Psychological Disorders

1. Psychological Disorders

2. Ryan’s social phobia has led him to lose jobs and relationships. In this case, Ryan has a disorder because his behavior is: A. dangerous. B. common. C. medically based. D. dysfunctional.

3. If researchers discovered that genetically influenced abnormalities in brain structure contribute to bipolar disorder, this would most clearly add credibility to: A. the DSM-IV. B. the medical model. C. the social-cognitive perspective. D. psychoanalytic theory.

4. The DSM-IV is a diagnostic guide that: A. describes psychological disorders and their prevalence. B. describes psychological disorders and their causes. C. describes only disorders that have medical causes. D. has been shown to have poor reliability and validity.

5. Years after he barely survived a terrorist attack that killed his wife and two children, Mr. Puskari suffers recurring flashbacks and frequent nightmares of the event that render him incapable of holding a steady job. Mr. Puskari is most clearly showing signs of: A. obsessive-compulsive disorder. B. generalized anxiety disorder. C. post-traumatic stress disorder. D. dysthymic disorder.

6. From a learning perspective, phobias likely develop as a result of ___________, and ____________ helps to maintain them. A. operant conditioning; observational learning B. classical conditioning; reinforcement C. operant conditioning; reinforcement D. classical conditioning; observational learning

7. Amanda’s therapist suggests that her depression results from mistakenly blaming herself rather than a slumping economy for her recent job loss. Her therapist’s suggestion best illustrates a: A. DSM-IV diagnosis. B. psychoanalytic perspective. C. medical model. D. social-cognitive perspective.

8. Elaine feels that her life is empty. She has lost all interest in her career and hobbies, and wonders if she would be better off dead. She is most likely suffering from: A. a dissociative identity disorder. B. a generalized anxiety disorder. C. an antisocial personality disorder. D. a mood disorder.

9. Which of the following is TRUE? A. Compared to all other nations, the U.S. has the highest rate of suicide. B. Men commit suicide more often than women do. C. Suicide rates in the U.S. are lowest among the elderly. D. African Americans commit suicide more often than do whites.

10. Mr. James believes that people are constantly laughing at him and that FBI agents are trying to steal his life savings. Mr. James is most clearly suffering from: A. compulsions. B. catatonia. C. delusions. D. hallucinations.

11. Critical Thinking Questions

12. If your psychologist believes that psychological disorders can be diagnosed, treated, and cured through the use of standard tools, techniques, and medications, she is most likely looking at psychological disorders from which perspective? A. the medical perspective B. the psychoanalytic perspective C. the optimistic perspective D. the bio-social perspective

13. Brandy, who tends to have a pessimistic explanatory style, learns that she earned a poor grade on her psychology exam. Which attribution is most likely to help her cope without becoming depressed? A. “I’ll always be a poor student.” B. “The teacher gave a particularly hard exam this time.” C. “Of course my grade is bad, since I can’t do anything right.” D. “Once again I proved that I just don’t know how to study.”

14. You have a patient who has been suffering from schizophrenia. He has had the symptoms for several years after they slowly appeared over a period of time. In addition, you know that one of his grandparents suffered from similar symptoms. Your patient seems generally withdrawn and emotionless. In fact, he rarely moves from his chair during the day. Continued on next slide

15. Continued from previous slide He rarely exhibits the bizarre delusions and hallucinations. What prognosis can you give his family? A. The prognosis is good because the symptoms are not very bizarre. B. The prognosis is good because new medications have been shown to alleviate these symptoms completely. C. The prognosis is poor because of the chronic nature of the disorder. D. The prognosis is poor because very few people with schizophrenia ever have remissions.