Anxiety Disorders Quiz

The medical-biological model focuses on the physiological conditions that initiate and underlie abnormal behavior. It assumes that abnormal behavior can be diagnosed, treated, and cured. Many of the terms used in psychology and psychiatry are borrowed from medicine.

The psychodynamic model, rooted in Freud’s theory of personality, assumes that psychological disorders result from anxiety produced by unresolved conflicts outside a person’s awareness.

The humanistic model focuses on individual uniqueness and decision making. It assumes that maladjustment occurs when a person’s needs are not met.

The behavioral model focuses on observable behavior and assumes that abnormal behavior is learned through selective reinforcement and punishment.

The cognitive model focuses on thoughts and assumes that human beings engage in both prosocial and maladjusted behaviors because of their thoughts.

The sociocultural model focuses on family, community, and society, and assumes that maladjustment occurs within and because of the context of family, community, and society.

The evolutionary model assumes that maladjustments may be expressions of behavior that would once have been normal in evolutionary history. It says humans evolved in a specific environment.

The demonic model viewed mental illnesses as the result of evil spirits, while the medical-biological model focuses on physiological conditions. The demonic model relied on exorcisms and witch hunts, while the medical-biological model assumes abnormal behavior can be diagnosed, treated, and cured.

The main types of mood disorders are depressive disorders and bipolar disorders.

The symptoms of major depressive disorder include depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, significant weight changes, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, diminished ability to think or concentrate, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation.

Episodes of major depressive disorder may last for days, weeks, or months, with the average episode lasting 6 months to 1 year. Most people experience 5-6 episodes, and major depressive disorder affects about 1.3 million Canadians each year.

Biological theories suggest that both genetics and neurotransmitters may underlie depression. The monoamine theory proposes that depression results from deficiencies of monoamines or inefficient receptors serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

The symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include almost continuous anxiety for six months, increased activity of the autonomic nervous system, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue.

Panic disorder involves repeated, unexpected panic attacks accompanied by increased autonomic nervous system arousal unrelated to a specific event, along with persistent concerns about future attacks and changes in personal behavior to avoid them.

Agoraphobia involves a marked fear and avoidance of being alone in a place from which escape may be difficult or embarrassing, with symptoms including hyperventilation, extreme tension, and cognitive disorganization.

Social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, is anxiety involving a fear of and a desire to avoid situations where one might be scrutinized by others.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has two components: obsessions, which are persistent, uncontrollable thoughts and irrational beliefs, and compulsions, which are compulsive rituals that interfere with daily life.

Learning models focus on acquiring fears via classical conditioning, then maintaining them through operant conditioning. They also suggest that fears can be learned by observing others or hearing misinformation from others.

Freud believed that obsessive-compulsive disorders largely come from difficulties during the anal stage of development.

Specific phobias involve irrational and persistent fear of a particular object or situation, such as blood, needles, or claustrophobia.

Learned helplessness is a behavior exhibited by people and animals when they feel they have no control over negative consequences. It is relevant to mental health as it can contribute to the development of conditions like depression and schizophrenia.

Seligman suggests that people's beliefs about the causes of failure can determine whether they will become depressed. This highlights the role of cognitive factors in mental health.

The Biopsychosocial Model highlights vulnerability as a person's diminished ability to cope with life events, emphasizing the interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors in mental health.

The diathesis-stress model explains that the link between vulnerability and stress can initiate depression. It emphasizes the interplay between predisposing factors and environmental stressors in the development of mental health disorders.

Bipolar Disorder involves behavior varying between extremes, including manic episodes with rapid speech, inflated self-esteem, impulsiveness, euphoria, and decreased need for sleep, as well as depressive episodes meeting the criteria for a major depressive episode.

Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in memory, awareness, identity, or perception. Specific conditions in this category include dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, and dissociative identity disorder (previously known as multiple personality disorder).

Schizophrenia is characterized by a range of symptoms affecting thinking, emotions, and behaviors. It typically has an early onset in late adolescence or early adulthood, involving lack of reality testing, deterioration of social and cognitive functioning, and inability to meet the demands of life.

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions and hallucinations, while negative symptoms include flat affect and disorganized thinking or speech.

Neurodevelopmental abnormalities in individuals with schizophrenia include enlarged ventricles, increased sulci size, and hypofrontality, indicating structural brain differences.

Neurotransmitter dysfunctions, specifically dopamine and serotonin, are implicated in individuals with schizophrenia, suggesting a role for neurotransmitter imbalances in the disorder.

Behavioral theories such as parental confusion, imitation of maladaptive behaviors, and dysfunctional family dynamics have been proposed to explain the cause of schizophrenia, highlighting the potential influence of environmental and interpersonal factors.

Learned helplessness may contribute to the development of schizophrenia by making individuals passive and unable to cope with their environment, potentially exacerbating the impact of stressors and environmental challenges.

The criticisms of the DSM-5 include not all diagnoses meeting Robins and Guze criteria for validity, not all criteria and decision rules being based on scientific data, high level of comorbidity, reliance on categorical rather than dimensional model of psychopathology, reluctance on many to change, and vulnerability to political and social influences.

The DSM-5 contains 18 major categories of disorders, each citing the prevalence of the disorder or the percentage of the population displaying the disorder.

The types of Anxiety Disorders discussed in the text include Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Social Phobia, Specific Phobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Agoraphobia is the fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or embarrassing, or help might not be available, leading to avoidance of certain places or situations.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) involves excessive worry and anxiety about various aspects of life, often without a specific trigger, which can interfere with daily functioning.

The biopsychosocial approach combines biology, psychology, and social factors in analyzing behavior problems.

Some misconceptions about psychiatric diagnosis include it being nothing more than pigeonholing, unreliable, invalid, stigmatizing people, and not considering physical causes of symptoms first.

The multiaxial system in the DSM-5 includes Axis I: Clinical disorders, Axis II: Personality disorders and mental retardation, Axis III: General medical conditions, Axis IV: Psychosocial or environmental problems, and Axis V: Global assessment of functioning (GAF).

The associations state that practitioners must recognize cultural diversity, understand the role of culture and ethnicity in development, help clients understand their own sociological identification, and understand how culture, race, gender, and sexual orientation interact to affect behavior.

Panic Disorder involves sudden and intense episodes of fear, known as panic attacks, often accompanied by physical symptoms like a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

OCD involves recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that individuals feel compelled to perform to alleviate the anxiety associated with their obsessions.

PTSD can develop after exposure to a traumatic event, with symptoms including intrusive memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and heightened arousal.

The five aspects of COVID Stress Syndrome are: danger and contamination fears, socio-economic consequences, xenophobia, traumatic stress symptoms, and compulsive checking and reassurance seeking.

Social reinforcement theory suggests that social interactions and feedback from others can influence the expression of symptoms, such as withdrawal from social situations being reinforced by avoiding potentially stressful or overwhelming environments.

1. Paranoid personality disorder: pervasive pattern of odd or eccentric behavior, and distrust and suspiciousness of others. 2. Borderline personality disorder: pervasive pattern of marked instability in mood, identity, and impulse control, often highly self-destructive, with trouble in relationships. 3. Histrionic personality disorder: pervasive pattern of emotionality and attention-seeking by exaggerating situations in their lives. 4. Narcissistic personality disorder: pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy, with an exaggerated sense of self-importance. 5. Antisocial personality disorder: pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, impulsivity, and self-centeredness. 6. Avoidant personality disorder: pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. 7. Dependent personality disorder: pervasive and excessive pattern of need to be taken care of, submissiveness, clinging behaviors, and fears of separation.

Warning signs for suicide include depression, verbal statements such as 'You’d be better off without me,' expressions of hopelessness and helplessness, daring and risk-taking behavior that is atypical, personality changes such as withdrawal, aggression, or moodiness, giving away prized possessions, and lack of interest in the future.

The survey found that the mental health impact of COVID-19 is best understood as a multi-faceted syndrome comprising a network of interconnected symptoms called COVID Stress Syndrome, which includes danger and contamination fears, socio-economic consequences, xenophobia, traumatic stress symptoms, and compulsive checking and reassurance seeking.

The COVID Stress Scales assess five core features: danger and contamination fears, socio-economic consequences, xenophobia, traumatic stress symptoms, and compulsive checking and reassurance seeking.

The surveys administered found global increases in the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Traditional mental health approaches and diagnoses did not fully capture the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The theory suggests that aspects of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as reduced motivation and engagement, may be influenced by a perceived lack of control.

The diagnosis associated with violence focuses on more serious disorders carrying a greater risk for violence, such as delusions and the manic phase of bipolar disorder.

Steps to take when dealing with individuals showing warning signs for suicide include: remembering to listen, telling the person your concerns and showing you care, not acting shocked or judging the person, asking direct questions, not leaving the person alone, not agreeing to secrecy, and getting professional help even if the person resists.

The main focus is that while most people who commit violence do not have a mental disorder, some mental disorders are associated with a greater likelihood of committing violent acts, such as schizophrenia being highly stigmatized and carrying a higher risk of violence.