Question 1

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder:

Accepted Answer

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder, environmental and psychosocial problems are considered in the diagnostic process. The DSM also allows for the possibility of multiple diagnoses or for a person's symptoms to not fit perfectly into a single diagnostic category. A person's medical history is also considered in the diagnostic process.

Question 2

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

Accepted Answer

The DSM does consider environmental and psychosocial problems in the diagnostic process through the use of the V and Z codes.

Question 3

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

Accepted Answer

A person's medical history is considered an important part of the diagnostic process and is taken into account in the DSM.

Question 4

Generalized anxiety can be described as:

Accepted Answer

Generalized anxiety is often described as "free-floating" because the anxiety is not necessarily tied to specific triggers or situations.

Question 5

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder:

Accepted Answer

The DSM recognizes that individuals can present with symptoms that may meet criteria for more than one disorder, and it allows for the possibility of co-occurring disorders (comorbidity). Therefore, people are rarely pigeonholed into a single diagnostic category.

Question 6

Jerome has gone in for a psychiatric assessment.He tells the clinician that he has been hearing voices and he feels like he is losing touch with reality.The clinician would classify these abnormal behaviors using:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jerome has gone in for a psychiatric...

Question 7

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

Accepted Answer

The DSM does not assume that only one psychological disorder can occur in the same individual. Comorbidity, or the presence of multiple disorders, is common and recognized in the DSM. The other statements are correct. The DSM provides diagnostic criteria for various psychological disorders but does not suggest specific therapies or methods of treatment, takes into account a person's medical history, and considers both environmental and psychosocial factors in the diagnostic process.

Question 8

The Rosenhan "pseudopatient" study demonstrated that diagnostic labels for psychological disorders:

Accepted Answer

The Rosenhan study showed that even mental health professionals can be influenced by diagnostic labels, leading to self-fulfilling prophecies where patients are treated based on incorrect assumptions about their behavior and symptoms.

Question 9

Psychological disorders characterized by excessive apprehension that impairs normal functioning are classified as:

Accepted Answer

Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive and persistent worrying or fear that impairs normal functioning. Common examples include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias. Somatic symptom disorders involve physical symptoms that are not fully explained by a medical condition, while dissociative disorders involve disruptions in consciousness, memory, and identity. Personality disorders involve enduring patterns of behavior that deviate from cultural expectations and cause social or occupational impairment.

Question 10

Free-floating anxiety is typically associated with:

Accepted Answer

Free-floating anxiety is a type of anxiety that is not specific to any particular situation or object. It is a constant feeling of worry, tension, and unease that is often associated with generalized anxiety disorder. Panic disorder and phobic disorder are characterized by specific triggers for anxiety and are not considered free-floating anxiety. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors, but not necessarily free-floating anxiety.

Question 11

A past political candidate became emotional and had tears in his eyes while talking about the difficulties of his campaign.Because he had a history of depression, this incident received more negative attention than similar behavior by other candidates without histories of depression.The different reactions to the behavior seem to be an example of:

Accepted Answer

This scenario seems to be an example of the diagnostic labeling effect, in which a person's behavior is judged more critically because of their diagnosed or perceived disorder. In this case, the previous history of depression may have led to a biased interpretation of the candidate's emotional display, receiving more negative attention compared to others without such history.

Question 12

Which of the following are associated with generalized anxiety disorder?

Accepted Answer

Generalized anxiety disorder is not associated with delusions, jumbled and incoherent speech, or hallucinations. It is characterized by excessive and persistent worry and anxiety about a wide range of everyday events and activities.

Question 13

Polly has gone in for a psychiatric assessment.She tells the clinician that she has been feeling anxious and apprehensive lately and is fearful of leaving her own home.The clinician would classify these abnormal behaviors using:

Accepted Answer

The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is a widely-used classification system for mental disorders. It provides criteria for diagnosing various mental health conditions based on symptoms and behaviors, and is likely to be the most appropriate classification system for Polly's symptoms. The other options listed (MMPI, NEO-PI, TAT) are psychological assessments or personality tests that are not specifically designed for diagnosing mental disorders.

Question 14

One of the problems associated with diagnostic labels for psychological disorders is the labels:

Accepted Answer

Diagnostic labels for psychological disorders can indeed bias our perceptions of individuals, leading us to view them through the lens of their diagnosis rather than as multifaceted individuals. This can affect how they are treated socially and professionally.

Question 15

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder:

Accepted Answer

The DSM considers a person's medical history important because it can influence or contribute to the psychological disorder being diagnosed. This approach acknowledges the complex interplay between physical health and mental health.

Question 16

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

Accepted Answer

B  D  The DSM does not suggest therapies or methods of treatment, allows for the diagnosis of multiple disorders in the same individual, and considers environmental and psychosocial factors in the diagnostic process.

Question 17

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder:

Accepted Answer

The DSM recognizes that it is possible for an individual to have more than one psychological disorder at the same time. This is why it includes a category for "comorbid" disorders. Options A, C, and D are incorrect because the DSM does not pigeonhole individuals, it does consider medical history, and it does take into account environmental and psychosocial factors.

Question 18

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

Accepted Answer

The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is designed to allow for multiple diagnoses to reflect the complexity of an individual's condition, rather than pigeonholing them into a single category. This flexibility acknowledges that individuals may experience a range of mental health issues simultaneously.

Question 19

Anxiety disorders are a class of disorders characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive apprehension, fear and worry that impairs normal functioning. Symptoms can include panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive behavior, phobias, and general feelings of tension and unease. These disorders can significantly impact a person's quality of life and ability to function normally in social, academic and occupational settings.

Question 20

You know your roommate has a history of anorexia nervosa.When you see her eat very little at dinner and then go to work out at the gym, you see this as a sign of another anorexic episode beginning.You don't think that when other people act the same way.Your behavior is consistent with:

Accepted Answer

The diagnostic labeling effect refers to the tendency to interpret behaviors based on preconceived labels or diagnoses. In this case, the individual is interpreting their roommate's behavior through the lens of anorexia nervosa due to their history, while not applying the same interpretation to others who exhibit similar behavior.

Quiz 14: Psychological Disorders

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder:

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

Generalized anxiety can be described as:

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder:

Jerome has gone in for a psychiatric assessment.He tells the clinician that he has been hearing voices and he feels like he is losing touch with reality.The clinician would classify these abnormal behaviors using:

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

The Rosenhan "pseudopatient" study demonstrated that diagnostic labels for psychological disorders:

Psychological disorders characterized by excessive apprehension that impairs normal functioning are classified as:

Free-floating anxiety is typically associated with:

Which of the following are associated with generalized anxiety disorder?

Polly has gone in for a psychiatric assessment.She tells the clinician that she has been feeling anxious and apprehensive lately and is fearful of leaving her own home.The clinician would classify these abnormal behaviors using:

One of the problems associated with diagnostic labels for psychological disorders is the labels:

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder:

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

When using the DSM to diagnose a psychological disorder:

Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the DSM?

Anxiety disorders are a class of disorders characterized by:

You know your roommate has a history of anorexia nervosa.When you see her eat very little at dinner and then go to work out at the gym, you see this as a sign of another anorexic episode beginning.You don't think that when other people act the same way.Your behavior is consistent with: