Psychological Disorders

Question 1

How many categories of psychological disorders are listed in the DSM-V?

Answer 1

20

You do not need to memorize all of these categories! However, some are more likely to appear on the MCAT than others. Categories that are tested relatively often include:

• Personality disorders
• Somatic symptom and related disorders
• Dissociative disorders
• Bipolar and related disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
• Anxiety disorders

Question 2

Which of the following is not a category of psychological disorder in the DSM-V?

• Dissociative disorders
• Linguistic disorders
• Personality disorders

Answer 2

Linguistic disorders

However, dissociative disorders and personality disorders are both categories in the DSM-V.

Question 3

Which of the following is not a category of psychological disorder in the DSM-V?

• Personality disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Hypochondriac disorders

Answer 3

Hypochondriac disorders

(Hypochondria is the former name for somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder, two conditions currently categorized as somatoform disorders.)

Personality disorders and depressive disorders are both categories in the DSM-V.

Question 4

Which of the following is not a category of psychological disorder in the DSM-V?

• Somatic symptom and related disorders
• Bipolar and related disorders
• Parkinson’s disease and related disorders

Answer 4

Parkinson’s disease and related disorders

Parkinson’s disease is a nervous system disorder, not a psychological disorder. The other two options listed on the front of this card are categories in the DSM-5.

Question 5

Fill in the blank.

Approximately _____ of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with some form of mental illness.

Answer 5

25%

Question 6

Fill in the blank.

________ ______ are characterized by excessive amounts of fear (phobias) or worry.

Answer 6

Anxiety disorders

These include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Question 7

What condition is most likely affecting a patient who washes their hands up to 100 times a day and experiences tremendous anxiety when unable to do so?

Answer 7

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

This disorder is characterized by obsessive, recurring thoughts. These thoughts are commonly accompanied by physical or verbal rituals or compulsions.

Question 8

PTSD is an example of what type of psychological disorder?

Answer 8

trauma/stressor-related disorder

These are characterized by anxiety, depression, or both in response to a traumatic event.

Question 9

Paranoid, schizoid, histrionic, avoidant, schizotypal, dependent, borderline, antisocial, narcissistic, and obsessive-compulsive are all examples of what larger class of disorder?

Answer 9

Personality disorders

These are all characterized by long-lasting thoughts and behaviors that prevent the patient from adhering to socially acceptable behavioral/thought patterns.

Question 10

True or false.

Individuals with schizophrenia are always also diagnosed with either schizoid or schizotypal personality disorder.

Answer 10

False

Schizoid and schizotypal personality disorders are entirely separate from schizophrenia!

Schizoid personality disorder refers to a lack of desire to engage socially, while schizotypal personality disorder refers to a pervasive pattern of eccentric thoughts, such as belief in magic or psychic tendencies. (However, of course, not all individuals who believe in these things have schizotypal personality disorder.)

Question 11

Fill in the blank.

Cluster A of the personality disorders includes schizoid, paranoid, and ________ personality disorder.

Answer 11

schizotypal

Individuals with these disorders may seem eccentric or odd and are typically socially withdrawn.

Question 12

Fill in the blank.

Don’t let the name of this personality disorder mislead you! ______ ________ _______ is marked by social withdrawal, not by extreme paranoia or delusions.

Answer 12

Schizoid personality disorder

Individuals with schizoid personality disorder may have few or no friends and may be socially awkward.

Question 13

Individuals who constantly believe that everyone around them is conspiring against them are most likely to have which of the Cluster A personality disorders?

Answer 13

Paranoid personality disorder

As one might expect from its name, paranoid personality disorder is marked by extreme paranoia.

Question 14

What is the only Cluster A personality disorder characterized by outright psychosis and paranoid ideation?

Answer 14

Schizotypal personality disorder

While this disorder is still distinct from schizophrenia, it resembles schizophrenia more closely than the other Cluster A disorder with a similar name: schizoid personality disorder.

Question 15

Fill in the blank.

Cluster B of the personality disorders includes narcissistic, antisocial, borderline, and ________ personality disorder.

Answer 15

histrionic

Individuals with these disorders may seem erratic, dramatic, and/or highly emotional.

Question 16

What personality disorder is characterized by** emotional instability, an intense attachment to certain individuals**, and strong negative feelings toward others?

Answer 16

Borderline personality disorder

This condition is more common in women than men. The described tendency toward viewing people as either wholly perfect or entirely terrible is termed splitting.

Question 17

What personality disorder is characterized by a lack of conscience, disregard for morality, and a tendency to exploit others for personal gain?

Answer 17

Antisocial personality disorder

This condition is much more common in men than women and is highly represented among people who have had problems with the law.

Question 18

An intense need for admiration and a strong sense of self-importance and entitlement characterize which Cluster B personality disorder?

Answer 18

Narcissistic personality disorder

Individuals with this condition are typically preoccupied with their own importance and become enraged when criticized.

Question 19

Fill in the blank.

Intense, pervasive attention-seeking behavior is the hallmark of ________ personality disorder.

Answer 19

histrionic

People with this Cluster B disorder are typically highly dramatic and extroverted.

Question 20

Fill in the blank.

Cluster C of the personality disorders includes dependent, avoidant, and _______-_________ personality disorder.

Answer 20

obsessive-compulsive

Cluster C is known as the fearful, anxious cluster of personality disorders.

Question 21

What Cluster C personality disorder shares its name with another psychological disorder but is distinct from it?

Answer 21

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

This condition is marked by a consistent, long-lasting focus on rules, neatness, and perfectionism.

Question 22

Intense social anxiety and shyness combined with a strong desire for social acceptance characterize which Cluster C personality disorder?

Answer 22

Avoidant personality disorder

People with avoidant personality disorder may be highly sensitive to rejection.

Question 23

What Cluster C personality disorder, as its name implies, is characterized by a persistent need for reassurance, support, and advice in decision-making?

Answer 23

Dependent personality disorder

People with this disorder may seem “needy” or “clingy” and may rely on loved ones for help making even simple decisions.

Question 24

Fill in the blank.

Most psychological disorders are ego-________, meaning that the individual finds them stressful, distressing, and/or inconsistent with the individual’s self-perceived identity.

Answer 24

dystonic

The majority of psychological disorders are ego-dystonic. Essentially, this means the individual with the disorder finds it unpleasant and does not believe that it reflects who they really are.

Question 25

Fill in the blank.

Ego-________ psychological disorders are perceived by the individual to be in line with his or her identity and therefore normal and not distressing.

Answer 25

syntonic

In short, this means that the feelings and actions elicited by the disorder are perceived to be aligned with the ego of the individual.

Question 26

While the majority of psychological disorders are ego-dystonic, which category of disorder is known to typically be ego-syntonic?

Answer 26

Personality disorders

An easy way to remember this is to consider one example, narcissistic personality disorder. Anyone who has ever been close with someone with this disorder knows that they often perceive it as correct and aligned with their identity and goals.

Question 27

What type of disorder is characterized by memory loss, detachment from the self or one’s body, and an altered perception of identity?

Answer 27

Dissociative disorders

Examples include dissociative identity disorder, depersonalization disorder, and dissociative amnesia.

Question 28

What is the current term for the condition formerly known as multiple personality disorder?

Answer 28

Dissociative identity disorder

This name change was made to reflect the fact that multiple personalities wasn’t the correct description; rather, personality refers to the individual as a whole. Instead, these individuals lack a cohesive identity.

Question 29

Fill in the blank.

______ ______ disorders include hypochondriasis, body dysmorphic disorder, somatization disorder, and conversion disorder.

Answer 29

Somatic symptom

Somatic symptom disorders are characterized by physical symptoms and associated negative thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that cannot be explained by substance use, physiological irregularity, or any other psychological disorder.

Question 30

What are the hallmark symptoms of schizophrenia, a type of psychotic disorder?

Answer 30

• loss of touch with reality
• audio/visual hallucinations
• psychosis
• delusions

Question 31

In the context of schizophrenia, what are positive symptoms?

Answer 31

Positive symptoms are symptoms that appear in addition to typical behavior. (The term “positive” means “added,” not “good”!)

Examples of positive symptoms include hallucinations and delusions.

Question 32

In the context of schizophrenia, what are negative symptoms?

Answer 32

Negative symptoms are those that involve the lack or absence of typical behavior.

Negative symptoms include a lack of interest in the world and an inability to feel pleasure, among others.

Question 33

A common symptom of schizophrenia is “flat affect,” which refers to a lack of emotional expressiveness. Is this a positive or a negative symptom?

Answer 33

negative symptom

Remember, symptoms that involve the lack of something (here, the lack of emotional expressiveness) are negative symptoms.

Flat affect often manifests as a blank look on the face and a monotone-like manner of speech.

Question 34

What model explains the development of psychological disorders by focusing on the interaction between genetic predisposition and stressful life events?

Answer 34

Diathesis-stress model

This model is most often used in the context of schizophrenia. It posits that, while many individuals may have genetic or biological predispositions to the disorder (“diatheses”), they may only develop the disorder in response to major life stressors (“stresses”).

Question 35

What type of disorders are characterized by feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and sadness?

Answer 35

Depressive disorders

Question 36

What is the term for the loss of pleasure in activities previously found enjoyable, often experienced by individuals with major depressive disorder?

Answer 36

anhedonia

Put simply, anhedonia is an inability to feel pleasure.

Question 37

What condition is characterized by James’ long-term low mood and lack of energy that do not meet the criteria for a major depressive episode?

Answer 37

dysthymia

In addition, James would likely be diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder, which applies to individuals who have experienced dysthymia (depressed mood that does not meet the criteria for major depressive disorder) for at least two years.

Question 38

What extreme mood changes characterize bipolar disorder, a type of mood disorder?

Answer 38

mood swings and energy levels

This type of mood disorder is characterized by patients “bouncing” from depressive episodes (low energy, sadness, low motivation) to manic episodes (elevated mood, irritability, surplus energy).

Question 39

What type of bipolar disorder is characterized by full-blown manic episodes?

Answer 39

Bipolar I disorder

Bipolar I disorder is marked by more severe manic episodes than bipolar II disorder.

Question 40

What type of bipolar disorder is characterized by hypomania (less severe than manic episodes) and requires the presence of major depressive episodes, unlike bipolar I?

Answer 40

Bipolar II disorder

Bipolar II includes less severe mania than bipolar I (manifested as hypomania instead of full-blown manic episodes) but more severe depression (as, to be diagnosed with bipolar II, the individual must exhibit major depressive episodes).

Question 41

Fill in the blank.

The _______ hypothesis of schizophrenia posits that the disease may stem from irregular, overactive signal transduction.

Answer 41

dopamine

Some patients with schizophrenia may have high levels of dopamine in the brain or overactive D₂ receptors.

Question 42

True or false.

Patients with depression often present with atypical levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. High levels of adrenal-derived cortisol may be present in the blood as well.

Answer 42

True

Research suggests that there is also a genetic component to depression.

Question 43

Fill in the blank.

One of the two classic findings in brains with Alzheimer’s disease upon autopsy are ________ plaque formations, which surround and kill brain cells.

Answer 43

ß-amyloid

There can also be a genetic component to this disease.

Question 44

Fill in the blank.

One of the two classic findings in brains with Alzheimer’s disease upon autopsy are ________ _____, which are long, thin aggregates of tau proteins that prevent proper maintenance of neurons.

Answer 44

neurofibrillary tangles

Question 45

Fill in the blank.

Parkinson’s disease is characterized by the progressive degeneration of cells located in the __________ _____ ____ _______ region of the midbrain.

Answer 45

substantia nigra pars compacta

Question 46

The cells that degenerate in patients with Parkinson’s disease typically produce which neurotransmitter?

Answer 46

dopamine

Normally, dopamine facilitates the communication of the substantia nigra (the part of the brain that deteriorates in Parkinson’s disease) with the corpus striatum.

Question 47

Fill in the blank.

Loss of certain nervous system cells in ALS, Parkinson’s, and other diseases may be treated by the introduction of _____ _____, which can provide progenitors of astrocytes, neurons, glial cells, etc.

Answer 47

stem cells

Specifically, this would require the introduction of pluripotent stem cells.