Psychopathology Flashcards
A DSM-5 diagnosis of gender dysphoria requires the presence of marked incongruence between a person’s experienced/expressed gender and his/her assigned gender for at least:
A. 18 months for children and adolescents and 12 months for adults.
B. 12 months for children and adolescents and 6 months for adults.
C. 9 months for children, adolescents, and adults.
D. 6 months for children, adolescents, and adults.
D. 6 months for children, adolescents, and adults.
The symptoms of gender dysphoria differ somewhat for children and for adolescents and adults, but the DSM-5 requires a minimum duration of symptoms of six months for individuals of all ages.
Pretest
Moffitt (2003) attributes the life-course persistent type of antisocial behavior to which of the following?
A. a “maturity gap”
B. a “coercive family process” and inadequate parental supervision
C. a lack of moral conscience and empathy
D. neuropsychological vulnerabilities and an adverse social environment
D. neuropsychological vulnerabilities and an adverse social environment
Moffitt distinguishes between life-course persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial behavior. The life-course persistent type is more serious and is the result of a combination of inherited or acquired neuropsychological vulnerabilities (e.g., deficits in verbal and executive functioning) and an adverse social (criminogenic) environment, while the adolescence-limited type is due to a maturity gap, which is a gap between an adolescent’s biological and social maturity. See, e.g., T. E. Moffitt, Life-course persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial behavior: A 10-year research review and research agenda, in B. B. Lahey, T. E. Moffitt, and A. Caspi (Eds.), Causes of conduct disorder and juvenile delinquency (pp. 49-75), New York, Guilford Press, 2003.
Pretest
A revised version of the original dopamine hypothesis proposes that the negative symptoms of schizophrenia are due to:
A. hyperactive dopamine transmission in certain subcortical areas of the brain.
B. hypoactive dopamine transmission in certain subcortical areas of the brain.
C. hyperactive dopamine transmission in certain cortical areas of the brain.
D. hypoactive dopamine transmission in certain cortical areas of the brain.
D. hypoactive dopamine transmission in certain cortical areas of the brain.
The research has not provided entirely consistent results but suggests that factors that contribute to the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia differ: One theory is that positive symptoms are due to dopamine hyperactivity in subcortical regions of the brain (especially certain striatal areas), while negative symptoms are due to dopamine hypoactivity in cortical regions (especially the prefrontal cortex). See, e.g., R. Kuepper, M. Skinbjerg, and A. Abi-Dargham, The dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia revisited: New insights into topography and course, in G. Gross and M. A. Geyer (Eds.), Current antipsychotics (pp. 1-26), New York, Springer, 2012.
Pretest
According to the DSM-5, about ________ of women have symptoms that are sufficiently severe to meet the criteria for a major depressive episode during pregnancy or the weeks or months after delivery. In contrast, other sources most often report ________ rates.
A. 3 to 6%; lower
B. 3 to 6%; higher
C. 8 to 12%; lower
D. 8 to 12%; higher
B. 3 to 6%; higher
Estimates of peripartum depression (major depressive disorder with peripartum onset in the DSM-5) vary somewhat: The DSM-5 states that “between 3% and 6% of women will experience the onset of a major depressive episode during pregnancy or in the weeks or months following delivery.” In contrast, other sources usually report higher rates, often in the 10 to 20% range.
Pretest
Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based therapy that’s used to treat:
A. adult survivors of child sexual abuse.
B. children and adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse or other trauma.
C. adolescents and adults with PTSD and a substance use disorder.
D. adults with combat-related PTSD.
B. children and adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse or other trauma.
TF-CBT was originally developed for children and adolescents ages 3 to 18 to address problems related to child sexual abuse. It has subsequently been used to treat children and adolescents who have been exposed to other types of traumatic events.
Pretest
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ordinarily has a:
A. long latency period followed by a rapid deterioration in functioning.
B. long latency period followed by a gradual deterioration in functioning.
C. short latency period followed by a rapid deterioration in functioning.
D. short latency period followed by a gradual deterioration in functioning.
A. long latency period followed by a rapid deterioration in functioning.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is categorized in the DSM-5 as a neurocognitive disorder due to prion disease. It’s caused by a slow-acting virus that has a long latency period; however, once symptoms appear, deterioration in functioning is rapid.
Pretest
Drugs that block or reduce __________ activity are the primary pharmacological treatment for Tourette’s disorder.
A. serotonin
B. dopamine
C. glutamate
D. GABA
B. dopamine
Knowing that antipsychotic drugs are used to treat Tourette’s disorder and other tic disorders and that they exert their therapeutic effects by blocking dopamine receptors would have helped you identify dopamine as the correct answer to this question.
Pretest
Which of the following is not one of the core symptoms identified in the DSM-5 for neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies?
A. fluctuating cognition that involves changes in attention and executive functions
B. recurrent and detailed visual hallucinations
C. compulsive/ritualistic behaviors
D. spontaneous features of parkinsonism
C. compulsive/ritualistic behaviors
The DSM-5 identifies the symptoms listed in answers A, B, and D as the core diagnostic features of neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies. Perseverative, stereotyped, or compulsive/ritualistic behavior is a diagnostic criterion for frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder.
Pretest
Sleep abnormalities are considered to be core features of major depressive disorder, with research linking it to all of the following except:
A. decreased REM density.
B. decreased REM latency.
C. reduced slow-wave sleep.
D. prolonged sleep latency.
A. decreased REM density.
Decreased REM latency (shortened latency from sleep onset to REM sleep), reduced slow-wave (stages 3 and 4) sleep, prolonged sleep latency (a longer time to fall asleep), and increased REM density (more rapid eye movements per unit of time) have been linked to major depressive disorder, especially in adults.
Pretest
Which of the following is not identified in the DSM-5 as a characteristic symptom of a panic attack?
A. feeling detached from oneself.
B. increased sensitivity to environmental stimuli
C. concern about losing control of one’s mental functions
D. numbness or tingling sensations
B. increased sensitivity to environmental stimuli
To identify the correct answer to this question, you need to notice that it’s asking which symptom is not included in the DSM-5 as a symptom of a panic attack. The symptoms listed in answers A, C, and D are all included in DSM-5, albeit with slightly different language: depersonalization (being detached from oneself), fear of losing control or “going crazy,” and paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations). Increased sensitivity to environmental stimuli is not listed as a characteristic symptom of a panic attack.
Pretest
Schizoaffective disorder is likely to be the appropriate diagnosis for a client if her psychotic symptoms have:
A. always occurred with concurrent mood symptoms.
B. occurred concurrently with mood symptoms except for a period of at least two weeks when her psychotic symptoms were absent.
C. occurred concurrently with mood symptoms except for a period of at least two weeks when her mood symptoms were absent.
D. occurred concurrently with mood symptoms except for a period of at least one month when her mood symptoms were absent.
C. occurred concurrently with mood symptoms except for a period of at least two weeks when her mood symptoms were absent.
EXPLANATION
Answer C is correct. Schizoaffective disorder is characterized by concurrent symptoms of schizophrenia and a major depressive or manic episode for most of the duration of the illness, but with the presence of delusions or hallucinations for two or more weeks without mood symptoms.
The most likely diagnosis for a client who had auditory hallucinations and disorganized speech for five weeks and odd behaviors and anhedonia for an additional seven months is:
A. major depressive disorder with psychotic features.
B. schizophreniform disorder.
C. schizoaffective disorder.
D. schizophrenia.
D. schizophrenia.
EXPLANATION
Answer D is correct. The DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia requires the presence of at least two active-phase symptoms for at least one month with at least one symptom being delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech plus continuous signs of the disorder (e.g., odd behaviors and avolition) for at least six months.
A poor prognosis for people with schizophrenia is least associated with which of the following? A. female gender B. anosognosia C. early age of onset D. predominantly negative symptoms
A. female gender
EXPLANATION
Answer A is correct. A poorer prognosis for schizophrenia has been linked to several factors, including those listed in answers B, C, and D. In contrast, female gender is associated with a better prognosis.
As reported by I. I. Gottesman (1991), the concordance rate for schizophrenia is about \_\_\_% for monozygotic twins and \_\_\_\_% for dizygotic twins. A. 50; 30 B. 50; 25 C. 48; 24 D. 48; 17
D. 48; 17
EXPLANATION
Answer D is correct. Reported concordance rates vary somewhat. However, this question is asking specifically about the rates reported by I. I. Gottesman, who is frequently cited in the literature. He reported a 48% rate for monozygotic (identical) twins and a 17% rate for dizygotic (fraternal) twins.
A person whose biological mother and father have both received a diagnosis of schizophrenia is about \_\_\_\_\_ times more likely to receive the same diagnosis as a person whose only biological relative with schizophrenia is his or her non-twin sibling. A. 50 B. 16 C. 5 D. 2
C. 5
EXPLANATION
Answer C is correct. To identify the correct answer to this question, you need to know that the risk for receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia is about 46% for a person whose biological mother and father have received the diagnosis, while the risk is about 9% for a person whose biological non-twin sibling is the only relative who has received the diagnosis. Forty-six divided by 9 is 5.1, which means that a person whose biological mother and father have received the diagnosis of schizophrenia is about 5 time more likely to receive the diagnosis than a person whose only relative with schizophrenia is a biological non-twin sibling.
Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) indicate that which of the following age groups most often had the highest rates of depression from 2009 to 2017? A. 12 to 17 B. 18 to 25 C. 26 to 49 D. 50+
A. 12 to 17
EXPLANATION
Answer A is correct. Results of the NSDUH indicate that, from 2009 to 2017, the highest rates of depression (with three exceptions) were for respondents ages 12 to 17 followed by, in order, respondents ages 18 to 25, 26 to 49, and 50+. The exceptions were in 2009, 2010, and 2017: In 2009, respondents ages 12 to 17 and 18 to 25 had a similar rate; in 2010, respondents ages 18 to 25 had a slightly higher rate than those ages 12 to 17; and, in 2017, respondents ages 12 to 17 and 18 to 25 again had similar rates. In 2017, the rates for respondents ages 12 to 17 and 18 to 25 were both slightly above 13%, the rate for respondents ages 26 to 49 was slightly below 8%, and the rate for respondents ages 50+ was slightly below 5%.
Research has found that the experience of depression is associated with:
A. hyperactivity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
B. hyperactivity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and hypoactivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
C. hypoactivity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and hyperactivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
D. hypoactivity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
B. hyperactivity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and hypoactivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
EXPLANATION
Answer B is correct. Brain imaging studies have found that depression is associated with abnormally high levels of activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and abnormally low levels of activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Note that a mnemonic for remembering this is to use the “l” in dlPFC to recall that depression is associated with a low level of activity in the dlPFC – and that the opposite (a high level of activity) occurs in the vmPFC.
