PSYC 3230 EXAM 2 with complete
solutions 2024/2025
Nature of Anxiety and Fear. Usually disorders involve a mix of the two. -
ANSWER-· Anxiety
-Future oriented mood state.
-Characterized by marked negative affect.
-Somatic (physiological) symptoms of tension, headaches
-Apprehension about future danger or misfortune
· Fear
-Present-oriented mood state
-marked negative affect
-Immediate fight or flight response to danger or threat
-Strong avoidance/escapist tendencies
-Abrupt activation of the sympathetic nervous systems
-Phobias usually last our whole life because we don't get a chance to change our
response to things we fear
· Anxiety and Fear are normal emotional states
From normal to disordered anxiety and fear - ANSWER-From normal to
disordered anxiety and fear
· Characteristics of anxiety disorders
-Psychological disorders - pervasive (spreading widely) and persistent symptoms
of anxiety and fear
,-Involve excessive avoidance and escapist tendencies. (Negative reinforcement:
escaping something: taking away something bad, reinforces that escapist
behavior further). Treatment will try to break that negative-reinforcement pattern.
-Causes clinically significant distress and impairment.
BIOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANXIETY AND PANIC - ANSWER-· DIATHESIS
- STRESS
-Inherit vulnerabilities for anxiety and panic, not disorders
-Stress and life circumstances activate vulnerability
· BIOLOGICAL CAUSES AND INHERENT VULNERABILITIES
-Anxiety and brain circuits - GABA, noradrenergic, and serotonergic systems.
Lower levels (GABA, serotonin) - more anxiety. Higher levels (noradrenaline) -
more anxiety.
· BEHAVIORAL INHIBITION SYSTEM - activated by signals from brain stem of
unexpected events, such as major changes in bodily functioning, that might
signal danger
· Behavioral Activation System (BAS) - activated for seeking rewards.
· When BIS activated, we tend to "freeze," experience anxiety, and anxiously
evaluate environment for signs of danger.
· BIS thought to be distinct from the circuit involved with Panic.
· BIS is more related to anxiety
· Panic is more related to: FIGHT OR FLIGHT SYSTEM - when system aroused, it
produces an immediate "alarm and escape" response.
· Environmental factors may change the sensitivity of brain circuits - causing one
to be more or less apt to develop an anxiety disorder.
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANXIETY AND PANIC - ANSWER-
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANXIETY AND PANIC
· FREUD
-Anxiety is a psychological reaction to danger (but tied to early infant/childhood
fears)
· BEHAVIORIST VIEWS
-Anxiety and fear result from classical and operant conditioning and modeling
(vicarious learning)
· PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEWS
,-Early experiences with uncontrollability and/or unpredictability
-Parents can, through their behavior, pass on lesson that the child has some
impact on their environment AND that the child can cope with a world that is
unpredictable.
· SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
-Stressful life events trigger vulnerabilities
-Many stressors are familial or interpersonal
COMORBIDITY OF ANXIETY DISORDERS - ANSWER-co-occurrence of one or
more disorders. Very common. May be tri or quadra-morbidity
· Comorbidity is common across anxiety disorders
· Approximately 50% of patients with an anxiety disorder have another secondary
diagnosis.
-Major depression is most common secondary diagnosis.
-Lots of patients w/ depression have anxiety disorders, but not all people w/
anxiety disorders have depression
· Comorbidity suggests common factors exist across anxiety disorders (and
possibly between anxiety and mood disorders).
· Evidence suggests a strong link between anxiety and depression
GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD) OVERIEW - ANSWER-most basic
anxiety disorder. In some ways unique and more like a depressive disorder.
· OVERVIEW AND DEFINING FEATURES
-Excessive uncontrollable anxious apprehension and worry about a number of
events or activities; worry and anxiety interfere with ability to function and/or
cause distress
-Persists for 6 months or more (must occur more days than not). May be less
prevalent than depression because diagnostic criteria are so different
(depression must have for 2 weeks everyday).
-3+ of following symptoms (1 for children): -Restlessness; feeling keyed up
-Easily fatigued
-Difficulty concentrating/ mind goes blank
-Irritability
-Muscle tension
-Sleep disturbance
, GAD · DIFFERENCES FROM "NORMAL" WORRY - ANSWER--More pervasive and
distressing
-Lasts longer
-Worries come with physical symptoms
-Also associated with somatic symptoms such as G.I. distress and exaggerated
startle response.
GAD facts and statistics - ANSWER--GAD AFFECTS 3% OF GENERAL
POPULATION (much less than depression)
-Females outnumber males approximately 2:1
-Onset is often insidious (don't know when it started)-Median age of onset: 30
(but with a lot of variability)
-Prevalence peaks in middle age, declines in later life
-Symptoms tend to wax and wane across life; full remission rare
-Earlier onset associated with greater comorbidity and impairment
CAUSES OF GAD - ANSWER--GENETIC FACTORS account for 30% of variability
-TEMPERAMENTAL FACTORS: high behavioral inhibition; neuroticism.
-ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: not clear: overprotection (G-E correlation?),
childhood adversities
-COGNITIVE FACTORS: highly sensitive to threat - especially threat that has
personal relevance. Appear to allocate more of their attention to these cues but in
automatic manner.
TREATMENT OF GAD - ANSWER-· Both drug and psychological interventions are
effective (but don't really fully cure people)
· MEDICATIONS
-Benzodiazepines (ex. valium, Xanax) help provide immediate, short-term relief.
But people can get addicted. Impairs motor and cognitive functioning, can
produce dependence (psychological and physical). Abuse potential.
-Antidepressants - proving useful in treatment of GAD 9ex. paxil, Effexor). Lower
side effects.
· PSYCHOLOGICAL
-ex. CBT: Better long-term benefits
solutions 2024/2025
Nature of Anxiety and Fear. Usually disorders involve a mix of the two. -
ANSWER-· Anxiety
-Future oriented mood state.
-Characterized by marked negative affect.
-Somatic (physiological) symptoms of tension, headaches
-Apprehension about future danger or misfortune
· Fear
-Present-oriented mood state
-marked negative affect
-Immediate fight or flight response to danger or threat
-Strong avoidance/escapist tendencies
-Abrupt activation of the sympathetic nervous systems
-Phobias usually last our whole life because we don't get a chance to change our
response to things we fear
· Anxiety and Fear are normal emotional states
From normal to disordered anxiety and fear - ANSWER-From normal to
disordered anxiety and fear
· Characteristics of anxiety disorders
-Psychological disorders - pervasive (spreading widely) and persistent symptoms
of anxiety and fear
,-Involve excessive avoidance and escapist tendencies. (Negative reinforcement:
escaping something: taking away something bad, reinforces that escapist
behavior further). Treatment will try to break that negative-reinforcement pattern.
-Causes clinically significant distress and impairment.
BIOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANXIETY AND PANIC - ANSWER-· DIATHESIS
- STRESS
-Inherit vulnerabilities for anxiety and panic, not disorders
-Stress and life circumstances activate vulnerability
· BIOLOGICAL CAUSES AND INHERENT VULNERABILITIES
-Anxiety and brain circuits - GABA, noradrenergic, and serotonergic systems.
Lower levels (GABA, serotonin) - more anxiety. Higher levels (noradrenaline) -
more anxiety.
· BEHAVIORAL INHIBITION SYSTEM - activated by signals from brain stem of
unexpected events, such as major changes in bodily functioning, that might
signal danger
· Behavioral Activation System (BAS) - activated for seeking rewards.
· When BIS activated, we tend to "freeze," experience anxiety, and anxiously
evaluate environment for signs of danger.
· BIS thought to be distinct from the circuit involved with Panic.
· BIS is more related to anxiety
· Panic is more related to: FIGHT OR FLIGHT SYSTEM - when system aroused, it
produces an immediate "alarm and escape" response.
· Environmental factors may change the sensitivity of brain circuits - causing one
to be more or less apt to develop an anxiety disorder.
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANXIETY AND PANIC - ANSWER-
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANXIETY AND PANIC
· FREUD
-Anxiety is a psychological reaction to danger (but tied to early infant/childhood
fears)
· BEHAVIORIST VIEWS
-Anxiety and fear result from classical and operant conditioning and modeling
(vicarious learning)
· PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEWS
,-Early experiences with uncontrollability and/or unpredictability
-Parents can, through their behavior, pass on lesson that the child has some
impact on their environment AND that the child can cope with a world that is
unpredictable.
· SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
-Stressful life events trigger vulnerabilities
-Many stressors are familial or interpersonal
COMORBIDITY OF ANXIETY DISORDERS - ANSWER-co-occurrence of one or
more disorders. Very common. May be tri or quadra-morbidity
· Comorbidity is common across anxiety disorders
· Approximately 50% of patients with an anxiety disorder have another secondary
diagnosis.
-Major depression is most common secondary diagnosis.
-Lots of patients w/ depression have anxiety disorders, but not all people w/
anxiety disorders have depression
· Comorbidity suggests common factors exist across anxiety disorders (and
possibly between anxiety and mood disorders).
· Evidence suggests a strong link between anxiety and depression
GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD) OVERIEW - ANSWER-most basic
anxiety disorder. In some ways unique and more like a depressive disorder.
· OVERVIEW AND DEFINING FEATURES
-Excessive uncontrollable anxious apprehension and worry about a number of
events or activities; worry and anxiety interfere with ability to function and/or
cause distress
-Persists for 6 months or more (must occur more days than not). May be less
prevalent than depression because diagnostic criteria are so different
(depression must have for 2 weeks everyday).
-3+ of following symptoms (1 for children): -Restlessness; feeling keyed up
-Easily fatigued
-Difficulty concentrating/ mind goes blank
-Irritability
-Muscle tension
-Sleep disturbance
, GAD · DIFFERENCES FROM "NORMAL" WORRY - ANSWER--More pervasive and
distressing
-Lasts longer
-Worries come with physical symptoms
-Also associated with somatic symptoms such as G.I. distress and exaggerated
startle response.
GAD facts and statistics - ANSWER--GAD AFFECTS 3% OF GENERAL
POPULATION (much less than depression)
-Females outnumber males approximately 2:1
-Onset is often insidious (don't know when it started)-Median age of onset: 30
(but with a lot of variability)
-Prevalence peaks in middle age, declines in later life
-Symptoms tend to wax and wane across life; full remission rare
-Earlier onset associated with greater comorbidity and impairment
CAUSES OF GAD - ANSWER--GENETIC FACTORS account for 30% of variability
-TEMPERAMENTAL FACTORS: high behavioral inhibition; neuroticism.
-ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: not clear: overprotection (G-E correlation?),
childhood adversities
-COGNITIVE FACTORS: highly sensitive to threat - especially threat that has
personal relevance. Appear to allocate more of their attention to these cues but in
automatic manner.
TREATMENT OF GAD - ANSWER-· Both drug and psychological interventions are
effective (but don't really fully cure people)
· MEDICATIONS
-Benzodiazepines (ex. valium, Xanax) help provide immediate, short-term relief.
But people can get addicted. Impairs motor and cognitive functioning, can
produce dependence (psychological and physical). Abuse potential.
-Antidepressants - proving useful in treatment of GAD 9ex. paxil, Effexor). Lower
side effects.
· PSYCHOLOGICAL
-ex. CBT: Better long-term benefits
