Chapter 5

The physical symptoms associated with generalized anxiety disorder are different from the physical symptoms associated with panic attacks. Which of the following symptoms are characteristic of generalized anxiety disorder? Check all that apply. Trembling Increased heart rate Irritability Sleep disturbance Muscle tension

Irritability Sleep disturbance Muscle tension

A young woman with contamination obsession and compulsive hand washing has her hands smeared with car grease and is asked to refrain from washing them.

Response (or ritual) prevention

Which of the following are known to be possible side effects of taking common antianxiety drugs? Check all that apply. Sexual dysfunction High blood pressure Irritability and hostility Memory problems Digestive problems

Sexual dysfunction Irritability and hostility Memory problems

Which of the following is true about biological treatments for anxiety disorders? Check all that apply. 1.Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. 2.Antidepressants are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. 3.There are no effective biological treatments for anxiety disorders. 4.Antipsychotic drugs are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. 5.Medication is frequently used to treat anxiety disorders.

1.Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. 2.Antidepressants are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. 5.Medication is frequently used to treat anxiety disorders.

The focus of worry for a person with generalized anxiety disorder is somewhat different from the focus of worry for individuals with other anxiety disorders. Which of the following are things that a person with generalized anxiety disorder might be excessively worried about? Check all that apply. 1.Leaving for lunch on time every day 2.Being contaminated by dirt and germs 3.Paying every bill at least 1 week early 4.Experiencing a panic attack while driving 5.Changing a car's oil exactly every 3,000 miles

1.Leaving for lunch on time every day 3.Paying every bill at least 1 week early 5.Changing a car's oil exactly every 3,000 miles

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) distinguishes between different types of panic attacks. Identify the type of panic attack experienced by each of the following individuals. 1.Albert always has a panic attack when he is in the presence of rats. 2.Jonas never knows when or where he will have another panic attack. 3.Kristen's panic attacks sometimes occur when she is in a forest, but not always.

1.Situationally bound (cued) panic attack 2.Unexpected (uncued) panic attack 3.Situationally predisposed panic attack

As with most other psychological disorders, identifying the exact cause or causes of anxiety disorders is no easy task. Psychologists have examined how a variety of factors may affect whether an individual develops an anxiety disorder. According to research, what role do genes play in determining whether someone will develop an anxiety disorder? 1.They can contribute to, but do not fully determine, whether an anxiety disorder will emerge. 2.Their role in the emergence of anxiety disorders is completely unknown. 3.They play no role in the emergence of anxiety disorders. 4.They fully determine whether an anxiety disorder will emerge.

1.They can contribute to, but do not fully determine, whether an anxiety disorder will emerge.

Ginny is convinced that if she leaves her home without unplugging all electric devices, an electrical fire will occur and destroy her home. This thought preoccupies her daily. To deal with this upsetting idea, she spends nearly 90 minutes every day before she leaves for work unplugging all devices and double-checking that they are all unplugged. What is Ginny struggling with? 1.Only a compulsion 2.Both an obsession and a compulsion 3.Neither an obsession nor a compulsion 4.Only an obsession

2.Both an obsession and a compulsion

Albert is a long-time surfer who has seen a shark in the water while surfing three different times. Each time, Albert was terrified and suffered a panic attack. Nevertheless, he continues to surf and keep a watchful eye out for sharks. What is one reason why Albert would not likely be diagnosed with a shark phobia? 1.His fearful reaction to the shark was not extreme enough. 2.His fear and reaction are not irrational or excessive, as seeing a shark while surfing is very dangerous and frightening. 3.A specific phobia is diagnosed only when the individual also begins to experience uncued panic attacks. 4.It is not possible to have a phobia of animals that are our natural predators.

2.His fear and reaction are not irrational or excessive, as seeing a shark while surfing is very dangerous and frightening.

Many people with panic disorder also develop agoraphobia. Which of the following situations would a person with agoraphobia be least likely to avoid or be anxious about? 1.Riding on a crowded city bus 2.Watching TV at home with family 3.Watching a parade in a large crowd 4.Taking an elevator to the top of a skyscraper

2.Watching TV at home with family

In addition to developing anxiety about having another panic attack, what else do many individuals with panic disorder worry about? 1.Everyday events, like household chores 2.What the panic attack means or what its consequences might be 3.Recurrent and persistent thoughts that are intrusive and distressing 4.Being contaminated by dirt and germs

2.What the panic attack means or what its consequences might be

The human nervous system is wired for a fight-or-flight response to threatening stimuli, whereby the body is prepared to confront or run away from danger. When might the fight-or-flight response become problematic and potentially lead to an anxiety disorder? 1.When it goes away quickly 2.When it occurs in the absence of danger or perceived threat 3.When it occurs only in the presence of threatening stimuli 4.When it fails to occur at all

2.When it occurs in the absence of danger or perceived threat

One area of the brain often associated with anxiety is the amygdala. This is not surprising, inasmuch as the amygdala is known for which of the following? 1.Activating anxiety-causing genes 2.Producing a decreased heart rate 3.Being activated by danger signals 4.Increasing cognitive dysfunction

3.Being activated by danger signals

Anxiety disorders can be differentiated, to some degree, by the focus of the individual's anxiety or worry. What is the focus of the anxiety and worry for people with panic disorder? 1.Panic caused by a specific object 2.Recurrent and persistent thoughts that are intrusive and distressing 3.The next panic attack 4.Being contaminated by dirt and germs

3.The next panic attack

Which of the following are true about the class of drugs called benzodiazepines? Check all that apply. 1.Most psychologists consider them an effective cure for all anxiety disorders. 2.People who use them often experience nausea as a side effect. 3.They are often used to treat panic disorder. 4.They are exceptionally effective with chronic, severe anxiety. 5.People who use them can become addicted to them.

3.They are often used to treat panic disorder. 5.People who use them can become addicted to them.

Alyssa is very afraid of owls. Which of the following behaviors is the best indicator that Alyssa's fear of owls might be diagnosed as a specific phobia? 1.Alyssa does not like to visit the aviary at the local zoo because there might be owls there. 2.Alyssa does not let her daughter buy a poster that has a cartoon owl on it. 3.Alyssa gets a little grumpy whenever someone says something is a "hoot" because it reminds her of owls. 4.Alyssa refuses to leave her house after dark because there are trees in her yard and owls might nest there.

4.Alyssa refuses to leave her house after dark because there are trees in her yard and owls might nest there.

Carlos has an intense fear of being cut or scratched, and often faints when he is scratched. When he moved in with his partner, Carlos asked her to get rid of the rosebush in the front yard because Carlos was afraid its thorns might scratch him. What type of phobia does Carlos probably have? 1.Natural environment phobia 2.Situational phobia 3.Animal phobia 4.Blood-injury-injection phobia

4.Blood-injury-injection phobia

Which of the following symptoms are often seen in both body dysmorphic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder? 1.Both kinds of patients are vigilant about monitoring how other people respond to their behavior. 2.Both kinds of patients have persistent thoughts of death that are difficult to get rid of. 3.Both kinds of patients engage in ritualistic behaviors that must be rigidly followed. 4.Both kinds of patients can spend excessive amounts of time trying to make something perfect.

4.Both kinds of patients can spend excessive amounts of time trying to make something perfect.

Jeff frequently thinks about strangling his teenage son while he is sleeping. These thoughts and impulses are very distressing to Jeff, but he is unable to get rid of them. What is Jeff struggling with? 1.Neither an obsession nor a compulsion 2.Both an obsession and a compulsion 3.Only a compulsion 4.Only an obsession

4.Only an obsession

What kinds of disruptions can body dysmorphic disorder cause in a patient's life? 1.Patients may engage in risky sexual behavior as a way of seeking validation from others. 2.Patients may experience excessive positivity and lose the ability to regulate their own behavior. 3.Patients may become obsessed with trying to emulate someone else and act in a threatening or violent manner. 4.Patients may isolate themselves and avoid others due to embarrassment about their appearance.

4.Patients may isolate themselves and avoid others due to embarrassment about their appearance.

Understanding the distribution or pattern of anxiety-related disorders in the population can be useful for treatment and prevention efforts. Researchers work to expand our knowledge of important issues, such as how many people have anxiety-related disorders, the characteristics of individuals who have anxiety-related disorders, the typical course and age of onset for anxiety-related disorders, and the comorbidity of anxiety-related disorders with other disorders. Researchers have found which of the following to be true of anxiety-related disorders? 1.They tend to occur more often in men than women. 2.They are relatively rare, affecting less than one tenth of Americans at some point in their lives. 3.They occur only in adulthood, never in childhood. 4.They are relatively common, affecting more than one quarter of Americans at some point in their lives.

4.They are relatively common, affecting more than one quarter of Americans at some point in their lives.

Mr. Stewart's home and property were destroyed in a tornado just last week. Since then, he has had trouble sleeping, is extremely irritable, and goes to the storm shelter when there is any kind of storm or rain.

Acute stress disorder

An elderly man with a blood-injection-injury phobia learns to tense and release different muscle groups while in the presence of needles and syringes.

Relaxation training

A man with social anxiety is taught to breathe deeply and slowly in the presence of crowds.

Breathing retraining

A woman with generalized anxiety disorder is encouraged to record her worry-related thoughts and to question how realistic and helpful they are.

Cognitive therapy

A young boy with arachnophobia (fear of spiders) is brought to a small room with a large, nonpoisonous spider on the table and is asked to stay until his panic subsides.

Flooding

Although worry is a characteristic feature of generalized anxiety disorder, it can also be perfectly normal and even helpful. How is the worry found in generalized anxiety disorder different from common or healthy worry? Check all that apply. It is focused on a small number of major life events. It is excessive and not in proportion to the actual risk or problem. It is easy for the person to stop the worrying when it is not effective. It is difficult for the person to stop or control the worrying. It invariably leads to panic attacks.

It is excessive and not in proportion to the actual risk or problem. It is difficult for the person to stop or control the worrying.

A teenage girl with social anxiety is taught to notice her anxious feelings when they occur and to learn she can accept them and continue to attend school and interact with others while experiencing these feelings.

Mindfulness

Jonas was sexually abused when he was a child. His wife is 3 months pregnant, and Jonas has recently started having flashbacks about the trauma during his childhood. He does not want to be around his wife and is reconsidering whether he wants to be a father at all

PTSD with delayed onset

Erin experienced an unplanned pregnancy and was pressured by her parents into having it terminated about 6 weeks ago. She has not slept well since then, and although she was not awake for the operation, she keeps having nightmares about the surgery. She has avoided all contact with her parents and will only go out after 10 p.m., when most children are at home.

Posttraumatic stress disorder

A woman suffering from panic disorder learns about the components of anxiety.

Psychoeducation

A soldier with posttraumatic stress disorder is slowly exposed to objects, such as military equipment, that are increasingly reminiscent of the combat setting where she experienced her trauma.

Systematic desensitization

A new father with generalized anxiety disorder who is constantly worried his infant daughter will die while sleeping is asked to focus on each worrying thought and to think of as many other alternatives as possible (for example, the baby is sleeping quietly)._____________

Worry exposure

Researchers now believe that anxiety disorders are caused by a blend of psychological, biological, and social factors.

a blend of psychological, biological, and social

As a child, Alex was very shy and did not like to play at the park if other children were present, primarily because he thought that other kids would be mean. If children were at a park when he arrived, Alex would start to cry and his father would take him home immediately. Alex's assumptions represent____________ , while his father's reaction is an example of _______________ for anxiety disorders.

a cognitive distortion a family factor

Hilary was attacked by an evil clown as a child. Now she trembles and experiences a panic attack at the mere sight of a clown or circus. This fear was produced by _____________ , which is generally classified as a type of __________________ for anxiety disorders.

a learning experience environmental risk factor

A person with social phobia is likely to be most anxious when others are present _________________ his or her performance.

and may be evaluating

Amy has a fear of dogs. During an early visit with her therapist, the therapist took Amy to a dog park to see how close she could get to dogs. First they observed the dogs from across the street, and then they slowly walked closer until Amy began to have a panic attack. This is a type of __________for anxiety known as a _______________________

assessment behavioral avoidance test

Most people with an anxiety disorder likely have ____________ vulnerabilities to anxiety.

both psychological and biological

Brian was riding a crowded bus one day when a stranger next to him started coughing violently. Brian immediately assumed that he had contracted a deadly disease. This is an example of ____________ , which is a type of ___________________ for anxiety disorders.

catastrophizing cognitive risk factor

In order for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to be diagnosed, a person's recollections of the traumatic event must be ___________ and the symptoms must last at least _____________

distressing 1 month

Becky gets very nervous when she has to speak in front of large groups but is required to do so for her career. She is not likely to be diagnosed with social phobia if she is able to _________________________

easily control or disregard the anxiety

Anxiety disorders involve experiences and feelings of worry, fear, anxiety, and panic. Although these terms may seem similar, learning how psychologists define and differentiate among these states is an important first step to understanding how anxiety disorders can be treated. Although _________ can be described as the body's immediate reaction to danger, __________ can be considered a false alarm, because it is an immediate reaction that can occur even when there is no actual danger present.

fear, panic attack

Although a person with social phobia may have difficulty engaging in a certain activity in front of other people, he or she is often able to do that activity without difficulty ______________

in private

Compared to a person with both biological and psychological vulnerabilities to anxiety, an individual with only psychological vulnerabilities to anxiety is ___________ to develop an anxiety disorder.

less likely

When David went to a psychiatrist for help with his anxiety, the psychiatrist attached one electrode to David's fingertip and one to his wrist and measured the time it took for a small electrical current to travel between them. This is a type of ____________ for anxiety called _______________

physiological assessment skin conductance

Trauma-related disorders are those that follow a specific event. In patients with these types of disorders, the traumatic event leads to behavioral changes or disruptions in a person's life. Individuals who develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) not only survive a traumatic event but also _______________ the trauma through ___________________________

reexperience memories, nightmares, thoughts, and more

Clancy's counselor asks him to keep a daily journal in which he records all symptoms of anxiety. This assessment technique is known as __________ and can be helpful for increasing _________________

self-monitoring self-awareness of the symptoms