©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
Glossary DMH2 Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
ABAB (reversal) - answer✔design type of experimental design in which an intervention is
introduced, withdrawn, and then reinstated, and the behavior of a participant is examined on
and off the treatment
abstinence violation effect - answer✔what happens when a person attempting to abstain from
alcohol use ingests alcohol and then endures conflict and guilt by making an internal attribution
to explain why he or she drank, thereby making him or her more likely to continue drinking in
order to cope with the self-blame and guilt
acute stress disorder - answer✔disorder similar to posttraumatic stress disorder but occurs
within 1 month of exposure to the stressor and does not last more than 4 weeks; often involves
dissociative symptoms
adjustment disorder - answer✔stress-related disorder that involves emotional and behavioral
symptoms (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and/or antisocial behaviors) that arise
within 3 months of the onset of a stressor
adoption study - answer✔study of the heritability of a disorder by finding adopted people with
a disorder and then determining the prevalence of the disorder among their biological and
adoptive relatives, in order to separate out contributing genetic and environmental factors
adrenal-cortical system - answer✔the hormonal system situated in the adrenal cortex and
activated by the hypothalamus, that responds to stress to determine fight-or-flight reactions
agnosia - answer✔impaired ability to recognize objects or people
agoraphobia - answer✔anxiety disorder characterized by fear of places and situations in which
it would be difficult to escape, such as enclosed places, open spaces, and crowds
Alcohol Use disorder - answer✔A problematic pattern of alcohol use that creates significant
impairment or distress that is manifested in a variety of behaviors such as consuming large
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, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
amounts of alcohol, persistent desire and failed attempts to reduce the quantity of alcohol
consumed, strong desire to use alcohol (craving), tolerance, and withdrawal.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - answer✔an organization created by and for people with
alcoholism involving a 12-step treatment program
allostatic load - answer✔physiological condition resulting from chronic arousal of the fight-or-
flight response to stress
Alzheimer's disease (AD) - answer✔progressive neurological disease that is the most common
cause of dementia
amenorrhea - answer✔cessation of the menses
amphetamines - answer✔stimulant drugs that can produce symptoms of euphoria, self-
confidence, alertness, agitation, paranoia, perceptual illusions, and depression
amygdala - answer✔structure of the limbic system critical in emotions such as fear
animal studies - answer✔studies that attempt to test theories of psychopathology using
animals
animal-type phobias - answer✔extreme fears of specific animals that may induce immediate
and intense panic attacks and cause the individual to go to great lengths to avoid the animals
anorexia nervosa - answer✔eating disorder in which people fail to maintain body weights that
are normal for their age and height and have fears of becoming fat, distorted body images, and
amenorrhea
antagonism - answer✔hostility toward others
antagonist drugs - answer✔drugs that block or change the effects of an addictive drug, reducing
desire for the drug
anterograde amnesia - answer✔deficit in the ability to learn new information
antianxiety drugs - answer✔drugs used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other psychological
symptoms
anticonvulsants drugs - answer✔used to treat mania and depression
antidepressant drugs - answer✔drugs used to treat the symptoms of depression, such as sad
mood, negative thinking, and disturbances of sleep and appetite; common types are tricyclics,
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
2|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
antipsychotic drugs - answer✔drugs used to treat psychotic symptoms, such as delusions,
hallucinations, and disorganized thinking
antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) - answer✔pervasive pattern of criminal, impulsive,
callous, and/or ruthless behavior, predicated on disregard for the rights of others and an
absence of respect for social norms
anxiety - answer✔state of apprehension, tension, and worry
anxiety sensitivity - answer✔belief that bodily symptoms have harmful consequences
aphasia - answer✔impaired ability to produce and comprehend language
applied tension technique - answer✔technique used to treat blood-injection-injury type
phobias in which the therapist teaches the client to increase his or her blood pressure and heart
rate, thus preventing the client from fainting
apraxia - answer✔impaired ability to initiate common voluntary behaviors
arousal phase - answer✔in the sexual response cycle, psychological experience of arousal and
pleasure as well as physiological changes, such as the tensing of muscles and enlargement of
blood vessels and tissues (also called the excitement phase
assessment - answer✔the process of evaluating psychological, social,and emotional functioning
through a variety of clinical techniques to determine if a psychological disorder ispresent
association studies - answer✔genetic studies in which researchersidentify physical disorders
associated with a targetpsychological disorder for which genetic abnormalitiesor markers are
known; the DNA of individuals with the psychological disorder and their first-degree relatives is
then examined to determine if they also have this genetic marker (one form of molecular
genetic studies)
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - answer✔syndrome marked by deficits in
controlling attention, inhibitingimpulses, and organizing behavior to accomplish long-term goals
atypical anorexia nervosa disorder - answer✔characterized by all the criteria for anorexia
nervosa except that despite significant weight loss, the weight of the affected individual
remains within or above the normal range
atypical antipsychotics - answer✔drugs that seem to be even more effective in treating
schizophrenia than phenothiazines without the same neurological side effects; they bind to a
different type of dopamine receptor than other neuroleptic drugs
3|Page
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11/16/2024 10:16 AM
autism childhood disorder - answer✔marked by deficits in social interaction (such as a lack of
interest in one's family or other children), communication (such as failing to modulate one's
voice to signify emotional expression), and activities and interests (such as engaging in bizarre,
repetitive behaviors)
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - answer✔a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders
characterized by disrupted social and language development (formerly referred to as autism)
autonomic nervous system - answer✔the part of the nervous system that controls bodily
functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes
aversion therapy - answer✔treatment that involves the pairing of unpleasant stimuli with
deviant or maladaptive sources of pleasure in order to induce an aversive reaction to the
formerly pleasurable stimulus
avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) - answer✔pervasive anxiety, sense of inadequacy, and
fear of being criticized that lead to the avoidance of most social interactions with others and to
restraint and nervousness in social interactions
avolition - answer✔inability to persist at common goal-directed activities
barbiturates drugs - answer✔used to treat anxiety and insomniathat work by suppressing the
central nervous system and decreasing the activity level of certain neurons
behavioral approaches - answer✔approaches to psychopathology that focus on the influence of
reinforcements and punishments in producing behavior; the two core principles or processes of
learning according to behaviorism are classical conditioning and operant conditioning
behavioral genetics - answer✔study of the processes by which genes affect behavior and the
extent to which personality and abnormality are genetically inherited
behavioral inhibition - answer✔set of behavioral traits including shyness, fearfulness,
irritability, cautiousness, and introversion; behaviorally inhibited children tend to avoid or
withdraw from novel situations, are clingy with parents, and become excessively aroused when
exposed to unfamiliar situations
behavioral observation - answer✔method for assessing the frequency of a client's behaviors
and the specific situations in which they occur
behavioral theories of depression - answer✔theories that view depression as resulting from
negative life events that represent a reduction in positive reinforcement; sympathetic
responses to depressive behavior then serve as positive reinforcement for the depression itself
4|Page
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
Glossary DMH2 Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
ABAB (reversal) - answer✔design type of experimental design in which an intervention is
introduced, withdrawn, and then reinstated, and the behavior of a participant is examined on
and off the treatment
abstinence violation effect - answer✔what happens when a person attempting to abstain from
alcohol use ingests alcohol and then endures conflict and guilt by making an internal attribution
to explain why he or she drank, thereby making him or her more likely to continue drinking in
order to cope with the self-blame and guilt
acute stress disorder - answer✔disorder similar to posttraumatic stress disorder but occurs
within 1 month of exposure to the stressor and does not last more than 4 weeks; often involves
dissociative symptoms
adjustment disorder - answer✔stress-related disorder that involves emotional and behavioral
symptoms (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and/or antisocial behaviors) that arise
within 3 months of the onset of a stressor
adoption study - answer✔study of the heritability of a disorder by finding adopted people with
a disorder and then determining the prevalence of the disorder among their biological and
adoptive relatives, in order to separate out contributing genetic and environmental factors
adrenal-cortical system - answer✔the hormonal system situated in the adrenal cortex and
activated by the hypothalamus, that responds to stress to determine fight-or-flight reactions
agnosia - answer✔impaired ability to recognize objects or people
agoraphobia - answer✔anxiety disorder characterized by fear of places and situations in which
it would be difficult to escape, such as enclosed places, open spaces, and crowds
Alcohol Use disorder - answer✔A problematic pattern of alcohol use that creates significant
impairment or distress that is manifested in a variety of behaviors such as consuming large
1|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
amounts of alcohol, persistent desire and failed attempts to reduce the quantity of alcohol
consumed, strong desire to use alcohol (craving), tolerance, and withdrawal.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - answer✔an organization created by and for people with
alcoholism involving a 12-step treatment program
allostatic load - answer✔physiological condition resulting from chronic arousal of the fight-or-
flight response to stress
Alzheimer's disease (AD) - answer✔progressive neurological disease that is the most common
cause of dementia
amenorrhea - answer✔cessation of the menses
amphetamines - answer✔stimulant drugs that can produce symptoms of euphoria, self-
confidence, alertness, agitation, paranoia, perceptual illusions, and depression
amygdala - answer✔structure of the limbic system critical in emotions such as fear
animal studies - answer✔studies that attempt to test theories of psychopathology using
animals
animal-type phobias - answer✔extreme fears of specific animals that may induce immediate
and intense panic attacks and cause the individual to go to great lengths to avoid the animals
anorexia nervosa - answer✔eating disorder in which people fail to maintain body weights that
are normal for their age and height and have fears of becoming fat, distorted body images, and
amenorrhea
antagonism - answer✔hostility toward others
antagonist drugs - answer✔drugs that block or change the effects of an addictive drug, reducing
desire for the drug
anterograde amnesia - answer✔deficit in the ability to learn new information
antianxiety drugs - answer✔drugs used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other psychological
symptoms
anticonvulsants drugs - answer✔used to treat mania and depression
antidepressant drugs - answer✔drugs used to treat the symptoms of depression, such as sad
mood, negative thinking, and disturbances of sleep and appetite; common types are tricyclics,
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
2|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
antipsychotic drugs - answer✔drugs used to treat psychotic symptoms, such as delusions,
hallucinations, and disorganized thinking
antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) - answer✔pervasive pattern of criminal, impulsive,
callous, and/or ruthless behavior, predicated on disregard for the rights of others and an
absence of respect for social norms
anxiety - answer✔state of apprehension, tension, and worry
anxiety sensitivity - answer✔belief that bodily symptoms have harmful consequences
aphasia - answer✔impaired ability to produce and comprehend language
applied tension technique - answer✔technique used to treat blood-injection-injury type
phobias in which the therapist teaches the client to increase his or her blood pressure and heart
rate, thus preventing the client from fainting
apraxia - answer✔impaired ability to initiate common voluntary behaviors
arousal phase - answer✔in the sexual response cycle, psychological experience of arousal and
pleasure as well as physiological changes, such as the tensing of muscles and enlargement of
blood vessels and tissues (also called the excitement phase
assessment - answer✔the process of evaluating psychological, social,and emotional functioning
through a variety of clinical techniques to determine if a psychological disorder ispresent
association studies - answer✔genetic studies in which researchersidentify physical disorders
associated with a targetpsychological disorder for which genetic abnormalitiesor markers are
known; the DNA of individuals with the psychological disorder and their first-degree relatives is
then examined to determine if they also have this genetic marker (one form of molecular
genetic studies)
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - answer✔syndrome marked by deficits in
controlling attention, inhibitingimpulses, and organizing behavior to accomplish long-term goals
atypical anorexia nervosa disorder - answer✔characterized by all the criteria for anorexia
nervosa except that despite significant weight loss, the weight of the affected individual
remains within or above the normal range
atypical antipsychotics - answer✔drugs that seem to be even more effective in treating
schizophrenia than phenothiazines without the same neurological side effects; they bind to a
different type of dopamine receptor than other neuroleptic drugs
3|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
autism childhood disorder - answer✔marked by deficits in social interaction (such as a lack of
interest in one's family or other children), communication (such as failing to modulate one's
voice to signify emotional expression), and activities and interests (such as engaging in bizarre,
repetitive behaviors)
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - answer✔a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders
characterized by disrupted social and language development (formerly referred to as autism)
autonomic nervous system - answer✔the part of the nervous system that controls bodily
functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes
aversion therapy - answer✔treatment that involves the pairing of unpleasant stimuli with
deviant or maladaptive sources of pleasure in order to induce an aversive reaction to the
formerly pleasurable stimulus
avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) - answer✔pervasive anxiety, sense of inadequacy, and
fear of being criticized that lead to the avoidance of most social interactions with others and to
restraint and nervousness in social interactions
avolition - answer✔inability to persist at common goal-directed activities
barbiturates drugs - answer✔used to treat anxiety and insomniathat work by suppressing the
central nervous system and decreasing the activity level of certain neurons
behavioral approaches - answer✔approaches to psychopathology that focus on the influence of
reinforcements and punishments in producing behavior; the two core principles or processes of
learning according to behaviorism are classical conditioning and operant conditioning
behavioral genetics - answer✔study of the processes by which genes affect behavior and the
extent to which personality and abnormality are genetically inherited
behavioral inhibition - answer✔set of behavioral traits including shyness, fearfulness,
irritability, cautiousness, and introversion; behaviorally inhibited children tend to avoid or
withdraw from novel situations, are clingy with parents, and become excessively aroused when
exposed to unfamiliar situations
behavioral observation - answer✔method for assessing the frequency of a client's behaviors
and the specific situations in which they occur
behavioral theories of depression - answer✔theories that view depression as resulting from
negative life events that represent a reduction in positive reinforcement; sympathetic
responses to depressive behavior then serve as positive reinforcement for the depression itself
4|Page
