Question 1

Some psychologists believe that due partly to a broader definition of trauma, mental health professionals have been overdiagnosing

Accepted Answer

Some psychologists believe that the broader definition of trauma has led to an increased diagnosis of PTSD. This is because the definition includes more types of events that can cause trauma, such as witnessing or learning about a traumatic event happening to someone else, which may result in more individuals being diagnosed with PTSD.

Question 2

An incapacitating and highly distressing fear about being embarrassed in the presence of others is most characteristic of

Accepted Answer

The fear of being embarrassed in the presence of others is a common symptom of social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia. People with social anxiety disorder may experience intense fear or anxiety in social situations, and may engage in avoidance behaviors as a result. Panic disorder involves recurrent panic attacks, which are sudden periods of intense fear or discomfort. Antisocial disorder refers to a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, and does not typically involve fear or anxiety related to social situations. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves intrusive and repetitive thoughts, as well as compulsive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety, but does not necessarily involve social anxiety or fear of embarrassment in particular.

Question 3

Two years after being brutally beaten and raped, Brianna still experiences jumpy anxiety and has trouble sleeping and vivid flashbacks of her assault. Brianna is most clearly showing signs of

Accepted Answer

Brianna's symptoms of jumpy anxiety, trouble sleeping, and vivid flashbacks are all characteristic symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a disorder that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event, such as rape, and it can cause intense emotional and psychological distress. Panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder all have different symptom profiles that do not match Brianna's symptoms as closely as PTSD.

Question 4

Most political dissidents who survive dozens of episodes of torture do not later exhibit PTSD. This best illustrates survivor

Accepted Answer

The fact that most political dissidents who survive torture do not exhibit PTSD suggests that they have a high level of resiliency, which means they are able to cope with and recover from traumatic experiences.

Question 5

In comparison to generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder is characterized by periods of distress that are

Accepted Answer

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden and intense episodes of fear or panic, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, and shortness of breath. These episodes typically last for a few minutes, but can be very intense during that time. In contrast, generalized anxiety disorder involves more persistent and less intense worries and fears that can last for months or even years.

Question 6

Obsessions are

Accepted Answer

Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive, and often disturbing thoughts, images, or impulses that persistently occupy a person's mind, leading to anxiety and distress. They are often irrational and against the individual's will, and they may be accompanied by ritualistic behaviors known as compulsions. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder that involves recurrent, unwanted thoughts or images and repetitive behaviors or mental acts aimed at reducing anxiety or preventing feared outcomes.

Question 7

The social withdrawal and haunting nightmares of battle-scarred war veterans best illustrate symptoms of

Accepted Answer

The symptoms of social withdrawal and haunting nightmares are commonly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among war veterans. DID (dissociative identity disorder) involves the presence of two or more distinct personality states, ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) involves symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) involves persistent and distressing thoughts and repetitive behaviors. While some veterans may also experience symptoms of ADHD or OCD, the combination of social withdrawal and nightmares specifically points to PTSD.

Question 8

Positive psychological changes that result from struggling with extremely challenging life crises demonstrate

Accepted Answer

Posttraumatic growth refers to the positive psychological changes that can occur as a result of struggling with extremely challenging life crises such as trauma, illness, or loss. This can lead to increased resilience, a greater appreciation for life, and the development of stronger relationships and personal values. Choices A, B, and D are not related to this concept.

Question 9

Incapacitating efforts to avoid specific anxiety-producing situations is most indicative of certain

Accepted Answer

Incapacitating efforts to avoid specific anxiety-producing situations are a hallmark of phobias. Delusions are false and fixed beliefs that do not relate to anxiety-provoking situations. Hallucinations are perceptions that are not based in external reality. Obsessions are repetitive and intrusive thoughts or impulses that cause distress but may not necessarily lead to avoidance behavior.

Question 10

The incidence of OCD is greatest among

Accepted Answer

OCD usually begins to appear in late childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. Therefore, the incidence of OCD is greatest among teens and young adults.

Question 11

Kaylee is so afraid of spiders and insects that she avoids most outdoor activities and even refuses to go to the basement of her own house alone. Kaylee appears to suffer from

Accepted Answer

Kaylee's fear of spiders and insects is an irrational and excessive fear, which is consistent with a phobia. A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by a persistent and overwhelming fear of a specific object or situation, leading to avoidance behaviors. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves obsessions, which are repetitive, intrusive and unwanted thoughts, and compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors that the person feels driven to perform. Personality disorders involve enduring patterns of behavior that deviate from cultural norms and cause distress or impairment in functioning. Generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive and uncontrollable worry about various everyday life events and experiences. None of these disorders specifically involve a fear of spiders and insects, unlike phobia.

Question 12

Anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult is indicative of

Accepted Answer

Agoraphobia is characterized by anxiety about being in situations where escape might be difficult or help might not be available, often leading to avoidance of such situations.

Question 13

Cecil is preoccupied with thoughts of jumping out the window of his tenth-floor apartment. To reduce his anxiety, he frequently counts his heartbeats aloud. Cecil would most likely be diagnosed as experiencing

Accepted Answer

Cecil's behavior of counting heartbeats aloud to reduce anxiety suggests a compulsion, which is characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Question 14

Some people are more vulnerable to PTSD because they have a sensitive ________, which floods the body with stress hormones.

Accepted Answer

The limbic system is responsible for regulating emotions and processing memories, which are key components of PTSD. When someone experiences a traumatic event, the limbic system may flood the body with stress hormones, leading to more severe symptoms of PTSD. The motor cortex (A), cerebellum (B), and frontal lobe (D) are not directly involved in the regulation of emotions and memories.

Question 15

Repeatedly thinking about your own death is to ________ as repeatedly washing your hands is to ________.

Accepted Answer

Repeatedly thinking about one's own death is an obsession, which is a persistent and unwanted thought or idea, while repeatedly washing one's hands is a compulsion, which is a repetitive behavior or action done to reduce anxiety.

Question 16

Which of the following disorders is characterized by the most sudden and unpredictable episodes of distress?

Accepted Answer

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden and unexpected panic attacks, which can be very distressing for individuals experiencing them. In contrast, social anxiety disorder and specific phobia are typically characterized by more predictable and specific situations that trigger anxiety or fear. Alcohol dependence is not a disorder related to anxiety or fear.

Question 17

Sadie is so fearful of being overwhelmed by anxiety that she rarely steps outside her apartment. The thought of going shopping and getting lost in a crowd terrifies her, so she has her groceries delivered. Because of her fear, she earns her living as a freelance writer, working at home. Sadie's behavior is most characteristic of

Accepted Answer

Sadie's fear of being overwhelmed by anxiety and avoidance of situations that may trigger this fear, such as going outside and being in crowds, are classic symptoms of agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder that involves a fear or avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult or help might not be available in case of a panic attack or other situation causing anxiety.

Question 18

The billionaire aviator Howard Hughes insisted that his assistants perform elaborate hand-washing rituals and wear white gloves when handling any document he would later touch. His behavior best illustrated the symptoms of

Accepted Answer

The elaborate hand-washing rituals and insistence on white gloves are symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Antisocial disorder (A) refers to a disregard for others' rights and a lack of empathy, which is not evidenced in Hughes' behavior. Bipolar disorder (C) is characterized by extreme mood swings, which is not evidenced in the behavior described. Social anxiety disorder (D) is characterized by intense anxiety in social situations, which is also not evident in the behavior described.

Question 19

Brain scans of PTSD patients suffering memory flashbacks reveal an aberrant and persistent activation of the

Accepted Answer

The right temporal lobe is responsible for memory retrieval and processing of emotional memories. The aberrant and persistent activation of this area in PTSD patients during memory flashbacks may contribute to the re-experiencing of traumatic events.

Question 20

While he was studying, Matthew was suddenly overwhelmed by feelings of intense apprehension. For several minutes he felt so agitated that he could not catch his breath. Matthew was most likely suffering from

Accepted Answer

Matthew experienced sudden feelings of intense apprehension and was agitated to the point of not being able to catch his breath, which are typical symptoms of a panic attack. Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or embarrassing, obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by intrusive, obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors, and delusions are false beliefs that are not based in reality.

Quiz 48: Anxiety Disorders, Ocd, and Ptsd