PSYCH 270 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS WELL ANSWERED LATEST UPDATE 2026
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - Answers Persistent, excessive worry about various life domains
(work, health, finances) lasting at least six months, accompanied by tension, restlessness, and fatigue.
Panic Disorder - Answers Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks followed by persistent concern or
behavioral changes to avoid them.
Agoraphobia - Answers Fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable during
panic-like symptoms (e.g., crowds, public transport).
Specific Phobia - Answers Intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation (e.g., animals,
heights, blood).
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) - Answers Fear of social or performance situations where one may be
scrutinized or embarrassed.
Multipath model for anxiety disorders - Answers This model integrates biological, psychological,
social, and sociocultural factors that interact to produce anxiety disorders.
Biological factors - Answers Genetic vulnerability, neurotransmitter imbalances (e.g., GABA,
serotonin), overactive amygdala.
Psychological factors - Answers Maladaptive thought patterns, catastrophic thinking, high anxiety
sensitivity.
Social factors - Answers Traumatic or stressful life events, insecure attachment, lack of social support.
Sociocultural factors - Answers Cultural expectations, gender roles, and societal pressures influencing
symptom expression.
Fear - Answers An immediate emotional response to a real or perceived imminent threat.
Anxiety disorder - Answers A group of mental disorders characterized by excessive fear or anxiety
that interferes with daily functioning.
Behavioral inhibition - Answers A temperamental tendency to withdraw from unfamiliar people or
situations; linked to risk for anxiety disorders.
Negative appraisal - Answers A cognitive distortion in which situations are interpreted as more
threatening or dangerous than they actually are.
Anxiety sensitivity - Answers The tendency to fear anxiety-related sensations because of beliefs that
they have harmful consequences.
Reappraisal - Answers A cognitive technique involving reinterpreting a situation to change its
emotional impact.
Key Features of Phobias - Answers Persistent and excessive fear or anxiety, recognition that the fear
is irrational or disproportionate, avoidance behaviors or distress that interfere with normal
functioning.
Cognitive Restructuring - Answers Identifying and challenging irrational beliefs that maintain fear.
Reappraisal Techniques - Answers Reinterpreting the threat as less dangerous to reduce anxiety
response.
Exposure Therapy - Answers Gradual exposure to the feared object/situation to extinguish the fear
response.
Systematic Desensitization - Answers Combines relaxation techniques with gradual exposure.
Modeling Therapy - Answers Client observes others responding calmly to feared stimuli to learn new
reactions.
Combined/Integrative Approaches - Answers Often, behavioral and cognitive strategies are used
together (CBT). Sometimes medication (e.g., SSRIs, benzodiazepines) is used to reduce anxiety
symptoms short term.
Phobia - Answers An intense, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to
avoidance behavior.
Panic attack - Answers A sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort with physical symptoms like
heart palpitations, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders (OCRDs) - Answers These include Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder (OCD) and related conditions such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hoarding Disorder,
Trichotillomania, and Excoriation Disorder.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - Answers Obsessions: Intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images,
or urges that cause anxiety. Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors or mental acts (e.g., washing,
checking, counting) performed to reduce distress or prevent feared outcomes.
, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) - Answers Preoccupation with imagined or slight defects in
appearance. Repetitive behaviors such as mirror checking, excessive grooming, or seeking
reassurance.
Hoarding Disorder - Answers Persistent difficulty discarding possessions regardless of value, leading
to clutter and distress.
Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) - Answers Recurrent pulling out of one's hair, resulting in
noticeable hair loss and tension relief after pulling.
Excoriation (Skin-Picking Disorder) - Answers Repeated picking at one's skin causes lesions and
distress or impairment.
Neurobiological abnormalities - Answers Overactive amygdala and limbic system (fear response). Low
GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitter) and serotonin dysregulation.
Disconfirmatory bias - Answers Cognitive distortion where individuals seek evidence that confirms
their fears and discount evidence that disconfirms them.
Trichotillomania - Answers Recurrent hair pulling leading to hair loss and tension relief or pleasure
afterward.
Thought fusion (Thought-Action Fusion) - Answers The belief that thinking about an action is
equivalent to performing it or that thoughts can cause events.
Flooding - Answers A behavioral exposure technique involving prolonged, intense confrontation with
the feared stimulus.
Response Prevention - Answers A technique in exposure therapy where the individual is prevented
from performing the compulsive behavior that relieves anxiety.
Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) - Answers Intense and persistent grief lasting 12 months or more
after a loss (6 months in children).
Complicated grief therapy (CGT) - Answers Combines exposure and cognitive techniques to process
loss.
Adjustment Disorder (AD) - Answers Emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable
stressor within 3 months of onset.
Support groups & interpersonal therapy (IPT) - Answers Strengthen coping and social connection.
Medication for anxiety - Answers Antidepressants may help if comorbid depression is present.
Reappraisal training - Answers Learning to reinterpret anxiety-provoking stimuli as less threatening.
Flooding (in therapy) - Answers Intense, prolonged exposure to the feared stimulus without escape or
avoidance until anxiety subsides.
Relaxation training - Answers Especially useful in GAD to reduce physiological arousal.
SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) - Answers Effective for panic disorder, GAD, and OCD.
Benzodiazepines - Answers Short-term use to manage acute anxiety or panic symptoms.
Tricyclic antidepressants - Answers Can be effective for OCD (e.g., clomipramine).
Stressor - Answers Any external event or situation that places physical or psychological demands on
an individual.
Stress - Answers The internal psychological and physiological response to a stressor.
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) - Answers Short-term reaction to trauma (3 days-1 month) with
symptoms similar to PTSD.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Answers Long-term trauma-related disorder involving
intrusion, avoidance, negative mood changes, and hyperarousal lasting more than a month.
Hypervigilance - Answers Heightened state of sensory sensitivity and constant scanning of the
environment for potential threats.
Homeostasis - Answers The body's natural tendency to maintain internal stability and balance during
stress.
Epinephrine - Answers A hormone (adrenaline) is released during the stress response that increases
heart rate and alertness.
Cortisol - Answers A stress hormone that regulates metabolism and helps the body respond to stress;
chronically elevated in prolonged stress.
Trauma-focused CBT - Answers Helps reprocess memories and reduce avoidance.
Prolonged exposure therapy - Answers Gradual confrontation with trauma memories and cues.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - Answers Uses bilateral stimulation while
reprocessing traumatic memories.
SSRIs - Answers First-line pharmacotherapy for PTSD (e.g., sertraline, paroxetine).
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - Answers Persistent, excessive worry about various life domains
(work, health, finances) lasting at least six months, accompanied by tension, restlessness, and fatigue.
Panic Disorder - Answers Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks followed by persistent concern or
behavioral changes to avoid them.
Agoraphobia - Answers Fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable during
panic-like symptoms (e.g., crowds, public transport).
Specific Phobia - Answers Intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation (e.g., animals,
heights, blood).
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) - Answers Fear of social or performance situations where one may be
scrutinized or embarrassed.
Multipath model for anxiety disorders - Answers This model integrates biological, psychological,
social, and sociocultural factors that interact to produce anxiety disorders.
Biological factors - Answers Genetic vulnerability, neurotransmitter imbalances (e.g., GABA,
serotonin), overactive amygdala.
Psychological factors - Answers Maladaptive thought patterns, catastrophic thinking, high anxiety
sensitivity.
Social factors - Answers Traumatic or stressful life events, insecure attachment, lack of social support.
Sociocultural factors - Answers Cultural expectations, gender roles, and societal pressures influencing
symptom expression.
Fear - Answers An immediate emotional response to a real or perceived imminent threat.
Anxiety disorder - Answers A group of mental disorders characterized by excessive fear or anxiety
that interferes with daily functioning.
Behavioral inhibition - Answers A temperamental tendency to withdraw from unfamiliar people or
situations; linked to risk for anxiety disorders.
Negative appraisal - Answers A cognitive distortion in which situations are interpreted as more
threatening or dangerous than they actually are.
Anxiety sensitivity - Answers The tendency to fear anxiety-related sensations because of beliefs that
they have harmful consequences.
Reappraisal - Answers A cognitive technique involving reinterpreting a situation to change its
emotional impact.
Key Features of Phobias - Answers Persistent and excessive fear or anxiety, recognition that the fear
is irrational or disproportionate, avoidance behaviors or distress that interfere with normal
functioning.
Cognitive Restructuring - Answers Identifying and challenging irrational beliefs that maintain fear.
Reappraisal Techniques - Answers Reinterpreting the threat as less dangerous to reduce anxiety
response.
Exposure Therapy - Answers Gradual exposure to the feared object/situation to extinguish the fear
response.
Systematic Desensitization - Answers Combines relaxation techniques with gradual exposure.
Modeling Therapy - Answers Client observes others responding calmly to feared stimuli to learn new
reactions.
Combined/Integrative Approaches - Answers Often, behavioral and cognitive strategies are used
together (CBT). Sometimes medication (e.g., SSRIs, benzodiazepines) is used to reduce anxiety
symptoms short term.
Phobia - Answers An intense, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to
avoidance behavior.
Panic attack - Answers A sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort with physical symptoms like
heart palpitations, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders (OCRDs) - Answers These include Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder (OCD) and related conditions such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hoarding Disorder,
Trichotillomania, and Excoriation Disorder.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - Answers Obsessions: Intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images,
or urges that cause anxiety. Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors or mental acts (e.g., washing,
checking, counting) performed to reduce distress or prevent feared outcomes.
, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) - Answers Preoccupation with imagined or slight defects in
appearance. Repetitive behaviors such as mirror checking, excessive grooming, or seeking
reassurance.
Hoarding Disorder - Answers Persistent difficulty discarding possessions regardless of value, leading
to clutter and distress.
Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) - Answers Recurrent pulling out of one's hair, resulting in
noticeable hair loss and tension relief after pulling.
Excoriation (Skin-Picking Disorder) - Answers Repeated picking at one's skin causes lesions and
distress or impairment.
Neurobiological abnormalities - Answers Overactive amygdala and limbic system (fear response). Low
GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitter) and serotonin dysregulation.
Disconfirmatory bias - Answers Cognitive distortion where individuals seek evidence that confirms
their fears and discount evidence that disconfirms them.
Trichotillomania - Answers Recurrent hair pulling leading to hair loss and tension relief or pleasure
afterward.
Thought fusion (Thought-Action Fusion) - Answers The belief that thinking about an action is
equivalent to performing it or that thoughts can cause events.
Flooding - Answers A behavioral exposure technique involving prolonged, intense confrontation with
the feared stimulus.
Response Prevention - Answers A technique in exposure therapy where the individual is prevented
from performing the compulsive behavior that relieves anxiety.
Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) - Answers Intense and persistent grief lasting 12 months or more
after a loss (6 months in children).
Complicated grief therapy (CGT) - Answers Combines exposure and cognitive techniques to process
loss.
Adjustment Disorder (AD) - Answers Emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable
stressor within 3 months of onset.
Support groups & interpersonal therapy (IPT) - Answers Strengthen coping and social connection.
Medication for anxiety - Answers Antidepressants may help if comorbid depression is present.
Reappraisal training - Answers Learning to reinterpret anxiety-provoking stimuli as less threatening.
Flooding (in therapy) - Answers Intense, prolonged exposure to the feared stimulus without escape or
avoidance until anxiety subsides.
Relaxation training - Answers Especially useful in GAD to reduce physiological arousal.
SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) - Answers Effective for panic disorder, GAD, and OCD.
Benzodiazepines - Answers Short-term use to manage acute anxiety or panic symptoms.
Tricyclic antidepressants - Answers Can be effective for OCD (e.g., clomipramine).
Stressor - Answers Any external event or situation that places physical or psychological demands on
an individual.
Stress - Answers The internal psychological and physiological response to a stressor.
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) - Answers Short-term reaction to trauma (3 days-1 month) with
symptoms similar to PTSD.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Answers Long-term trauma-related disorder involving
intrusion, avoidance, negative mood changes, and hyperarousal lasting more than a month.
Hypervigilance - Answers Heightened state of sensory sensitivity and constant scanning of the
environment for potential threats.
Homeostasis - Answers The body's natural tendency to maintain internal stability and balance during
stress.
Epinephrine - Answers A hormone (adrenaline) is released during the stress response that increases
heart rate and alertness.
Cortisol - Answers A stress hormone that regulates metabolism and helps the body respond to stress;
chronically elevated in prolonged stress.
Trauma-focused CBT - Answers Helps reprocess memories and reduce avoidance.
Prolonged exposure therapy - Answers Gradual confrontation with trauma memories and cues.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - Answers Uses bilateral stimulation while
reprocessing traumatic memories.
SSRIs - Answers First-line pharmacotherapy for PTSD (e.g., sertraline, paroxetine).
