Deck 6: Somatoform And Dissociative Disorders

Question 1

An essential element of hypochondriasis is __________.

A) psychosis
B) anxiety
C) depression
D) dissociation

Answer 1

anxiety

Question 2

Joe just ate six chili dogs and drank a liter of soda.If Joe is a hypochondriac,he would probably interpret any resulting stomach discomfort as

A) his own fault for eating so much.
B) the result of poor quality food.
C) gas pains from overeating.
D) a sign that something is seriously wrong with his stomach.

Answer 2

a sign that something is seriously wrong with his stomach.

Question 3

All of the following are classified as somatoform disorders EXCEPT

A) dissociative identity disorder.
B) hypochondriasis.
C) conversion disorder.
D) body dysmorphic disorder.

Answer 3

dissociative identity disorder.

Question 4

Hypochondriasis is essentially an emotional disturbance triggered by

A) physical pathology.
B) misinterpretation of normal physical sensations.
C) social concerns.
D) severe or unusual physical sensations.

Question 5

Since Jane is a hypochondriac,we can expect her to see her physician

A) often and feel completely reassured that there is nothing wrong with her health.
B) rarely but continue to believe that she is quite ill.
C) almost never because she does not trust physicians.
D) often but continue to be anxious about her health anyway.

Question 6

All of the following have been implicated in the development and maintenance of hypochondriasis EXCEPT

A) the additional attention one receives when sick.
B) a specific hypochondriac gene.
C) the high incidence of disease in the family during the hypochondriac's childhood.
D) learning to worry from family members overly concerned with health.

Question 7

Hypochondriasis exists when

A) normal bodily sensations are interpreted by the patient as a sign of a serious illness.
B) real physical illness is exaggerated to the point where the patient can only focus on the pain.
C) the patient has an unrealistic fear of contacting germs.
D) the patient is truly ill but does not trust the medical establishment enough to seek treatment.

Question 8

Hippocrates and the Egyptians before him thought that hysterical disorders were the result of a _________.

A) dysfunctional ovary
B) tense vagina
C) wandering uterus
D) none of these

Question 9

Paradoxically,an effective treatment for hypochondriasis involves helping the patient to focus on

A) creating their own symptoms.
B) ignoring their own symptoms.
C) getting reassurance about their symptoms.
D) understanding other life stressors.

Question 10

With regard to the treatment of hypochondriasis,some research supports the use of __________.

A) conditioning
B) psychoanalysis
C) cognitive-behavioral treatment and stress management
D) humanistic therapy

Question 11

Minor,seemingly hypochondriacal concerns are common among ____________.

A) young children
B) adolescents
C) the middle aged
D) the elderly

Question 12

Although both panic disorder patients and hypochondriacs tend to misinterpret bodily sensations,patients with panic disorder

A) are having real physical sensations, while hypochondriacs' sensations are "all in their heads."
B) tend to fear immediate catastrophe, while hypochondriacs tend to fear long-term illness.
C) are having imagined physical sensations, while hypochondriacs are experiencing real physical sensations.
D) tend to ignore the symptoms of their first attacks, while hypochondriacs tend to seek immediate medical treatment following the first indication of pain.

Question 13

Although Jill feels fine now and believes that she is healthy,she still worries endlessly about developing a serious illness.Most likely Jill would be diagnosed with

A) illness phobia.
B) hypochondriasis.
C) somatization disorder.
D) body dysmorphic disorder.

Question 14

Studies suggest that hypochondriacal patients are characterized by a tendency to

A) interpret ambiguous stimuli as threatening.
B) minimize physical symptoms.
C) have low sensitivity to perceived illness.
D) avoid bad news cues.

Question 15

Disorders such as koro and dhat that are similar to hypochondriasis demonstrate the

A) influence of culture on psychopathology.
B) physical basis of many hypochondriacs' complaints.
C) difficulty of accurately diagnosing hypochondriasis.
D) influence of genetics on psychopathology.

Question 16

The common aspect of all somatoform disorders is a pathological

A) belief that a serious medical condition will cause death.
B) belief that one's appearance is ugly.
C) concern with appearance or functioning of the body.
D) concern with the meaning of a physical pain.

Question 17

Hypochondriacal patients are likely to

A) avoid doctors.
B) demand unnecessary medical procedures.
C) be reassured by assurances that they are healthy.
D) ignore the long-term process of illness.

Question 18

With regard to a diagnosis of hypochondriasis,women are

A) equally likely as men to be diagnosed.
B) less likely than men to be diagnosed.
C) more likely than men to be diagnosed.
D) more likely than men to be diagnosed during middle to late adulthood but no more likely than men to be diagnosed during teen years and early adulthood.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a similarity between hypochondriasis and panic attacks?

A) Age of onset
B) Family pattern
C) Personality characteristics
D) Manner in which anxiety is expressed

Question 20

According to psychological theory,neuroses stem from

A) underlying unconscious conflicts.
B) the clash of conscious and unconscious therapy.
C) dream process.
D) identity concepts.

Question 21

With regard to the treatment of hypochondriasis,research exploring the use of reassurance in a process called "explanatory therapy" showed that

A) some significant gains were achieved.
B) reassurance did not work for hypochondriacs.
C) reassurance showed some gains but they lasted less than several days.
D) the gains were so significant that participants were essentially "cured."

Question 22

Which of the following people are most likely to develop somatization disorder?

A) Lawanda, a 17-year-old girl living in an inner-city neighborhood
B) Manny, a 17-year-old boy living in an inner-city neighborhood
C) Tanisha, a 35-year-old woman living in a suburban neighborhood
D) Tyrone, a 35-year-old man living in a suburban neighborhood

Question 23

Psychological pain disorder is diagnosed when a patient

A) has physical reasons for pain but psychological factors play a major role as well.
B) has significant pain with no apparent physical cause.
C) has physical reasons for pain, but knowingly exaggerates the pain to gain sympathy, attention, or some other benefit.
D) is malingering (faking) the experience of significant pain.

Question 24

Conversion disorder patients were conceptualized by Freud as

A) converting unconscious conflicts into physical symptoms.
B) converting unconscious conflicts into defense mechanisms.
C) experiencing physical symptoms as a result of the superego.
D) experiencing internal conflicts as a result of id impulses being suppressed by the superego.

Question 25

One reason that it is difficult to diagnose pain disorder is that

A) the experience of pain usually involves some level of both physical and psychological factors.
B) pain disorder is almost the same as conversion disorder.
C) most patients lie about the degree of pain that is experienced.
D) pain is often accompanied by secondary gains such as attention or disability payments from an employer.

Question 26

In terms of antidepressant medication treatments for hypochondriasis,the most accurate statement based on the research so far is

A) antidepressants are effective but not significantly different from a placebo condition.
B) antidepressants are not effective.
C) some reports suggest that antidepressants may be effective, but placebo-controlled studies have not been performed.
D) placebo-controlled studies have been performed and the results suggest that antidepressants work for some hypochondriacs but not for most.

Question 27

George has completely lost his sight during the past year,but medical experts can find no physical reason for his blindness.This could be an example of _______________.

A) somatization disorder
B) hypochondriasis
C) conversion disorder
D) dissociative disorder

Question 28

The percentage of the population diagnosed with somatization disorder is

A) very small.
B) about the same percentage as for hypochondriasis.
C) greater than the percentage for hypochondriasis.
D) completely unknown.

Question 29

A possible link between antisocial personality disorder and somatization is _____________.

A) a lack of impulse control
B) lack of aggression
C) social isolation
D) dependence

Question 30

A somatization patient tends to generate higher healthcare costs than an average patient due to.

A) an extensive medical and physical workup with every visit to a new physician.
B) the person's tendency to visit numerous medical specialists.
C) both a and b
D) neither a or b

Question 31

The hypothesized connections between somatization disorder and antisocial personality disorder
Are

A) poor modeling by parents and other authority figures.
B) sibling rivalry and attention deficits.
C) pleasure seeking and impulsivity.
D) genetic defects and poor nutrition.

Question 32

Joe injured his back at work several years ago.Although he was treated and considered healed by his physicians,he still complains of severe and debilitating back pain.Other than some minor scar tissue,his doctors can't find anything that could be causing more than some minor stiffness.It appears that Joe might be diagnosed with _________________.

A) conversion disorder
B) somatization disorder
C) pain disorder
D) hypochondriasis

Question 33

Research suggests that somatization disorder often occurs in families with a strong tendency toward __________.

A) antisocial personality disorder
B) schizophrenia
C) depression
D) obsessive-compulsive disorder

Question 34

Which of the following are typical characteristics of patients with somatization disorder?

A) Female and impulsive
B) Female and sexually conservative
C) Male and impulsive
D) Male and aggressive

Question 35

Joan and Fred both experience physical symptoms of pain and discomfort.Both have been examined by physicians and declared healthy.Joan is concerned that her pain is a sign of a serious illness,while Fred is not worried that he is sick.However,Fred is so focused on his pain that he finds it hard to participate in normal life activities.Which of the following statements is true?

A) Joan has hypochondriasis; Fred has somatization disorder.
B) Joan has somatization disorder; Fred has hypochondriasis.
C) Both Fred and Joan have somatization disorder.
D) Both Fred and Joan are hypochondriacs.

Question 36

One important feature of pain disorder is that the pain is ________________.

A) real and it hurts
B) entirely imagined
C) entirely faked
D) partly real and partly faked

Question 37

One method that is used to reduce the financial burden associated with somatization disorder is ____________.

A) psychoanalysis
B) encouraging patients to speak to family and friends about their symptoms
C) exposure therapy
D) assignment of a gatekeeper physician

Question 38

Which of the following statements is true with regard to the treatment of somatization disorder?

A) Cognitive-behavioral treatment has been demonstrated in several studies to be the best available treatment.
B) It is relatively easy to treat as long as the patient is willing to participate in therapy.
C) Assignment of a "gatekeeper" physician has been found to cure most patients.
D) It is difficult to treat, and there are no treatments with proven effectiveness.

Question 39

Samantha,who refrains from taking immediate action to treat a symptom,is most likely to be suffering from ________________.

A) hypochondriasis
B) somatization disorder
C) illness phobia
D) generalized anxiety disorder

Question 40

The disorder that involves physical malfunctioning without any physical cause is called __________.

A) conversion disorder
B) hypochondriasis
C) somatization disorder
D) body dysmorphic disorder

Question 41

Which of the following statements is TRUE about factitious disorders?

A) Fortunately, the disorder does not seem to extend to other members of the family.
B) The symptoms are under involuntary control.
C) There is no obvious reason for voluntarily producing symptoms.
D) All of these

Question 42

Conversion disorder symptoms generally appear ______________.

A) randomly
B) following a physical injury to the affected area
C) shortly after a stressful event
D) in children

Question 43

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is a set of conditions that

A) falls somewhere between malingering and conversion disorders.
B) falls under voluntary control like malingering.
C) is an atypical form of child abuse.
D) all of these

Question 44

Your textbook authors describe a treatment plan for conversion disorder involving

A) in-depth exploration of psychological conflicts.
B) regression to the early psychosexual stages of development.
C) application of a strict behavioral program that includes reinforcement for each display of progress and punishment when necessary.
D) removal of any benefits that patients receive for limitations imposed by the disorder.

Question 45

A person who fakes symptoms for a goal is called a _________,while a person who fakes a disease for no clear goal has a ________disorder:

A) malingerer; factitious
B) conversion disorder patient; malingering
C) fictitious disorder patient; conversion
D) hypochondriac; factitious

Question 46

A mother who repeatedly seeks medical treatment for her child's unusual illness and is overly involved in the child's treatment might need to be assessed for _____________.

A) factitious disorder by proxy
B) malingering
C) conversion disorder
D) illness phobia

Question 47

The modern view of the causes of conversion disorder is

A) completely different from Freud's ideas of the etiology of this disorder.
B) somewhat similar to the causes that Freud described for this disorder.
C) a combination of genetic predisposition and neurobiological deficits.
D) based on social learning theory.

Question 48

Which of the following statements is TRUE about conversion disorders?

A) The prevalence of conversion disorders is equal in men and women.
B) Conversion disorders typically develop in the late 20s or early 30s.
C) Conversion disorders are not uncommon in males at times of extreme stress.
D) Once conversion disorders disappear, they do not reoccur.

Question 49

One of the problems with trying to determine the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)is that

A) patients with this disorder generally do not seek psychotherapy.
B) it is almost impossible to differentiate from conversion disorder.
C) therapists are reluctant to report statistics for this disorder.
D) many BDD patients are misdiagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

Question 50

"Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy" (or factitious disorder by proxy)is characterized by

A) deliberate actions directed toward making a child sick.
B) a parent lying to a doctor,
C) a parent developing the same symptoms that the child has.
D) convincing a child to lie to a doctor about factitious symptoms.
E)g., saying that the child has had symptoms that never really existed.

Question 51

Lisa tells her therapist she will never be comfortable in public because of her huge,crooked nose! However,the therapist thinks Lisa's nose looks normal.Therefore,Lisa is experiencing ___________.

A) body dysmorphic disorder
B) conversion disorder
C) somatoform disorder
D) hypochondriasis

Question 52

With regard to body image,people with body dysmorphic disorder

A) always recognize that their beliefs are irrational.
B) sometimes do not recognize that their beliefs are irrational.
C) never recognize that their beliefs are irrational.
D) only realize that their beliefs are irrational if told by a professional.

Question 53

In treating conversion disorder,which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Clients responded well to CBT.
B) Clients responded well to hypnosis.
C) Clients responded well when hypnosis and CBT were combined.
D) Like somatization disorder, clients do not respond well to any treatment.

Question 54

In regard to diagnosing a patient's symptoms as a conversion disorder,it is

A) quite apparent when a patient is malingering (faking), but it is difficult to determine whether symptoms are due to real physical disorders or a conversion disorder.
B) quite apparent when a symptom is due to a real physical disorder, but it is impossible to determine the difference between a conversion disorder and patient malingering (faking).
C) rather easy to determine the difference between symptoms that the patient fakes, those caused by real physical disorder, and symptoms caused by conversion disorder.
D) very difficult to determine whether the symptoms are due to malingering (faking), real physical disorders, or conversion disorder.

Question 55

With regard to Freud's explanation of "la belle indifference" (the observation that conversion disorder patients are not concerned about their symptoms),research conducted by Lader and Sartorius (1968)suggests that

A) conversion disorder patients do display "la belle indifference," but Freud's explanation of primary gain is not supported.
B) Freud's explanation is essentially correct since there is great variability in the amount of concern that conversion disorder patients display regarding their symptoms.
C) conversion disorder patients actually are quite concerned with their symptoms, so Freud's explanation of primary gain is not supported.
D) "la belle indifference" is a myth, thus validating Freud's explanation of primary gain.

Question 56

Catharsis is

A) the process of placing a tube into the bladder to release urine.
B) a conscious behavioral process.
C) a purging of emotionally traumatic events.
D) none of these

Question 57

Which of the following would be typical for a patient suffering from a conversion disorder?

A) Ability to avoid walking into things even though he reports being unable to see anything
B) Ability to see some bright objects when calm but suffering complete loss of sight during a stressful period or emergency
C) Great concern with the loss of function and belief that it is a symptom of a potentially fatal disease
D) Ability to identify everything in the visual field even though the patient reports that she is blind

Question 58

Freud called the reduction in anxiety by converting unconscious conflicts into physical symptoms

A) primary narcissism.
B) secondary narcissism.
C) primary gain.
D) secondary gain.

Question 59

In terms of seriousness,body dysmorphic disorder is

A) very serious, with a significant suicide rate.
B) very serious because it generally leads to bipolar disorder.
C) very serious because patients usually become schizophrenic.
D) not very serious because it only involves patient perceptions.

Question 60

Individuals who see themselves as having some defect in appearance even though no such defect is present are diagnosed with _______________.

A) conversion disorder
B) somatoform disorder
C) hypochondriasis
D) body dysmorphic disorder

Question 61

The diagnosis of depersonalization disorder is

A) quite rare and only applied when the experience of depersonalization interferes with normal functioning.
B) quite rare but applied to anyone who experiences depersonalization.
C) fairly common since many people experience depersonalization.
D) fairly common and applied to anyone who is frightened by an experience of depersonalization.

Question 62

Losing your own sense of identity is called ______________.

A) depersonalization
B) a fugue state
C) a trance state
D) a dissociative disorder

Question 63

A man who finds himself living in a small town in Alaska with no recall of how he got there may have ___________.

A) dissociative fugue
B) body dysmorphic disorder
C) dissociative trance
D) PTSD

Question 64

Dissociative trance disorder is diagnosed

A) only when the trance is unpredictable in terms of when it appears (i.e., individual goes into a trance without prior religious ritual).
B) only when the trance is undesirable and considered pathological in the individual's culture.
C) only when the trance causes harm to the individual or others.
D) whenever an individual repeatedly enters a trance state.

Question 65

Plastic surgery for body dysmorphic patients generally results in

A) little, if any, patient satisfaction.
B) an improved self-image.
C) substantial relief from the current concern, but with new concerns arising over time.
D) somatization or conversion reactions.

Question 66

Patients with body dysmorphic disorder are often diagnosed with another psychological disorder called ___________ disorder.

A) panic
B) somatization
C) conversion
D) obsessive compulsive

Question 67

In dissociative fugue,the term fugue relates to ________________.

A) confusion
B) flight or travel
C) loss of consciousness
D) hallucination

Question 68

Individuals with depersonalization show

A) decreased emotional responsiveness.
B) increased emotional responsiveness.
C) erratic emotions.
D) insincere emotions.

Question 69

During a fugue state,patients diagnosed with dissociative fugue

A) travel and typically experience memory loss during their trip.
B) travel but do not experience memory loss.
C) experience memory loss but do not travel.
D) seldom recover any sense of their own identity.

Question 70

Patients with body dysmorphic disorder often try to find relief by

A) undergoing plastic surgery.
B) using drugs and alcohol.
C) constantly seeking reassurance from mental health professionals.
D) trying to distract themselves from their negative thoughts.

Question 71

Jason suddenly notices that the world looks weird to him.Some objects look bigger than normal and others look smaller.Cars passing by seem oddly shaped and people appear dead or mechanical.Joe is experiencing ________.

A) derealization
B) depersonalization
C) classic early psychosis symptoms
D) mania

Question 72

The experience of dissociation occurs in

A) psychotic disorders only.
B) individuals with dissociative disorders only.
C) only in those individuals who have experienced great personal trauma.
D) certain psychological disorders as well as in non-disordered people at times.

Question 73

In non-Western cultures,trance and possession are

A) extremely rare.
B) never considered a disorder.
C) the most common forms of dissociative disorders.
D) the rarest forms of dissociative disorders.

Question 74

While driving alone in her car,Sarah suddenly looks around and,for a moment,she can't remember where she is,how she arrived at this point on the road,or even why she is driving her car.Sarah is experiencing _______________.

A) derealization
B) depersonalization
C) the early stages of what will eventually become a severe psychotic disorder
D) symptoms of a mood disorder

Question 75

Looking at the treatments that have been found to be effective for body dysmorphic disorder suggests that BDD may be

A) a variation of conversion disorder.
B) a variation of obsessive compulsive disorder.
C) a unique form of dissociative disorder.
D) purely biological in cause.

Question 76

In dissociative amnesia,the individual typically has no memory of

A) any events.
B) events prior to a trauma.
C) selective events, particularly those involving trauma.
D) events following a trauma, particularly those involving interpersonal issues.

Question 77

Depersonalization is defined as

A) altered perception including loss of the sense of one's own reality.
B) altered perception involving loss of the sense of reality of the external world.
C) vivid hallucinations.
D) the feeling that one is no longer a person.

Question 78

During a dissociative fugue state,it is not uncommon for individuals to

A) commit suicide.
B) see the world as a strange and foreign place.
C) take on a new identity.
D) contact friends and family.

Question 79

A dissociative disorder that is not found in Western cultures and appears to have some similarities to dissociative fugue is ____________.

A) amok
B) exorcism
C) trance
D) voodoo

Question 80

The seemingly odd motivations of body dysmorphic disorder may be more easily understood by

A) examining the great lengths people go to in various cultures to alter their bodies in a manner consistent with cultural ideals.
B) using hypnosis to explore the patient's unconscious desires to be attractive.
C) exploring the neurobiological differences between patients diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder and those without the diagnosis.
D) examining the family histories of patients diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder.