16 Questions
Which of the following is a characteristic of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?
Having difficulty concentrating and muscle tension
What is required for the diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?
Experiencing anxiety and worry for at least 6 months about various events or activities
What is a key characteristic of individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?
Having no control over their excessive worry
Which symptom is NOT associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?
Feeling rested and relaxed in most circumstances
What must be present for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) to cause clinically significant distress or impairment?
Difficulty concentrating and muscle tension
Which of the following would exclude an individual from being diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?
The anxiety and worry lasting less than 6 months
What do sociocultural theorists suggest about the development of generalized anxiety disorder?
It is more likely to develop in people facing ongoing dangerous societal conditions
In which group of mothers were anxiety and depression disorders found to be five times as frequent after the nuclear reactor accident in Three Mile Island?
Local mothers of preschool children
What societal stress factor is mentioned as one of the most powerful forms of stress leading to generalized anxiety disorder?
Poverty
According to Freud, what type of anxiety children experience when they are repeatedly prevented from expressing their id impulses?
Neurotic anxiety
What might happen if a child’s ego defense mechanisms are too weak to cope with normal levels of anxiety, according to the psychodynamic perspective?
The child may experience overwhelming anxiety
What is one factor that may lead to an unusually high level of anxiety in a child according to the psychodynamic perspective?
Being excessively shielded from all frustrations by parents
What is the relationship between poverty and the incidence of generalized anxiety disorder?
The incidence is almost twice as high among people with low incomes
What was one major event that led to a higher rate of generalized and other anxiety disorders?
Hurricane Katrina in 2005
What did sociocultural theorists suggest about the likelihood of developing generalized anxiety disorder in threatening environments?
It is more likely to develop in threatening environments
What societal condition is mentioned as leading to a higher rate of generalized anxiety disorder?
'People without financial means'
Study Notes
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- A key characteristic of individuals with GAD is excessive and persistent worry about everyday things.
- Diagnosis of GAD requires excessive anxiety and worry about multiple things, on most days, for at least 6 months.
- For GAD to cause clinically significant distress or impairment, the anxiety and worry must be severe enough to interfere with social, occupational, or other areas of functioning.
Exclusion Criteria
- Presence of another mental disorder, such as major depressive disorder, or substance abuse, would exclude an individual from being diagnosed with GAD.
Sociocultural Theories
- Sociocultural theorists suggest that the development of GAD is influenced by societal stress factors, such as threats to one's livelihood or safety.
- They also propose that individuals living in threatening environments are more likely to develop GAD.
Risk Factors
- Poverty is associated with a higher incidence of GAD.
- Major events, such as the nuclear reactor accident in Three Mile Island, can lead to a higher rate of GAD and other anxiety disorders.
- Societal conditions, such as economic insecurity, can also contribute to a higher rate of GAD.
Psychodynamic Perspective
- According to Freud, children who are repeatedly prevented from expressing their id impulses may experience anxiety related to the suppression of their natural instincts.
- If a child's ego defense mechanisms are too weak to cope with normal levels of anxiety, they may develop an unusually high level of anxiety.
- One factor that may lead to an unusually high level of anxiety in a child is a lack of consistent and supportive parenting.
Test your knowledge about Generalized Anxiety Disorder with this quiz for PSYC 241 – Anxiety Disorders by Emre Aydin. Explore the symptoms, experiences, and characteristics of individuals with this disorder.
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