CHAPTER 7: Suicide Flashcards
One study showed that of people at high risk for committing suicide who contact a suicide crisis hotline,approximately _____ later commit suicide.
A) 2 percent
B) 10 percent
C) 30 percent
D) 50 percent
A) 2 percent
Why has suicide become the second leading cause of death in the adolescent age group?
A) Adolescents are rebellious and less inclined to imitate others.
B) Youths lack stable social networks for support.
C) Fatal illnesses are uncommon among the young.
D) Teenagers have a higher likelihood of reacting calmly to stress.
C) Fatal illnesses are uncommon among the young.
When a rash of suicides occurs in the aftermath of a celebrity’s suicide or a case that has been highly publicized by the media,behavioral theorists believe it is attributable to:
A) modeling.
B) helplessness.
C) fear.
D) hopelessness.
A) modeling.
A young man commits suicide.His father and uncle committed suicide at about his age as well.Which explanation of suicide MOST easily explains the young man’s suicide?
A) a psychodynamic explanation
B) a sociocultural explanation
C) a biological explanation
D) an immediate trigger explanation
C) a biological explanation
What term describes the behaviors of people who attempt suicide after observing or reading about someone else who has done so?
A) modeling
B) parasuicide
C) the bystander effect
D) social learning
A) modeling
A clinically depressed individual who has been threatening suicide finally shows a diminishing of depressive symptoms.This person’s risk of committing suicide:
A) has increased dramatically; almost no one who is depressed commits suicide until she or he is recovering.
B) may have increased,because the person may have the energy to act on the suicidal impulse.
C) probably has decreased,although a slight risk remains.
D) has decreased substantially; almost no one who is depressed commits suicide once recovery from depression is under way.
B) may have increased,because the person may have the energy to act on the suicidal impulse.
Which statement BEST reflects the relationship between serotonin and the depression-related brain circuit and suicide?
A) Low levels of serotonin and poorer functioning of the depression-related brain circuit are related to high levels of aggression and impulsivity.
B) High levels of serotonin and overactivity of the depression-related brain circuit are related to high levels of aggression and impulsivity.
C) Serotonin makes people more likely to abuse substances and disrupts the depression-related brain circuit,increasing the likelihood of their committing suicide.
D) Suicide attempts increase the level of serotonin in the brain,disrupting the depression-related brain circuit and making suicide more likely.
A) Low levels of serotonin and poorer functioning of the depression-related brain circuit are related to high levels of aggression and impulsivity.
People with little sense of “belongingness,” who live alone and experience frequent conflicts with others,and who believe they have limited social support are experiencing:
A) serious illness.
B) occupational stress.
C) an abusive environment.
D) social isolation.
D) social isolation.
For teenagers,the highest suicide rates are found among:
A) non-Hispanic white Americans and American Indians.
B) American Indians and African Americans.
C) African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
D) non-Hispanic white Americans and Hispanic Americans.
A) non-Hispanic white Americans and American Indians.
Among teenagers who attempt suicide,_____ succeed the first time,and _____ will try again.
A) approximately 3 percent; half
B) approximately 3 percent; approximately 10 percent
C) less than 1 percent; approximately half
D) less than 1 percent; approximately 10 percent
C) less than 1 percent; approximately half
Based on the evidence about suicide rates,intervention strategies,to be most effective,should focus on:
A) middle-aged adults,as they have a fairly high suicide rate that is rising relatively rapidly.
B) children; although they have a relatively low suicide rate,the rate is rising extremely rapidly.
C) those older than age 75,since they make far more suicide attempts than other age groups,although they have a low suicide rate.
D) teenagers,as they have the highest suicide attempt and suicide completion rates of any age group.
A) middle-aged adults,as they have a fairly high suicide rate that is rising relatively rapidly.
How are the interpersonal theory of suicide and the sociocultural view of suicide different?
A) Only the sociocultural view focuses on a sense of belonging.
B) The interpersonal theory describes perceived burdensomeness as a factor in suicide.
C) The interpersonal theory states that serotonin deficits contribute to suicide.
D) The sociocultural view explains why some people who face particular societal pressures attempt suicide while the majority do not.
B) The interpersonal theory describes perceived burdensomeness as a factor in suicide.
Why do many people think that the estimates of the rates of suicide are inaccurate?
A) Insurance companies pay extra life insurance in cases of suicide.
B) Many reported suicides are probably really accidents.
C) The stigma associated with suicide makes people hesitant to report it.
D) Suicide is not a DSM-5 category.
C) The stigma associated with suicide makes people hesitant to report it.
What research provides the most compelling evidence that suicide may have a biological basis?
A) studies linking specific genetic mutations to suicidal tendencies
B) studies of neurotransmitter levels
C) family pedigree studies
D) a Danish study of identical twins
B) studies of neurotransmitter levels
.
.
When answering the telephone of a suicide hotline,the first step for the counselor is to:
A) formulate a plan.
B) establish a positive relationship.
C) understand and clarify the problem.
D) assess the caller’s suicide potential.
B) establish a positive relationship.
At a suicide prevention center,you hear a counselor say,”Can you tell me what you think are the most important factors that are making you feel hopeless right now? If you could change three things about your life,what would they be?” Which of the goals and techniques of suicide prevention do these questions BEST represent?
A) Formulating a plan
B) Assessing suicide potential
C) Understanding and clarifying the problem
D) Assessing and mobilizing the caller’s resources
C) Understanding and clarifying the problem
Suicide rates in the weeks after Kurt Cobain’s suicide held steady,contrary to the modeling effect seen with other celebrity suicides.The text notes that a possible reason for this was:
A) his age at the time of his death.
B) the manner in which he killed himself,a gunshot to the head.
C) the area where he lived,which had a suicide rate that was lower than the national average.
D) the media coverage of the event,which included a “Don’t do it!” message.
D) the media coverage of the event,which included a “Don’t do it!” message.
Reducing the public’s access to lethal and common means of suicide would mean measures such as:
A) covering pools.
B) prescriptions for fewer medications.
C) postvention.
D) gun control.
D) gun control.
.
.
Suicide education programs typically focus on:
A) those persons who have previously attempted suicide.
B) clergy,who are often contacted by suicidal people.
C) students and teachers.
D) high-risk people who call hotlines.
C) students and teachers.
The top two leading causes of death among teenagers are:
A) drug overdoses and cancer.
B) accidents and suicide.
C) suicide and drug overdoses.
D) homicide and cancer.
C) suicide and drug overdoses.
What factor is thought to account for variations in suicide rates among different countries?
A) climate
B) religious affiliation and beliefs
C) prevalence of mental disorders
D) governmental regulations regarding suicide
B) religious affiliation and beliefs
Which has NOT been linked to increased suicide risk among teenagers?
A) intense competition for jobs and positions in college
B) weakening family ties,and resulting alienation
C) access to pro-suicide sites on the Internet
D) easy access to drugs and alcohol,and pressure to use those substances
C) access to pro-suicide sites on the Internet
A retrospective analysis is exemplified when:
A) researchers ask college students to write suicide notes to study what students think is the motivation for suicide.
B) therapists who had patients who committed suicide are interviewed to gain information on suicide.
C) a school implements a postvention program after several student suicides occur in a close time span.
D) individuals who have made suicide attempts are part of a suicide education program.
B) therapists who had patients who committed suicide are interviewed to gain information on suicide.
Which factor does NOT contribute to the high suicide rate among the elderly?
A) loss of close friends and relatives
B) geographical location
C) loss of status
D) feeling that they are burdensome to others
B) geographical location
Commonly observed triggers for suicide include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) being in therapy.
B) being a heavy alcohol user.
C) knowing someone who committed suicide.
D) experiencing stressful life events.
A) being in therapy.
All of these are considered immediate stressors EXCEPT:
A) losing a loved one through death.
B) experiencing a natural disaster.
C) suffering a significant financial loss.
D) living in an abusive environment.
A) losing a loved one through death.
Which statement is TRUE regarding the social contagion effect?
A) The suicide of a close relative or friend increases your risk of committing suicide.
B) The suicide of a family member increases the risk of others in the family developing a stress disorder.
C) The suicide of a close relative or friend increases your risk of developing a physical illness.
D) The suicide of a family member in your age group increases your risk of developing a mood disorder.
A) The suicide of a close relative or friend increases your risk of committing suicide.
A couple has been married for almost 50 years,and then one of them dies.The probability that the surviving spouse will commit suicide:
A) is much higher than normal.
B) is a little higher than normal,but it drops to normal levels within about six months.
C) does not change much at all.
D) drops substantially,especially if the couple had been having marital difficulties.
A) is much higher than normal.
.
.
.
.
The MOST well-developed understanding of the causes of suicide come from the:
A) biological model.
B) psychoanalytic model.
C) cognitive-behavioral model.
D) sociocultural model.
D) sociocultural model.
Which description BEST defines self-injury?
A) a behavioral pattern of mutilating oneself or causing oneself pain
B) the most common method of parasuicide
C) a psychological disorder
D) an accident that causes personal pain and distress
A) a behavioral pattern of mutilating oneself or causing oneself pain
Which is the BEST example of dichotomous thinking?
A) One person is stressed by an event that does not bother another person.
B) You have your opinion about suicide,and I have mine.
C) There are lots of factors that put someone at risk for suicide,not just one.
D) There’s only one thing to do,and nothing else matters.
D) There’s only one thing to do,and nothing else matters.
The child at GREATEST risk for suicide is one who:
A) is not allowed to get a pet but keeps asking for one.
B) has experienced family stress such as parental unemployment or abuse.
C) does not fully understand death.
D) engages with friends but also likes to spend time playing alone.
B) has experienced family stress such as parental unemployment or abuse.
A U.S.teenager attempting suicide for the first time will MOST likely:
A) not succeed and almost certainly will never attempt suicide again.
B) not succeed but may try again.
C) not succeed and almost certainly will attempt suicide again.
D) succeed.
B) not succeed but may try again.
Which statement is NOT true regarding gender and suicide?
A) Women attempt suicide more often than men do.
B) Men use more lethal means to commit suicide than women do.
C) Women succeed at committing suicide more often than men do.
D) Men are more likely to commit suicide when they are elderly than when they are younger.
C) Women succeed at committing suicide more often than men do.
According to current estimates,the suicide rate in the United States is highest among which ethnicity?
A) African Americans
B) Hispanic Americans
C) American Indians
D) Asian Americans
C) American Indians
Which statement is TRUE regarding war veterans’ risk of suicide once they return home?
A) War veterans are about twice as likely as nonveterans to commit suicide.
B) War veterans are no more likely to commit suicide than are nonveterans.
C) War veterans are a little less likely to commit suicide than are nonveterans.
D) Family members of war veterans,not the veterans themselves,are at a higher suicide risk.
A) War veterans are about twice as likely as nonveterans to commit suicide.
Piper shot herself by placing the gun barrel in her mouth,in the middle of a dense wood where she knew she wouldn’t be heard or found.Piper is an example of what Edwin Shneidman refers to as a:
A) death seeker.
B) death initiator.
C) death ignorer.
D) death darer.
A) death seeker.
Assume that a recent local suicide attempt was clearly a case of modeling.The person who would MOST likely model another’s suicide would be a(n):
A) preteen.
B) teenager.
C) middle-age adult.
D) older adult.
B) teenager.
.
.
Retrospective analysis involves:
A) interviewing those thought to be at high risk for suicide.
B) developing a suicide profile,especially for mental patients and prisoners.
C) studying people who survive suicide attempts.
D) gathering information about a suicide victim’s past.
D) gathering information about a suicide victim’s past.
A person commits suicide in response to a social environment that fails to provide stable structures to support and give meaning to life.According to Durkheim,this represents an:
A) egoistic suicide.
B) altruistic suicide.
C) anomic suicide.
D) intragroup suicide.
C) anomic suicide.
Daniel’s emotional state has changed,putting him at higher risk for suicide.Which emotion has most likely increased?
A) guilt
B) anger
C) anxiety
D) sadness
D) sadness
How do death darers primarily differ from those in Shneidman’s other categories of people who attempt suicide?
A) They are ambivalent about their deaths.
B) They intend to end their lives with their actions.
C) They believe that death will not end their existence.
D) They believe they are merely speeding up an ongoing process.
C) They believe that death will not end their existence.
The behavior of those who engage in self-injurious behavior such as cutting:
A) fits into the criteria for suicidal behavior disorder.
B) represents a clear effort to end one’s life.
C) may represent an unconscious attempt at suicide.
D) is relatively uncommon and declining in frequency.
C) may represent an unconscious attempt at suicide.
In research on suicide,abnormal serotonin levels and a dysfunctional depression-related brain circuit seem MOST related to:
A) aggression.
B) introversion.
C) selfishness.
D) shame.
A) aggression.
Compared with adults who commit suicide,teenagers who commit suicide are:
A) more likely to be depressed.
B) more impulsive and have poorer problem-solving skills.
C) more likely to have feelings of hopelessness.
D) more prone to homicide than suicide.
B) more impulsive and have poorer problem-solving skills.
Which statement BEST supports the idea that teenagers who attempt suicide are more uncertain about killing themselves than elderly people are?
A) Teenagers have the opportunity for many more attempts than elderly people do.
B) Less than 1 percent of teenagers succeed at suicide.
C) Teenagers have far greater access to pro-suicide websites.
D) The media are much more likely to cover teen suicides than those of elderly people.
B) Less than 1 percent of teenagers succeed at suicide.
You are asked to speak before a local elementary school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)about suicide attempts by the very young.You should mention that suicide attempts by the very young often occur when they have:
A) shown a sudden drop in interest in death in general.
B) run away from home.
C) experienced the birth of a sibling.
D) begun to ignore criticism from others.
B) run away from home.
Studies indicate that LGBTQ teenagers are _____ times more likely to have suicidal thoughts and to attempt suicide.
A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five
B) three
