Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Questions &
Answers with rationales (Chapter 1-14) With
approved updates || graded A+ || Guaranteed
Which of the following best describes a psychological disorder?
A. Typical responses to stressful life events
B. Psychological dysfunction associated with distress or impairment in functioning that is
not culturally expected
C. Unusual behaviors that are accepted within a cultural group
D. Mild sadness or anxiety that occurs occasionally
Answer: B
Rationale: A psychological disorder involves a dysfunction that causes significant distress
or impairment and deviates from culturally expected norms. Occasional sadness or
culturally accepted unusual behaviors do not qualify as disorders.
A persistent, excessive fear of a specific object or situation is known as:
A. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
B. Phobia
C. Neurosis
D. Generalized anxiety disorder
Answer: B
Rationale: Phobia is characterized by marked and persistent fear of a particular object or
situation. Other options, like OCD or GAD, involve broader or different symptom patterns.
Which term refers to actions that are unexpected and often evaluated negatively because
they differ from typical behavior?
A. Psychopathology
B. Abnormal behavior
C. Psychological disorder
D. Mental illness
Answer: B
,Rationale: Abnormal behavior specifically focuses on actions that deviate from social
norms, while psychopathology is the scientific study of such disorders, and psychological
disorder refers to a broader clinical diagnosis.
The scientific study of psychological disorders is called:
A. Psychopathology
B. Psychiatry
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Behaviorism
Answer: A
Rationale: Psychopathology is the field devoted to understanding the nature, causes, and
treatment of psychological disorders. Psychiatry is a medical specialty, while
psychoanalysis and behaviorism are theoretical approaches.
Mental health professionals who apply scientific methods to their work, including research
and treatment evaluation, are known as:
A. Psychoanalysts
B. Scientist-practitioners
C. Behaviorists
D. Clinicians
Answer: B
Rationale: Scientist-practitioners integrate research and clinical practice, staying updated
on evidence-based methods, while other options focus on specific therapy approaches or
roles.
The original complaint reported by a client to a therapist is called:
A. Presenting problem
B. Clinical description
C. Prognosis
D. Etiology
Answer: A
Rationale: The presenting problem is what the client reports as their main issue, while the
clinical description details all symptoms, prognosis predicts future course, and etiology
refers to the cause.
,The detailed combination of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that make up a disorder is
called:
A. Clinical description
B. Etiology
C. Prevalence
D. Course
Answer: A
Rationale: Clinical description focuses on the observable and reported patterns of a
disorder, whereas etiology is the cause, prevalence is the rate, and course is the pattern
over time.
The number of people displaying a disorder in the total population at any given time is
known as:
A. Incidence
B. Prevalence
C. Prognosis
D. Etiology
Answer: B
Rationale: Prevalence measures the total number of existing cases at a specific time.
Incidence measures only new cases during a time period.
The number of new cases of a disorder appearing during a specific period is called:
A. Prevalence
B. Incidence
C. Prognosis
D. Course
Answer: B
Rationale: Incidence tracks new cases within a defined time, while prevalence counts all
current cases regardless of onset.
The predicted development or future outcome of a disorder is referred to as:
A. Etiology
B. Course
, C. Prognosis
D. Prevalence
Answer: C
Rationale: Prognosis is a forecast of a disorder’s likely course or outcome. Etiology is the
cause, course describes patterns of change, and prevalence is frequency.
The cause or source of a disorder is called:
A. Prognosis
B. Etiology
C. Clinical description
D. Prevalence
Answer: B
Rationale: Etiology refers to the origin or factors responsible for a disorder. Prognosis
predicts outcomes, and clinical description describes the symptoms.
A religious ritual that attributes disordered behavior to demon possession is called:
A. Psychosocial treatment
B. Exorcism
C. Moral therapy
D. Psychoanalysis
Answer: B
Rationale: Exorcism attempts to drive out demons, whereas psychosocial treatment, moral
therapy, and psychoanalysis are psychological approaches.
Treatment practices that focus on social, cultural, and psychological factors are referred to
as:
A. Psychoanalysis
B. Psychosocial treatment
C. Moral therapy
D. Behavior therapy
Answer: B
Rationale: Psychosocial treatments address the influence of environment, culture, and
psychological factors, while psychoanalysis is a specific therapy method.
Answers with rationales (Chapter 1-14) With
approved updates || graded A+ || Guaranteed
Which of the following best describes a psychological disorder?
A. Typical responses to stressful life events
B. Psychological dysfunction associated with distress or impairment in functioning that is
not culturally expected
C. Unusual behaviors that are accepted within a cultural group
D. Mild sadness or anxiety that occurs occasionally
Answer: B
Rationale: A psychological disorder involves a dysfunction that causes significant distress
or impairment and deviates from culturally expected norms. Occasional sadness or
culturally accepted unusual behaviors do not qualify as disorders.
A persistent, excessive fear of a specific object or situation is known as:
A. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
B. Phobia
C. Neurosis
D. Generalized anxiety disorder
Answer: B
Rationale: Phobia is characterized by marked and persistent fear of a particular object or
situation. Other options, like OCD or GAD, involve broader or different symptom patterns.
Which term refers to actions that are unexpected and often evaluated negatively because
they differ from typical behavior?
A. Psychopathology
B. Abnormal behavior
C. Psychological disorder
D. Mental illness
Answer: B
,Rationale: Abnormal behavior specifically focuses on actions that deviate from social
norms, while psychopathology is the scientific study of such disorders, and psychological
disorder refers to a broader clinical diagnosis.
The scientific study of psychological disorders is called:
A. Psychopathology
B. Psychiatry
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Behaviorism
Answer: A
Rationale: Psychopathology is the field devoted to understanding the nature, causes, and
treatment of psychological disorders. Psychiatry is a medical specialty, while
psychoanalysis and behaviorism are theoretical approaches.
Mental health professionals who apply scientific methods to their work, including research
and treatment evaluation, are known as:
A. Psychoanalysts
B. Scientist-practitioners
C. Behaviorists
D. Clinicians
Answer: B
Rationale: Scientist-practitioners integrate research and clinical practice, staying updated
on evidence-based methods, while other options focus on specific therapy approaches or
roles.
The original complaint reported by a client to a therapist is called:
A. Presenting problem
B. Clinical description
C. Prognosis
D. Etiology
Answer: A
Rationale: The presenting problem is what the client reports as their main issue, while the
clinical description details all symptoms, prognosis predicts future course, and etiology
refers to the cause.
,The detailed combination of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that make up a disorder is
called:
A. Clinical description
B. Etiology
C. Prevalence
D. Course
Answer: A
Rationale: Clinical description focuses on the observable and reported patterns of a
disorder, whereas etiology is the cause, prevalence is the rate, and course is the pattern
over time.
The number of people displaying a disorder in the total population at any given time is
known as:
A. Incidence
B. Prevalence
C. Prognosis
D. Etiology
Answer: B
Rationale: Prevalence measures the total number of existing cases at a specific time.
Incidence measures only new cases during a time period.
The number of new cases of a disorder appearing during a specific period is called:
A. Prevalence
B. Incidence
C. Prognosis
D. Course
Answer: B
Rationale: Incidence tracks new cases within a defined time, while prevalence counts all
current cases regardless of onset.
The predicted development or future outcome of a disorder is referred to as:
A. Etiology
B. Course
, C. Prognosis
D. Prevalence
Answer: C
Rationale: Prognosis is a forecast of a disorder’s likely course or outcome. Etiology is the
cause, course describes patterns of change, and prevalence is frequency.
The cause or source of a disorder is called:
A. Prognosis
B. Etiology
C. Clinical description
D. Prevalence
Answer: B
Rationale: Etiology refers to the origin or factors responsible for a disorder. Prognosis
predicts outcomes, and clinical description describes the symptoms.
A religious ritual that attributes disordered behavior to demon possession is called:
A. Psychosocial treatment
B. Exorcism
C. Moral therapy
D. Psychoanalysis
Answer: B
Rationale: Exorcism attempts to drive out demons, whereas psychosocial treatment, moral
therapy, and psychoanalysis are psychological approaches.
Treatment practices that focus on social, cultural, and psychological factors are referred to
as:
A. Psychoanalysis
B. Psychosocial treatment
C. Moral therapy
D. Behavior therapy
Answer: B
Rationale: Psychosocial treatments address the influence of environment, culture, and
psychological factors, while psychoanalysis is a specific therapy method.
