ASPPB Health Psychology & Behavioral Medicine 3

Question 1

The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) identifies which of the following as the stage in which a person is actively engaged in changing a behavior but for less than six months?

Accepted Answer

Action

Answer

Contemplation

Answer

Preparation

Answer

Maintenance

Question 2

Psychophysiological disorders (sometimes called psychosomatic disorders) are best characterized as conditions in which:

Accepted Answer

Psychological factors play a significant role in initiating or exacerbating genuine physical pathology

Answer

Physical symptoms are entirely fabricated by the patient for secondary gain

Answer

Patients unconsciously convert psychological distress into neurological symptoms

Answer

Physical diseases mimic psychological disorders in their symptom presentation

Question 3

A psychologist working in a cardiac rehabilitation program would most likely focus on which of the following evidence-based interventions?

Accepted Answer

Psychoeducation, stress management, exercise adherence, and depression screening

Answer

Long-term psychodynamic therapy to resolve underlying conflicts about mortality

Answer

Pharmacological consultation to recommend anxiolytic medications

Answer

Sensory deprivation techniques to reduce cardiovascular arousal

Question 4

The placebo effect in clinical research is best understood as:

Accepted Answer

A genuine psychobiological response to the expectation of treatment benefit

Answer

A methodological error that must be eliminated from clinical trials

Answer

Patient deception that is unethical to use in therapeutic contexts

Answer

An artifact caused exclusively by patient suggestibility and gullibility

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the concept of allostatic load in health psychology?

Accepted Answer

The cumulative physiological wear and tear resulting from chronic stress and repeated adaptation

Answer

The body's immediate adaptive response to an acute stressor

Answer

The maximum level of stress an individual can tolerate without psychological breakdown

Answer

The genetic predisposition to stress-related cardiovascular disease

Question 6

Research on social support and health has demonstrated that social support most consistently buffers the health impact of stress through which mechanism?

Accepted Answer

Altering the appraisal of stressors and providing resources for coping

Answer

Directly reducing the frequency of stressful life events in a person's environment

Answer

Increasing risk-taking behavior that leads to better health outcomes

Answer

Eliminating the need for professional medical care in chronic illness

Question 7

A health psychologist conducting a motivational interviewing session is primarily using which technique to facilitate behavior change?

Accepted Answer

Eliciting and strengthening a patient's own motivation and commitment to change

Answer

Confronting patients about the negative consequences of their unhealthy behaviors

Answer

Providing detailed expert advice and behavioral prescriptions for the patient to follow

Answer

Using aversive conditioning to associate unhealthy behaviors with negative outcomes