Chapter 3 - Assessing and Diagnosing Abnormality

symptom questionnaire

questionnaire that assesses what symptoms a person is experiencing

personality inventories

questionnaires that assess people's typical ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving; used to obtain information about people's well-being, self-concept, attitudes, and beliefs

European Americans often view the body and mind as:

seperate entities

Rudolph was asked a set of questions about his symptoms in his initial interview that seemed very objective. He was surprised because his friends had told him to expect probing questions such as, "Tell me about yourself." The clinician most likely conducted a _____.

structured interview

_____ reliability refers to how consistent the results of a test are over time.

test-retest

neuropsychological tests

tests of cogitive, sensory, and/or motor skills that attempt to differentiate people with eficits in these areas from normal subjects

A researcher should expect low test-retest reliability for an anxiety questionnaire that measures:

current symptoms

The average performance score on an intelligence quotient (IQ) test is _____.

100

psychophysiological tests

thests in which instruments are attached to the periphery of the body to record changes due to activity in the nervous system

_____ are used to identify brain abnormalities such as or tumors.

electroencephalograms

Harris and colleagues concluded from one study that being labeled with a behavior disorder, the boys were likely to:

enjoy their interactions with others less

A clinician notes any medical or physical diseases from which a person is suffering on _____.

Axis I

Michael has been diagnosed with a learning disorder. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), his disorder should be coded _____.

Axis I

Tommy has been diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), his disorder should be coded on:

Axis I only

On _____ the clinician rates the severity of the psychosocial stressors the individual is facing.

Axis II

Jason was taking a test to measure his general level of anxiety. When he glanced over the test, the questions seemed as though they were related to his problem. In this scenario, the test most likely had _____ validity.

face

A clinician who is assessing a child in elementary school might request information from all of the following people EXCEPT the: A. child's teacher. B. child's neighbor. C. child's parents. D. child.

B. child's neighbor

During 28-year-old Sophia's second visit to the psychologist, the clinician gave her a symptom questionnaire that assessed symptoms of depression. Sophia most likely received the _____.

Beck Depression Inventory

_____ tests are used to measure abilities such as abstract reasoning, verbal fluency, and spatial memory.

intellgence

structured interview

meeting between a clinician and a client or a client's associate(s) in which the clinician asks questions that are standardized and are usually designed to determine whether a diagnosis is warrented

The first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published in _____.

1952

The Halstead-Reitan Test and the Luria-Nebraska Test are _____ tests.

neuropsychological

electrencephalogram (EEG)

procedure in which multiple electrodes are placed on the scal to detect low-voltage electrical current produced by the firing of specific nerons in the brain

Clinicians from _____ perspectives value projective test as tools for assessing the underlying conflicts and concerns of individuals.

psychodynamic

Which term refers to the accuracy of a test in assessing what it is supposed to measure? A. Reliability B. Validity C. Constructability D. Generalizability

B. Validity

The _____ consists of a series of pictures shown to individuals who are then asked to say what they think is being depicted in the pictures.

Thematic Apperception Test

Most people who were diagnosed with one DSM-IV-TR disorder also met the criteria for another disorder. This overlap among disorders is known as _____.

comorbidity

June recently will soon undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Which of the following will the scan involve?

A magnetic field will realign the hydrogen atoms in June's brain, allowing the computer to read the signals to construct images of her brain.

Which of the following represents the major difference between the conditions covered by Axis I and those covered by Axis II? A. Conditions listed on Axis II pertain more to environmental stressors. B. Conditions listed on Axis II are more treatable. C. Conditions listed on Axis II affect an individual's occupational functioning more frequently. D. Conditions listed on Axis II occur more commonly.

A. Conditions listed on Axis II pertain more to environmental stressors.

Which of the following is NOT true of child psychopathology? A. Parents' perceptions of their children's well-being are rarely influenced by their own symptoms of psychopathology and their expectations for their children. B. Clinicians and researchers have experienced problems with children's self-reports and rely on adults to provide the information. C. Parents are considered a reliable source of information because they spend more time with children than any other adult. D. A child's psychopathology can be connected to parental behaviors.

A. Parents' perceptions of their children's well-being are rarely influenced by their own symptoms of psychopathology and their expectations for their children.

Which of the following can be used to show differences in activity in specific areas of the brain? A. Positron-emission tomography (PET) B. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) C. Electroencephalogram (EEG) D. Computerized tomography (CT)

A. Positron-emission tomography (PET)

Tina's parents are concerned because she seems to have trouble writing. She often writes her numbers backwards and misspells words. The school suggests that they seek psychological counseling, especially since the problem occurred after the family's car accident. Why might the family need a psychologist? A. Psychologists can assess cognitive deficits such as learning disabilities. B. A psychologist would be more sympathetic to the parents' concerns. C. A psychologist could consult after ruling out biological causes for the problem. D. Psychologists are concerned with the emotional well-being of individuals.

A. Psychologists can assess cognitive deficits such as learning disabilities.

Which of the following is a quick way for clinicians to determine a person's symptoms? A. Symptom questionnaire B. Structured interview C. Luria-Nebraska Test D. Computerized tomography scan

A. Symptom questionnaire

Which of the following is a criticism leveled against the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)? A. The norms for the original MMPI were not representative of people from a wide range of ethnic and racial backgrounds, age groups, and social classes. B. The concurrent validity and the test-retest reliability of the MMPI have been found to be low. C. The MMPI has limited application as a general screening device for detecting people who are functioning very poorly psychologically. D. The MMPI cannot be translated into different languages to meet the needs of different cultural groups.

A. The norms for the original MMPI were not representative of people from a wide range of ethnic and racial backgrounds, age groups, and social classes.

On Lee's first visit to a psychologist's office, a psychologist asks his a series of questions about his personal and family history. These questions: A. are part of his initial interview. B. mainly serve the purpose of putting the client at ease. C. are just a formality with no real diagnostic value. D. reflect the client's ability to diagnose his own condition.

A. are part of his initial interview.

_____ is used by the clinician to quantify and communicate the degree to which a disorder is impairing the client's functioning in daily life.

Axis III

Which of the following terms is used to describe a method of comparing an individual's score on an intelligence test with the performance of individuals of the same age group? A. Emotional Quotient (EQ) B. Intelligence Quotient (IQ) C. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) D. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

B. Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

Which of the following statements is true about the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)? A. It assesses whether the respondent qualifies for a diagnosis of depression. B. It describes four levels of a given symptom of depression. C. Respondents indicate the description that best fits how they have been feeling in the past six months. D. Cutoff scores have been established to indicate only severe levels of depressive symptoms.

B. It describes four levels of a given symptom of depression.

Which of the following is the best method of improving the validity and reliability of psychological tests? A. Conducting at least three trials before using them for research B. Standardizing their administration and interpretation C. Limiting their use to patients with severe disorders D. Having them reviewed by professionals in the field of psychopathology

B. Standardizing their administration and interpretation

Which of the following statements about child psychopathology is incorrect? A. Cultural norms impact a child's behavior and parental expectations. B. Teachers' assessments of children are often similar to the assessments of other adults, including parents and trained clinicians. C. Guidance counselors and other school personnel are often the first to recognize a problem and initiate an intervention. D. Discrepancies in assessments of child behavior may be due to the fact that children function differently in different settings.

B. Teachers' assessments of children are often similar to the assessments of other adults, including parents and trained clinicians.

Which of the following statements is true about the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)? A. While it was being developed, a large group of possible inventory items was given only to people suffering from various psychological problems. B. The inventory items on the original MMPI cluster into 18 scales that measure different types of psychological characteristics or problems. C. Additional scales have been added to the MMPI-2 to assess vulnerability to eating disorders, substance abuse, and poor functioning at work. D. It uses one validity scale to determine whether a person responds honestly or distorts her or his answers in a way that might invalidate the test.

C. Additional scales have been added to the MMPI-2 to assess vulnerability to eating disorders, substance abuse, and poor functioning at work.

Which of the following is a label for a set of symptoms that often occur together? A. Marker B. Typology C. Diagnosis D. Assessment

C. Diagnosis

Which of the following is a limitation of computerized tomography? A. It does not accurately reveal tumors and injuries. B. It only shows two-dimensional images. C. It exposes patients to X-rays, which can be harmful. D. It provides an image of the brain's activity rather than its structure.

C. It exposes patients to X-rays, which can be harmful.

Which of the following is NOT true about language during an assessment? A. Overdiagnosis may occur when the assessor interprets the individual's description of symptoms as indicating more pathology than is really present. B. Underdiagnosis may occur when the individual cannot articulate complex emotions or strange perceptual experiences in the assessor's language. C. Seldom do interpreters misunderstand and mistranslate a clinician's questions and the person's answers. D. As different people from the same country can speak different dialects of a language or may have different means of expressing feelings and attitudes, mistranslation can occur.

C. Seldom do interpreters misunderstand and mistranslate a clinician's questions and the person's answers.

Which of the following is used to assess people's typical ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving? A. An intelligence test B. A symptom questionnaire C. A projective test D. A personality inventory

D. A personality inventory

In the United States, which of the followings groups is overdiagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia? A. European Americans B. Asian Americas C. Native Americans D. African Americans

D. African Americans

During an initial interview, Diane notes that her client tends to laugh excessively at his own jokes. He has disheveled hair and soiled clothes. Which types of information has Diane noted about her client? A. Mood and affect; orientation to place, time, and person B. Orientation to place, time, and person; thought processes C. Thought processes; intellectual functioning D. Appearance and behavior; mood and affect

D. Appearance and behavior; mood and affect

Which of the following statements is true about the Rorschach Inkblot Test? A. It was developed by Sigmund Freud. B. It consists of a series of 15 pictures. C. Clinicians are interested in the physiological responses of subjects to stimuli. D. Clinicians are interested in the content and style of the subjects' responses.

D. Clinicians are interested in the content and style of the subjects' responses.

Which of the following is the most current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)? A. DSM-III B. DSM-IV C. DSM-IV-TR D. DSM-5

D. DSM-5

Which statement regarding intelligence tests is incorrect? A. Intelligence tests are controversial, and there is little consensus as to what intelligence means. B. The most widely used intelligence tests do not assess talents and skills such as artistic and musical ability. C. Different cultures within the United States and other countries emphasize other forms of reasoning that may not be assessed on intelligence tests. D. Several "culture-fair" tests exist, but they are so expensive to administer that psychologists rarely use them.

D. Several "culture-fair" tests exist, but they are so expensive to administer that psychologists rarely use them.

Which of the following was a problem with the earlier editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)? A. The text was cumbersome and clinicians had difficulty using the classification. B. The theoretical assumptions of the criteria had no empirical support. C. The criteria were impressionistic, and also influenced by humanistic theory. D. The descriptions of the disorders were abstract and theoretically based.

D. The descriptions of the disorders were abstract and theoretically based.

Which psychologist rattled the mental health community when he and several of his colleagues admitted themselves to various psychiatric facilities as "pseudopatients?"

David Rosenhan

The classification system most widely used in the United States for diagnosing psychological disorders is the _____.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Disruption of social and occupational functioning and duration of a person's symptoms are criteria that were missing for which editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)?

First and second edition

One of the first classification systems for psychological symptoms was developed by _____.

Hippocrates

Margaret received an intelligence quotient (IQ) score of 100 on her intelligence test. How does her performance compare with the average performance of other individuals in her age group?

It is similar

Which of the following brain-image techniques can be considered the most effective? A. Computerized tomography (CT) B. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) C. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) D. Positron-emission tomography (PET)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Cynthia wants to become a police officer. Applicants for the police academy must take a battery of tests before admission. Cynthia took a test that had sentences describing moral and social attitudes, behaviors, psychological states, and physical conditions. She was also instructed to respond to each sentence with either "true," "false," or "can't say." Cynthia most likely took the _____.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

Recent research on comorbidity led to diagnostic systems that:

Recent research on comorbidity led to diagnostic systems that:

Which of the following is true about positron-emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)? A. The same tracer substance is used in both SPECT and PET. B. SPECT is less accurate than to PET. C. PET is less expensive compared to SPECT. D. The procedures of SPECT are significantly different from those of PET.

SPECT is less accurate than the PET

Which critic of psychiatry argued that the entire diagnostic system of mental disorders is corrupt and should be abandoned?

Thomas Szasz

multiaxial system

a system of diagnoses on three axes used by the DSM-5, with the first axis representing mental disorders, the second axis representing psychosocial and environmental problems, and the third axis representing global level of functioning

Proponents of projective tests argue that they:

are useful in uncovering unconscious motives

The process of gathering information about an individual's symptoms and the possible causes of these symptoms is referred to as _____.

assessment

Clinicians will often use _____ to assess deficits in an individual's skills or ways of handling situations.

behavioral observation

The Bender-Gestalt Test assesses individuals' sensorimotor skills by having them reproduce a set of nine drawings. A client with brain damage who takes the test would most likely:

change or rotate parts of the drawings

Harris and colleagues found that labeling can be especially detrimental to:

children in grades 3 to 6

_____ disorders last for long periods of time, while ____ disorders have a more recent and abrupt onset of severe symptoms.

chronic; acute

A set of syndromes and the rules for determining whether an individual's symptoms are part of one of these syndromes constitute a(n) _____.

classification system

An enhancement of X-ray procedures that reconstructs three-dimensional computerized images of the major structures of the brain is called a(n) _____ scan.

computerized tomography (CT)

____ validity is the extent to which a test yields the same results as other, established measures of the same phenomena.

concurrent

The extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure and not something else altogether is representative _____ validity.

construct

If a test assesses all the important aspects of a phenomenon, the test is said to have _____ validity.

content

Mark takes a test to measure his general level of anxiety. After taking the test, Mark realizes that the test contained questions only on the physical symptoms of anxiety and left out questions related to cognitive symptoms, which are important aspects of the phenomenon of anxiety. In this case, the test lacks _____ validity.

content

reliability

degree of consistency in a measurement - that is, the extent to which it yields accurate measurements of a phenomenon across several trials, acros different populations, ad in different forms

validity

degree of correspondence between a meausrement and the phenomenon under study

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is one of the most common questionnaires used to assess symptoms of _____.

depressioin

Critics of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) argue that it:

does not clearly differentiate between depressive symptoms and general distress related to other disorders.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):

does not require exposing the patient to any radiation

A(n) _____ measures electrical activity along the scalp produced by the firing of specific neurons in the brain, and it is often used to detect seizure activity.

electroencephalogram (EEG)

When electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns over brief periods are recorded in response to specific stimuli, these EEG patterns are referred to as:

evoked potentials

When different individuals administer and score a test and come to similar conclusions after evaluating the same people, the test is said to have _____ reliability.

high interrater

A psychologist would find the Bender-Gestalt Test useful for:

identifying people with brain damage.

The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM):

incorporates a continuum perspective on disorders.

In a mental status exam, the clinician will evaluate the client's _____ by observing how well the person speaks and looking for indications of memory or attention difficulties.

inellectual functioning

Sarah's parents were concerned because she seemed "slow" for her age. Sarah had a complete physical and mental examination. In addition, she took a battery of tests. The results of one test revealed that Sarah suffered from mild mental retardation. Most likely, this test was a(n) _____.

intelligence test

_____ refers to the similarity in people's answers among different parts of the same test.

internal reliability

An important advantage of direct behavioral observations is that:

it does not rely on self-reports and self-interpretation of behaviors.

diagnosis

label given to a set of symptoms that tend to occur together

Simon developed two forms of an anxiety questionnaire. In the second form, he changed the wording and order of the questions. He administered both forms to the same group of participants two weeks apart. While scoring the tests, Simon realizes that the participants' answers to the different forms of the test are dissimilar. In this case, the tests are said to have:

low alternate form reliability

comorbidity

meeting the critera for two or more diagnostic categories simultaneously

An initial interview in a clinical setting may include a _____ exam, to assess the client's general functioning.

mental status

behavioral observation

method for assessing the frequency of a client's behaviors and the specific situations in which they occur

computerized tomography (CT)

method of analyzing brain structure by passing narrow X-ray beams through a person's head from several angles to produce measrements from which a computer can construct an image of the brain

self-monitoring

method of assessment in which a client records the number of times per day that he or she engages in a specifc behvior and the conditions surrounding the behavior

positron-emission tomography (PET)

method of localizing and measuring brain activity by detecting photons that result from the metabolization of an injected isotope

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

method of measuring both brain structure and brain function through the construction of a magnetic field that affects hydroge atoms in the brain, emitting signals that a computer then records and uses to produce a three-dimeional image of the brain

Intelligence tests are biased in favor:

middle- and upper-class educated European Americans.

The last several editions of the DSM have been:

multiaxial

Psychologist may use _____ tests to detect specific cognitive deficits.

neuropsychological

Diagnostic an Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

official manual for diagnosing mental disorders in the United States, containing a list of specifc criteria for each disorder, how long a person's symptoms must be present to qualify for a diagnosis, and requirements that the stymptoms interfer with daily functioning in order to be called disorders

In PET scans, a radioactive isotope, fluorodeoxyglucose, emits subatomic particles called _____ as it decays.

positrons

Rosenhan's study enlightened the mental health community on the dangers of:

potential abuses of power by those who label people as normal or abnormal.

projective test

presentation of an ambiguous stimulus, such as an inkblot, to a client, who hen projects in his or her interpretaton of itscontent

single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)

procedure to assess brain functioning in which a tracer substance is injected into the blodstream and then travels to the brain, where it can indicated the activity level of specific areas of the brain when viewed through a SPECT scanner

assessment

process of fathering information about a person's symptoms and their possible causes

_____ tests are based on the assumption that people will interpret ambiguous stimuli in line with their current concerns and feelings, their relationships with others, and conflicts or desires.

projective

_____ tests are alternative methods to magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography, positron-emission tomography, and single photon emission computed tomography used to detect changes in the brain and nervous system that reflect emotional and psychological changes.

psychophysiological

A test that is consistent in measuring what it is supposed to measure is considered to have _____.

reliability

A test is considered to have predictive validity when it:

reliably represents how a person will think, feel, or behave inthe future

Projective tests:

rely on subjective interpretations by clinicians

Tina's parents made an appointment for her to see a mental health professional. During the initial interview, she refused to answer the interview questions and claimed that she did not have to cooperate if she did not want to. Tina is exhibiting _____.

resistance

If direct observation or role-playing is not possible, clinicians may require individuals to:

self-monitor

syndrome

set of symptoms that tend to occur togther

classification system

set of syndromes and the rules for determining whether an individual's symptoms are part of one of these syndromes

Which kind of interview is standardized and uses concrete criteria to score the person's answers?

structured

In an electroencephalogram (EEG), electrodermal response refers to:

sweat gland activity

The set of symptoms of a diagnosis that tend to occur together is called a(n) _____.

syndrome

Wallace took the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test when he was in the sixth, eight, and tenth grades. On each occasion, his test scores were practically the same. The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test would be an example of _____ reliability.

test-retest

intelligence tests

tests that assess a person's intellectual strenghts and weaknessesb

In a mental status exam, when a clinician takes note of how coherently and quickly a client speaks, the clinician is assessing the client's _____.

thought processes

Current guidelines for diagnosing mental disorders use _____ to make diagnoses.

thresholds