MCAT Behavioral Sciences Ch 7:
Psychological Disorders | Latest Version
| 2024/2025 | 100% Correct
What are the key symptoms of major depressive disorder?
✔✔Key symptoms of major depressive disorder include persistent sadness, loss of interest or
pleasure in activities, changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances, fatigue, feelings of
worthlessness, and difficulty concentrating.
How is schizophrenia characterized in terms of symptoms?
✔✔Schizophrenia is characterized by symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized
speech, and impaired functioning. Positive symptoms include hallucinations and delusions, while
negative symptoms include reduced emotional expression and social withdrawal.
What is the primary difference between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive-
compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)?
1
,✔✔OCD is characterized by unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors
or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety. OCPD involves a pervasive
preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control, without the presence of compulsions
to alleviate anxiety.
How is bipolar I disorder different from bipolar II disorder?
✔✔Bipolar I disorder involves at least one manic episode, which may be preceded or followed
by depressive episodes. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by at least one hypomanic episode
and one major depressive episode, but it does not involve full-blown manic episodes.
What are the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
✔✔Generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed based on excessive, uncontrollable worry about
various aspects of life, occurring for at least six months, along with physical symptoms such as
restlessness, fatigue, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.
How is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) typically triggered?
2
, ✔✔PTSD is typically triggered by exposure to a traumatic event, such as serious injury, sexual
violence, or witnessing a life-threatening situation, leading to symptoms such as flashbacks,
nightmares, severe anxiety, and avoidance of reminders of the trauma.
What are common features of borderline personality disorder?
✔✔Common features of borderline personality disorder include unstable moods, intense and
unstable relationships, impulsive behaviors, fear of abandonment, and chronic feelings of
emptiness or emotional dysregulation.
Describe the main characteristics of dissociative identity disorder (DID).
✔✔Dissociative identity disorder is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct
personality states or identities, which may take control of the individual's behavior, accompanied
by memory gaps for events or personal information.
What are the primary symptoms of anorexia nervosa?
3
Psychological Disorders | Latest Version
| 2024/2025 | 100% Correct
What are the key symptoms of major depressive disorder?
✔✔Key symptoms of major depressive disorder include persistent sadness, loss of interest or
pleasure in activities, changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances, fatigue, feelings of
worthlessness, and difficulty concentrating.
How is schizophrenia characterized in terms of symptoms?
✔✔Schizophrenia is characterized by symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized
speech, and impaired functioning. Positive symptoms include hallucinations and delusions, while
negative symptoms include reduced emotional expression and social withdrawal.
What is the primary difference between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive-
compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)?
1
,✔✔OCD is characterized by unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors
or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety. OCPD involves a pervasive
preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control, without the presence of compulsions
to alleviate anxiety.
How is bipolar I disorder different from bipolar II disorder?
✔✔Bipolar I disorder involves at least one manic episode, which may be preceded or followed
by depressive episodes. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by at least one hypomanic episode
and one major depressive episode, but it does not involve full-blown manic episodes.
What are the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
✔✔Generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed based on excessive, uncontrollable worry about
various aspects of life, occurring for at least six months, along with physical symptoms such as
restlessness, fatigue, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.
How is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) typically triggered?
2
, ✔✔PTSD is typically triggered by exposure to a traumatic event, such as serious injury, sexual
violence, or witnessing a life-threatening situation, leading to symptoms such as flashbacks,
nightmares, severe anxiety, and avoidance of reminders of the trauma.
What are common features of borderline personality disorder?
✔✔Common features of borderline personality disorder include unstable moods, intense and
unstable relationships, impulsive behaviors, fear of abandonment, and chronic feelings of
emptiness or emotional dysregulation.
Describe the main characteristics of dissociative identity disorder (DID).
✔✔Dissociative identity disorder is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct
personality states or identities, which may take control of the individual's behavior, accompanied
by memory gaps for events or personal information.
What are the primary symptoms of anorexia nervosa?
3
