Question 1

Gender differences observed in the prevalence of many personality disorders may be due to

Accepted Answer

A)  tolerance of behavior in a culture. 
B)  differences in help-seeking behavior. 
C)  gender bias on the part of the diagnosing clinician. 
D)  all of the above.

Question 2

Lu believes that he is being tracked by the FBI because he is a telepathy experiment "set loose," and he hears messages and instructions from others from the same experiment. What disorder would he most likely have?

Accepted Answer

A)  Schizotypal personality disorder 
B)  Schizoid personality disorder 
C)  Paranoid personality disorder 
D)  Schizophrenia

Question 3

Compare and contrast the three traditional models of abnormal behavior: supernatural, psychological, and biological. Mention significant events and persons in the historical development of each model.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast the three traditional models...

Question 4

Discuss the gender differences found in personality disorders. Give specific examples of disorders where gender differences occur. Do the disparities indicate differences between men and women in certain basic experiences that are genetic, sociocultural, or both, or do they represent biases on the part of the clinicians who make the diagnoses?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the gender differences found in personality...

Question 5

The Scientific Method is:

Accepted Answer

A)  interdisciplinary 
B)  useful in studying personality disorders 
C)  can study normal and abnormal behaviors 
D)  all of the above

Question 6

In Jill's psychotherapy sessions, the therapist has been using systematic desensitization to gradually make her more comfortable with social situations. Similar to the treatments used for individuals with social phobia, the therapist has given Jill homework assignments that require her to practice talking to strangers, join informal groups, and speak in front of small groups. Most likely, she is being treated for personality disorder.

Accepted Answer

A)  avoidant 
B)  dependent 
C)  Antisocial 
D)  histrionic

Question 7

The concepts of "self-actualizing" and "the hierarchy of needs" are most closely associated with the theories of

Accepted Answer

A)  Abraham Maslow. 
B)  Carl Rogers. 
C)  Carl Jung. 
D)  Melanie Klein.

Question 8

According to your text, treatment of dependent personality disorder is

Accepted Answer

A)  generally successful with a cognitive-behavioral approach. 
B)  well researched, though no effective treatments have been established. 
C)  successful when based on systematic desensitization and social skills training. 
D)  problematic because the patient's submissiveness often negates one of the major goals of the therapy.

Question 9

Nicole has difficulty maintaining relationships because she goes back and forth from being a best friend to hating people in her life. Her romantic relationships are always characterized by incredible loving passion alternating with episodes of horrible fighting, and sometimes she becomes violent. At times, Nicole becomes so upset that she cuts herself and reports that this makes her feel better emotionally. Nicole suffers from personality disorder.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 10

In the process of self-actualizing, emphasized in humanistic psychology, individuals

Accepted Answer

A)  adopt a conditioned response to a variety of stimuli. 
B)  direct their own course of therapy under the guidance of a counselor. 
C)  strive to achieve their highest potential against life's obstacles. 
D)  achieve a complete and almost unqualified acceptance of their own dysfunctions.

Question 11

One reason why individuals with narcissistic personality disorder tend to become depressed at times is that they

Accepted Answer

A)  become upset when their intimate relationships fail. 
B)  seldom live up to their unrealistic expectations of themselves. 
C)  are overly sensitive to the pain of others. 
D)  don't think they will achieve success in life.

Question 12

In Erik Erikson's theory of lifespan development, an individual reaches the mature stage when he or she is about years old.

Accepted Answer

A)  55 
B)  65 
C)  75 
D)  85

Question 13

The personality disorder characterized by unreasonable fear of abandonment, fear of being rejected, avoidance of disagreement, inability to make decisions for oneself, and clinging behavior is personality disorder.

Accepted Answer

A)  dependent 
B)  avoidant 
C)  schizoid 
D)  histrionic

Question 14

There is a great controversy regarding the classification issue of the personality disorders. Explain what are seen as problems with the current classification system used in the DSM?

Accepted Answer

The answer of There is a great controversy regarding the...

Question 15

The most accurate statement regarding antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy is that they

Accepted Answer

A)  are similar in almost every way except that psychopaths are criminals. 
B)  completely different populations. 
C)  overlap in some features but not all. 
D)  are just different names for the same features.

Question 16

A patient arrives in your office with a severe fear of spiders. You treat this patient by gradually introducing her to snake images, snake toys, and eventually live snakes in order to show her that nothing bad happened in the presence of these objects. You are using the therapeutic technique called

Accepted Answer

A)  cognitive therapy. 
B)  systematic desensitization. 
C)  operant conditioning. 
D)  multidimensional therapy.

Question 17

When presented with words projected on a computer screen, individuals with borderline personality disorder are more likely than individuals without the disorder to remember the word

Accepted Answer

A)  celebrate. 
B)  abandon. 
C)  death. 
D)  charming.

Question 18

When individuals with dependent personality disorder are in therapy, they are

Accepted Answer

A)  seemingly "model" patients. 
B)  resistant to the therapeutic process. 
C)  too unstable to do the intellectual work that therapy requires. 
D)  demanding and impulsive.

Question 19

Which of the following prevention strategies looks promising for children who are at risk for later antisocial personality disorder?

Accepted Answer

A)  A training program for parents of toddlers (ages 1½ to 2½ years) 
B)  A program for families with a high degree of family dysfunction 
C)  A program for families where at least one parent has a history of antisocial personality disorder 
D)  All of the above

Question 20

In which of the following defense mechanisms does an individual unconsciously block disturbing wishes, thoughts or experiences from awareness?

Accepted Answer

A)  Rationalization 
B)  Reaction formation 
C)  Repression 
D)  Displacement

Exam 1: Abnormal Behavior in Historical Context