AP Psychology › Other Psychological Disorders
Which of the following is true about gender dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria involves strongly identifying with and wishing to be another gender.
Gender dysphoria is not included in the DSM-5.
Gender dysphoria is common in Asian countries.
Gender dysphoria involves regret over the expression of behaviors that go against traditional gender norms.
Gender dysphoria is more likely to occur among heterosexual people as opposed to homosexual people.
As stated in the DSM-5, the correct answer is "gender dysphoria involves feeling that your emotional and psychological identity as a certain gender is different than your biological sex." All of the other answer choices are false regarding gender dysphoria.
John randomly falls asleep for periods of time. From which of the following disorders does John suffer?
Narcolepsy
Sleep apnea
Night terrors
Insomnia
Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by sudden sleep attacks, as well as overwhelming drowsiness.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or infrequent breathing during sleep. Night terrors are episodes of screaming, intense fear, and flailing while still asleep. Often compared to nightmares, night terrors are much more intense. Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep.
Which of the following factors is a major contributor to substance dependence?
All of these factors
Impulsivity
Cultural norms
Self-medicating behavior
Substance dependence, or drug addiction, refers to continuing use of a drug despite severe costs. It results from a combination of biological and environmental factors. Impulsivity, for example, is rooted in a person's genetic makeup. Cultural norms, familial values, and pure circumstance also play key roles. Self-medication refers to a person's tendency to use alcohol or other substances to cope with physical pain or mental illness.
According to the DSM-V, which of the following is not an eating disorder?
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Anorexia nervosa
Binge eating disorder
Bulimia nervosa
Pica
"Chronic fatigue syndrome" is not an eating disorder; however, this syndrome is more commonly seen in individuals with poor nutritional habits (e.g. those with eating disorders). All of the other answer choices are categorized in the DSM-V as eating disorders.
Which disorder has many skeptics that question the legitimacy of its existence?
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder
Major Depressive Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
DID occurs when, usually as a result of early childhood trauma and abuse, someone has two or more distinct personalities rather than one integrated one. The media has been fascinated with DID, leading to well-known movies such as Sybil. However, tests conducted on patients with DID have been inconclusive and it is strange that nearly all of the cases of reported DID have been in the US. These factors have led many people to question the true existence of the disorder, unlike the well-documented and well-researched disorders of OCD, PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.
Which is not a type of anxiety disorder?
Depression
Panic disorder
Post traumatic stress disorder
Phobias
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Depression is a mood disorder. All of the other choices represent anxiety disorders.
Consider the following symptoms: a smooth ridge between nose and lips, small head, and an extremely low IQ (that is not associated with a chromosomal abnormality). These symptoms are most consistent with which of the following disorders?
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Down syndrome
Parkinson's disease
Huntington's disease
All of these symptoms—in addition to problems with motor coordination, social perception, and cognitive functions and other distinctive facial features—are associated with "fetal alcohol syndrome" (FAS). This results from the individual’s mother ingesting alcohol during pregnancy, leading to abnormalities in fetal development. Down syndrome, while associated with lower IQ, typically involves a higher level of cognitive functioning than FAS. Additionally, Down syndrome is related to three (instead of the normal two) copies of chromosome 21. Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease are both more associated with abnormalities in motor function and muscular coordination; while some cognitive disturbances or slowing may occur, the IQ is not as drastically affected and the distinctive facial features listed have not been observed.
Which of the following is not a characteristic of people suffering from Bulimia Nervosa?
Refusing to eat
Binge eating
Purging
Body weight and shape influences feelings of self-esteem and self evaluation
Refusing to eat is more common in Anorexia Nervosa cases than in Bulimia Nervosa cases. A person suffering from Bulimia Nervosa typically binge eats—they over-eat and consume a large amount of calories in a short amount of time. Following this eating, they purge—they rid themselves of what they have eaten by using laxatives, diuretics, or making themselves vomit.
Which of the following are identifying clues in speech that suggest a person may be a psychopath?
All of these
The excessive use of the past as opposed to present tense
Many cause and effect statements ("because", "so that")
A focus on basic needs such as food and drink
An absence of remorse
There are many aspects of speech that could indicate a person is a psychopath. A combination of psychological and linguistic research has pointed to several factors that indicate psychopathology. The excess use of causatives in sentences are indicative of a psychopath's need to create a logical justification for their acts. The use of the past tense instead of present indicates a psychological detachment from the world as if they are looking in instead of a participant. Psychological factors such as a lack of remorse or an obsession with basic needs also point to psychopathy.
Which of the following is a defining characteristic of a patient with autism?
They seek less emotional and social contact
They do not need as much emotional and social contact
They have delusional thinking about the world
They have difficulty paying attention due to hyperactivity
While autism presents as a relative indifference to emotional and social context, those that display autistic tendencies can still benefit from exposure to social normality and emotional closeness. Many people with autism may prefer and enjoy their own company, it is not a universal characteristic of those diagnosed with autism. In fact, they may need more social or emotional support than their peers in order to learn how to interact with people and enjoy a more connected life in society.
A general characteristic of autism is that those diagnosed are much less likely to seek out emotional or social support, as compared to those without the disorder.