Abnormal Psychology Chapter 15

What is the relationship between age and anxiety in the elderly?

As age increases, the rate of anxiety disorders increases.

Which statement BEST reflects why depression is tied to mortality in the elderly?

Depression in old age is related to a decline in physical health

Henry, who just celebrated his seventieth birthday, on average takes five different medications to manage his health conditions. He sometimes forgets he has taken the medications and then overmedicates. Sometimes when he combines his medications he feels confused and disoriented. Which of these is NOT a likely reason he misuses drugs?

He is intentionally abusing drugs.

Constance, a former manager of a department store, retired at age 65 and is now on a fixed income. She also has developed arthritis and is not as mobile as she used to be. Although she previously used to drink regularly when socializing, she has since stopped drinking. Which reason likely explains why her use of substances has declined?

Her declining health and reduced income may affect the availability and ability to misuse substances.

Leon is an elderly male who resists joining a social networking site. He asks for one compelling reason for why he should socialize online. Which of these answers is the MOST compelling reason supported by research?

It improves cognitive skills such as memory and alertness.

Juanita, who is 79 years old and has major neurocognitive disorder, lives in a long-term care facility where the rooms are brightly colored and there are interactive mobiles hanging from the ceiling for her to touch. Her facility is specially designed to meet her _____ needs by providing stimulation.

cognitive and emotional

An 80-year-old hospitalized individual is recovering from surgery but now has gotten an infection. Over the course of a few days, the person shows increasing confusion, and consistently misinterprets what others are trying to communicate. The MOST probable diagnosis for this condition would be:

delirium.

Kay has been having progressive memory problems that have worsened over the years, including forgetting the names of family members. She has been becoming more and more confused, losing her way home when she takes morning walks. These challenges would have been referred to as _____ in the past, the term previously used to describe _____.

dementia; neurocognitive disorder

Dr. Keith is trying to figure out what underlying issue could be causing delirium in his elderly patient. Which of the following can he rule out?

depression

Earline is 68 and has a mental disorder that is common at all ages, but her condition is linked to her recent retirement, the loss of her social status, and her declining health. Earline MOST likely has _____.

depression

Mr. Knowles recently had a lot of life changes that has made him increasingly nervous and upset. He also has begun to develop heart palpitations in response to these changes. Despite his recent development of heart palpitations, 70-year-old Mr. Knowles does not tell his therapist, but instead goes to see his primary care doctor. This is because symptoms of _____ are often interpreted as a medical condition in the elderly.

generalized anxiety disorder

The field of _____ is dedicated to the mental health of elderly people.

geropsychology

Lee has been feeling sad, anxious, and drinking more than usual following his retirement. His brother Todd has been having some recent challenges with memory, concentration, and thinking. Todd is MOST likely experiencing _____ disorder, which is not among the disorders that are common among all age groups.

mild neurocognitive disorder

Lucious, who is 70 years old, got over his intimidation with using the Internet and joined a couple of social networking Web sites. Within a few months, he had many followers on Twitter and regularly engaged with family and friends on Facebook. Since becoming active on the Internet, he has become more mentally alert, his memory has improved, and he reports feeling less socially isolated and generally happier. Clinical theorists would attribute his newfound experience to all of these EXCEPT:

social networking has given him opportunities to date.

Studies of the oldest old show that compared to those in their 80s and early 90s, the oldest old are usually:

more agile, healthier, and clearheaded.

Proponents of cognitive treatments for Alzheimer's disease claims that activities such as performing simple calculations and reading aloud:

rehabilitate parts of the brain linked to memory, reasoning, and judgment.

Jean is an 80-year-old, African American woman who has begun to develop increasing health problems. She is more likely to live _____ than her white American counterpart.

with her adult children

Of 100 typical elderly patients entering a hospital for a general medical condition, about how many would initially be diagnosed with delirium, and about how many more would develop delirium while in the hospital (in that order)?

10 percent; 10 percent

Suicide is a very real issue for the elderly. The national suicide rate in the United States for elderly people is more than _____ per 100,000.

16

Which of these is NOT among the explanations clinical theorists offer to explain why the elderly benefit from engaging in social networking online?

Social networking gives them opportunities to date.

An elderly woman who has an episode of delirium is treated for an underlying infection that preceded her disorientation. What can one expect will happen next?

The delirium will resolve and her attention and orientation will return to normal.

Dr. Jamison studies major neurocognitive disorders. Based on the available evidence about the causes of these conditions, he is MOST likely interested in learning more about _____.

brain abnormalities

An individual has just been diagnosed with mild neurocognitive disorder. One knows for sure that the person:

can still function independently.

Kelly works in a nursing home where prescription drugs are commonly overused to manage the behavior of the clientele. The MOST likely drugs that are being misused are:

antipsychotics.

As people age, the incidence of alcohol abuse and other forms of substance abuse:

decreases

Martin is 90 and has a disorder of cognition. He MOST likely has been diagnosed with _____.

delirium

Studies have shown that misuse of medications in U.S. nursing homes occurs MOST often when staff members:

use antipsychotic drugs to control the behaviors of those who don't show psychotic symptoms.

Jamie is a 60-year-old woman who exercises regularly, eats healthful meals, and engages in stimulating activities with her social support group. Clinical scientists would say that Jamie is taking a _____ approach to her aging process.

wellness promotion

A 65-year-old in otherwise very good health typically will experience occasional:

memory difficulties

An individual with Alzheimer's disease is able to function independently. The MOST appropriate label for this person's condition is:

mild neurocognitive disorder.

"Grandpa is 88 years old, and there's no sign of neurocognitive disorder," says a friend. The MOST accurate reply is:

"That's wonderful—about half of people that age do have signs of neurocognitive disorder."

A friend says, "My 70-year-old grandmother is in good physical health, but has been diagnosed with depression. Should she even bother getting therapy?" Your BEST research-based answer is:

"Yes, over half of elderly patients show improvement with treatment."

One significant problem regarding drugs and older individuals is the (often unintentional) misuse of prescription drugs. This is not a surprising phenomenon, when one considers that people over the age of 50 are responsible for purchasing _____ percent of all prescription drugs and _____ percent of all over-the-counter drugs in the United States.

77; 61

_____ tends to be underreported in the elderly because certain symptoms, such as heart palpitations and perspiring, tend to be interpreted as a medical condition instead.

Generalized anxiety disorder

Declining health, loss of friends or spouses, loss of financial resources, and other changes likely contribute to which common anxiety disorder in those over age 65?

generalized anxiety disorder

Dr. Walker has selected a therapy to help her treat depression in her severely depressed elderly patients. Based on the evidence for therapeutic effectiveness, which therapy is she unlikely to include in her treatment plan?

humanistic

As age increases, the rate of anxiety disorders _____.

increases

Alcohol use disorder in elderly people is treated:

much the same as it is treated in younger adults.

Monty never drank in his younger years, but since he entered his late 60s, he has begun to drink excessively. His unhealthy drinking patterns are MOST likely in response to:

negative events and the pressures of growing older.

Twisted protein fibers that are found within the cells of the hippocampus and certain brain areas are called _____, and an excess of them may be related to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

neurofibrillary tangles

Marty just celebrated his seventieth birthday. Despite being in good health and mentally astute, his greatest fear is _____, a well-publicized condition associated with the elderly.

significant cognitive decline