Behavioral Science

Question 1

A 56-year-old man presents to his family doctor for a regular check-up visit. His past medical history is significant for long-standing hypertension and coronary artery disease. He had a myocardial infarction and percutaneous angioplasty 1 year ago. The patient initially reports no complaints, but as his physician is heading toward the door, the patient states with some embarrassment that he has had problems achieving erections since he was released from the hospital last year. He says that he has morning erections. His current medications include simvastatin and lisinopril. Which of the following is a likely cause for this man’s acquired erectile dysfunction?

(A) Decreased interest in sexual activity
(B) Fear of another myocardial infarction
(C) Increasing age of the patient
(D) Medication side effects

Answer 1

(B) Fear of another myocardial infarction

Question 2

A 10-year-old Hispanic boy is admitted for bone marrow transplantation as treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia. The doctor wants to enroll the patient in a clinical trial for a new pain medication, but upon arriving to discuss the study, she finds that both of the patient’s parents speak only Spanish. The consent form is in English, and the physician has a limited knowledge of Spanish. What is the physician’s best option for obtaining consent from this patient?

(A) Exclude non-English-speaking patients from the study
(B) Explain the study to the whole family in Spanish, to the best of the physician’s ability
(C) Have the patient translate the form for his parents
(D) Wait to obtain a translated consent form and discuss the study via an interpreter

Answer 2

(D) Wait to obtain a translated consent form and discuss the study via an interpreter

Question 3

20-year-old man became very agitated at a party, and as a result was brought to the emergency department, where he is belligerent and uncooperative. A physical examination reveals fever, tachycardia, horizontal nystagmus, and hyperacusis. Which of the following substances may cause the behavioral changes and physical findings exhibited by this patient?
(A) Alcohol
(B) Amphetamines
(C) Cocaine
(D) Phencyclidine

Answer 3

(D) Phencyclidine

Question 4

A 45-year-old man presents to a marriage counselor at his wife’s prompting. He has been married for 10 years and believes that his wife has been unfaithful for the entire marriage, despite her protests to the contrary. He says that everyone is always betraying him, and he has a litany of slights, insults, and injuries that have been perpetrated against him. He is very defensive with the counselor and reads an attack in almost every statement. This patient most likely has which of the following personality disorders?
(A) Antisocial
(B) Paranoid
(C) Schizoid
(D) Schizotypal