Deck 12: Defining Psychological Disorders

Question 1

Because of our shared system of classification, we know that at least _____ million people are diagnosed with some form of mental disorder in the United States.

A)one
B)fifteen
C)forty-four
D)sixty-eight

Answer 1

forty-four

Question 2

The _____ publishes a manual providing a diagnostic system for describing and classifying psychological disorders.

A)United States Government
B)World Health Organization
C)American Psychiatric Association
D)American Medical Association

Answer 2

American Psychiatric Association

Question 3

_____ is the estimate of how likely it is for an individual to be diagnosed with a disorder during the course of their life.

A)Lifetime prevalence
B)The rate of a disorder
C)Onset
D)Percentage of occurrence

Answer 3

Lifetime prevalence

Question 4

When describing abnormal behavior, mental health professionals do not use the term _____, which is a _____ term related to responsibility for one's actions.

A)mental illness; psychiatric
B)insane; legal
C)crazy; legal
D)psychotic; medical

Question 5

In determining if a behavior is abnormal, a person's _____ should be considered because they vary in what is considered abnormal.

A)family
B)ideas
C)friends
D)culture

Question 6

To be abnormal, a behavior must be _____ and consistent with other _____

A)odd; behaviors.
B)maladaptive; criteria.
C)harmful; people's opinions.
D)insane; criteria.

Question 7

Jose is fifteen years old. He is very moody. Little disappointments get him very upset and he seems depressed by them. His hours of sleep are irregular and he has trouble falling asleep before midnight. Sometimes he has outbursts of temper that seem irrational. Which of the following is correct?

A)Jose probably has early onset of a mood disorder.
B)Jose is on the path to behavior problems and possible legal troubles.
C)Jose's behaviors are not unusual for his age, so he should not be casually diagnosed.
D)Jose should be hospitalized for observation to make sure he is safe.

Question 8

Behaviors may be classified as abnormal if they _____

A)cause emotional distress.
B)are eccentric.
C)bother other people a lot.
D)are odd.

Question 9

Mental processes or behavior patterns that cause emotional distress or substantial impairment in functioning are considered _____

A)conditions of worth.
B)psychological disorders.
C)trait theories.
D)cognitive distortions.

Question 10

Washing your hands 100 times a day out of an irrational fear of contamination can be considered abnormal and _____

A)insane.
B)dangerous.
C)maladaptive.
D)ridiculous.

Question 11

The diagnostic system for describing and classifying psychological disorders that is used by mental health professionals in the United States and much of the world is commonly known as the _____, which stands for _____

A)MHS; Mental Health System.
B)DSM; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
C)MHDM; Mental Health Disorders Manual.
D)PDD; Psychiatric Disorders and Diagnoses.

Question 12

When doing a psychological assessment to determine whether a behavior is normal in terms of psychological functioning, a person's _____ must also be considered.

A)developmental age
B)gender
C)knowledge
D)family

Question 13

Jorinda believes in evil spirits. She thinks she is suffering bad luck due to a curse placed on her. She also tells you that she can hear the spirits talking to her. What do you need to find out before deciding how to classify her perceptions?

A)Whether she only thinks she hears spirits or actually hears them.
B)Whether this a common belief in her culture.
C)Whether she is over 21 years of age.
D)Whether someone has cursed her.

Question 14

Sammy is so anxious about going to school that he throws up every morning and cries all the way there. Once at school, he shakes and is often tearful with anxiety. Which of the following is correct?

A)Sammy just needs to get used to school.
B)This is abnormal because school does not normally cause this level of distress.
C)This is abnormal because in our culture kids like school.
D)This is abnormal because boys do not get this emotional.

Question 15

Without a shared system of diagnosis and classification, we could not _____

A)give anyone a diagnosis.
B)keep track of statistics, such as prevalence.
C)give labels to disorders.
D)treat disorders.

Question 16

The _____ perspective views abnormal behavior as arising from a physical cause, such as genetic inheritance, biochemical abnormalities or imbalances, structural abnormalities within the brain, and/or infection.

A)learning
B)biopsychosocial
C)psychodynamic
D)biological

Question 17

An advantage of using one diagnostic manual is that _____

A)we can easily label sick people.
B)we have a common language to discuss mental illnesses.
C)lay people can't understand everything we say.
D)we know how much to charge clients.

Question 18

Both men and women in the United States have an approximately _____ percent chance of being diagnosed with some type of mental disorder during their lifetime.

A)10
B)15
C)50
D)70

Question 19

Which of the following correctly answers this question: What causes psychological disorders?

A)They are caused by irrational thoughts and unrealistic expectations for perfection, but not by chemical imbalances in the brain.
B)They are always caused by unresolved conflicts within the unconscious.
C)They are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, but not from unresolved conflicts within the unconscious.
D)Many perspectives attempt to answer this question, each with varying degrees of success.

Question 20

The category of mental disorder with the highest prevalence is _____ disorders.

A)mood
B)psychotic
C)attention deficit
D)anxiety

Question 21

_____ are defined as psychological disorders characterized by frequent fearful thoughts about what might happen in the future.

A)Mood disorders
B)Psychotic disorders
C)Anxiety disorders
D)Dissociative disorders

Question 22

Katie has an anxiety disorder and recently sought treatment for it. The therapist explained that the anxiety stemmed from her early childhood experiences. When Katie was young, her parents divorced. Her anxiety increased when her dad abandoned Katie, and when her mom decided to start another family with her new husband. According to Katie's therapist, Katie has unresolved unconscious conflicts involving fear of abandonment in addition to aggression toward her father. From which psychological perspective is this explanation?

A)biological perspective
B)cognitive perspective
C)learning perspective
D)psychodynamic perspective

Question 23

_____ is characterized by an intense fear of being in a situation from which escape is not possible or in which help would not be available if one experienced overwhelming anxiety or a panic attack.

A)Hypochondriasis
B)Major depressive disorder
C)Obsessive-compulsive disorder
D)Agoraphobia

Question 24

Becky was the successful manager of a busy flower shop when she began to have panic attacks. At first, she only had them while out with her friends, so she stopped going out with her friends. Then she began having them in her car, so she stopped driving and had her roommate drive her to work every day. Eventually, though, Becky began having panic attacks while at work. Because the fear and anxiety was so overwhelming, she stopped going to work and eventually got fired. Over the last month, Becky has been unable to leave her house because of the intense fear that another panic attack will surface. Becky likely suffers from _____

A)conversion disorder.
B)panic disorder with agoraphobia.
C)a specific phobia.
D)panic disorder without agoraphobia.

Question 25

The _____ perspective views abnormal behavior as arising from faulty thinking or distorted perceptions.

A)biopsychosocial
B)learning
C)psychodynamic
D)cognitive

Question 26

The _____ perspective agrees that physical/biological causes are of central importance but also recognizes the influence of psychological and social factors in the study, identification, and treatment of psychological disorders.

A)biopsychosocial
B)learning
C)psychodynamic
D)cognitive

Question 27

Sarah has an eating disorder and is currently in treatment for it. Her therapist is trying to get Sarah to see that her views about what her body should look like are much too perfectionistic and unrealistic. Through therapy, the therapist is working on getting Sarah to realize that her thoughts and perceptions are out of line. From which psychological perspective is this explanation?

A)biopsychosocial perspective
B)psychodynamic perspective
C)learning perspective
D)cognitive perspective

Question 28

Jim has been breaking the law for some time now and has been arrested several times for hurting other people. The court has ordered that he undergo psychological therapy, in addition to jail time, to eliminate these behaviors. The therapist working with him feels strongly that Jim engages in these behaviors because he grew up watching his parents engage in a life of crime. In fact, Jim was often rewarded when he was young for stealing from the neighbors. Unfortunately, Jim never had the chance to learn appropriate ways of thinking and acting. Which psychological perspective best describes the cause Jim's psychological disorder?

A)learning perspective
B)biopsychosocial perspective
C)psychodynamic perspective
D)biological perspective

Question 29

When anxiety occurs in brief but intense episodes that usually consist of a pounding heart, sensations of choking, shaking, and feelings of impending death, a diagnosis of _____ may potentially be made.

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

Question 30

_____ is an anxiety disorder in which a person experiences recurring, unpredictable episodes of overwhelming anxiety, fear, or terror.

A)Somatoform disorder
B)Panic disorder
C)Obsessive-compulsive disorder
D)Bipolar disorder

Question 31

An episode of overwhelming anxiety, fear, or terror defines _____

A)a panic attack.
B)a compulsion.
C)a delusion.
D)hypochondriasis.

Question 32

Marc was sitting in the lecture hall for his Anatomy 200 class. Seemingly out of the blue, his heart started racing, he began sweating, and his hands started to shake. He also felt like he was choking and that he couldn't breathe correctly. After about ten minutes of waiting it out, all of his symptoms subsided. Knowing Marc has no physical health conditions, which of the following did he likely experience?

A)a flashback
B)a compulsion
C)a delusion
D)a panic attack

Question 33

Based on the research by the National Alliance for Mental Illness, which of the following is thought to be the cause of an uncued panic attack?

A)a faulty cerebellum
B)compulsions
C)dysfunction in the fight-or-flight response
D)obsessions

Question 34

Tad was driving in his car the other day and started to feel his heart begin to race. Within a minute or two, he began sweating, shaking, and felt like something terrible was going to happen. Because this experience was so intense, Tad pulled off the road until he began to feel better. Within about fifteen to twenty minutes, he returned back to his normal self. While the episode only happened in his car on a few different occasions, he has gotten to the point where he refuses to drive when he goes out, for fear that another episode will occur. Tad seems to have symptoms of _____

A)conversion disorder.
B)panic disorder with agoraphobia.
C)a specific phobia.
D)panic disorder without agoraphobia.

Question 35

Barbara and Jeffrey are both psychologists. Barbara believes that biology is the sole cause for psychological disorders. Jeffrey believes that while biology plays a large role, psychological and social factors should also be considered. Barbara practices from the _____ perspective, whereas Jeffrey practices from the _____ perspective.

A)biopsychosocial; cognitive
B)learning; cognitive
C)psychodynamic; learning
D)biological; biopsychosocial

Question 36

The _____ perspective views abnormal behavior as arising from faulty learning or having failed to learn the appropriate patterns of thinking and acting.

A)biopsychosocial
B)learning
C)psychodynamic
D)cognitive

Question 37

To which of the following disorders can the addition of agoraphobia be attached?

A)somatoform disorder
B)major depressive disorder
C)obsessive-compulsive disorder
D)panic disorder

Question 38

_____ are the most common category of mental disorders and account for more than 4 million visits to doctors' offices each year in the United States.

A)Mood disorders
B)Psychotic disorders
C)Substance abuse/dependence disorders
D)Anxiety disorders

Question 39

A panic attack is _____

A)an irrational fear of an object or person.
B)a sudden feeling of fear, including physical symptoms such as a racing heart, body shakes, and sweating.
C)another name for a flashback, often seen in posttraumatic stress disorder.
D)an involuntary thought or image that is intrusive and triggers a fear reaction.

Question 40

The _____ perspective views abnormal behavior as arising from early childhood experiences and unresolved, unconscious conflicts.

A)biopsychosocial
B)learning
C)psychodynamic
D)cognitive

Question 41

A persistent, irresistible, and irrational urge to perform an act or ritual repeatedly characterizes a(n)_____

A)panic attack.
B)hallucination.
C)compulsion.
D)psychotic episode.

Question 42

Evelyn has been working at the same company for the last 30 years. She works as the company's bookkeeper. Although she is successful at her job, she gets written up for calling in sick to work too much. Interestingly, Evelyn only calls in on the last Wednesday of every month, which happens to be the day of the staff meeting, when Evelyn would be required to give a 5-minute speech on finances. Even the thought of giving that speech incapacitates her because she is so terrified she will make a fool of herself. Evelyn could meet the criteria for _____

A)schizophrenia.
B)agoraphobia.
C)generalized anxiety disorder.
D)a social anxiety disorder.

Question 43

Sheila is terrified of spiders, when she sees one, her heart pounds, she has trouble breathing, and feels like she is going to have a heart attack. Which represents the best possible diagnosis for Sheila?

A)a specific phobia
B)posttraumatic stress disorder
C)panic disorder
D)a social phobia

Question 44

Addai has been exhausted, tense, and anxious for the last year now. He worries about work when he is at home. He worries about what is going on at home while he is at work. Even when he is out with his friends, he worries. In fact, his friends have stopped asking him to go out because all he does is worry. Additionally, Addai suffers dizziness and nausea most of the time. Although Addai expects the worst most of the time, his fears appear greatly exaggerated. What disorder best seems to fit Addai's symptoms?

A)panic disorder
B)major depressive disorder
C)generalized anxiety disorder
D)conversion disorder

Question 45

Although it is normal to experience certain fears, when the fear of something specific becomes persistent, irrational, and gets in the way of everyday life, that fear may be considered a _____

A)bipolar disorder.
B)phobia.
C)conversion disorder.
D)dysthymia.

Question 46

Patricia is terrified of bees. In fact, when summer comes around and the bees are out, Patricia avoids places where she is likely to risk encountering a bee. She found out some time ago that she is deathly allergic to bee stings. For which of the following does Patricia seem to meet the criteria?

A)social phobia
B)panic disorder
C)specific phobia
D)no disorder

Question 47

_____ is characterized by chronic and excessive worry for 6 months or more.

A)Obsessive-compulsive disorder
B)Hypochondriasis
C)Generalized anxiety disorder
D)Major depressive disorder

Question 48

A(n)_____ is an unwanted, intrusive, and often unpleasant thought that causes an increase in anxiety.

A)compulsion
B)delusion
C)obsession
D)panic attack

Question 49

A persistent, involuntary thought, image, or impulse that invades consciousness and causes great distress characterizes a(n)_____

A)panic attack.
B)hallucination.
C)compulsion.
D)obsession.

Question 50

Maria has a 6-year-old son who attends school near their house. She has terrible thoughts that he will be abducted while at school. Though she tries not to think about these images, she cannot seem to control it. She has found that if she drives around the school three times in a row, the disturbing thoughts and images of her son being abducted seem to go away. Unfortunately, she finds herself doing this for about three hours every school day. Which of the following would we call her behavior of driving around the school?

A)obsession
B)panic disorder
C)compulsion
D)generalized anxiety

Question 51

Psychologist Timothy Brown has studied generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder extensively. He found through his research, and subsequently argued, that generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia are manifestations of which factor on the Big Five theory of personality?

A)psychoticism
B)conscientiousness
C)neuroticism
D)extraversion

Question 52

An intense fear of being humiliated or criticized by others in social situations is characteristic of _____

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

Question 53

_____ is an irrational fear and avoidance of any social or performance situation in which one might embarrass or humiliate oneself in front of others by appearing clumsy, foolish, or incompetent.

A)Obsessive-compulsive disorder
B)Social anxiety disorder
C)Generalized anxiety disorder
D)Major depressive disorder

Question 54

Maria has a 6-year-old son who attends school near their house. She has terrible thoughts that he will be abducted while at school. Though she tries not to think about these images, she cannot seem to control it. She has found that if she drives around the school three times in a row, the disturbing thoughts and images of her son being abducted seem to go away. Which of the following is likely true regarding this scenario?

A)Maria's compulsions are the agonizing thoughts about her son being abducted.
B)Maria likely has panic disorder.
C)The thoughts that her son may be abducted can be considered hallucinations.
D)Maria's obsessions consist of intrusive, terrifying thoughts that her son might be kidnapped from school.

Question 55

Jeb lives on a small island. Over the last year or so, Jeb has developed an intense fear of crossing the bridge. He is aware his fear doesn't make sense. The problem is that Jeb has had to turn down promotions at work because it would require him to cross the bridge on a daily basis. Jeb's family is frustrated because they could really use the money that comes with the promotions. Jeb likely has _____

A)a specific phobia.
B)posttraumatic stress disorder.
C)panic disorder.
D)a social phobia.

Question 56

An anxiety disorder that involves a fear of interacting with others or being in a social situation is called _____

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

Question 57

Which of the following concepts was discussed as the main factor in panic disorder?

A)a faulty amygdala
B)exaggerated cognitive distortions
C)negative reinforcement
D)dysfunction of the parasympathetic nervous system

Question 58

An irresistible urge to perform a behavior or action that serves to reduce anxiety is referred to as a(n)_____

A)compulsion.
B)delusion.
C)psychotic episode.
D)obsession.

Question 59

_____ is a persistent, irrational fear of some specific object, situation, or activity that poses little or no real danger.

A)A phobia
B)Hypochondriasis
C)Schizophrenia
D)Major depressive disorder

Question 60

Dr. Lowe treats anxiety disorders. She believes they are caused by faulty brain activity. Dr. Lowe is taking a _____ view of anxiety disorders.

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

Question 61

Tracey lost her mother in a tragic auto accident last week. She has experienced sadness, tearfulness, and problems sleeping since the accident. She also has no desire to go out with her friends for the time being. Tracey likely _____

A)has developed an anxiety disorder.
B)will develop a psychotic depression.
C)has major depressive disorder.
D)is showing a normal reaction to the death of a loved one.

Question 62

Which of the following neurotransmitters is NOT discussed as a possible contributor to major depressive disorder?

A)serotonin
B)GABA
C)dopamine
D)epinephrine

Question 63

Steve experienced what his psychologist termed a manic episode last year. Though he recovered and continues to take medication, he has been feeling terribly depressed lately. He cannot seem to eat or sleep and has been entertaining thoughts of suicide. He cannot seem to "snap out if it" no matter what he tries. Steve seems to fit the criteria for _____

A)a mood disorder.
B)dependent personality disorder.
C)social phobia.
D)somatoform disorder.

Question 64

Early autoimmune diseases, early strep infections, and changes in the brain caused by infections may predispose a person to develop which of the following anxiety disorders?

A)posttraumatic stress disorder
B)schizophrenia
C)bipolar disorder
D)obsessive-compulsive disorder

Question 65

Milo has been feeling down for the last month or so. However, he cannot quite trace back to what may have caused this feeling to begin with. Aside from feeling sad, he cannot seem to eat or sleep as he normally does. He has never felt this way before and it is beginning to scare him because he is starting to feel as if there is nothing he can do to stop feeling this way. Which diagnosis currently seems to best fit Milo's symptoms?

A)bipolar disorder
B)generalized anxiety disorder
C)major depressive disorder
D)paranoid schizophrenia

Question 66

Lila recovered from an episode of depression about four months ago. Now, however, she is beginning to feel incredibly energetic, elated, and hyperactive. She finds she has very little need for sleep. Her friends are starting to get worried because she has been talking repeatedly about taking her life savings and investing it into an unknown company. Lila may likely meet the criteria for _____

A)schizophrenia.
B)panic disorder.
C)an anxiety disorder.
D)bipolar disorder.

Question 67

Which of the following is the biological explanation for mood disorders?

A)They are a result of learned helplessness.
B)They are a result of anger turned inward on oneself.
C)They are a result of distortions in thinking.
D)They are a result of an imbalance of brain chemicals.

Question 68

Which of the following is considered a mood disorder?

A)bipolar disorder
B)antisocial personality disorder
C)conversion disorder
D)dissociative identity disorder

Question 69

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding the mood disorders?

A)Evidence for a genetic basis for bipolar disorder is strong.
B)Adult women have a higher rate of major depressive disorder than adult men do.
C)Asian countries, such as Taiwan and Korea, seem to have the highest rates of major depressive disorder worldwide.
D)Some studies show that psychotherapy can be as equally effective as medication in treating major depressive disorder.

Question 70

Based on the PET scan research by Drevets and colleagues (2008), _____, which may be implicated in mood disorders, is 40% to 50% smaller in people with major depressive disorder.

A)an area in the prefrontal cortex
B)the amygdala
C)the occipital lobe
D)the hypothalamus

Question 71

Research suggests that the neurotransmitter involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder is likely _____

A)endorphin.
B)serotonin.
C)dopamine.
D)acetylcholine.

Question 72

Extreme sadness, despair, a feeling of "slowing down," and problems eating and sleeping characterize which of the following disorders?

A)dissociative fugue
B)disorganized schizophrenia
C)generalized anxiety disorder
D)major depressive disorder

Question 73

Which of the following neurotransmitters is currently implicated in the development of mood disorders?

A)endocannibinoid
B)endorphins
C)serotonin
D)acetylcholine

Question 74

_____ and _____ are neurotransmitters associated with the development of mood disorders.

A)GABA; endorphins
B)Acetylcholine; serotonin
C)Dopamine; norepinephrine
D)Norepinephrine; acetylcholine

Question 75

Which of the following is TRUE of major depressive disorder?

A)About 90% of those hospitalized for major depressive disorder are fully recovered after one year.
B)Preventing recurrences of major depressive disorder is unimportant because subsequent episodes of depression seem to remain constant.
C)Even though some people only have one episode of major depressive disorder, 75% to 80% will have at least one recurrence.
D)Some studies show that psychotherapy can at times be just as effective as medication for treating major depressive disorder.

Question 76

_____ are to panic disorder as _____ are to obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A)Panic attacks; manic episodes
B)Suicidal thoughts; panic attacks
C)Obsessions; compulsions
D)Panic attacks; compulsions

Question 77

A period of excessive euphoria, inflated self-esteem, wild optimism, and hyperactivity often accompanied by delusions of grandeur characterizes a(n)_____

A)panic attack.
B)hallucination.
C)compulsion.
D)manic episode.

Question 78

The personality trait called __________ is associated with both depression and abnormalities in the brain's serotonin levels.

A) HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscientiousness" \o "Conscientiousness" conscientiousness
B)neuroticism
C)extroversion
D)introversion

Question 79

_____ is characterized by episodes of manic behavior and episodes of depression typically with episodes of normal moods in between.

A)Bipolar disorder
B)Schizophrenia
C)Dissociative identity disorder
D)Delusional disorder

Question 80

_____ is marked by feelings of great sadness, despair, and hopelessness, as well as the loss of the ability to experience pleasure.

A)Generalized anxiety disorder
B)Obsessive-compulsive disorder
C)Schizotypal personality disorder
D)Major depressive disorder