APA Abnormal Psychology and Psychopathology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which symptom category of schizophrenia includes hallucinations and delusions?
- Negative symptoms
- Disorganized symptoms
- Positive symptoms (Correct answer)
- Cognitive symptoms
Correct answer: Positive symptoms
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia represent excesses or distortions added to normal experience, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech.
Question 2: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is primarily characterized by:
- Persistent grandiosity and lack of empathy
- Pervasive instability in relationships, self-image, affect, and marked impulsivity (Correct answer)
- Social detachment and restricted emotional expression
- Dramatic emotional expression and attention-seeking behavior
Correct answer: Pervasive instability in relationships, self-image, affect, and marked impulsivity
BPD is defined by intense fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, identity disturbance, impulsivity, and affective instability.
Question 3: Which anxiety disorder is characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and persistent concern about future attacks?
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Specific Phobia
- Panic Disorder (Correct answer)
- Agoraphobia
Correct answer: Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks accompanied by at least one month of persistent concern about additional attacks or significant behavioral changes.
Question 4: According to Aaron Beck, depression is maintained by a 'cognitive triad' of negative views about:
- The self, the world, and the future (Correct answer)
- Childhood, relationships, and work
- Emotions, cognitions, and behaviors
- The past, present, and body image
Correct answer: The self, the world, and the future
Beck's cognitive triad describes negative automatic thoughts about oneself (worthless), the world (unfair/hostile), and the future (hopeless) as core features of depression.
Question 5: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the first-line behavioral treatment for which disorder?
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (Correct answer)
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Schizophrenia
Correct answer: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
ERP — exposing patients to feared stimuli while preventing compulsive responses — is the gold-standard behavioral treatment for OCD, supported by extensive evidence.
Question 6: What is 'flat affect' as seen in some patients with schizophrenia?
- Rapid mood shifts between euphoria and sadness
- Significantly diminished emotional expression in face, voice, and body (Correct answer)
- Feelings of unreality about oneself or the environment
- Inappropriate emotional responses to stimuli
Correct answer: Significantly diminished emotional expression in face, voice, and body
Flat affect is a negative symptom of schizophrenia characterized by reduced or absent outward expression of emotion through facial expressions, voice, and gestures.
APA Abnormal Psychology and Psychopathology 2
Which symptom category of schizophrenia includes hallucinations and delusions?