BAPSY Abnormal Psychology and Diagnosis 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a 'positive' symptom of schizophrenia?
- Anhedonia
- Avolition
- Delusions (Correct answer)
- Alogia
Correct answer: Delusions
Delusions are a positive symptom because they represent an addition to normal experience — a fixed false belief not consistent with cultural norms.
Question 2: The condition in which a person adopts two or more distinct personality states with amnesia between them is:
- Schizophrenia
- Dissociative identity disorder (Correct answer)
- Borderline personality disorder
- Bipolar disorder with mixed features
Correct answer: Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder (formerly multiple personality disorder) is characterized by disruption of identity into two or more distinct personality states with recurrent gaps in recall.
Question 3: Which criterion is essential to distinguish a 'disorder' from typical human distress according to the DSM-5's definition?
- The symptoms must last at least 6 months
- The symptoms must cause clinically significant distress or functional impairment (Correct answer)
- A biological cause must be identified
- The symptoms must require hospitalization
Correct answer: The symptoms must cause clinically significant distress or functional impairment
The DSM-5 requires that a mental disorder cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Question 4: Substance use disorder is diagnosed in DSM-5 using a dimensional approach based on how many criteria are met. A 'severe' diagnosis requires at least:
- 2 criteria
- 4 criteria
- 6 criteria (Correct answer)
- 8 criteria
Correct answer: 6 criteria
DSM-5 rates severity as mild (2–3 criteria), moderate (4–5 criteria), or severe (6 or more of 11 possible criteria).
Question 5: A child who displays persistent difficulties with social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors first evident in early childhood would be diagnosed with:
- ADHD
- Intellectual disability
- Autism spectrum disorder (Correct answer)
- Language disorder
Correct answer: Autism spectrum disorder
Autism spectrum disorder requires deficits in social communication and interaction plus restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, with symptoms present in early developmental period.
Question 6: Which of the following characterizes 'grandiose type' delusional disorder?
- Belief that one is being followed or persecuted
- Conviction of having a great but unrecognized talent, insight, or identity (Correct answer)
- Belief that a famous person is in love with them
- Conviction that one has a serious illness despite medical reassurance
Correct answer: Conviction of having a great but unrecognized talent, insight, or identity
Grandiose-type delusional disorder involves the belief that one has some great (unrecognized) talent or insight, or has made an important discovery.
Question 7: The 'medical model' of abnormality primarily views psychological disorders as:
- Products of irrational thinking patterns
- Diseases with biological causes amenable to treatment (Correct answer)
- Results of learned maladaptive behaviors
- Manifestations of unconscious conflicts
Correct answer: Diseases with biological causes amenable to treatment
The medical model conceptualizes psychological disorders analogously to physical illnesses — with underlying biological causes, symptoms, and treatments.
BAPSY Abnormal Psychology and Diagnosis 4
Which of the following is a 'positive' symptom of schizophrenia?