Question 1

Monica complains of chest and head pains, amnesia, nausea, and sexual problems. She goes from doctor to doctor, but none can find a physical cause for her complaints. Stephen suddenly becomes blind one day shortly after his boss gives him several stressful deadlines. There is no physiological explanation for his blindness. Monica best illustrates ____, whereas Stephen best illustrates ____.
A) functional neurological symptom disorder; factitious disorder
B) complex somatic symptom disorder with somatization features; illness anxiety disorder
C) illness anxiety disorder; factitious disorder
D) somatic symptom disorder; functional neurological symptom disorder

Accepted Answer

Monica's symptoms and lack of physical cause suggest somatic symptom disorder, while Stephen's sudden blindness without a physiological cause suggests functional neurological symptom disorder.

Question 2

Bethany has spent the past ten years in and out of hospitals. She suffers from numerous physical complaints including severe hip, joint, leg, and head pain, and frequent bouts of diarrhea and bloating, and often reports breathing problems. Although numerous doctors and extensive tests revealed no physical problems, Bethany still reports vague symptoms of physical problems. Her problems would best fit a diagnosis of ____.
A) premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
B) somatic symptom disorder
C) illness anxiety disorder
D) body dysmorphic disorder

Accepted Answer

Bethany's symptoms and her persistent focus on physical complaints without any medical findings align with somatic symptom disorder, where psychological factors manifest as physical symptoms.

Question 3

What is the final step in treating dissociative identity disorder (DID)?
A) fusing and completely integrating the individual personalities
B) integrating all personalities such that they work together
C) giving the client permission to see the personalities as different aspects his/her personality
D) having the client incorporate each personality appropriately into daily life

Accepted Answer

The final step in treating DID is to fuse and completely integrate the individual personalities into one cohesive identity.

Question 4

In the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris deliberately fakes his own headaches and stomach pains so that he could avoid going to school. Aside from his irresponsibility, Ferris would best be diagnosed as exhibiting ____.
A) factitious disorder
B) impulse control disorder
C) malingering
D) illness anxiety disorder

Accepted Answer

Malingering involves deliberately faking or exaggerating symptoms for a specific external gain, such as avoiding school, which is what Ferris is doing.

Question 5

Which symptom is necessary for a diagnosis of illness anxiety disorder?
A) invention of physical issues for a purpose
B) a neurological symptom
C) concern with undetected physical illness
D) depression

Accepted Answer

Concern with undetected physical illness is a necessary symptom for a diagnosis of illness anxiety disorder.

Question 6

Which of the following is a somatic symptom disorder?
A) generalized anxiety disorder
B) dissociative identity disorder
C) functional neurological symptom disorder
D) depersonalization disorder

Accepted Answer

Functional neurological symptom disorder, also known as conversion disorder, is classified as a somatic symptom disorder, where psychological distress is expressed through physical symptoms.

Question 7

Marge has gone to doctors with more than twenty different somatic complaints in the past year and has had surgery four times. She has few anxiety or depressive symptoms, but doctors never satisfy her when they say, "There's nothing wrong with you physically." What is unusual about this patient?
A) People with somatic symptom disorders rarely shop around for doctors.
B) People with somatic symptom disorders usually show only one physical complaint.
C) Somatic symptom disorder often includes depression and anxiety.
D) Somatic symptom disorder affects mostly males.

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder often includes psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety, which can accompany the physical symptoms, making the condition more complex and challenging to treat.

Question 8

Donna is diagnosed as having dissociative identity disorder. She can expect that her therapist will first address ____.
A) traumatic memories
B) final fusion
C) reintegration
D) safety issues

Accepted Answer

Therapists typically first address safety issues to ensure the patient's well-being before delving into traumatic memories or working towards reintegration or final fusion.

Question 9

Tulugaq, an Inuit, experiences dissociative-like episodes that are accompanied by extreme excitement. He often performs aggressive and dangerous acts, although he does not remember them. One of his recent episodes was followed by convulsions and he went into a coma for two days. Tulugaq suffers from ____.
A) zar
B) brain fag
C) piblokto
D) dhat

Accepted Answer

Tulugaq exhibits symptoms of piblokto, which is a rare disorder experienced by Inuit people. It is also known as Arctic hysteria or Inuit shock and is characterized by dissociative-like episodes accompanied by extreme excitement, followed by convulsions or seizures, and often accompanied by aggressive or dangerous behavior. It is believed to be caused by a combination of cultural stressors and environmental factors. Neither zar nor dhat have symptoms consistent with Tulugaq's behavior, and brain fag is a term used in West Africa to describe mental exhaustion and is not related to Tulugaq's condition.

Question 10

Suppose you are the director of a mental health clinic in a neighborhood where many immigrants from India, China, and Korea live. You could expect that clients coming from these Asian backgrounds would ____.
A) feel that anyone with a somatic symptom disorder is morally weak
B) have almost no somatic symptom disorders
C) believe that any somatic complaints they have come from emotional stress
D) have physical complaints in reaction to stress

Accepted Answer

It is likely that clients coming from Asian backgrounds, such as India, China, and Korea, would have physical complaints in reaction to stress due to cultural beliefs that emphasize the importance of physical health and the interconnectedness of the mind and body. However, it is not appropriate to generalize and assume that they would believe anyone with a somatic symptom disorder is morally weak, or that they would have almost no somatic symptom disorders. Additionally, while it is true that they may believe that some somatic complaints come from emotional stress, this is not the only belief they may hold about the relationship between the mind and body.

Question 11

Which individual has symptoms that most likely indicate a possible functional neurological symptom disorder (conversion disorder)?
A) Joan, who says her legs have been paralyzed for six months but who shows no muscle atrophy
B) Keith, who goes from doctor to doctor complaining of pains and symptoms in many different parts of his body
C) Lilly, who constantly thinks about the size of her ears and wants plastic surgery to reconstruct them
D) Wes, who has had backaches that have gone on longer than his doctor thinks is reasonable

Accepted Answer

Joan's symptoms - paralysis without muscle atrophy - are commonly seen in functional neurological symptom disorders. Keith's symptoms could be indicative of somatic symptom disorder, but not necessarily conversion disorder. Lilly's symptoms are more indicative of body dysmorphic disorder than conversion disorder. Wes's backaches are too vague to specifically indicate a functional neurological symptom disorder.

Question 12

Joshua is a rehabilitation counselor whose job is to help people with disabilities become employed in an appropriate occupation. Joshua is concerned that there has been an increase in the number of people feigning physical injuries in order to receive government disability payments. What concept best identifies Joshua's concern?
A) factitious disorder
B) malingering
C) moral anxiety
D) collaborative empiricism

Accepted Answer

Malingering refers to the intentional fabrication or exaggeration of physical or psychological symptoms for external incentives, such as financial gain or avoiding work, which aligns with Joshua's concern about people feigning injuries for disability payments.

Question 13

Anita's parents are from India and continue to follow the traditions of that country. Her parents have matched a husband for her, and she is to be married in two weeks. One morning, however, Anita wakes up paralyzed, and has no use of her legs. A thorough medical examination can find nothing physically wrong that would account for Anita's paralysis. Anita would most likely be diagnosed with ____.
A) illness anxiety disorder
B) factitious disorder
C) malingering
D) functional neurological symptom disorder

Accepted Answer

Anita's symptoms align with functional neurological symptom disorder, where psychological factors manifest as physical symptoms without a medical cause.

Question 14

The chief difference between somatic symptom disorder and factitious disorders is whether the condition is ____.
A) a way of avoiding responsibility or not
B) iatrogenic or not
C) produced by the doctor's treatment or not
D) deliberately inflicted or not

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder involves symptoms that are not intentionally produced, whereas factitious disorders involve symptoms that are deliberately fabricated or exaggerated by the individual.

Question 15

Wanda fakes debilitating pain in hopes of receiving a large monetary award from an insurance company. Roberta experiences fever and pain because she has injected herself with bacteria. Wanda's behavior illustrates ____; Roberta's behavior illustrates ____.
A) malingering; somatoform disorder
B) malingering; factitious disorder
C) factitious disorder; malingering
D) factitious disorder; somatoform disorder

Accepted Answer

Wanda's behavior is malingering because she is faking symptoms for personal gain. Roberta's behavior is factitious disorder because she is intentionally causing illness to herself without obvious external incentives.

Question 16

What is the primary difference between factitious disorder and malingering?
A) The symptoms in factitious disorder may be deliberately induced while those in malingering are faked.
B) The symptoms in factitious disorder are not produced intentionally, whereas they are in malingering.
C) Both involve faking symptoms but those with factitious disorder are usually more successful than malingerers.
D) The feigning of symptoms in factitious disorder is motivated by economic gain, whereas the motivation in malingering is to get attention.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the primary difference between factitious...

Question 17

As Will approaches the witness stand, he stops and clutches his throat. He has to leave the courtroom because he is unable to speak. If he has no other symptoms, his condition might be diagnosed as ____.
A) dissociative fugue
B) factitious disorder
C) agoraphobia
D) functional neurological symptom disorder

Accepted Answer

Functional neurological symptom disorder, also known as conversion disorder, involves neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by medical evaluation. Will's sudden inability to speak without other symptoms fits this condition.

Question 18

Worldwide, the most common forms of somatic symptom disorder symptoms are ____.
A) gastrointestinal complaints and abnormal skin sensations
B) menstrual and abdominal pains
C) abdominal and chest pains
D) body odor and kidney weakness

Accepted Answer

Gastrointestinal complaints, such as nausea and bloating, and abnormal skin sensations, such as itching and tingling, are the most commonly reported physical symptoms in individuals with somatic symptom disorder. Other common symptoms may include fatigue, headaches, and pain in various parts of the body.

Question 19

A psychologist says, "We know it is a psychological disorder because there are cognitive distortions regarding the physical symptoms, which are not under voluntary control." What is the psychologist describing?
A) a somatic symptom disorder
B) an anxiety disorder
C) alcoholism
D) a dissociative disorder

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder involves cognitive distortions about physical symptoms that are not under voluntary control, fitting the psychologist's description.

Question 20

Which statement about somatic symptom disorder is accurate?
A) It is a form of dissociative disorder that is typically associated with poor outcomes.
B) It is rarely associated with anxiety, depression, or other psychiatric disorders.
C) It is relatively rare, having a prevalence of only up to 7% of the population.
D) It is more prevalent among educated individuals than among uneducated ones.

Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder is relatively rare, with a prevalence of up to 7% of the population. It often co-occurs with anxiety and depression, and is not specifically linked to educational level.

Quiz 6: Somatic and Dissociative Disorders

What is the final step in treating dissociative identity disorder (DID) ?

In the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris deliberately fakes his own headaches and stomach pains so that he could avoid going to school. Aside from his irresponsibility, Ferris would best be diagnosed as exhibiting ____.

Which symptom is necessary for a diagnosis of illness anxiety disorder?

Which of the following is a somatic symptom disorder?

Marge has gone to doctors with more than twenty different somatic complaints in the past year and has had surgery four times. She has few anxiety or depressive symptoms, but doctors never satisfy her when they say, "There's nothing wrong with you physically." What is unusual about this patient?

Donna is diagnosed as having dissociative identity disorder. She can expect that her therapist will first address ____.

Suppose you are the director of a mental health clinic in a neighborhood where many immigrants from India, China, and Korea live. You could expect that clients coming from these Asian backgrounds would ____.

Which individual has symptoms that most likely indicate a possible functional neurological symptom disorder (conversion disorder) ?

The chief difference between somatic symptom disorder and factitious disorders is whether the condition is ____.

Wanda fakes debilitating pain in hopes of receiving a large monetary award from an insurance company. Roberta experiences fever and pain because she has injected herself with bacteria. Wanda's behavior illustrates ; Roberta's behavior illustrates .

What is the primary difference between factitious disorder and malingering?

As Will approaches the witness stand, he stops and clutches his throat. He has to leave the courtroom because he is unable to speak. If he has no other symptoms, his condition might be diagnosed as ____.

Worldwide, the most common forms of somatic symptom disorder symptoms are ____.

A psychologist says, "We know it is a psychological disorder because there are cognitive distortions regarding the physical symptoms, which are not under voluntary control." What is the psychologist describing?

Which statement about somatic symptom disorder is accurate?