CDMS Behavioral Health and Psychosocial Aspects of Disability 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The biopsychosocial model of disability emphasizes that disability outcomes are influenced by which combination of factors?
- Biological, psychological, and social factors working together (Correct answer)
- Medical diagnosis, treatment duration, and surgical outcomes only
- Physical impairment severity and employer cooperation exclusively
- Insurance coverage, legal representation, and physician opinion
Correct answer: Biological, psychological, and social factors working together
The biopsychosocial model recognizes that biological (medical), psychological (mental health, beliefs, coping), and social (workplace, family, cultural) factors all interact to shape disability and recovery outcomes.
Question 2: Which psychological phenomenon describes a worker's fear of re-injury that leads to avoidance of physical activity and prolongs disability?
- Secondary gain syndrome
- Fear-avoidance model (Correct answer)
- Somatization disorder
- Conversion reaction
Correct answer: Fear-avoidance model
The fear-avoidance model explains how catastrophic thinking about pain leads to avoidance behaviors, physical deconditioning, and prolonged disability beyond what the medical condition alone would predict.
Question 3: A disability manager notices a claimant is resistant to returning to work despite medical clearance. Which psychosocial barrier is MOST commonly associated with this pattern?
- Genetic predisposition to chronic illness
- Inadequate prescription medication
- Psychological readiness and fear of re-injury (Correct answer)
- Insufficient employer-provided health insurance
Correct answer: Psychological readiness and fear of re-injury
Psychological readiness, including fear of re-injury, low self-efficacy, and anxiety, is one of the most common psychosocial barriers to return-to-work even when medical clearance has been granted.
Question 4: Which stage of grief, as described by Kübler-Ross, is most commonly observed in individuals newly diagnosed with a permanent disability?
- Acceptance
- Bargaining
- Denial (Correct answer)
- Depression
Correct answer: Denial
Denial is typically the initial stage in the Kübler-Ross grief model, where individuals refuse to accept the reality of a diagnosis or permanent impairment as a psychological protective mechanism.
Question 5: According to the psychosocial literature on disability management, strong social support from family and coworkers is associated with which outcome?
- Increased likelihood of litigation against employers
- Higher rates of secondary gain behaviors
- Faster return-to-work and better rehabilitation outcomes (Correct answer)
- Greater reliance on long-term disability benefits
Correct answer: Faster return-to-work and better rehabilitation outcomes
Research consistently shows that robust social support networks positively influence motivation, coping, and adherence to rehabilitation, leading to faster return-to-work and improved functional outcomes.
Question 6: In disability management, 'yellow flags' refer to which type of factors?
- OSHA recordable workplace incidents requiring documentation
- Psychosocial risk factors that predict delayed recovery and chronicity (Correct answer)
- Medical red flags indicating serious pathology requiring immediate referral
- Financial indicators suggesting fraudulent disability claims
Correct answer: Psychosocial risk factors that predict delayed recovery and chronicity
Yellow flags are psychosocial risk factors — including unhelpful beliefs about pain, poor coping, fear-avoidance, and workplace/social issues — that predict delayed recovery and the transition from acute to chronic disability.
Question 7: Which coping style is most associated with positive rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with work-related disabilities?
- Emotion-focused avoidance coping
- Passive acceptance without goal setting
- Catastrophizing and help-seeking only
- Problem-focused active coping with self-efficacy (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Problem-focused active coping with self-efficacy
Problem-focused coping combined with high self-efficacy — the belief in one's ability to manage challenges and achieve goals — is consistently linked to better rehabilitation adherence and return-to-work outcomes.
CDMS Behavioral Health and Psychosocial Aspects of Disability 1
The biopsychosocial model of disability emphasizes that disability outcomes are influenced by which combination of factors?