is intended to.

Question 32

Rosenhan conducted a study in which he and several colleagues got themselves admitted to mental institutions and once they were in the hospitals, they acted normally. The results from this study revealed that:

A) diagnostic labels appeared to greatly influence how their normal behaviour was interpreted.
B) just being in this type of environment served to create some of the initial symptoms of psychological disorders.
C) this methodology was effective for allowing them to study the abnormal behaviours of other people in the institution.
D) they were quickly identified as mentally healthy individuals and asked to leave.

Question 33

The newly introduced DSM-5 improved upon the DSM-IV-TR by adding what type of measurement system to the diagnosis?

A) dimensional
B) diagnostic
C) analytic
D) categorical

Question 34

Stacey tends to worry a lot. She is frequently thinking about how other people may think less of her or may do things that will embarrass or humiliate her. These thoughts serve to keep Stacey anxious a great deal of the time and best demonstrate the ________ component of anxiety.

A) environmental
B) physiological
C) behavioural
D) cognitive

Question 35

Someone who avoids social situations and refrains from speaking in class because of social anxiety is demonstrating the component of anxiety.

A) physiological
B) cognitive
C) environmental
D) behavioural

Question 36

Lucas is accused of a particularly violent murder. His attorney is arguing to the judge that Lucas cannot be tried for the crime because he cannot understand the nature of the charges against him as he is currently _.

A) insane
B) distraught
C) incompetent
D) mentally stable

Question 37

All of the following were discussed as potential limitations of the use of diagnostic systems such as the DSM-5 EXCEPT:

A) Someone with a psychiatric diagnosis may be treated differently by others.
B) There is a decrease in the reliability and validity of the assessment of mental disorders.
C) People diagnosed with a disorder may identify with it and thus make the symptoms worse.
D) A psychiatric label may make it difficult to objectively view a person's behaviour.

Question 38

Negative perceptions in both the people being diagnosed and in others can be generated as one of the detrimental effects of _.

A) developmental disorders
B) psychiatric labelling
C) comorbidity
D) personality disorders

Question 39

Which of the following was NOT one of the problems with the categorical system used by the DSM-IV-TR?

A) People who received the same diagnosis may share only certain symptoms, and look different from one another.
B) It was not particularly reliable.
C) The system did not capture symptoms that were adaptively important but not severe enough to meet the behavioural criteria for a disorder.
D) The system did not capture the differences in the severity of symptoms.

Question 40

When a defendant is on trial for murder and they plead insanity as a defence, this means

A) the vulnerability-stress model would indicate they were not responsible for their actions at the time of the murder
B) the diagnosis fits the DSM-5 criterion
C) they were impaired enough at the time of the murder to not understand or control their actions
D) they are currently traumatized by their actions and are not capable of standing trial

Question 41

Every day Jillian is late for work. She leaves the house in plenty of time but a half-mile away from her home she thinks that she has left the garage door open and must drive back to close it. Jillian cannot stop thinking that the garage door is open and makes an average of three trips back to her house every morning in order to check. Jillian may be diagnosed with:

A) somatic symptoms disorder
B) panic disorder
C) obsessive-compulsive disorder
D) generalized anxiety disorder

Question 42

Compulsions are often behavioural responses to cognitive obsessions and function to reduce the anxiety associated with _.

A) obsessions
B) hysterical outbursts
C) panic attacks
D) nervous breakdowns

Question 43

Which of the following statements regarding obsessive-compulsive disorder is FALSE?

A) Compulsions are typically irrational.
B) Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts that intrude into consciousness.
C) Obsessions are usually very difficult if not impossible to control.
D) Obsessions are usually triggered by external stimuli.

Question 44

A professor cleans the whiteboard before every class. He goes over the board at least three times before he considers it to be clean enough. Recently he has been late starting class because he is cleaning the whiteboard more and more. He is preoccupied with thoughts that previous markings are dirty and will contaminate his notes. A psychotherapist would say that this professor's are compulsive.

A) thoughts about previous markings contaminating his notes
B) behaviours of cleaning the whiteboard
C) thoughts about what he will teach in class
D) habits of starting the class late

Question 45

Sarah has an upcoming exam that may determine the direction her career will take. Her anxiety level has never been as high as it has been the last few weeks. In this case, Sarah is NOT diagnosed with an anxiety disorder because _.

A) the intensity but not the frequency of the anxiety is out of proportion to the perceived threat
B) the frequency and intensity of the anxiety are not a direct result of the perceived threat
C) the frequency and intensity of the anxiety is in proportion to the perceived threat
D) the frequency but not the intensity of the anxiety is out of proportion to the perceived threat

Question 46

This area of the brain is implicated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults but not in children:

A) cingulated gyrus
B) prefrontal cortex
C) limbic system
D) thalamus

Question 47

Jim often has the fear that he has left the gas stove on in his house and because of this, his house will burn down and kill his family. As a result, he frequently checks and rechecks the knobs on his stove all day long and often in the middle of the night. In this example, Jim's thoughts about his house burning down would best be considered as an example of a(n):

A) obsession.
B) compulsion.
C) situational phobia.
D) mania.

Question 48

These repetitive behavioural responses are accompanied by obsessions and appear to serve the function of reducing the anxiety created by frequently disturbing thoughts:

A) compulsions
B) habits
C) hallucinations
D) delusions

Question 49

A key difference between generalized anxiety disorder and a phobia is that:

A) a phobia is triggered by a specific object or situation.
B) the anxiety associated with generalized anxiety disorder is significantly more intense.
C) a phobia usually only includes the cognitive component of anxiety.
D) a phobia is an Axis I disorder, while generalized anxiety disorder is an Axis II disorder.

Question 50

A chronic state of diffuse or "free-floating" anxiety is most central to the psychological disorder called:

A) social phobia.
B) generalized anxiety disorder.
C) agoraphobia.
D) panic disorder.

Question 51

Annette is very afraid of germs and disease, so much so that she washes her hands over 100 times a day to make sure that she avoids infection. Usually she doesn't show much anxiety, but if she is in a place where she is unable to clean her hands, such as the wilderness, she can become very distressed and upset. Annette would most likely be diagnosed as having:

A) obsessive-compulsive disorder.
B) a health-related phobia.
C) generalized anxiety.
D) schizophrenia paranoid type.

Question 52

Roger is tense and anxious almost every day. Though he is frequently worried and often has the sense that something bad is about to happen, he can't relate his anxiety to any particular situation or setting. He has difficulty getting restful sleep at night and often takes antacids for his upset stomach. Roger would most likely be diagnosed as having:

A) generalized anxiety disorder.
B) obsessive-compulsive disorder.
C) panic disorder.
D) posttraumatic stress disorder.

Question 53

Panic disorder is different from generalized anxiety disorder in that with panic disorder, the feelings of anxiety are usually more intense and are _.

A) typical
B) quite predictable
C) infrequent
D) unpredictable

Question 54

Someone who is afraid to leave their house because they are afraid of being in public places would most likely be diagnosed as having:

A) agoraphobia.
B) social phobia.
C) generalized anxiety disorder.
D) environmental phobia.

Question 55

Jason is sitting in class listening to a lecture when suddenly, for no apparent reason, he starts to become very anxious and tense. His heart begins pounding, his breathing becomes short, and he starts to sweat profusely. After a few minutes, his mind begins racing with thoughts that he might be dying. Jason randomly suffers from an attack like this about three times a month. Assuming that there is no physical abnormality that is responsible for these symptoms, Jason would most likely be diagnosed as having:

A) social phobia.
B) panic disorder.
C) generalized anxiety disorder.
D) agoraphobia.

Question 56

According to the text, the most common types of phobias in Western society are:

A) animal phobias, environmental phobias, and situational phobias.
B) situational phobias, animal phobias, and agoraphobia.
C) agoraphobia, social phobia, and specific phobias.
D) animal phobias, social phobia, and specific phobias.

Question 57

Pat's frequent and intense fears of open and public places are out of proportions to the actual situations and are interfering with Pat's daily life. Pat's disorder most closely conforms to:

A) agoraphobia.
B) acrophobia.
C) social phobia.
D) generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 58

The major difference between panic disorder and phobic disorder is:

A) the anxiety associated with panic disorder is not tied to a specific stimulus, unlike with phobic disorder
B) recovery from panic disorder is less likely than recovery from phobic disorder
C) panic disorder lasts longer than phobic disorder
D) the anxiety associated with panic disorder is more intense than the anxiety associated with phobic disorder

Question 59

When Minnie was a little girl, her neighbour's pony was struck by lightning and killed. Minnie's fear of lightning increased over the years. At first she would stop whatever she was doing and go home if a storm arose. Then, she would not leave the house if it looked like a storm was brewing. When there was lightning, Minnie hid under the table in the dining room because it was sturdy. Minnie is to the point now that she will not leave her house in case it were to start lightning, even when storms are not in the forecast. What kind of problem does Minnie most likely have?

A) panic disorder
B) adjustment disorder
C) phobic disorder
D) generalized anxiety disorder

Question 60

Because of fearing a panic attack in public, people who have panic disorder will often also develop _.

A) generalized anxiety disorder
B) agoraphobia
C) posttraumatic stress disorder
D) social anxiety

Question 61

Which of the following is NOT an anxiety disorder?

A) panic disorder
B) schizophrenia
C) phobic disorder
D) generalized anxiety disorder

Question 62

All but one of the following areas of the brain has been implicated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD):

A) thalamus
B) orbitofrontal cortex
C) cingulate gyrus
D) medial sulcus

Question 63

Research by Lewinsohn revealed that even after controlling for 11 different psychosocial factors, there was still a substantial sex difference in the prevalence of anxiety disorders in men and women, indicating the possible role that factors may play with this disorder.

A) social
B) cultural
C) psychological
D) biological

Question 64

Steve has a rather strong fear of social situations. He used to try to go to parties and other social events, but his anxiety would usually overwhelm him. When experiencing these negative emotions, he would often leave parties early, a behaviour that allowed him to reduce or eliminate his anxiety. According to the principles of operant conditioning, Steve's escape behaviour will be more likely to occur in the future because it is being ________.

A) response-cost punished
B) negatively reinforced
C) positively reinforced
D) aversively punished

Question 65

Barlow and other researchers speculate that some people may have nervous systems that are overly sensitive to threat signals and may have a genetic predisposition to _.

A) anxiety
B) somatic symptom disorders
C) depression
D) schizophrenia

Question 66

Research studies suggest that there is a genetic predisposition for anxiety disorders, and it has been suggested that this vulnerability may take the form of:

A) a nervous system that under-reacts to perceived threats.
B) a chronically under-aroused nervous system.
C) a nervous system that overreacts to perceived threats.
D) a chronically over-aroused nervous system.

Question 67

Anxiety scores of twins can be accounted for by genetic factors. Heritability estimates suggest that the variation is between _.

A) 20 and 30 percent
B) 70 and 80 percent
C) 40 and 50 percent
D) 50 and 60 percent

Question 68

According to Sigmund Freud, when the ego is threatened by unacceptable and potentially overwhelming impulses from the id, then anxiety occurs.

A) neurotic
B) defensive
C) repressive
D) unconscious

Question 69

Studies suggest that people suffering from anxiety disorders may be overly sensitive to signals of threat and have lower levels of in their nervous systems.

A) gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
B) serotonin
C) lactic acid
D) dopamine

Question 70

Jola has developed a compulsion to rip paper. She has started saving all of the newspapers just so she will have something to shred. The model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that is most likely to explain her behaviour is:

A) inhibitory control
B) modulatory control
C) executive dysfunction
D) environmental

Question 71

Alice has been recently diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Alice was recently reunited with her identical twin that was adopted at birth and raised in a different environment. Alice is relieved that her sister at least will NOT be susceptible to this disorder. Alice is:

A) incorrect, as identical twins are more similar to each other on anxiety measures when reared apart than when reared together
B) incorrect, as identical twins are identical to each other on anxiety measures only when reared apart
C) incorrect, as identical twins are similar to each other on anxiety measures whether reared together or apart
D) correct, as identical twins are not similar to each other on anxiety measures when reared apart

Question 72

Friedlander and Desrocher argue that modulatory control is to obsessions as is to compulsions.

A) heredity
B) inhibitory control
C) response
D) executive dysfunction

Question 73

Anxiety disorders are more prevalent in women than in men, and theorists speculate that this difference is most likely due factors.

A) to primarily biological
B) to an interaction between personal, biological, and social
C) to an interaction between biological and social
D) to primarily environmental

Question 74

The explanation that a neurotic anxiety from an unconscious conflict gets displaced and associated with an external stimulus is a psychodynamic interpretation of _.

A) panic disorder
B) generalized anxiety disorder
C) phobias
D) obsessive-compulsive disorder

Question 75

When attempting to understand the causes of anxiety disorders, the perspective that emphasizes the tendency to catastrophize about situational demands, and magnify them into significant threats is the perspective.

A) cognitive
B) biological
C) psychodynamic
D) behavioural

Question 76

An individual who has intense and unstable relationships, momentary losses of personal identity, and experiences chronic feelings of extreme anger, loneliness, and emptiness would likely be diagnosed with:

A) antisocial personality disorder.
B) borderline personality disorder.
C) dissociative identity disorder.
D) schizophrenia.

Question 77

A person develops a dog phobia because he associates dogs with the fear that he experienced when he was bitten by a dog in the past. This example best demonstrates how anxiety disorders can be accounted for by:

A) the principles of classical conditioning.
B) modelling and observational learning.
C) the principles of operant conditioning.
D) the cognitive approach to anxiety.

Question 78

Researchers have argued that genetic vulnerability to anxiety disorders may take the form of:

A) under-activity of dopamine
B) high behavioural inhibition system functioning
C) over reactive autonomic nervous system
D) overproduction of GABA (gama-aminobutyric acid)

Question 79

Regarding potential biological processes associated with anxiety disorders, some researchers believe that some people have highly reactive nervous systems that quickly produce anxiety responses to environmental stressors. The people may have abnormally low levels of the transmitter gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activity in the amygdala.

A) aroused
B) excitatory
C) inhibitory
D) abnormal

Question 80

Panic disorder is an example of which type of disorder?

A) anxiety disorder
B) mood disorder
C) dissociative disorder
D) somatic symptom disorder