FREE Psychology Degree Abnormal Psychology and DSM Questions and Answers Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the concept of comorbidity in abnormal psychology?

Answer: The presence of two or more disorders in the same individual at the same time

Comorbidity refers to the co-occurrence of two or more psychological disorders within the same person simultaneously.

In the DSM-5, what replaced the previous multiaxial diagnostic system?

Answer: A nonaxial documentation approach combining former Axes I, II, and III

The DSM-5 moved to a nonaxial system that combines the former first three axes into a single list of diagnoses with separate notations for psychosocial and disability factors.

Which theoretical model of abnormal behavior emphasizes the role of classical and operant conditioning in the development of psychological disorders?

Answer: Behavioral model

The behavioral model explains abnormal behavior as learned responses acquired through classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and modeling.

A clinician using the DSM-5 would classify intellectual developmental disorder under which diagnostic category?

Answer: Neurodevelopmental disorders

Intellectual developmental disorder is classified under neurodevelopmental disorders in the DSM-5, alongside conditions like ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.

What is the primary distinction between acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the DSM-5?

Answer: Duration of symptoms after the traumatic event

Acute stress disorder is diagnosed when symptoms last between 3 days and 1 month after trauma, while PTSD is diagnosed when symptoms persist beyond 1 month.

Which of the following is a key feature of the diathesis-stress model of psychopathology?

Answer: A biological or psychological predisposition interacts with environmental stressors to produce a disorder

The diathesis-stress model proposes that disorders result from the interaction between a pre-existing vulnerability (diathesis) and life stressors.