Practice Questions

Practice Questions 1. Which of the following statements is most consistent with behavior and social-cognitive learning theory? • Both normal and abnormal behavior is a result of learning from the environment • Unconscious cognitive processes are key modulators of human behavior- • Most significant adult psychopathology is a result of an individual’s genetic vulnerability combined with experiences of early childhood trauma • Therapy should be focused on exploring the patient’s repressed memories and feelings that interfere with normal functioning

Practice Questions 1. Which of the following statements is most consistent with behavior and social-cognitive learning theory? • Both normal and abnormal behavior is a result of learning from the environment Yes, this is definitely behavior theory • Unconscious cognitive processes are key modulators of human behavior-No, this is a psychoanalysts view • Most significant adult psychopathology is a result of an individual’s genetic vulnerability combined with experiences of early childhood traumaNo, this is a psychopathologists view • Therapy should be focused on exploring the patient’s repressed memories and feelings that interfere with normal functioningNo. this is Freudian view

2. A UC Davis Cancer Center chemotherapy patient is nauseous and throws up when she sees a commercial about Kaiser Permanente health care advertised on her television at home. This phenomena seen in classical conditioning is called: • An unconditioned stimulus • An unconditioned response • A conditioned stimulus • A conditioned response • Generalization • An appropriate response to television commercials

3. Which of the following focuses on the role of reinforcing and punishing consequences in shaping behavior? • Classical conditioning • Conditioned emotional responses • Operant conditioning • Cognitive theory • Reciprocal inhibition

4. A primary care physician is concerned that her patients with diabetes learn to carefully and accurately monitor their blood glucose. Which of the following characteristics of her diabetic patients would be the most sensitive and specific predictor of a patient’s ultimate success in mastering this important element of self-care? • Self-regulation • Self-efficacy • Self confidence • Self esteem • Self control

5. Which of the following patients is the best candidate for behavior or cognitive-behavior therapy? • An acutely psychotic patient who is receiving special messages over the television and believes that the CIA is trying to kill him • A patient with compulsive hand washing behavior • A narcissistic patient who is grandiose and self-centered with difficulty sustaining close relationships • A grieving widow who has just lost her spouse of 52 years

6. A 42 year old business executive presents to clinic with a depressed mood and feelings of worthlessness. She tells you that she is “a total failure” and “one of the worst persons in the world.” You decide to provide some brief cognitive psychotherapy for her depression. Which of the following statements to your patient would be most consistent with a cognitive therapy approach to treatment of her depression? • “Your sense of worthlessness is a result of still trying to meet the expectations of overly harsh and demanding parents from your childhood.” • “Are you sure you are a total failure? What would others say? I think you have accomplished a great deal in your professional career to this point.” • “Your depressed feelings are a result of a chemical imbalance in the neurotransmitters in your brain.” • “You need to begin a program of good exercise, good sleep, and a healthy diet to restore a positive mood.” • “You need to reduce the stress in your life that is causing your depression and your feelings of worthlessness.”

7. A medical student who is afraid of fainting at the site of blood goes to see a therapist for help. The therapist recommends a treatment program that consists of daily assignments where the student progressively increases the length of time that he observes a phlebotomist drawing blood in a clinical laboratory. The therapist instructs the student to keep a daily diary detailing his experience. This treatment approach is an example of: • Systematic desensitization • Exposure therapy • Cognitive therapy • Extinction • Aversion therapy

In psychoanalytic theory, the topographicalrefers to the idea that: a. Psychic activity is organized into three functional units: id, ego and superego b. All mental phenomena are the result of a continual interaction of forces that oppose one another c. Mental phenomena occur at three different levels: unconscious, preconscious, and conscious d. Children progress through psychosexual stages of development corresponding to component instincts of oral, anal and phallic phases e. The ego learns the difference between internal and external objects through the sense of touch

In psychoanalytic theory, the topographical model (vs structural model) refers to the idea that: a. Psychic activity is organized into three functional units: id, ego and superego b. All mental phenomena are the result of a continual interaction of forces that oppose one another c. Mental phenomena occur at three different levels: unconscious, preconscious, and conscious d. Children progress through psychosexual stages of development corresponding to component instincts of oral, anal and phallic phases e. The ego learns the difference between internal and external objects through the sense of touch

Which of the following statements is least representative of psychoanalytic thinking regarding the working of the human mind? a. Much of our behavior is determined by unconscious forces outside of awareness b. The id contains primitive sexual and aggressive drives c. The superego contains primitive and powerful fears d. The ego is governed by the pleasure principle e. All behavior has meaning

Which of the following statements is least representative of psychoanalytic thinking regarding the working of the human mind? a. Much of our behavior is determined by unconscious forces outside of awareness b. The id contains primitive sexual and aggressive drives c. The superego contains primitive and powerful fears d. The ego is governed by the pleasure principle False= bc the Id is pleasure principle e. All behavior has meaning

When Rachel left for college she promised her parents that she would not use any drugs. At a party at school someone passed her some marijuana, which she decided to try. If Rachel’s superego is operating, this behavior will cause her to feel: a. Sadness b. Pleasure c. Anger d. Guilt e. Anxiety

4. A 36-year-old attorney is admitted to the hospital for evaluation of abdominal pain. She is polite, but her manner is formal, tense, controlled, and emotionally distant. While undergoing diagnostic procedures she is indecisive, demanding a thorough and logical explanation for each step in the diagnostic process. She is stubborn at times and submits slowly to the most routine recommendations and requests. She clearly experiences the medical work-up as an issue of control and as being “forced” to do something she does not want to do. According to psychoanalytic theory, this patient’s behavior is probably associated with problems in which stage of her development? a. Oral b. Anal c. Latency d. Phallic e. Genital

4. A 36-year-old attorney is admitted to the hospital for evaluation of abdominal pain. She is polite, but her manner is formal, tense, controlled, and emotionally distant. While undergoing diagnostic procedures she is indecisive, demanding a thorough and logical explanation for each step in the diagnostic process. She is stubborn at times and submits slowly to the most routine recommendations and requests. She clearly experiences the medical work-up as an issue of control and as being “forced” to do something she does not want to do. According to psychoanalytic theory, this patient’s behavior is probably associated with problems in which stage of her development? a. Oral =sucking, nursing pessimism, envy, suspicion and sarcasm b. Anal= toilet traning stubborn= hold it in, or let it out= fight back vs. parents c. Latency = no sexual drive. Preoccupied w school, athletics and same sex friendships d. Phallic = concerned w genitals oedipus complex and castration anxiety e. Genital = sexual drive. Focus on genitals again. Heterosexual relatonships is the focus! ORDER: oral, anal, phallic, latent, genital

Primary process thinking in the unconscious is characterized by all of the following except: a. The pleasure principle b. Condensation c. Displacement d. Word-presentations e. Symbolization

Primary process thinking in the unconscious is characterized by all of the following except: a. The pleasure principle b. Condensation= the process by which a single symbol or word is associated with the emotional content of several, not necessarily related, ideas, feelings, memories, or impulses, especially as expressed in dreams. c. Displacement= A psychological defense mechanism in which there is an unconscious shift of emotions, affect, or desires from the original object to a more acceptable or immediate substitute. d. Word-presentations e. Symbolization

According to Kohut’s theory of self psychology, parental mirroring of a child’s behavior functions as: a. Punishment of sibling rivalries b. Empathic responsiveness to the child c. Approval contingent on the child’s success d. Use of the child as a defensive self-object e. A method to minimize affective dysregulation in family members

A young woman feels suddenly worthless when her supervisor makes a mildly negative comment about her work performance. According to self psychology theory of Heinz Kohut, her hypersensitivity to criticism is best understood as: a. An unresolved Oedipal conflict from her early childhood b. An inability to make stable commitments to others c. An overly harsh and punitive superego d. A fragmented sense of self due to an empathic failure of her parents e. An inadequate self due to primitive defense mechanisms

A beginning therapist wants to do insight oriented psychodynamic psychotherapy with a new patient. Which of the following steps will be most helpful in elucidating the transference feelings of the patient in the psychotherapy sessions? a. Adding family photos of the therapist’s wife and children to the therapist’soffice b. Allowing the patient to contact the therapist outside the session time as needed c. Beginning and ending the sessions on time d. Asking the patient to focus on his childhood in the sessions e. Limiting the psychotherapy sessions to once a week

Which of the following is the best model for the actual verbal interpretations provided to patients in psychoanalysis? a. Linking transference feelings to other current relationships for the patient and tracing their origin to early childhood experiences and current countertransference feelings experienced by the therapist b. Linking transference feelings to other current relationships for the patient and tracing their origin to early childhood experiences c. Linking transference feelings to other current relationships for the patient d. Linking transference feelings to early childhood experience e. Linking transference feelings to countertransference feelings experienced by the therapist

10. According to object relations theory and according to Freud in Mourning and Melancholia, which of the following children is at greatest risk for developing melancholic or major depression after the death of a parent? a. Children with ambivalent feelings towards the parent b. Children who were closest to (spent the most time with) the parent c. The oldest child d. The middle child e. The youngest child

A patient reports being sexually attracted to you as a physician and accuses you of being seductive. As far as you can tell you have no sexual feelings towards this patient and have not acted seductively. The patient’s behavior is most consistent with which of the following defense mechanisms? a. Projection b. Splitting c. Regression d. Reaction formation e. Displacement

A Chicago Cub’s baseball fan is furious with a spectator who interfered with a catch that might have been made by the Cub’s left fielder during a critical moment of a playoff game. The Cub’s went on to lose two games and the playoff series. The fan’s behavior is most consistent with which of the following defense mechanisms? a. Suppression b. Repression c. Projection d. Displacement e. Reaction formation

Four years ago, 33-year-old Jennifer was raped by a 16-year-old boy in the grocery store parking lot. Jennifer had known the boy and his family and recognized the boy was inebriated and wanted to prevent him from getting into trouble. She offered to give the boy a ride home in her van when suddenly the boy pulled a knife on Jennifer and forced her into the back seat. Jennifer now volunteers for the local mental health center and visits schools and church groups to talk about rape and the resulting emotional issues, as well as how to try to prevent being a victim of rape. Jennifer’s behavior is most consistent with which of the following defense mechanisms? a. Sublimation b. Intellectualization c. Reaction formation d. Identification e. Suppression

Vincent, a 25-year-old medical student had a “disastrous” experience on rounds during his internal medicine clerkship rotation, when the chief resident harshly critiqued his patient presentation. He was badly shaken by the experience and spent the night going over the experience in his head while lying in bed. The next day Vincent had to work with the same chief resident and is worried about how he will perform under this stress. As a colleague of Vincent you offer some advice: “Just forget it ever happened and put it out of your mind. You will do fine.” If Vincent takes your advice, his behavior will be most related to which of the following defense mechanisms? a. Repression b. Denial c. Suppression d. Reaction formation e. Displacement

Sherri, a 27-year-old medical student, is anxious the night before a challenging anatomy dissection, involving bisection of the pelvis and evacuation of the rectal canal of the cadaver. The next day she expresses enthusiasm about the procedure during lab and zealously finishes the assignment. Sherri’s behavior is most consistent with which of the following defense mechanisms? a. Repression b. Intellectualization c. Reaction formation d. Displacement e. Isolation of affect

A Sacramento Kings basketball fan watches the Kings lose another close game against the hated Los Angeles Lakers team on television. The basketball analysts on television all predict that the Kings are destined to not make the playoffs this season. When the basketball fan is asked about the effect of losing to the Lakers yet again he replies, “This will only get the team more fired up. They are sure to win the championship now.” His response is most related to which of the following defense mechanisms? a. Sublimation b. Projection c. Displacement d. Intellectualization e. Rationalization

Steve, a 38-year-old patient, has just been in a car accident where the passenger in the car he was driving was killed. He tells you, his physician, that he is not bothered by this tragic event because the passenger had cancer and was going to die within a few months anyway. Steve’s statement to you is most consistent with which of the following defense mechanisms? a. Rationalization b. Sublimation c. Identification with the aggressor d. Intellectualization e. Reaction formation

Steve’s wife, Carrie, was also in the car and was a good friend of the passenger who was killed in the accident. Though Carrie only suffered a compound fracture of her femur from the accident, did not lose consciousness, and had no head injury, she is unable to remember the accident and the events that immediately followed. Her inability to remember what happened is most consistent with which of the following defense mechanisms? a. Rationalization b. Repression c. Suppression d. Denial e. Undoing

Practice Questions