Abnormal Psychology Practice TEST
Abnormal Psychology Practice TEST
Multiple Choice
1. Ravi brushes his teeth 18 times a day. Each time, he uses exactly 83 strokes up and 83 strokes down.
After he eats, he must brush twice with two different brands of toothpaste. Ravi suffers from a(n):
A) bipolar disorder.
B) generalized anxiety disorder.
C) phobia.
D) dysthymic disorder.
E) obsessive-compulsive disorder.
2. Within the last year, Mr. Shangkun has been fired by three different employers because they each
discovered that he was stealing money or materials from their companies. Although he feels no remorse
for his misdeeds, his outward signs of repentance have dissuaded his former employers from taking him
to court. Mr. Shangkun's behavior is most indicative of:
A) a personality disorder.
B) obsessive-compulsive disorder.
C) a dissociative disorder.
D) schizophrenia.
E) post-traumatic stress disorder.
3. Free-floating anxiety is MOST characteristic of
A) bipolar disorder
B) obsessive-compulsive disorder
C) generalized anxiety disorder
D) phobic disorder
E) panic disorder
4. Two years after being brutally beaten and raped, Brianna still experiences jumpy anxiety and has
trouble sleeping and vivid flashbacks of her assault. Brianna is most clearly showing signs of:
A) generalized anxiety disorder.
B) post-traumatic stress disorder.
C) bipolar disorder.
D) panic disorder.
E) social phobia.
5. A schizoid personality disorder is most likely to be characterized by:
A) shallow, attention-getting emotional displays.
B) a fear of social rejection.
C) an insatiable desire for attention.
D) a sense of self-importance.
E) a detachment from social relationships.
6. Depression after giving birth is called:
A) involutional depression
B) nesting depression
C) major depression
D) postpartum depression
ear infection is the sign of something much more serious, such as a brain tumor, and she has made
appointments with three different specialists to have more testing done. In this case, Sophie's
symptoms are MOST consistent with
A) somatic symptom disorder
B) panic disorder
C) neuroticism
D) hypochondriasis
E) conversion disorder
XXXX 38. Someone who does not move and is totally withdrawn is probably a:
A) disorganized schizophrenic
B) catatonic schizophrenic
C) paranoid schizophrenic
D) undifferentiate schizophrenic
E) simple schizophrenic
39. Symptoms of withdrawal following the disappearance of hallucinations and delusions are most
indicative of ________ schizophrenia.
A) catatonic
B) residual
C) undifferentiated
D) paranoid
E) disorganized
40. After several weeks of feeling apathetic and dissatisfied with his life, Mark has suddenly become
extremely cheerful and so talkative he can't be interrupted. He seems to need less sleep and becomes
irritated when his friends tell him to slow down. Mark's behavior is indicative of:
A) bipolar disorder.
B) dysthymic disorder.
C) schizophrenia.
D) agoraphobia.
E) an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
41. A feeling that "things are not real" and that there is little awareness of time and place is called
A) delusions
B) ahedonia
C) depersonalization
D) hallucinations
E) free floating anxiety
XXXX 42. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are the ________ of inappropriate behaviors, and
negative symptoms are the ________ of appropriate behaviors.
A) absence; absence
B) presence; presence
C) absence; presence
D) presence; absence
E) result; result
XXXX 43. A physical ailment that results, in part, from psychological factors without any accompanying
physical basis is referred to as
A) a somatoform disorder
B) malingering
C) a dissociative disorder
D) an anxiety disorder
E) a psychosomatic disease
44. In terms of neurotransmitter levels, depression is associated with:
A) low norepinephrine levels and high serotonin levels.
B) high norepinephrine levels and high serotonin levels.
C) low norepinephrine levels and low serotonin levels.
D) only low norepinephrine levels.
E) high norepinephrine levels and low serotonin levels.
45. Gradually developing is to suddenly developing as ________ schizophrenia is to ________
schizophrenia.
A) acute; reactive
B) process; chronic
C) reactive; process
D) process; chronic
E) chronic; acute
46. Judicial systems are responsible for making decisions regarding:
A) personality disorders.
B) agoraphobia.
C) insanity.
D) mania.
E) catatonia.
47. When one experiences a loss of use of some part of the body with no accompanying organic
problems, the diagnosis is a
A) conversion disorder
B) panic attack
C) somatic symptom disorder
D) phobic attack
E) hypochondriasis
XXXX 48. Roy alternates between periods in which he remains motionless and seems oblivious to his
environment, and periods of hyperactivity and frenzied excitement. Roy would MOST likely be
diagnosed as having
A) hebephrenic schizophrenia
B) disorganized schizophrenia
C) catatonic schizophrenia
D) paranoid schizophrenia
E) undifferentiated schizophrenia
49. A therapist believes that Chet is chronically depressed because he takes too little credit for his
many achievements and assumes too much responsibility for his few failures. The therapist's
interpretation reflects a ________ perspective.
A) biological
B) trait
C) psychoanalytic
D) social-cognitive
E) humanistic
50. One cluster of personality disorders marked by anxiety is exemplified by the ________ personality
disorder.
A) avoidant
B) antisocial
C) histrionic
D) schizoid
E) narcissistic
A) Thorazine
B) Zoloft
C) lithium
D) Prozac
E) Xanax
5. Jimmy has been in psychotherapy for several months, but during the last few sessions he has been
distracted and inattentive. When his therapist asks him to describe any dreams he has had recently,
Jimmy insists that he doesn't remember any of his dreams. According to Freud, Jimmy's behavior may be
a sign of
A) repression
B) defensive neurosis
C) resistance
D) insight
E) transference
6. Rogers named his technique "client-centered therapy" to emphasize his belief that
A) therapists should never give their diagnosis directly to the client
B) clients should play a major role in determining the pace and direction of their therapy
C) therapists should always share all of their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with clients
D) clients should always be the center of attention
E) the client is in a position of natural status and authority over the therapist
7. Group therapy is typically more effective than individual therapy for:
A) eliminating clients' anxiety during the process of therapy.
B) helping people deal with resistance and transference.
C) enabling people to discover that others have problems similar to their own.
D) encouraging severely disturbed individuals to quickly regain normal social functioning.
E) ensuring that therapists will become more emotionally involved in clients' real-life problems.
8. Which of the following statements best represents the approach of a cognitive therapist in treating a
chronically anxious client?
A) "Let's see if we can identify the irrational thoughts that are producing your anxiety."
B) "Do you feel that your mother adequately met your need for emotional support when you were a
child?"
C) "Let's look for ways in which you might actually be benefiting from your anxiety."
D) "How would you describe the dreams you've had recently?"
E) "So, you feel that your world is a very scary place to be."
9. Which drugs are designed to depress central nervous system activity?
A) electroconvulsive drugs
B) antidepressant drugs
C) antipsychotic drugs
D) mood-stabilizing drugs
E) antianxiety drugs
XX 10. Which of the following biomedical treatments provides some of the benefits of ETC without
triggering seizures or memory loss?
16. Which of the following therapies are mainly intended to eliminate symptoms rather than alter
personality?
A) cognitive and psychoanalytic therapies
B) psychoanalysis and drug therapies
C) behavior and drug therapies
D) client-centered therapies and behavior therapies
E) psychoanalysis and client-centered therapy
17. Which of the following lists the characteristics that Carl Rogers believes is necessary in clientcentered therapy to encourage client growth?
A) genuineness, unconditional positive regard, empathy
B) directedness, genuineness, openness
C) unconditional positive regard, empathy, directedness
D) empathy, openness, genuineness
E) openness, directedness, reliability
18. Beth is so terrified of snakes that even walking on sidewalks covered with earthworms after a rain
storm makes her feel anxious. Her behavioral therapist has been helping Beth overcome her fear by
having her work through an anxiety hierarchy while she maintains a state of deep relaxation. In this
case, her therapist is using
A) systematic desensitization to help Beth overcome her fear of snakes
B) aversion therapy to help Beth overcome her fear of snakes
C) biofeedback to help Beth overcome her fear of snakes
D) hypnotherapy to help Beth overcome her fear of snakes
E) psychoanalysis to help Beth overcome her fear of snakes
19. Dr. Byrne is a clinical psychologist who often uses operant conditioning techniques to treat her
clients. She also encourages them to modify their thought patterns, and on occasion she interprets their
transference behaviors. Dr. Byrne's therapeutic approach would best be described as:
A) meta-analytic.
B) client-centered.
C) behavioral.
D) eclectic.
E) psychoanalytic.
20. Light exposure therapy was developed to relieve symptoms of:
A) depression.
B) anxiety.
C) insomnia.
D) bulimia.
E) alcoholism.
21. Which of the following is a procedure for statistically combining the results of many different
studies?
A) meta-analysis
B) rTMS
C) correlational analysis
E) Valium
28. Clive is a clinical psychologist and his sister Grace is a psychiatrist. The main difference between
these two professionals would be the fact that Clive would
A) normally treat young children, while Grace would treat more adults
B) take a psychoanalytic approach in treating patients, while Grace would take a behavioral approach
C) have a degree in psychology, while Grace would have a medical degree
D) take a cognitive approach in treating patients, while Grace would take a behavioral approach
E) typically deal with patients who have more severe problems than the patients Grace usually sees
29. Inflated estimates of the value of antidepressant drugs are in large part due to the fact that patient
recovery often results from:
A) stress inoculation training.
B) the double-blind technique.
C) the therapeutic touch.
D) meta-analysis.
E) the placebo effect.
30. Which approach would attempt to minimize psychological disorders by working to reduce the
incidence of child abuse and illiteracy in society?
A) token economy
B) biomedical therapy
C) counterconditioning
D) preventive mental health
E) psychoanalysis
31. Edith has been experiencing mental confusion, hallucinations, and delusions. Her parents schedule
an appointment with a therapist to find out if there is something she can take to reduce her symptoms.
In this case, the doctor will MOST likely prescribe
A) Zoloft
B) Nardil
C) Xanax
D) Prozac
E) Thorazine
32. Lithium is often an effective ________ drug.
A) antidepressant
B) antipsychotic
C) antianxiety
D) mood-stabilizing
E) anticonvulsive
33. When Murli told his therapist, I came to see what you could do for me, the therapist responded,
It sounds like you're feeling you need some help. Am I right? The therapist's response illustrates the
technique of:
A) transference.
B) systematic desensitization.
C) free association.
D) meta-analysis.
E) active listening.
34. Repeatedly introducing people to things they fear and avoid is most characteristic of:
A) stress inoculation training.
B) behavior modification.
C) cognitive therapy.
D) exposure therapies.
E) rTMS.
35. Prozac is an antidepressant drug that partially blocks the reabsorption and removal of ________
from synapses.
A) acetylcholine
B) GABA
C) dopamine
D) serotonin
E) chlorpromazine
36. Xanax would most likely be prescribed in order to help:
A) Cassius get rid of his suicidal thoughts and feelings of apathy and hopelessness.
B) Bradan discontinue his habit of smoking more than three packs of cigarettes a day.
C) Cynthia give up her irrational belief that her husband is a foreign government spy.
D) Samantha, an anorexic, stop purging after eating.
E) Jerome overcome feelings of nervous apprehension and an inability to relax.
37. Clients often stay in touch with their psychotherapists only if satisfied with the treatment they
received. This helps us understand why therapists:
A) prefer client-centered therapy over other forms of treatment.
B) tend to overestimate the effectiveness of psychotherapy.
C) interpret patients' transference early in the course of therapy.
D) typically take an eclectic approach to therapy.
E) prefer aversive therapy over a client-center approach.
38. Lancaster has been feeling worthless and unmotivated since he lost his job six months ago. He
schedules an appointment with his doctor to find out if there is some physical problem that is causing
his symptoms. His doctor tells Lancaster that he has a psychological disorder that should respond well to
medication. The doctor will MOST likely treat Lancaster's symptoms by prescribing
A) Valium
B) Xanax
C) Thorazine
D) Zoloft
E) Nardil
39. The study of the effect of drugs on mind and behavior is called:
A) psychosurgery.
B) psychopharmacology.
C) psychobiology.
D) meta-analysis.
E) ECT.
40. Which therapeutic approach emphasizes that people are often disturbed because of their negative
interpretations of events?
A) systematic desensitization
B) light exposure therapy
C) client-centered therapy
D) drug therapy
E) cognitive therapy
41. Mario recently started seeing a therapist. At the start of each session, Mario lies down and starts
talking about anything that comes to mind. He often rambles, and he sometimes thinks that the things
he describes seem trivial or silly, but his therapist encourages him to say whatever comes into his mind.
This therapeutic technique is common among therapists who use
A) a psychoanalytic approach in therapy
B) a holistic approach to therapy
C) a behavioral approach to therapy
D) a client-centered approach in therapy
E) a cognitive approach in therapy
42. Which of the following illustrates a form of cognitive therapy?
A) stress inoculation training
B) virtual reality exposure therapy
C) systematic desensitization
D) a token economy
E) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
43. Electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT)
A) is used primarily for the treatment of schizophrenia
B) involves using shock to keep the patients from escaping mental wards
C) has been used increasingly often since the 1940s
D) is one of the key components in aversion therapy
E) involves the use of electric shock to produce a cortical seizure and convulsions
44. Many self-help groups have emulated the use of ________ by Alcoholics Anonymous.
A) a 12-step strategy
B) systematic desensitization
C) progressive relaxation
D) counterconditioning
E) free association
45. Chlorpromazine is an antipsychotic drug that reduces paranoia and hallucinations by:
A) removing the influence of GABA.
B) dampening responsiveness to irrelevant stimuli.
C) reducing involuntary muscle movements.
D) decreasing the availability of norepinephrine.
E) elevating arousal and mood.
46. Dr. Nenning is a psychotherapist who is extremely supportive of all his clients. He encourages his
clients to talk about their concerns, and he often acts as a sounding board, restating and clarifying the
themes that come to the surface as his clients speak freely about their concerns and problems. Dr.
Nenning appears to be
A) a therapist who uses existential therapy methods
B) a therapist who uses Beck's cognitive approach to therapy
C) a therapist who uses a modern psychodynamic approach
D) a group counseling therapist
E) a client-centered therapist
47. Melissa suffers from auditory hallucinations and falsely believes that her former high school
teachers are trying to kill her. Melissa's symptoms are most likely to be relieved by ________ drugs.
A) antipsychotic
B) mood-stabilizing
C) antianxiety
D) antidepressant
E) exposure
48. Which drug sometimes helps patients exhibiting negative symptoms of schizophrenia such as
apathy and withdrawal?
A) Clozaril
B) Ativan
C) Prozac
D) Xanax
E) lithium
49. Psychoanalytic interpretation is designed to promote:
A) meta-analysis.
B) transference.
C) tardive dyskinesia.
D) insight.
E) systematic desensitization.
50. Generally speaking, the majority of clinical psychologists describe themselves as using
A) an eclectic approach to therapy
B) a psychoanalytic approach to therapy
C) a behavioral approach to therapy
D) a cognitive approach to therapy
E) a Gestalt approach to therapy
ABNORMAL KEY:
1 -10: E A C B E D A E B A
11-20: A C C C D A D D E C
21-30: C D C D A A A A A A
31-40: E E B D B E D B A
41 50: C D A C E C A C D A