Question 1

A friend's grandmother is about to undergo electroconvulsive therapy. He is worried about what will happen to his grandmother, so he asks you what side effects can be expected. You should tell your friend that his grandmother will

Accepted Answer

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is known to cause temporary disorientation and memory problems in some patients. These side effects are common but usually resolve over time. Awareness during the treatment is not an issue because patients are under general anesthesia, and major deficits in functioning or significant speech impairments are not typical side effects of ECT.  ECT has proven quite successful in alleviating the symptoms of serious depression. However, because the biological mechanisms that cause it to be successful are largely unknown, and because of its potential side effects, it is usually reserved for the most severe cases of depression. ECT produces amnesia for the events in the period of time preceding the treatment as well as difficulty forming new memories. Most patients recover from these deficits in the first few weeks after treatment.

Question 2

In an early review of research on the effectiveness of therapy, Hans Eysenck reported that roughly two-thirds of all people with neurotic problems

Accepted Answer

Hans Eysenck's early review suggested that roughly two-thirds of individuals with neurotic problems would recover spontaneously within two years, without the need for therapeutic intervention.

Question 3

A researcher believes that if a new form of therapy works, it works only because the patient expects it to work. In psychology, this phenomenon is referred to as

Accepted Answer

The placebo effect occurs when a patient's symptoms are alleviated by an otherwise ineffective treatment, due to the patient's belief in that treatment's efficacy. This aligns with the researcher's belief described in the question.  Placebo therapy (therapy based on the belief that improvement will occur, which leads to actual improvement) is an important part of the therapeutic process. However, researchers generally want to show that their specific therapy is more effective than the placebo effect alone.

Question 4

A researcher would like to determine if a new form of therapy is more effective than a placebo therapy. The researcher should compare the new therapy to

Accepted Answer

Comparing the new therapy to a neutral therapy that just creates expectations of healing (often referred to as a placebo) allows the researcher to isolate the effect of the new therapy itself, distinguishing it from the psychological impact of receiving any form of treatment. This is a standard approach in clinical trials to assess the efficacy of a new treatment.  If the new form of therapy does not produce better outcomes than the placebo therapy, the new therapy has not been shown to be more effective than the placebo effect alone.

Question 5

With respect to the question of therapeutic effectiveness, researchers today are most concerned with asking

Accepted Answer

Researchers today focus on understanding the mechanisms behind psychotherapy's effectiveness and how specific treatments work for specific issues and individuals, rather than merely questioning if psychotherapy works in general.  The question of whether therapy works has been answered in general by previous studies. Researchers want to increase knowledge about what therapies work best for what problems, and to ensure that what works in research settings also works in the community where there is more diversity of symptoms and experiences.

Question 6

Students at a university are encouraged to take workshops that offer relaxation training so that they can better deal with test anxiety before it develops. This is an example of what is known as ________ prevention.

Accepted Answer

Primary prevention aims to prevent a problem or illness before it occurs. Encouraging students to take relaxation training to avoid test anxiety is an example of preventing the issue before it develops.  Primary prevention seeks to avoid the initial development of a problem rather than responding after the problem has emerged.

Question 7

Which of the following points does your author note is a particularly urgent concern with regard to the provision or receipt of Internet therapy?

Accepted Answer

Protecting the confidentiality of the client is a particularly urgent concern in Internet therapy due to the challenges in ensuring secure communication over the internet.

Question 8

Some therapists feel that the ________ of ________ therapy allows clients to reveal their most pressing problems and concerns, more quickly and with less embarrassment.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A) relative anonymity; e-mail. This is because the anonymity provided by e-mail therapy can make it easier for clients to open up about their issues without feeling embarrassed, as they might not have to face the therapist directly.  There are dangers and benefits to therapy conducted over e-mail. Dangers include misdiagnosis if clients share limited information without the increased scrutiny that is possible face to face. However, it may be true that clients are more willing to share concerns when they don't have to worry about the therapist's overt reactions.

Question 9

When a therapist is proposing a probable etiology, he or she is estimating the course the problem will take with and without any treatment.

Accepted Answer

Proposing a probable etiology means suggesting a likely cause or origin of the problem, not estimating the course of the problem with or without treatment.

Question 10

A person who is undergoing catharsis while in a session of psychoanalytic therapy will express strongly felt, but usually repressed, emotions.

Accepted Answer

Catharsis in psychoanalytic therapy involves the release and expression of strong, often repressed, emotions, which is considered a key aspect of the therapeutic process.

Question 11

Resistance is the process by which a person in psychoanalysis attaches feelings to a therapist formerly held toward some significant person who figures in a past emotional conflict.

Accepted Answer

The correct term for the process described is "transference," not resistance. Resistance refers to the patient's unconscious defense mechanisms that hinder the progress of psychoanalysis.

Question 12

Troubled interpersonal relationships and strong societal pressures are important focuses of the therapy of Harry Stack Sullivan.

Accepted Answer

Harry Stack Sullivan emphasized the importance of interpersonal relationships and societal contexts in his approach to psychotherapy, focusing on how these factors influence an individual's mental health and behavior.

Question 13

Systematic desensitization, flooding, and aversion therapy are forms of psychodynamic therapies developed by successors of Sigmund Freud.

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization, flooding, and aversion therapy are forms of behavior therapy, not psychodynamic therapy. They focus on changing specific behaviors and responses, rather than exploring unconscious processes as in psychodynamic therapy.

Question 14

Central to the theory of reciprocal inhibition, which Joseph Wolpe applied to treatment of fears and phobias, is the idea that the nervous system cannot be relaxed and agitated at the same time.

Accepted Answer

Reciprocal inhibition is based on the principle that two opposing states (relaxation and agitation) cannot coexist in the nervous system, which is why relaxation techniques can be used to counteract anxiety and fear responses.

Question 15

When using the technique known as flooding, a therapist might have a client who is afraid of the dark sit in a darkened room.

Accepted Answer

Flooding is a psychological treatment method where the person is exposed to their fear at its worst in a controlled environment, aiming to help them overcome the fear. Having a client who is afraid of the dark sit in a darkened room is an example of this technique.

Question 16

Aversion therapy would be a useful technique for treating an individual who is extremely fearful of dogs.

Accepted Answer

Aversion therapy is designed to create a negative response to a harmful stimulus or behavior, not to treat phobias or fears like fear of dogs. Techniques for treating phobias typically involve exposure therapy or cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Question 17

Research has determined that symbolic modeling therapy is more effective than participant modeling when treating phobias.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that participant modeling, where the therapist demonstrates and guides the patient through interactions with the feared object or situation, tends to be more effective than symbolic modeling (where the patient observes models interacting with the feared object or situation) in treating phobias. Participant modeling involves direct engagement and has been found to produce better outcomes in terms of reducing fear and avoidance behaviors.

Question 18

According to Aaron Beck, depression is maintained because depressed patients are unaware of the negative automatic thoughts that they habitually formulate.

Accepted Answer

Aaron Beck's cognitive theory of depression posits that depression is maintained by negative automatic thoughts, cognitive biases, and schemas, with patients often being unaware of these automatic thoughts and their impact on mood and behavior.

Question 19

According to Carl Rogers, the problem facing all humans is that we too often receive unconditional positive regard, so we never learn to take responsibility for our actions.

Accepted Answer

Carl Rogers believed the problem was that we often receive conditional rather than unconditional positive regard, leading to conditions of worth that can hinder personal growth and self-acceptance.

Question 20

One of the best-known methods of Gestalt therapy is the empty chair technique, in which two clients are asked to sit in a room with one empty chair. The therapist observes how the clients determine who shall stand and who shall sit.

Accepted Answer

The empty chair technique in Gestalt therapy involves a client speaking to an empty chair as if another person, or a part of themselves, is seated there, facilitating dialogue and self-awareness, not observing interactions between two clients.

Quiz 15: Therapies for Psychological Disorders