Question 1

Gina has just been diagnosed with an eating disorder that is recognized in the DSM-IV-TR. All of the following could be a DSM-IV-TR eating disorder diagnosis EXCEPT __________.

Accepted Answer

Binge Eating Disorder was not officially recognized as a distinct condition in the DSM-IV-TR; it was listed under Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). It was later recognized as a distinct disorder in the DSM-5.

Question 2

An example of a dissociative disorder is __________.

Accepted Answer

All of the above are examples of dissociative disorders. Dissociative amnesia involves forgetting important information or events; dissociative identity disorder involves the presence of two or more distinct personality states; and dissociative fugue involves suddenly traveling away from one's home or work and being unable to remember their past or identity.

Question 3

Joshua has autism and is now 7 years old. Given that his symptoms are fairly severe, we can expect that he will show all of the following features except __________.

Accepted Answer

An inability to walk is not a commonly associated feature of autism, even in severe cases. While some individuals with autism may have difficulty with gross motor skills, such as coordination and balance, they are still typically able to walk.

Question 4

Gretchen has been struggling to perform well in her high school classes, but finds that her mind wanders much of the time, making it difficult for her to pay attention to lectures or to complete assigned readings. She also frequently forgets to bring her books home to do her homework, and when she finishes homework she often leaves it at home or loses it. Gretchen would likely be diagnosed with __________.

Accepted Answer

Gretchen's symptoms of difficulty paying attention, forgetfulness, and losing belongings are consistent with a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Question 5

Researchers have been puzzled as to the exact nature of brain dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia. While the dopamine hypothesis is not a perfect explanation for schizophrenia, evidence in its favor includes which of the following?

Accepted Answer

All three statements (A, B, and C) support the dopamine hypothesis as evidence for the role of dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia. The fact that amphetamines, which enhance dopamine activity, can produce temporary psychosis suggests that high levels of dopamine may be involved in psychotic symptoms. Conversely, drugs that block the action of dopamine can alleviate schizophrenia symptoms, indicating that low levels of dopamine may contribute to the disorder. Finally, both schizophrenia and amphetamine psychosis can be treated with the same drugs, further supporting the role of dopamine in these conditions.

Question 6

Kim is a 10-year-old who has arrived in the United States from China. Tracy is a 10 year-old who has arrived in the United States from England. Both are girls. What factors will influence their vulnerability to developing an eating disorder?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that the longer someone from a non-Western culture spends in the United States, the more their risk for developing an eating disorder increases. This is often attributed to the increasing influence of Western cultural values, such as thinness as an ideal, and the pressure to conform to these values. Tracy, coming from England, is likely to have already been exposed to some of these values, whereas Kim may have less exposure and therefore be at lower risk unless she becomes more acculturated. The other choices are not supported by current research.

Question 7

Alicia has an eating disorder and is of relatively normal weight. Marcia has an eating disorder and weighs 20 pounds less than her healthy weight. Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

Alicia's condition of being of relatively normal weight but having an eating disorder suggests bulimia, which often involves binge eating followed by purging, allowing individuals to maintain a weight that might appear normal. Marcia's condition of being 20 pounds less than her healthy weight suggests anorexia, characterized by restricted eating leading to significant weight loss.

Question 8

Which of the following is not an example of dissociative disorder?

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenia is a separate disorder characterized by symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and abnormal behavior. It is not a type of dissociative disorder, which refers to disruptions in memory, consciousness, identity, or perception of the environment.

Question 9

Heidi is viewed by her friends as extremely thin, yet she sees herself as needing to lose at least 10 more pounds. This disturbance in self-perception is most consistent with __________.

Accepted Answer

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a distorted body image and an irrational fear of gaining weight, leading individuals to see themselves as overweight even when they are underweight. This matches Heidi's perception of needing to lose more weight despite being seen as extremely thin by others.

Question 10

Mark was not cuddly as an infant, and when he should have been learning to speak and interact with his classmates in day care, he instead stayed to himself, waving his hands in front of his face for long periods of time. He has never learned to speak and seems indifferent to other people. He becomes very distressed if anyone moves objects around in his room. Mark most likely has __________.

Accepted Answer

Mark's symptoms, such as lack of social interaction, delayed language development, and obsessive behavior around objects, are consistent with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Mental retardation would not necessarily explain all of his symptoms, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder would involve different behaviors. Childhood schizophrenia is a possibility but would typically involve different symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations.

Question 11

Kara is a 16-year-old girl who is concerned about her weight and is dissatisfied with her appearance. Both her mother and sister have struggled with anorexia. Justin is a 16-year-old boy with no history of anorexia in his family. Given the different contributing risk factors associated with these two individuals, how much more likely is Kara than Justin to develop anorexia?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Kara is a 16-year-old girl who is...

Question 12

The chances that a sibling of a schizophrenic individual will also be schizophrenic are fairly high, about 8 in 100. This does not show that schizophrenia is inherited because __________.

Accepted Answer

The fact that siblings usually grow up in the same environments suggests that environmental factors could also play a role in the development of schizophrenia, and it is not solely inherited.

Question 13

Travis has been diagnosed with ADHD and is seeing a physician for the first time to inquire about taking medication. His doctor will most likely prescribe a stimulant such as methylphenidate, which has the effect of __________.

Accepted Answer

Methylphenidate is a stimulant that enhances the release of dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters activate inhibitory circuits in the brain, which can improve attention and reduce impulsivity in individuals with ADHD.

Question 14

Sam is 6 years old and has been diagnosed with ADHD based in part on observations that he cannot sit still in class, blurts out answers without raising his hand, forgets his homework, and has difficulty completing tasks. Some of his classmates also occasionally forget their homework or blurt out answers but have not been diagnosed with ADHD. This illustrates that __________.

Accepted Answer

This scenario illustrates that disorders, such as ADHD, are associated with symptoms that cause impaired functioning (Sam cannot sit still or complete tasks), cause distress (implied by the negative impact on Sam's school performance), and are often more extreme manifestations of behaviors that can be seen in many individuals to a lesser degree (such as occasionally forgetting homework or blurting out answers, which are common but not to the extent or frequency observed in Sam).

Question 15

Glenn was missing for two months and was found in another town 200 miles away, working at a menial job under a different name. When meeting his family, he had no memory of how he got to the new town or what had happened to him in the previous two months. He most likely had experienced __________.

Accepted Answer

Glenn's situation fits the definition of dissociative fugue, which is a psychiatric disorder in which a person suddenly and unexpectedly travels away from home or work and is unable to recall their past. The person may assume a new identity and engage in everyday activities as if nothing is wrong. The cause of dissociative fugue is not clear, but it may be triggered by severe stress or trauma. Brain damage, PTSD, and neuralgia do not fit the symptoms displayed by Glenn.

Question 16

When boys reach puberty, they usually develop greater muscle mass, whereas when girls reach puberty they typically have an increase in body fat percentage. These findings are likely related to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The increase in muscle mass in boys and body fat in girls during puberty is related to natural physiological changes rather than the development of eating disorders. However, societal pressures and body image issues that can arise during this time may contribute to a higher risk of eating disorders in both genders, with girls traditionally being more affected. Choices A and B are connected in that the societal and psychological pressures faced during and after puberty can contribute to the higher incidence of eating disorders among girls, but the physiological changes themselves are natural aspects of development.

Question 17

Kara is a 17-year-old girl who was recently diagnosed with anorexia. Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

Research has found that individuals with anorexia nervosa are at increased risk for developing depression and substance abuse disorders. It is not true that anorexia will consume all of Kara's time and energy to prevent the development of other disorders.

Question 18

Karen has been trying to lose weight, but when she gets very hungry after dieting she loses control and consumes very large quantities of high-calorie food in a way that makes her feel out of control. This experience is called __________.

Accepted Answer

Binge eating is characterized by the consumption of large quantities of food in a short amount of time, along with a feeling of loss of control during the binge. This is different from purging, which involves attempts to rid the body of the calories consumed, or dissociative eating, which is not a recognized term. Bingeing and purging may also occur in individuals with eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa, but the question does not provide enough information to indicate whether Karen engages in purging behaviors as well.

Question 19

Joanie has normal intelligence and has a diagnosis that was coded on Axis II of the DSM. This means that Joanie has __________.

Accepted Answer

Axis II of the DSM refers to personality disorders, so Joanie likely has a personality disorder. The other options listed on this question (schizophrenia, somatoform disorder, and mood disorder) are all coded on Axis I.

Question 20

Dr. Morris has met an interesting patient who had been reported missing by his family three weeks earlier. Dr. Morris diagnosed him with dissociative fugue, which means that the individual __________.

Accepted Answer

Dissociative fugue involves amnesia and wandering/traveling away from home, so choice A is the correct answer. Choice B describes symptoms of a different dissociative disorder called dissociative amnesia. Choices C and D describe a symptom of a different disorder called antisocial personality disorder, which is not characterized by amnesia. Therefore, choice E (none of the above) is also incorrect.

Quiz 16: Psychopathology