Deck 9: Personality Disorders

Question 1

People diagnosed with a personality disorder exhibit behavior that is described as

A) clustered and psychotic.
B) inflexible and pervasive.
C) acutely, not chronically problematic.
D) more impaired than that associated with most other mental disorders.

Answer 1

inflexible and pervasive.

Question 2

Which of the following plays an important role in justifying the inclusion of personality disorders in the DSM?

A) All of these disorders have similar genetic etiologies.
B) The presence of pathological personality traits in adolescence is associated with development of other mental disorders.
C) All of these disorders are related to an early history of either sexual abuse or family problems.
D) The personality characteristics are all reflections of either excesses or deficiencies in neurotransmitter levels.

Answer 2

The presence of pathological personality traits in adolescence is associated with development of other mental disorders.

Question 3

At a conference a researcher reports prevalence rates for personality disorders. Several audience members conclude that these figures are lower than those reported in the literature. During a question-and-answer period, which of the following is likely to be viewed as a reason for this discrepancy?

A) The researcher relied on a psychodynamic model of the etiology of personality disorders.
B) The researcher failed to consider the impact of mental retardation on the prevalence of these disorders.
C) The researcher failed to obtain records of physiological functions that can often reveal otherwise hidden pathology.
D) The researcher used self-report instruments to estimate prevalence of disorders seen in people with little awareness of their behavior.

Answer 3

The researcher used self-report instruments to estimate prevalence of disorders seen in people with little awareness of their behavior.

Question 4

With regard to the number of basic dimensions of temperament and personality, experts

A) believe there are only four or five.
B) believe there are at least 10.
C) believe there are probably more than 30.
D) disagree about how many there are.

Question 5

Mental health professionals who are actively involved in treating people with mental disorders view personality disorders as important because these disorders

A) are the most common mental disorders that they treat.
B) make it easier to treat people with other mental disorders.
C) can interfere with the treatment of disorders such as depression.
D) are more easily defined and easier to diagnose.

Question 6

Temperament refers to

A) anger over abandonment.
B) insight into one's problems.
C) remorse over doing something wrong.
D) a characteristic style of relating to the world.

Question 7

What is one of the reasons that the category of personality disorders is controversial?

A) These disorders have poorly understood etiologies.
B) These disorders were conceptualized for insurance purposes.
C) These disorders are not associated with social or occupational impairment.
D) These disorders are easily learned and unlearned, and so they don't require therapy.

Question 8

Which of the following is part of the definition of a person's temperament?

A) emotional reactivity
B) guilt feelings
C) ego development
D) personality development

Question 9

A difficult temperament

A) will always be maladaptive.
B) will always be adaptive.
C) can be adaptive or maladaptive, depending on social circumstances.
D) can be adaptive or maladaptive, depending on whether it is genetically determined.

Question 10

In his perception of himself and others, Andy displays what a psychologist describes as paranoid beliefs. We can assume that Andy

A) is highly anxious and sees himself as weak.
B) feels inferior and sees others as his protectors.
C) is out of contact with reality and delusional.
D) believes that others are trying to exploit or harm him.

Question 11

Two of the most important motives for understanding human personality and personality disorders are

A) escape from reality and escape from pain.
B) acceptance of reality and acceptance of self.
C) affiliation and power.
D) dependence and nurturance.

Question 12

A large part of the justification for defining personality disorders as mental disorders is that they involve

A) social dysfunction.
B) significant personal distress.
C) loss of contact with reality.
D) significant risk of suicide.

Question 13

To meet the definition of personality disorders in DSM-IV-TR, one must meet the criteria of

A) personality traits never seen in normal people.
B) an enduring pattern of behavior that differs considerably from one's culture.
C) the presence of emotional symptoms that make one aggressive.
D) the presence of psychotic symptoms.

Question 14

In the DSM-IV-TR system of diagnosis, personality disorders are listed on Axis

A) I.
B) II.
C) III.
D) IV.

Question 15

Tom's case, described in your text, illustrates which of the following characteristics of personality disorders that would allow a clinician to differentiate his disorder from other disorders that are more episodic in nature?

A) His problems were intense but very brief.
B) He understood the nature for his problems and felt bad about them.
C) His problems began early and were exhibited consistently over an extended period of time.
D) He was able to recognize his need for help and participate actively in treatment.

Question 16

In personality theory, neuroticism refers to

A) conscientiousness.
B) bizarre and unusual thinking.
C) expression of anxiety and depression.
D) low interest in interacting with other people.

Question 17

During a case conference, one of the staff describes a patient as experiencing an "ego-dystonic" disorder. What is the most likely description of this patient?

A) The client is distressed by his symptoms.
B) The client views his symptoms as a moral failure.
C) The client does not view himself as having a problem.
D) The client believes he can solve his own problems without a therapist's help.

Question 18

The plant manager needs to fill a newly created position. He tells the Director of Human Resources that he wants someone who is well organized, reliable, dependable, and punctual. The director intends to screen applicants using scores on the five-factor model of personality. High scores on which factor should mark applicants as having the desired characteristics?

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

Question 19

What were some of the early indications that Tom (case described in the text) would one day grow up to exhibit behaviors that meet the criteria for antisocial personality disorder?

A) He was often truant from school, stole items, and lied.
B) He reported that he heard voices directing him to engage in actions that would cause trouble.
C) His eating, sleeping, and motor behaviors were all sources of difficulty that required medical intervention.
D) In order to prove that he was tough, he would deliberately engage in actions that would lead to serious physical punishment.

Question 20

Generally, personality disorders tend to be "ego-syntonic" in nature, which means that the patient

A) has other disorders as well.
B) does not see the disorder as a problem.
C) has tremendous insight into the problems.
D) is distressed by and perhaps ashamed of the problem.

Question 21

Roberta has been diagnosed as having avoidant personality disorder. She is timid, does not like to go to parties, and is extremely anxious in most social situations. Why does Roberta feel this way?

A) She is actually disinterested in other people.
B) She wants to be liked but is afraid of criticism.
C) She is preoccupied with understanding social rules.
D) She prefers to be the center of attention, and retreats from groups when that is not possible.

Question 22

A movie producer wants to make a film about the life of a person with borderline personality disorder. She asks you for some suggestions concerning possible titles. Which of the following would fit the diagnostic hallmark of this disorder?

A) "An identity disturbance"
B) "Overwhelmed by my superego"
C) "Lost in my delusional world"
D) "Only the lonely know how I feel"

Question 23

A film critic describes a character in a film in these words: a grandiose sense of self-importance, inability to empathize with others, a preoccupation with his own achievements and abilities. At the end of the description, the critic says the character needs therapy. If the character sought therapy, what diagnosis might be made?

A) dependent personality disorder
B) borderline personality disorder
C) schizotypal personality disorder
D) narcissistic personality disorder

Question 24

Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by

A) psychosis.
B) peculiar thinking.
C) impulsive behavior.
D) disinterest in human relationships.

Question 25

Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by a

A) attachment to parents.
B) need for admiration.
C) feeling of social anxiety.
D) intensity in close relationships.

Question 26

Instability in mood, unstable relationships, and difficulty being alone are all characteristics of

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

Question 27

A psychologist is describing the different personality disorders. When she comes to avoidant and schizoid personality disorders, the students look puzzled. How will she distinguish these two personality disorders?

A) Avoidant personality disorder has closer etiologicalties to mood disorders than schizoid personality disorder does.
B) Those with schizoid personality disorder tend to become extremely dependent on others those with avoidant personality disorder manage to maintain their independence.
C) Those with schizoid personality disorder prefer to be alone; those with avoidant personality want to be liked by others but are afraid of even minimal signs of disapproval.
D) Those with avoidant personality disorder are not distressed by their self-induced social isolation; those with schizoid personality disorder are distressed by their lack of social skills.

Question 28

Which personality disorder is characterized by excessive emotionality, attention-seeking behavior, and inappropriate seductiveness?

A) dependent
B) histrionic
C) schizotypal
D) obsessive-compulsive

Question 29

A patient at the mental health center talks in a vague and digressive manner. His behavior, perceptions, and dress are considered odd. However, he does not report any delusions or hallucinations. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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

Question 30

What common thread runs through paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders?

A) They are commonly mistaken for schizophrenia.
B) They typically follow a schizophrenic episode.
C) They sometimes precede onset of full-blown schizophrenia.
D) They are inherited disorders that often lead to dementia.

Question 31

What similarity would you expect to find in the behavior of a person with dependent personality disorder and a person with avoidant personality disorder?

A) They avoid closeness.
B) They are preoccupied with rules.
C) They seek advice and reassurance.
D) They are easily hurt by criticism.

Question 32

What etiological link has been suggested between histrionic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder?

A) lack of inhibition
B) strong social ties
C) tendency to commit suicide
D) early parental abandonment

Question 33

A novelist wants to write a book centered on a character described as suspicious and on guard all of the time. He has difficult relationships with friends and relatives as a result of distrustful nature, overreacts to minor events that may lead to aggression, and is delusional. What advice would you give to the novelist?

A) The symptoms that you describe are rarely seen in adults in this country.
B) You have captured the paranoid personality disorder except they do not have delusions.
C) Your description does not seem to meet the criteria of any of the disorders found in the DSM.
D) You have captured the essence of a series of disorders that tend to be comorbid and untreatable.

Question 34

At the drop of a hat, Pete will tell you in as many ways as one can imagine that he is the most talented salesperson in the company. He often boasts about his ability to "size up" customers and to close deals. He says he has not been promoted to manager because his work is not really appreciated. He resents those who have been promoted and views them as self-promoters. He expects others to meet his wishes but he is insensitive to their needs. What type of personality disorder does Pete's behavior represent?

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

Question 35

Which of the following is not one of the clusters of personality disorders in the DSM?

A) anxious or fearful
B) socially isolated, odd, or eccentric
C) out of contact with reality and delusional
D) excessively dramatic, emotional, or erratic

Question 36

Chris is a painfully shy 24-year-old woman who usually stays at home and rarely interacts with others outside of her immediate family. At work she stays away from other people, preferring to remain in the stock room as often as possible. She rarely initiates conversations at work or at home. What personality disorder does Chris seem to exhibit?

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

Question 37

Schizoid personality disorder is often characterized by

A) delirium.
B) inappropriate suspiciousness.
C) indifference to other people.
D) unusual perceptual experiences.

Question 38

The personality disorder in which individuals are fearful of any involvement with other people and afraid of being publicly embarrassed is referred to as

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

Question 39

Avoidant personality disorder overlaps most closely with

A) dependent personality disorder.
B) social phobia.
C) adaptive shyness.
D) posttraumatic stress disorder.

Question 40

Which of these is one of the clusters of personality disorders in DSM-IV-TR?

A) dissociative
B) odd or eccentric
C) neurotic/mood-disordered
D) psychotic/schizophreniform

Question 41

You have a client who is diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. As a result you would also be concerned because they are at risk of developing

A) schizophrenia.
B) various mood disorders.
C) various anxiety disorders.
D) suicidal tendencies.

Question 42

Which personality disorder is most strongly related to the dimension of conscientiousness in the five-factor model of personality?

A) schizoid personality disorder
B) histrionic personality disorder
C) borderline personality disorder
D) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

Question 43

In research both male and female clinicians are more likely to identify features of which personality disorder in women than in men?

A) schizotypal
B) borderline
C) antisocial
D) psychopathic

Question 44

In two large-scale epidemiological studies of mental disorders, the overall lifetime prevalence rate for antisocial personality disorder for men was

A) 1 percent.
B) 5 percent.
C) 10 percent.
D) 20 percent.

Question 45

Unlike obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder involves

A) lack of guilt.
B) excessive emotionality.
C) dependency and advice‑seeking.
D) intrusive thoughts and ritualistic behavior.

Question 46

Which of the following is a frequent complaint about the categorical approach to diagnosis in the DSM-IV-TR that could be addressed by a dimensional approach?

A) Many patients are misdiagnosed.
B) The whole system is too psychoanalytic in nature.
C) Many patients meet the criteria for more than one diagnosis.
D) The diagnosis is confusing as they involve several axes.

Question 47

The class is reading a case history of an individual whose reaction to the death of a loved one is described. The individual writes that he hears the voice of a dead relative. The class is asked for a diagnosis and everyone agrees this is an example of dysfunctional behavior. However, when the instructor disagrees, everyone is puzzled. What aspect of this case history could have led the instructor to his opinion?

A) Hearing the voices of a dead relative is a metaphor for the bereavement process.
B) The experience was probably drug induced and thus would not meet the criteria for a mental disorder.
C) The individual is a Native American and in their culture they expect to hear the spirit of dead relatives.
D) The individual in question does not recognize that the symptoms are actually dysfunctional and thus would not seek therapy.

Question 48

Which personality disorder is characterized by a fear of separation from others who are looked to for advice and reassurance?

A) paranoid
B) dependent
C) borderline
D) schizotypal

Question 49

What percent of people who qualify for a diagnosis on Axis II also meet criteria for a syndrome such as major depression, substance dependence, or an anxiety disorder?

A) 1
B) 25
C) 50
D) 75

Question 50

You are arguing with another student about whether personality disorders occur more frequently in women. What should your position be?

A) The overall prevalence is approximately equal.
B) Cluster A personality disorders are more common in women.
C) Cluster B personality disorders are more common in men.
D) The overall prevalence is higher for men.

Question 51

Epidemiologists have a difficult time pinning down the prevalence of personality disorders because

A) there is considerable overlap among categories in these disorders.
B) there are too many dimensions to be measured.
C) there is no agreement on the criteria for personality disorders.
D) they are so rare.

Question 52

What is the most common personality disorder found among persons in inpatient and outpatient treatment settings?

A) dependent personality disorder
B) antisocial personality disorder
C) borderline personality disorder
D) schizotypal personality disorder

Question 53

Jones has just determined that his new client meets the criteria for an Axis II personality disorder. What would you tell Dr. Jones about the possibility that there is a comorbid Axis I disorder?

A) Comorbid mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders are very common.
B) She is only likely to find evidence of a mood disorder.
C) It is unlikely that there will be an Axis I disorder.
D) There might well be an Axis I disorder, but it would not have any connection to the personality disorder.

Question 54

Comorbidity of personality disorders, where people meet the diagnostic criteria for more than one personality disorder,

A) is a rare occurrence.
B) occurs at least half the time.
C) occurs in almost every instance.
D) occurs often because there is a common genetic basis.

Question 55

The rate of antisocial personality disorder in men and women is

A) equal.
B) 5 percent for men; 2 percent for women.
C) 5 percent for women; 1 percent for men.
D) impossible to determine.

Question 56

A psychologist has developed a series of personality inventories and wants to determine if they are valid. One of the scales measures perfectionism, so he asks a colleague for advice on how to establish the validity of this scale. The colleague tells him that if he can find a sample of people with a certain personality disorder, they should obtain high scores on the scale. Which type of personality disorder should this psychologist recruit to evaluate this scale?

A) avoidant personality disorder
B) histrionic personality disorder
C) antisocial personality disorder
D) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

Question 57

You walk into your next class and see the following written on the board: "Differences are not disorders." You find out that the class that met in this classroom was a psychology class. What was the point of the class?

A) We should avoid culturally biased interpretations.
B) The mentally ill deserve the same rights as the rest of the population.
C) Laws restricting the ability of the mentally disabled to marry are misguided.
D) We should not look down upon those whose level of intellectual functioning is below ours.

Question 58

The personality disorder with the lowest prevalence rate is

A) antisocial.
B) narcissistic.
C) psychopathy.
D) obsessive-compulsive.

Question 59

What is one criticism of the DSM classification of personality disorders as discrete categories rather than dimensional traits?

A) Category names are arbitrary.
B) A categorical approach does not explain etiology.
C) The labels have created more problems than they solved.
D) There are a lot of people with serious personality problems who do not fit the official DSM-IV-TR subtypes.

Question 60

Low levels of which two traits characterize someone like Patricia, the case of narcissistic personality disorder presented in your text?

A) extraversion and neuroticism
B) openness and conscientiousness
C) agreeableness and extraversion
D) conscientiousness and openness

Question 61

A newspaper reporter is given the job of reporting on the survey of adolescents designed to determine the prevalence and stability of personality disorders. Which of the following would be the best headline for the story?

A) Adolescents' Personality Disorders: Rare and Not Stable
B) Adolescents' Personality Disorders: Not Rare and Not So Stable
C) Do All Adolescents Meet the Criteria for Personality Disorders?
D) Adolescence: A Period of Stress Causes A High Rate of Personality Disorders

Question 62

What is one of the problems in treating patients with personality disorders?

A) high drop out rates
B) low intellectual ability
C) related physical problems
D) high distress about problems

Question 63

Which personality disorder is characterized by odd beliefs, thinking, behavior, and appearance?

A) schizoid
B) paranoid
C) borderline
D) schizotypal

Question 64

Making cross-cultural comparisons to determine how rates of personality disorders might differ around the world is difficult because

A) personality disorders do not exist in most cultures.
B) researchers from one culture might misinterpret the differences they find in other cultures.
C) There is not enough variability between cultures to make valid comparisons.
D) the rates do not vary very much.

Question 65

What did the term schizotypal originally mean?

A) an abbreviation for schizophrenic phenotype
B) an abbreviation for schizophrenic subtype that is not specified in the DSM
C) a term coined to describe a form of schizophrenia that is induced by a virus
D) a term coined to describe a set of symptoms that occur in reaction to environmental stress

Question 66

Which diagnostic category is heavily influenced by psychodynamic theories about the origins of personality traits?

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

Question 67

Your local community is considering whether to adopt an ordinance that would allow riverboat gambling. This controversial issue has strong emotions on both sides. When you go to a meeting to hear both sides, what might you hear from the side making an argument against the boat?

A) Pathological gambling is listed as an impulse control disorder.
B) Pathological gambling is a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
C) A high rate of medical problems is associated with pathological gambling.
D) Antisocial personality disorder is strongly associated with pathological gambling.

Question 68

What did Cohen and colleagues find when they surveyed adolescents to study the prevalence of personality disorders?

A) Personality disorders were almost non-existent.
B) The most common personality disorder in the sample was antisocial personality disorder.
C) Fewer than half the adolescents who originally met the diagnostic criteria still did so two years later.
D) If strictly applied, the criteria would lead to a diagnosis for almost every adolescent in the sample.

Question 69

Some critics contend that certain personality disorder diagnoses are sexist labels and propose that it is easier to diagnose women with personality disorders. What tentative conclusion has been reached in research on this issue?

A) The DSM criteria do not make it easier to make such diagnoses of women.
B) Although DSM is a non-sexist document, personality disorders are still diagnosed more frequently among women than among men.
C) Although every effort was made to make DSM a non-sexist document, there is strong evidence of sexist bias in actual diagnoses.
D) According to DSM criteria, it takes fewer criteria to diagnose females than males with the same personality disorder.

Question 70

What is DSM's position regarding the role of culture in the diagnosis of personality disorders?

A) Cultural standards for appropriate behavior are not taken into account.
B) Cultural standards for appropriate behavior must be taken into account.
C) The criteria for personality disorders are culturally universal.
D) Cultural standards are only taken into account for Cluster C disorders.

Question 71

What types of mental health workers are more likely to diagnose women with borderline personality disorder than men?

A) Men are more likely to diagnose BPD in women.
B) Women are more likely to diagnose BPD in women.
C) Men and women are both prone to this bias.
D) Psychiatrists are more likely than psychologists to do this.

Question 72

What does Otto Kernberg view as the common characteristic of people with borderline personality disorder?

A) lack of guilt
B) preoccupation with rules
C) faulty development of ego structure
D) impaired smooth pursuit eye movements

Question 73

"Splitting" by a borderline personality disorder patient refers to

A) lack of impulse control.
B) seeing people as all good or all bad.
C) brain dysfunction causing attention deficit.
D) imagining that what one wants is actually true.

Question 74

Minority groups and recent immigrants' realistic concerns about oppression could be misinterpreted and lead clinicians to make an incorrect diagnosis of

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

Question 75

Based on a longitudinal study conducted by Lee Robins, what was one factor that predicted which boys would receive a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder in adulthood?

A) history of child abuse
B) sibling with a criminal record
C) extremely harsh punishment from parents
D) history of theft or aggressive behavior

Question 76

What have family studies of the first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients revealed about these individuals?

A) They rarely show schizotypal personality disorder.
B) They almost always show schizotypal personality disorder.
C) They have higher than average rates of schizotypal personality disorder.
D) They have lower than average rates of schizotypal personality disorder.

Question 77

One personality disorder that has a relatively high recover rate following early detection and therapy is

A) avoidant personality disorder.
B) antisocial personality disorder.
C) borderline personality disorder.
D) schizotypal personality disorder.

Question 78

What personality disorder in adulthood is predicted by conduct disorder in childhood?

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

Question 79

At a treatment planning conference, a psychologist is describing a new client who has been diagnosed with a personality disorder. The psychologist is emphasizing the ego-syntonic nature of the client's problems because

A) treatment will have to focus on the client's weak ego.
B) the client might not be motivated for treatment.
C) the client is an excellent candidate for treatment.
D) the problems are psychotic in nature.

Question 80

Which personality disorders are associated with the poorest long-term prognosis?

A) paranoid and antisocial
B) schizotypal and borderline disorders
C) borderline and histrionic
D) antisocial and avoidant