ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY FINAL EXAM
2026 200 DETAILED CORRECT ANSWERS
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Question 1
Dr. Aris is reviewing the case of a patient who has a genetic
predisposition for major depressive disorder. The patient lived a
completely symptom-free life until experiencing the sudden, traumatic
loss of their child, which subsequently triggered a severe depressive
episode. Dr. Aris explains to his students that the patient’s genetic
vulnerability alone was not enough to cause the disorder; rather, it was
the combination of this underlying vulnerability and the severe
environmental stressor that led to the onset of the condition. Which
psychological model of abnormality is Dr. Aris primarily illustrating?
A) The psychoanalytic model
B) The diathesis-stress model
C) The biopsychosocial model
D) The cognitive-behavioral model
Correct Answer:
B) The diathesis-stress model
Rationale: The diathesis-stress model posits that a disorder develops due
to the interaction between an inherited predisposition (diathesis) and
significant environmental or stressful life events (stress). The
psychoanalytic model focuses on unconscious conflicts, the cognitive-
behavioral model on learned thoughts and behaviors, and while the
biopsychosocial model is broad, the specific interaction of genetic
vulnerability and a triggering stressor is the exact definition of diathesis-
stress.
Question 2
,In the 1950s and 1960s, the development of chlorpromazine and other
antipsychotic medications allowed many individuals with severe
psychotic disorders to be discharged from long-term psychiatric
hospitals. The goal was to integrate these individuals into the community
and provide them with outpatient care. However, due to a lack of
adequate funding for community mental health centers, many of these
former patients ended up homeless or incarcerated. What is the
historical term for this massive shift in the treatment of the mentally ill?
A) Deinstitutionalization
B) The moral treatment movement
C) The medical model transition
D) The community integration act
Correct Answer:
A) Deinstitutionalization
Rationale: Deinstitutionalization refers to the policy of moving mentally
ill patients out of large, isolated psychiatric hospitals and into less
isolating community-based settings. The moral treatment movement
occurred much earlier in the 19th century, focusing on humane care. The
other terms are distractors and do not specifically describe this historical
policy shift.
Question 3
A researcher is conducting a study to determine the number of new cases
of generalized anxiety disorder that have developed in a specific city of
500,000 people over the course of exactly one year. The researcher is not
interested in the total number of people currently living with the
disorder, but specifically wants to track the rate of new onsets during this
timeframe. Which epidemiological concept is this researcher measuring?
A) Point prevalence
B) Lifetime prevalence
C) Incidence
D) 12-month prevalence
Correct Answer:
C) Incidence
,Rationale: Incidence refers to the number of new cases of a disorder that
appear in a specific population during a specified period (in this case,
one year). Point prevalence is the number of people with the disorder at
a specific point in time, 12-month prevalence is the number of people
who had it at any time in the past year, and lifetime prevalence is the
number of people who have ever had it in their lives.
Question 4
Sarah has been experiencing intense, unexpected episodes of extreme
terror that strike without warning and peak within 10 minutes. During
these episodes, she experiences a racing heart, shortness of breath,
dizziness, and an overwhelming fear that she is having a heart attack or
losing her mind. Because she is terrified of having another episode, she
has completely stopped going to the gym, refuses to drive on the
highway, and will only leave her house if her sister accompanies her.
Which diagnosis best captures Sarah's full clinical presentation?
A) Panic Disorder only
B) Agoraphobia only
C) Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
D) Specific Phobia, Situational Type
Correct Answer:
C) Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
Rationale: Sarah’s unexpected, recurrent panic attacks and fear of future
attacks meet the criteria for Panic Disorder. Her subsequent avoidance
of situations (the gym, driving, leaving the house alone) where escape
might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of a panic attack meets
the criteria for Agoraphobia. In the DSM-5, they are distinct diagnoses
that can be co-diagnosed.
Question 5
Marcus spends three hours every day meticulously checking that all the
doors and windows in his house are locked. He knows logically that he
locked them the first time, but an intrusive, persistent thought tells him
that if he doesn't check them exactly three times, his family will be
burglarized and it will be entirely his fault. This mental ritual causes him
significant distress and makes him late for work every day. He recognizes
, that his behavior is irrational but feels completely powerless to stop it.
What is the most likely diagnosis for Marcus?
A) Generalized Anxiety Disorder
B) Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
C) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
D) Illness Anxiety Disorder
Correct Answer:
C) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Rationale: Marcus experiences intrusive, unwanted thoughts
(obsessions) about his family being burglarized and feels driven to
perform repetitive behaviors (compulsions) like checking to reduce the
anxiety. OCD is characterized by these obsessions and compulsions.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves free-floating worry, not specific
obsessions and compulsions. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality
Disorder involves a pervasive need for perfectionism and control, but
without true obsessions and compulsions, and individuals with OCPD
typically view their behavior as rational (ego-syntonic).
Question 6
Elena was involved in a severe motor vehicle accident three weeks ago.
Since the accident, she has been experiencing severe anxiety, nightmares
about the crash, and an inability to concentrate at work. She actively
avoids driving or even being a passenger in a car, and she feels
emotionally numb and detached from her loved ones. Her symptoms
have been present for the past 20 days and are causing significant
impairment in her social and occupational functioning. Which diagnosis
is most appropriate at this time?
A) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
B) Acute Stress Disorder
C) Adjustment Disorder
D) Specific Phobia
Correct Answer:
B) Acute Stress Disorder
2026 200 DETAILED CORRECT ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES 100% VERIFIED &
INSTANT DOWNLOAD GRADE A+
Question 1
Dr. Aris is reviewing the case of a patient who has a genetic
predisposition for major depressive disorder. The patient lived a
completely symptom-free life until experiencing the sudden, traumatic
loss of their child, which subsequently triggered a severe depressive
episode. Dr. Aris explains to his students that the patient’s genetic
vulnerability alone was not enough to cause the disorder; rather, it was
the combination of this underlying vulnerability and the severe
environmental stressor that led to the onset of the condition. Which
psychological model of abnormality is Dr. Aris primarily illustrating?
A) The psychoanalytic model
B) The diathesis-stress model
C) The biopsychosocial model
D) The cognitive-behavioral model
Correct Answer:
B) The diathesis-stress model
Rationale: The diathesis-stress model posits that a disorder develops due
to the interaction between an inherited predisposition (diathesis) and
significant environmental or stressful life events (stress). The
psychoanalytic model focuses on unconscious conflicts, the cognitive-
behavioral model on learned thoughts and behaviors, and while the
biopsychosocial model is broad, the specific interaction of genetic
vulnerability and a triggering stressor is the exact definition of diathesis-
stress.
Question 2
,In the 1950s and 1960s, the development of chlorpromazine and other
antipsychotic medications allowed many individuals with severe
psychotic disorders to be discharged from long-term psychiatric
hospitals. The goal was to integrate these individuals into the community
and provide them with outpatient care. However, due to a lack of
adequate funding for community mental health centers, many of these
former patients ended up homeless or incarcerated. What is the
historical term for this massive shift in the treatment of the mentally ill?
A) Deinstitutionalization
B) The moral treatment movement
C) The medical model transition
D) The community integration act
Correct Answer:
A) Deinstitutionalization
Rationale: Deinstitutionalization refers to the policy of moving mentally
ill patients out of large, isolated psychiatric hospitals and into less
isolating community-based settings. The moral treatment movement
occurred much earlier in the 19th century, focusing on humane care. The
other terms are distractors and do not specifically describe this historical
policy shift.
Question 3
A researcher is conducting a study to determine the number of new cases
of generalized anxiety disorder that have developed in a specific city of
500,000 people over the course of exactly one year. The researcher is not
interested in the total number of people currently living with the
disorder, but specifically wants to track the rate of new onsets during this
timeframe. Which epidemiological concept is this researcher measuring?
A) Point prevalence
B) Lifetime prevalence
C) Incidence
D) 12-month prevalence
Correct Answer:
C) Incidence
,Rationale: Incidence refers to the number of new cases of a disorder that
appear in a specific population during a specified period (in this case,
one year). Point prevalence is the number of people with the disorder at
a specific point in time, 12-month prevalence is the number of people
who had it at any time in the past year, and lifetime prevalence is the
number of people who have ever had it in their lives.
Question 4
Sarah has been experiencing intense, unexpected episodes of extreme
terror that strike without warning and peak within 10 minutes. During
these episodes, she experiences a racing heart, shortness of breath,
dizziness, and an overwhelming fear that she is having a heart attack or
losing her mind. Because she is terrified of having another episode, she
has completely stopped going to the gym, refuses to drive on the
highway, and will only leave her house if her sister accompanies her.
Which diagnosis best captures Sarah's full clinical presentation?
A) Panic Disorder only
B) Agoraphobia only
C) Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
D) Specific Phobia, Situational Type
Correct Answer:
C) Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
Rationale: Sarah’s unexpected, recurrent panic attacks and fear of future
attacks meet the criteria for Panic Disorder. Her subsequent avoidance
of situations (the gym, driving, leaving the house alone) where escape
might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of a panic attack meets
the criteria for Agoraphobia. In the DSM-5, they are distinct diagnoses
that can be co-diagnosed.
Question 5
Marcus spends three hours every day meticulously checking that all the
doors and windows in his house are locked. He knows logically that he
locked them the first time, but an intrusive, persistent thought tells him
that if he doesn't check them exactly three times, his family will be
burglarized and it will be entirely his fault. This mental ritual causes him
significant distress and makes him late for work every day. He recognizes
, that his behavior is irrational but feels completely powerless to stop it.
What is the most likely diagnosis for Marcus?
A) Generalized Anxiety Disorder
B) Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
C) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
D) Illness Anxiety Disorder
Correct Answer:
C) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Rationale: Marcus experiences intrusive, unwanted thoughts
(obsessions) about his family being burglarized and feels driven to
perform repetitive behaviors (compulsions) like checking to reduce the
anxiety. OCD is characterized by these obsessions and compulsions.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves free-floating worry, not specific
obsessions and compulsions. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality
Disorder involves a pervasive need for perfectionism and control, but
without true obsessions and compulsions, and individuals with OCPD
typically view their behavior as rational (ego-syntonic).
Question 6
Elena was involved in a severe motor vehicle accident three weeks ago.
Since the accident, she has been experiencing severe anxiety, nightmares
about the crash, and an inability to concentrate at work. She actively
avoids driving or even being a passenger in a car, and she feels
emotionally numb and detached from her loved ones. Her symptoms
have been present for the past 20 days and are causing significant
impairment in her social and occupational functioning. Which diagnosis
is most appropriate at this time?
A) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
B) Acute Stress Disorder
C) Adjustment Disorder
D) Specific Phobia
Correct Answer:
B) Acute Stress Disorder
