Unit 11: Psychological Disorders

Question 1

What was Emil Kraepelin’s major contribution to psychology and psychiatry?

a) He wrote the first version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
b) He was the first person to promote the medical model in psychology and psychiatry.
c) He created psychoanalysis, a form of talk-based therapy for helping patients.
d) He created the first detailed system for classifying different psychological disorders.

Answer 1

d

Question 2

Why was it necessary for the American Psychiatric Association to produce the DSM?

a) It was the only way to ensure that asylums remained open for patients.
b) They need to ensure that psychiatrists and psychologists in different areas were using the same terminology for the same illnesses.
c) There were no other classification systems available.
d) The work of Kraepelin did not take into account the importance of Freud’s view of mental illnesses

Answer 2

b

Question 3

Why is the diagnosis of ADHD controversial?

a) The DSM-5 does not have clear criteria for diagnosing ADHD.
b) The therapies for helping children with ADHD are not effective, so diagnosing them is a waste of resources.
c) The disruption caused by children with ADHD is not sufficient to warrant a psychological diagnosis.
d) There is a danger that mildly hyperactive children will end up being unnecessarily medicated.

Answer 3

d

Question 4

The standard used to judge whether a defendant was capable of knowing that what he or she did was wrong is known as the

a) M’Naghten rule.
b) McLaughlin’s rule.
c) Law of Effect.
d) Criminal Responsibility law.

Answer 4

a

Question 5

As described in this section, in the legal system, the term “insanity”

a) means that an individual could not distinguish between right and wrong when he or she broke a law.
b) describes a person with any psychological disorder.
c) is itself a psychological disorder.
d) is not recognized by the legal profession or judicial system.

Answer 5

a

Question 6

Which of the following is a characteristic of personality disorders?

a) The increased cognitive flexibility found in most personality disorders can lead to superior problem-solving abilities.
b) They generally involve behaviours that are common in that person’s culture.
c) They often exhibit atypical levels of emotion (too much or too little) that can interfere with social relationships.
d) The individual can maintain many friendships due to his or her ability to empathize with others’ feelings.

Answer 6

c

Question 7

Jim frequently stole money from his roommates but felt little remorse. He has been in a number of fights and was recently charged with assault. Which personality disorder does Jim most likely have?

a) antisocial personality disorder
b) schizotypal personality disorder
c) schizoid personality disorder
d) paranoid personality disorder

Answer 7

a

Question 8

Narcissistic personality disorder involves

a) intensely experiencing both positive and negative emotions, an unstable sense of self, impulsivity, and difficult social relationships.
b) an inflated sense of self-importance and an excessive need for attention and admiration, as well as intense self-doubt and fear of abandonment.
c) a tendency to draw attention to oneself by being dramatic and flamboyant.
d) a willingness to harm others without remorse.

Answer 8

b

Question 9

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is best described as

a) a lack of regard for the feelings of others.
b) recurrent experiences of splits in identity, as though they were separated from each other.
c) a lost grasp on reality.
d) a problem with memory, attention, and the ability to form coherent thoughts.

Answer 9

b

Question 10

Which of the following is a personality disorder characterized by perfectionism?

a) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
b) dependent personality disorder
c) antisocial personality disorder
d) avoidant personality disorder

Answer 10

a

Question 11

The difference between obsessions and compulsions is that

a) obsessions are temporary, whereas compulsions are practically permanent.
b) obsessions and compulsions are the same thing.
c) obsessions are repetitive, unwanted thoughts, whereas compulsions are repetitive behaviours.
d) obsessions are repetitive behaviours, whereas compulsions are fears about specific events.

Answer 11

c

Question 12

OCD is related to problems with a specific neural network or “loop” in the brain. This network includes the

a) cerebellum, pons, and basal ganglia.
b) orbitofrontal cortex, pons, and amygdala.
c) orbitofrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and thalamus.
d) amygdala, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland.

Answer 12

c

Question 13

If anxiety leads to the onset of so many different disorders, how can it be a beneficial, adaptive process?

a) The anxiety response evolved to help attract mates.
b) The physiological response underlying anxiety prepares us to fight or flee.
c) Anxiety is a good way to gain sympathy.
d) It cannot be an adaptive process.

Answer 13

b

Question 14

Nguyen experiences periods of intense depression as well as periods in which his mood and energy levels are elevated. Which disorder does he most likely have?

a) bipolar disorder
b) unipolar depression
c) generalized anxiety disorder
d) major depression

Answer 14

a

Question 15

Depression is associated with higher activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, which may result in

a) lack of appetite.
b) periods of elevated mood and energy.
c) constipation.
d) a tendency to ruminate about negative events.

Answer 15

d

Question 16

A person with schizophrenia who experiences delusions that she is royalty is experiencing a(n) ________ symptom.

a) negative
b) undifferentiated
c) positive
d) catatonic

Answer 16

c

Question 17

An individual showing poor integration of thinking and emotion visits a psychiatrist claiming that all her neighbours are watching her.  Into which category of schizophrenia might the psychiatrist classify the individual?

a) paranoid
b) sisorganized
c) negative
d) catatonic

Answer 17

a

Question 18

Which of the following statements best summarizes the relationship between schizophrenia and violence?

a) People with schizophrenia cannot differentiate right from wrong, and therefore are prone to violence.
b) People with schizophrenia are twice as likely to be violent as non-mentally ill people.
c) Generally, people with schizophrenia are no more likely to become violent than non-mentally ill people, and if violence occurs, other factors, such as substance abuse, are likely to contribute to its cause.
d) People with schizophrenia are far more peaceful than non-mentally ill people.

Answer 18

c

Question 19

The neurodevelopmental hypothesis states that

a) prenatal exposure to the influenza virus definitely causes schizophrenia.
b) social factors are solely responsible for schizophrenia.
c) neural factors are solely responsible for schizophrenia.
d) irregular biological and environmental factors interact during early development and are likely responsible for schizophrenia.

Answer 19

d

Question 20

Which of the following statements is most accurate concerning the biochemical basis of schizophrenia?

a) Glutamate is responsible for positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
b) Dopamine levels are underactive throughout the brain.
c) High levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine are related to positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
d) Serotonin levels are too low.

Answer 20

c

Question 21

One common criticism of the DSM-5 is that

a) clinical opinion is ignored.
b) its diagnostic categories have not changed since 1980.
c) it is too difficult to use.
d) the number of symptoms necessary to be diagnosed with an illness seem arbitrary.

Answer 21

d

Question 22

________ involves intense extremes between positive and negative emotions, an unstable sense of self, impulsivity, and difficult social relationships.

a) Histrionic personality disorder
b) Narcissistic personality disorder
c) Borderline personality disorder
d) Antisocial personality disorder

Answer 22

c

Question 23

Which of the following biopsychosocial factors is least likely to be related to personality disorders?

a) enjoyment of pain
b) decreased activity of the frontal lobes
c) history of abuse
d) stress reactivity

Answer 23

a

Question 24

A criminal psychopath

a) is someone with an extreme form of antisocial personality disorder often associated with violence, stealing, and other illegal behaviours.
b) houses multiple personalities—some of which are violent.
c) is extremely dramatic and flamboyant, which sometimes leads to criminal behaviour.
d) is so focused on perfectly organizing the details of their life that they will become violent if they are interrupted

Answer 24

a

Question 25

Which of the following is believed to typically bring on dissociative identity disorder?

a) old age
b) extreme stress or trauma
c) genetics
d) a physical injury to the head

Answer 25

b

Question 26

Which condition is marked by a strong feeling of tension and worry, no matter what the situation may be?

a) a panic attack
b) generalized anxiety disorder
c) normal feelings of anxiety
d) a specific phobia

Answer 26

b

Question 27

The idea that anxiety disorders can be self-perpetuating means that

a) anxiety is always limited to one situation or place.
b) you choose when and what to be anxious about.
c) the emotions associated with anxiety lead to physiological responses, which in turn lead to more anxious emotions, creating a vicious cycle.
d) anxiety in one situation always causes anxiety in another situation, regardless of what is happening in those situations.

Answer 27

c

Question 28

Crystal often verbally expressed herself in strange ways (e.g., “Oh, for the love of zebras’ stripes.”) and was quite superstitious about the order in which she did different tasks in the morning. Which personality disorder does she most likely have?

a) schizoid personality disorder
b) paranoid personality disorder
c) schizotypal personality disorder
d) antisocial personality disorder

Answer 28

c

Question 29

There have been several famous cases of people with superior intellectual abilities that were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Does this mean that schizophrenia is the cause or the result of the genius?

a) No, because schizophrenia is almost always associated with very low IQs.
b) Yes; in fact the average IQ of people with schizophrenia is approximately 15% higher than average.
c) Yes, because people who are that smart are likely to develop schizophrenia simply because they know too much.
d) No; in fact the average IQ of people with schizophrenia may be slightly lower than average.

Answer 29

d

Question 30

Evidence for the neurodevelopmental hypothesis includes the fact that young children who eventually develop schizophrenia

a) had the flu during preschool.
b) show unusual motor patterns such as jerky, repeated movements.
c) lapse into periods of catatonia.
d) report hallucinations as early as four years of age.

Answer 30

b

Question 31

Sam was a brilliant child who entered medical school at the age of 16. Which of the following would distinguish Sam’s behaviour as abnormal rather than unusual?

a) identifying whether Sam can relate to his fellow students
b) an examination of Sam’s relationship with his parents
c) identifying whether Sam exhibits maladaptive behaviour
d) examining Sam’s brain activity using a brain scan

Answer 31

c

Question 32

Etiology is the study of the _________of an illness.

a) treatment
b) causes
c) symptoms
d) formal classification

Answer 32

b

Question 33

What is one of the most significant criticisms that has been made against the DSM?

a) It does not provide scientific evidence for the biopsychosocial model.
b) It outlines specific tests used for diagnosing mental illness.
c) It includes only a sample of all available treatment options.
d) Pharmaceutical companies appear to have had too much influence in defining diagnoses.

Answer 33

d

Question 34

You are the defence attorney for a habitual criminal offender who is now facing a life sentence for a triple murder. Your client asks you if an insanity defence can help him avoid conviction. Based on what you’ve learned from the text, what advice should you give him?

a) The client should represent himself in this case to prove to the jury how insane he is.
b) The insanity defence is probably not going to help because it is rarely used and is only advanced in less than 1 percent of cases.
c) The client should testify and create havoc in the courtroom to get his case thrown out.
d) The insanity defence is a good idea because it is a common occurrence and is advanced in about half of all cases like this one.

Answer 34

b

Question 35

While the use of labels can lead to unintended consequences for those who suffer from mental disorders, which of the following is one possible benefit?

a) There are no recognized negative side effects associated with the use of labels for psychological disorders, so they are entirely beneficial.
b) Labels are often key for identifying and treating specific psychological disorders.
c) Labels provide an alternative to the DSM system for diagnosing mental illness.
d) Using labels reduces the stigma associated with mental illness.

Answer 35

b

Question 36

Which of the following does not belong with the others?

a) avoidant personality disorder
b) schizoid personality disorder
c) schizotypal personality disorder
d) paranoid personality disorder

Answer 36

a

Question 37

The tendency to think in “all-or-none” terms is characteristic of

a) antisocial personality disorder.
b) a dissociative fugue.
c) paranoid schizophrenia.
d) borderline personality disorder.

Answer 37

d

Question 38

Joaquin has made a career of stealing older people’s retirement money by taking advantage of their trust and selling them phony retirement investments. Joaquin explains that he has done nothing wrong—if these people were not so greedy, they would not be so eager to invest in his phony schemes. In his mind, his victims got exactly what they deserved. Joaquin’s behaviour and attitude are typical of someone with ________ personality disorder.

a) schizotypal
b) antisocial
c) histrionic
d) dissociative

Answer 38

b

Question 39

People with psychopathy do not respond physiologically in the same manner that others do. For example, when compared to control participants, they

a) are hyper-responsive to loud sounds and bright lights.
b) show abnormalities in right-hemisphere activation.
c) did not develop normal conditioned responses to anticipated danger and pain.
d) have more parasympathetic activation.

Answer 39

c

Question 40

Which of the following is most likely to be cited by psychologists as a reason to be skeptical about dissociative identity disorder (DID)?

a) PET scan studies of people diagnosed with DID show physical evidence of the disorder.
b) There was a steep increase in DID rates from the 1970s to 1990s.
c) There is evidence of memory dissociation in those diagnosed with DID.
d) The association between DID and stressful events is dramatic.

Answer 40

b

Question 41

____________ disorders are characterized by fear or nervousness that is excessive, irrational, and maladaptive.

a) Personality
b) Dissociative
c) Mood
d) Anxiety

Answer 41

d

Question 42

Agoraphobia is an intense fear of

a) developing a mental illness.
b) clowns.
c) being responsible for the death of another.
d) having a panic attack in public.

Answer 42

d

Question 43

What is meant by the statement “some anxiety disorders are self-perpetuating”?

a) The fact that there is no known origin of most anxiety disorders suggests that they are internally based, and thus are maintained exclusively by one’s own psychological state.
b) The medications used to treat anxiety disorders change our neurochemical functioning to the point that, once the drugs are discontinued, the symptoms are bound to return.
c) Experiencing symptoms of an anxiety disorder can lead to thoughts and behaviours that reinforce the anxiety responses.
d) Society views those with anxiety disorders as being so odd or unusual that it is virtually impossible to get rid of the worry and fear that maintains the diagnosis.

Answer 43

c

Question 44

Sandra is suffering from major depression. She is convinced that she will always be unhappy, and her life will never change. Which of the three elements of the depressive explanatory style does this illustrate?

a) internalizing
b) stabilizing
c) globalizing
d) destabilizing

Answer 44

b

Question 45

From an evolutionary perspective, humans may be biologically predisposed to developing a phobia to which of the following?

a) guns
b) snakes
c) soap
d) nuclear weapons

Answer 45

b

Question 46

The schizophrenia prodrome refers to

a) a controversial treatment for the disorder.
b) a traumatic event that can trigger a schizophrenic episode.
c) a collection of characteristics that resemble mild forms of schizophrenia symptoms during adolescence.
d) the disruption in cognitive ability associated with the disorder.

Answer 46

c

Question 47

Neurological studies indicate that an excess of _______________ activity may be involved in producing the positive signs of schizophrenia.

a) epinephrine
b) GABA
c) dopamine
d) glutamate

Answer 47

c

Question 48

When psychologists viewed home movies of infants and children who subsequently developed schizophrenia, what did they find?

a) unusual motor patterns such as jerky, repeated, and unnecessary arm movements
b) nothing unusual
c) evidence of a “splitting” of personality
d) all the symptoms associated with schizophrenia

Answer 48

a

Question 49

While doing volunteer work at a mental hospital, Mary is put on a ward for adults with severe mental disorders. One patient remains in the same position for hours at a time and never talks. The doctors tell Mary this patient suffers from

a) depersonalization disorder.
b) disorganized schizophrenia.
c) catatonic schizophrenia.
d) paranoid schizophrenia.

Answer 49

c

Question 50

_____________ is 11 times more likely to occur for those who are mentally ill than for those without mental illness.

a) Becoming violent
b) Being a genius
c) Becoming a victim of crime
d) Becoming the perpetrator of a crime

Answer 50

c