Question 1

The basic theme of delusions of persecution is that others are plotting against or trying to harm the affected individual or someone close to him or her.

Accepted Answer

Delusions of persecution involve a belief that others are trying to harm or plot against the affected individual or someone close to them. This is a common theme in delusions related to paranoia and can be a symptom of various mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia or paranoia disorder.

Question 2

The Prologue to Chapter 13 describes a young woman hospitalized on a psychiatric ward who is screaming for help because she sees a fire. The young woman's symptoms most closely resembled those of generalized anxiety disorder.

Accepted Answer

The young woman's symptoms are more indicative of a hallucination, which is not a symptom of generalized anxiety disorder.

Question 3

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include greatly reduced motivation, emotional expressiveness, or speech.

Accepted Answer

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions, hallucinations, disordered thinking and speech, and abnormal motor behavior. The symptoms mentioned in the question are actually negative symptoms, which involve the absence or reduction of normal behaviors and characteristics.

Question 4

In most cases, dissociative amnesia is a response to stress, trauma, or an extremely distressing situation.

Accepted Answer

Dissociative amnesia is typically a response to stress, trauma, or a highly distressing experience. This type of amnesia involves blocking out memories of the event or periods of time surrounding the event as a way to cope with the overwhelming emotions associated with it.

Question 5

Delusions of being persecuted involve the belief that aliens, the government, or random people are trying to exert control over the individual.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Delusions of being persecuted involve the belief...

Question 6

When someone becomes obsessed with looking up dictionary definitions, he is said to be experiencing delusions of reference.

Accepted Answer

Delusions of reference involve a false belief that everyday events or objects have a specific and significant meaning related to oneself. Looking up dictionary definitions excessively does not necessarily indicate a delusion of reference.

Question 7

Although a few mental health professionals once doubted the validity of dissociative identity disorder, today's mental health professionals are unanimous in their agreement that the disorder is valid and occurs worldwide.

Accepted Answer

There is still some debate and skepticism among mental health professionals regarding the validity and prevalence of dissociative identity disorder, although it is recognized in diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5.

Question 8

The term alters is used to describe the alternating hallucinations that are commonly experienced in episodes of schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

The term alters is not commonly used to describe the alternating hallucinations that are experienced in episodes of schizophrenia. This term is often associated with dissociative identity disorder (previously known as multiple personality disorder), which involves the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities. Schizophrenia typically involves positive symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking, as well as negative symptoms, such as social withdrawal, apathy, and flattened affect.

Question 9

Even mild dissociative experiences are highly unusual and are nearly always an indication that a serious psychological disorder is present.

Accepted Answer

Mild dissociative experiences can occur in response to stress, trauma or even daydreaming. They do not necessarily indicate the presence of a serious psychological disorder. However, if dissociative experiences are frequent or severe, they could be a symptom of a disorder such as dissociative identity disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. It is important to seek professional help if such experiences are causing distress or interfering with daily life.

Question 10

When his family finally found him, Michael was living in West Yellowstone, Montana, under the name of Elliot North, and was working as a short order cook. Michael claimed to have no memory of his previous life as a Dallas psychology professor. Michael appears to display the symptoms of dissociative fugue.

Accepted Answer

The passage describes Michael displaying symptoms of dissociative fugue, which involves memory loss and identity confusion. The fact that he was living under a different name and working a different job supports this diagnosis.

Question 11

It is estimated that borderline personality disorder affects about 6 percent of the population, or approximately 18 million Americans.

Accepted Answer

This is the estimated prevalence of borderline personality disorder in the US population according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Question 12

Some children are born with a biological temperament that is characterized by extreme emotional sensitivity, a tendency to be impulsive, and a tendency to feel negative emotions. Borderline personality disorder results when such biologically vulnerable children are raised by caregivers who do not teach them how to control their impulses or help them to learn how to understand, regulate, and appropriately express emotions.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true according to current research and understanding of borderline personality disorder. Biological vulnerability combined with environmental factors, such as inadequate parenting, is believed to contribute to the development of borderline personality disorder.

Question 13

One theory of borderline personality disorder, called the triple vulnerabilities model, states that the disorder is the result of a deficiency in the level of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in the caudate nucleus.

Accepted Answer

While there are various theories about the causes of borderline personality disorder, there is currently no consensus that it is the result of a deficiency in specific neurotransmitters in the caudate nucleus.

Question 14

Among mental health professionals, the most widely accepted explanation for dissociative identity disorder is that it is an unusual variation of bipolar disorder, in which mood swings are so severe that alternate personalities develop to cope with the mood swings.

Accepted Answer

While dissociative identity disorder and bipolar disorder may sometimes co-occur, dissociative identity disorder is a distinct disorder characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities. It is not considered a variation of bipolar disorder.

Question 15

Some children are born with a biological temperament that is characterized by extreme emotional sensitivity, a tendency to be impulsive, and a tendency to experience negative emotions. According to the biosocial developmental theory, antisocial personality disorder results when such biologically vulnerable children are raised by caregivers who do not teach them how to control their impulses or help them to learn how to understand, regulate, and appropriately express emotions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some children are born with a biological...

Question 16

Delusions of being controlled involve the belief that aliens, the government, or random people, are trying to exert control over the individual.

Accepted Answer

Delusions of being controlled involve the belief that external forces such as aliens, the government, or random people are attempting to control the individual's thoughts, actions, or behavior.

Question 17

While having lunch with Angela, a co-worker, Molly unexpectedly blurted out that she knew that everyone in the office was talking about her, including Angela. When Angela expressed surprise at this statement, Molly became more adamant about her claim and also complained that the supervisor had posted "special coded messages" on the bulletin board directed at her. Molly appears to be suffering from delusions of reference.

Accepted Answer

Molly's belief that the messages on the bulletin board were specifically directed at her and her claim that everyone in the office is talking about her suggest that she has delusions of reference, which is a type of delusion where an individual believes that neutral or commonplace events, objects, or behaviors are directly related to them.

Question 18

Formerly called multiple personality disorder, dissociative identity disorder is characterized by having two or more distinct, alternate personalities, each with its own name, personal history, and self-image.

Accepted Answer

Dissociative identity disorder is indeed characterized by having two or more distinct, alternate personalities, each with its own name, personal history, and self-image.

Question 19

The biosocial developmental theory of borderline personality disorder states that the disorder is the outcome of a unique combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

Accepted Answer

The biosocial developmental theory of borderline personality disorder proposes that both biological and environmental factors combine to create an individual's heightened emotional sensitivity and intense emotional reactions, which in turn can lead to the development of borderline personality disorder symptoms.

Question 20

The basic theme of delusions of persecution is that the person views himself as extremely powerful, important, or wealthy.

Accepted Answer

The basic theme of delusions of persecution is that the person believes that others are out to harm them, spy on them, or otherwise conspire against them. It does not involve beliefs about one's own power, importance, or wealth.

Quiz 13: Psychological Disorders