Psychopathology Quiz

Multiple Choice Quiz Questions and Answers

• Question 1: What is the primary goal of a conception of psychopathology?

  • To determine which human experiences are considered psychopathological.

• Question 2: Which conception of psychopathology is based on determining statistical abnormality?

  • Statistical deviance.

• Question 3: What is a key problem with the statistical deviance conception of psychopathology?

  • It considers only one side of deviation as problematic.

• Question 4: What is a benefit of defining psychopathology as maladaptive behavior?

  • It aligns with how laypeople use terms like "disorder" and "illness."

• Question 5: What is the primary focus of the distress and disability conception of psychopathology?

  • The presence of unwanted feelings and impairments in life functioning.

• Question 6: What is a major drawback of defining psychopathology as social deviance?

  • It does not consider cultural differences.

• Question 7: What does the concept of "dyscontrol" or "dysregulation" suggest?

  • Mental disorders are only those that involve a loss of control over thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.

• Question 8: What does Wakefield's concept of "Harmful Dysfunction" require?

  • A behavior that is harmful and caused by psychological dysfunction, plus a statistical abnormality .

• Question 9: What does the DSM definition of mental disorder emphasize?

  • Social deviance alone does not constitute a mental disorder.

• Question 10: What does the social constructionist perspective on psychopathology suggest?

  • Reality is shaped by how a culture interprets mental health.

• Question 11: According to Wakefield's Harmful Dysfunction model, which of the following is NOT a necessary criterion?

  • The disorder must be objectively measurable through statistical means.

• Question 12: What is a major critique of conceptualizing psychopathology as statistical deviance?

  • It fails to account for the subjectivity of mental illness experiences.

• Question 13: How does the conception of psychopathology as maladaptive behavior differ from statistical deviance?

  • It considers the functional effectiveness of behavior, rather than its rarity.

• Question 14: Which conception of psychopathology is most related to cultural expectations?

  • Social deviance.

• Question 15: Why is the definition of mental disorders problematic from a social constructionist perspective?

  • It overlooks the biological and psychological origins of mental illness.

• Question 16: What must a mental disorder involve in the DSM-5?

  • A clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior.

• Question 17: How does the dimensional model of psychopathology differ from the categorical model?

  • It treats psychological disorders as existing on a continuum rather than discrete categories.

• Question 18: Why do the DSM and ICD have different diagnostic systems?

  • The ICD is internationally governed, whereas the DSM is primarily developed in the U.S.

• Question 19: What was a primary innovation of DSM-III?

  • It introduced specific diagnostic criteria for disorders.

• Question 20: Why was paraphilic rapism removed from DSM-III-R?

  • It was deemed to reinforce gender biases and legal loopholes.

• Question 21: What is a major criticism of DSM-5 compared to previous editions?

  • Excessive reliance on categorical classification.

• Question 22: What key difference did DSM-IV introduce compared to DSM-III?

  • It emphasized a dimensional approach to diagnosis.

• Question 23: What is the main limitation of the DSM's categorical approach?

  • It does not accommodate the spectrum of psychological symptoms.

• Question 24: What is the biggest ethical concern about expanding DSM criteria?

  • Overpathologizing normal behavior.

• Question 25: What was a fundamental issue with DSM-5's field trials?

  • They focused on feasibility rather than empirical validation.

• Question 26: What is a key problem with the DSM's reliance on a medical model?

  • It assumes all mental disorders have a biological cause.

• Question 27: Which best describes the shift toward a dimensional model in DSM-5?

  • The introduction of autism spectrum disorder as a continuum.

• Question 28: What's the primary goal of psychological assessment?

  • Improving clinical decision-making and treatment outcomes.

• Question 29: Which form of reliability is crucial for consistent clinical diagnoses?

  • Interrater reliability.

• Question 30: If a test has high reliability but low validity, what does this mean?

  • The test is consistent but doesn't measure what it claims to.

• Question 31: What is incremental validity?

  • A test providing unique information beyond existing assessments.

• Question 32: Which form of bias most affects clinical decision-making?

  • Confirmatory bias.

• Question 33: Why are structured interviews generally more valid?

  • They ensure standardized diagnostic criteria are applied.

• Question 34: What is signal detection theory useful for in psychological assessment?

  • Measuring the likelihood of false positives and false negatives in diagnosis.

• Question 35: Why are self-report inventories problematic for assessing psychopathology?

  • Clients may intentionally over-report or under-report symptoms.

• Question 36: What is a major issue with projective techniques?

  • Lack of strong empirical support for reliability and validity.

• Question 37: What is the main reason experienced clinicians might not show improved accuracy over time?

  • They rely too much on standardized tests.

• Question 38: Which argument supports the idea that psychopathology is best understood through an essentialist rather than a social constructionist framework?

  • Mental disorders have universal biological and psychological underpinnings.

• Question 39: What is a limitation of using social deviance as a criterion for defining psychopathology?

  • It fails to distinguish between harmful behaviors and harmless unconventionality.