PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS: CHAPTER 15 ASSIGNMENT
PART I:
Instructions: Answer the following questions thoroughly in paragraph format (complete sentences).
1. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the DSM differ in various ways. What are some of the differences in these two classification systems?
2. Describe how cognitive theories of the etiology of anxiety disorders differ from learning theories.
3. Discuss the common elements of each of the three disorders covered in this section: obsessive compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and hoarding disorder.
4. List some of the risk factors associated with the development of PTSD following a traumatic event.
5. Describe several of the factors associated with suicide.
6. Why is research following individuals who show prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia so important?
7. Imagine that a child has a genetic vulnerability to antisocial personality disorder. How might this childs environment shape the likelihood of developing this personality disorder?
PART II: (10 points)
Instructions: For each case listed below, give a specific diagnosis, then state the general class of disorders to which that disorder belongs (Ex: anxiety disorder, mood disorder, personality disorder, etc.).
1. Tony sometimes seems very wound up. At those times, he seems full of energy, talks very rapidly, and makes very grandiose plans. (One time, he gave away all of his belongings and was planning to move to Washington, D.C., so he could advise the President.) At these times, he also seems to need almost no sleep. During other periods of time Tony seems very down. During these times he does not take care of himself. He seems to want to sleep all the time, and he often makes thinly veiled references to wanting to commit suicide.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
2. Emily often drinks too much, especially at parties. She has gotten two DUI tickets after leaving parties. She is also in danger of losing her job because she often misses work on Monday due to a hangover after partying on the weekend.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
3. Paula has not left her house for several months. When she tries to go out, she experiences great anxiety. She says she is afraid that if she leaves her house to go somewhere, she will not be able to get back. Before all this started, Paula seemed fairly normal except for having several episodes where, for no apparent reason, her heart started pounding, she started to sweat profusely, and she experienced all the symptoms of fear and terror. One of the reasons she is afraid to leave the house is because she is afraid she will have one of these episodes again. (Hint: there are two specific diagnoses here.)
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
4. Horace sleeps a lot, has great difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, and generally does not want to do anything. He has stopped seeing friends whom he used to see often, and declines all invitations to do things socially. His most common response is I just dont feel like it. He looks sad all the time and does not seem to take pleasure in everyday activities. This has been going on for the past two months.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
5. Patricia is a 44-year-old female who reports that she has periods of time where she cannot remember what she has done. She reports that after one such period, she received a telephone call from a man who claimed to have met her in a bar where she was the life of the party. She had also told the man her name was Priscilla. Patricia thinks that this is odd because she does not drink, and she is a rather shy and retiring person. However, the man had her correct telephone number and was able to give a good physical description of her.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
6. Marianne is a 34-year-old female showing signs of disorganized thought and flat affect. She says that she hears voices telling her to do things. She believes that her behavior is being controlled by other people and she thinks that all her former friends have formed a conspiracy and are out to get her. She also tends toward repetitive, highly ritualized behavior.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
7. Zachary is a 17-year-old male who appears boastful, conceited, and arrogant. When someone accuses him of being that way, he flies into a rage. He shows little care for others and is often envious when others are recognized for their achievements. He is also prone to daydreaming and fantasizing about the success that awaits him.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
8. Sandy feels dirty unless she bathes and changes clothes at least four times a day, and she is fastidious about the house as well. Every room is scrubbed at least twice a week and the bathroom is taken care of daily.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
9. Although he was not personally injured, Harry has had problems since the earthquake two years ago. He is listless and quarrelsome and sleeps fitfully, reliving the quake in nightmarish dreams.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
10. Frank was attending college in San Francisco during a recent earthquake. He lived in the area that was hardest hit by the quake. Frank was not home when the earthquake hit and was not injured in any way, but when he returned home, he found his building demolished and his two roommates crushed to death. Frank immediately drove himself to the airport, bought a ticket to Boston, and got on the plane. His parents found him on their doorstep in Boston the next morning. Frank remembers nothing about the earthquake and nothing about going to college in San Francisco. The last thing he remembers is being a high school student and living with his parents in Boston.
Specific diagnosis _______________ General class of disorder _______________
THERAPY & TREATMENT: CHAPTER 16 ASSIGNMENT
PART I: (10 points)
Instructions: Answer the following questions thoroughly in paragraph format (complete sentences).
People with psychological disorders have been treated poorly throughout history. Describe some efforts to improve treatment, include explanations for the success or lack thereof.
Usually someone is hospitalized only if they are an imminent threat to themselves or others. Describe a situation that might meet these criteria.
Imagine that you are a psychiatrist. Your patient, Pat, comes to you with the following symptoms: anxiety and feelings of sadness. Which therapeutic approach would you recommend and why?
Compare and contrast individual and group therapies.
You are conducting an intake assessment. Your client is a 45-year-old single, employed male with cocaine dependence. He failed a drug screen at work and is mandated to treatment by his employer if he wants to keep his job. Your client admits that he needs help. Why would you recommend group therapy for him?
Lashawn is a 24-year-old African American female. For years she has been struggling with bulimia. She knows she has a problem, but she is not willing to seek mental health services. What are some reasons why she may be hesitant to get help?
If you were to choose a therapist practicing one of the techniques presented in the chapter, which kind of therapist would you choose and why?
Instructions: Applying your critical thinking, answer the following questions regarding approaches to treatment and therapy.
8. Pets can have a therapeutic effect on people; they seem to have the power to calm the anxious and cheer the depressed. Give three reasons why this might be so, based on what you have learned in this course.
9. Suppose a member of your family has become increasingly depressed in recent months and it is apparent that the person needs treatment. You are chosen to look into the options and to make decisions about the treatment. Based on information in Chapters 15 and 16 on depression and treatment, how might you proceed?
10. Nowadays, many people get therapy for their problems from self-help books. These books give advice on everything from conquering depression to breaking bad habits to improving your love life. Unfortunately, some books may do more harm than good. If the reader does not get better, his or her self-esteem, which may already be low, may suffer even further. Give at least three questions you should ask about any self-help book, based on the critical thinking guidelines in your textbook.
PART II:
Instructions: Identify the type of psychotherapy represented by each statement below, choosing from:
Cognitive Humanistic
Psychodynamic Family therapy
Behavioral
1. When she started relating to me in the way she related to her mother, it became clear that she perceived her mother as a rival for her fathers affection.
2. That child was a bad actor; he had a serious behavior disorder. It wasnt difficult to understand how he got that way after I had a few sessions with his parents and siblings.
3. She has the worst case of agoraphobia Ive ever seen. A peer counselor is stopping by every day to work with her. It took a week to get her out the front door, and more than a week to get her off the porch. Theyre working on walking out to the mailbox now. Were making progress, but its slow.
4. I had to refer a patient to another therapist last week. I just couldnt seem to identify with the guy, and couldnt accept the way he acted. Feeling as I did about him, I didnt think I could help him.
5. The theme of hostility toward authority figures occurs over and over again in his dreams and free associations, yet he claims that he and his father had a close and affectionate relationship.
I asked her to list the reasons why she thinks she is unable to get through a job interview. She gave me
three typewritten pages enumerating more fears, apprehensions, self-criticisms, and negative self-evaluations than I would have believed possible for one person to have. Her thinking about herself has really gotten off the track.
7. He needs to convince himself that his past failures are not elements of a pattern that will govern his future. And he needs to convince himself that he is in charge of his life, and that he can choose the paths that will lead to accomplishment and satisfaction.
8.We have this voluntary program at the state penitentiary for men who have been convicted of child molestation. We are currently trying a method in which we pair electric shock with pictures of attractive children.
9. People do not develop in isolation. They are part of an interacting system. To effect a change in an individual, it is necessary to change the social context in which the individual operates.
10. We think that depression is frequently the result of misinterpretation of environmental events, a tendency to attribute failures to the self and accomplishments to things like luck, fate, or the help of other people. Most of us have a self-serving bias in our attributions; people who are depressed have a self-defeating bias in their attributions.
