ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE EXAM
1. One of the teaching techniques used by the professor responsible for teaching
abnormal psychology is an activity in which students act out disorders. Each student
received a card with the name of a disorder. Another student provides direction to help
the student act out the disorder. Which of the following might be MOST helpful
direction for a student portraying a person with schizophrenia? *
a. Act normally
b. Have a disorganized speech
c. Walk anxiously
d. Shout loudly
2. Schizotypal individuals have an elevated risk for what disorder? *
a. Social phobia
b. Schizophrenia
c. Depression
d. Dissociation
3. As part of a debate on the etiology of schizophrenia, two teams of students are
preparing their sides by carefully checking the literature. You have been assigned to
the side that will argue that genetic factors are not the only ones involved. Which of
the following might you want to use during the debate? *
a. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter most often cited as playing a role in
schizophrenia
b. The concordance rate for dizygotic twins is less than then the concordance ate
for monozygotic twins
c. Most mental health professionals do not believe there is any cure for
schizophrenia, although there might be some recovery
d. The risk of development of schizophrenia is correlated with the closeness of
the genetic relationship
4. The school referred Daniel to clinic for assessment. He reportedly argues to his
teachers, defies classroom rules, deliberately annoys his classmates, ignores
teachers’ requests and is unforgiving to others around him. Daniel’s behavior fits the
criteria of ____. *
a. Conduct Disorder
b. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
c. Disruptive mood dysregulation Disorder
d. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
5. Schizophrenia spectrum disorder: *
a. Share some of the characteristics with schizophrenia but not meet the full
criteria of diagnosis
b. Share many symptoms and etiological factors
c. Include genetic, environmental and social components
, d. Are more serious schizophrenic disorders and have a poor prognosis
6. The following are the guidelines before diagnosing children with separation anxiety
disorder EXCEPT *
a. All young children experience anxiety to some extent
b. Differentiate separation anxiety from school phobia
c. Fear that harm may befall loved ones during separation
d. Children can leave parents to go somewhere other than school.
7. Which of the following is not bizarre delusion? *
a. Others are removing thought from the person’s mind
b. Everyone can hear the person’s mind
c. A “voice” is telling the person what to do
d. An external force is controlling the person’s thought
8. Which of these individuals could describe as exhibiting a delusion of reference? *
a. Haliya who believes her food is being poisoned
b. Raquim who believes he is an extremely important person
c. Hagorn who believes that newspaper headlines are about him
d. Marx who believes that someone is inserting thoughts in his mind
9. A patient’s chart indicates that he has exhibited a symptom called disorganized
behavior. When you see this patient, what would you expect to observe? *
a. Confused, unconnected speech
b. A high level of joy and happiness
c. Failure to respond to social stimuli
d. Unpredictable behavior not related to surroundings
10._____ occur in the early stages of schizophrenia while ____ are more prominent in the
later stages of schizophrenia. *
a. Positive symptoms; hallucinations
b. Positive symptoms; negative symptoms
c. Negative symptoms; delusions
d. Negative symptoms; positive symptoms
11.Bryan, a 10 year-old boy, is often in trouble for hurting his neighbor’s pets, setting
fires, and getting money with his parents’ pocket. His behavior is consistent with what
diagnosis? *
a. Conduct disorder
b. Oppositional defiant
c. Antisocial
d. ADHD
12.You are reading for a part in a play. The character is described as exhibiting a
pervasive pattern of intense and unstable interpersonal relationships, an unstable self-
image, and repeated suicidal gestures. You conclude that you are being asked to play
the role of a person who would meet the criteria for: *
a. Schizoid
b. Dependent
1. One of the teaching techniques used by the professor responsible for teaching
abnormal psychology is an activity in which students act out disorders. Each student
received a card with the name of a disorder. Another student provides direction to help
the student act out the disorder. Which of the following might be MOST helpful
direction for a student portraying a person with schizophrenia? *
a. Act normally
b. Have a disorganized speech
c. Walk anxiously
d. Shout loudly
2. Schizotypal individuals have an elevated risk for what disorder? *
a. Social phobia
b. Schizophrenia
c. Depression
d. Dissociation
3. As part of a debate on the etiology of schizophrenia, two teams of students are
preparing their sides by carefully checking the literature. You have been assigned to
the side that will argue that genetic factors are not the only ones involved. Which of
the following might you want to use during the debate? *
a. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter most often cited as playing a role in
schizophrenia
b. The concordance rate for dizygotic twins is less than then the concordance ate
for monozygotic twins
c. Most mental health professionals do not believe there is any cure for
schizophrenia, although there might be some recovery
d. The risk of development of schizophrenia is correlated with the closeness of
the genetic relationship
4. The school referred Daniel to clinic for assessment. He reportedly argues to his
teachers, defies classroom rules, deliberately annoys his classmates, ignores
teachers’ requests and is unforgiving to others around him. Daniel’s behavior fits the
criteria of ____. *
a. Conduct Disorder
b. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
c. Disruptive mood dysregulation Disorder
d. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
5. Schizophrenia spectrum disorder: *
a. Share some of the characteristics with schizophrenia but not meet the full
criteria of diagnosis
b. Share many symptoms and etiological factors
c. Include genetic, environmental and social components
, d. Are more serious schizophrenic disorders and have a poor prognosis
6. The following are the guidelines before diagnosing children with separation anxiety
disorder EXCEPT *
a. All young children experience anxiety to some extent
b. Differentiate separation anxiety from school phobia
c. Fear that harm may befall loved ones during separation
d. Children can leave parents to go somewhere other than school.
7. Which of the following is not bizarre delusion? *
a. Others are removing thought from the person’s mind
b. Everyone can hear the person’s mind
c. A “voice” is telling the person what to do
d. An external force is controlling the person’s thought
8. Which of these individuals could describe as exhibiting a delusion of reference? *
a. Haliya who believes her food is being poisoned
b. Raquim who believes he is an extremely important person
c. Hagorn who believes that newspaper headlines are about him
d. Marx who believes that someone is inserting thoughts in his mind
9. A patient’s chart indicates that he has exhibited a symptom called disorganized
behavior. When you see this patient, what would you expect to observe? *
a. Confused, unconnected speech
b. A high level of joy and happiness
c. Failure to respond to social stimuli
d. Unpredictable behavior not related to surroundings
10._____ occur in the early stages of schizophrenia while ____ are more prominent in the
later stages of schizophrenia. *
a. Positive symptoms; hallucinations
b. Positive symptoms; negative symptoms
c. Negative symptoms; delusions
d. Negative symptoms; positive symptoms
11.Bryan, a 10 year-old boy, is often in trouble for hurting his neighbor’s pets, setting
fires, and getting money with his parents’ pocket. His behavior is consistent with what
diagnosis? *
a. Conduct disorder
b. Oppositional defiant
c. Antisocial
d. ADHD
12.You are reading for a part in a play. The character is described as exhibiting a
pervasive pattern of intense and unstable interpersonal relationships, an unstable self-
image, and repeated suicidal gestures. You conclude that you are being asked to play
the role of a person who would meet the criteria for: *
a. Schizoid
b. Dependent
