Introduction to Psychiatry Practice Questions

Q: Which of the following best describes a situation that would trigger General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

Chronic Stress from Work Pressure. ***Chronic Stress from Work Pressure*** - The **General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)**, described by Hans Selye, represents the body's response to **prolonged/chronic stress** evolving through three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. - **Chronic work pressure** is a classic example of sustained stressor exposure that triggers the full GAS response, particularly maintaining the resistance phase where the body attempts long-term adaptation. - Prolonged exposure eventually leads to the exhaustion phase if stress continues unabated. *Acute Stress from a Traumatic Event* - An **acute traumatic event** primarily triggers only the initial **"alarm" phase** of GAS, involving immediate physiological responses (increased heart rate, adrenaline release, fight-or-flight activation). - While it initiates stress response, it does not typically progress through the subsequent resistance and exhaustion phases that characterize the complete GAS. *Temporary Anxiety due to Exam Preparation* - **Temporary/short-term anxiety** is a brief stressor that evokes an acute stress response but resolves quickly. - Unlikely to progress beyond the alarm phase or lead to the prolonged resistance and exhaustion phases characteristic of full GAS. - The body typically recovers rapidly once the exam period ends. *Brief Adjustment Stress from Moving to a New City* - While moving involves adjustment, the **initial relocation stress** is typically **time-limited** and resolves as adaptation occurs. - Does not represent the sustained chronic stress exposure required to trigger the complete GAS progression through resistance to exhaustion phases. - Differs from chronic stressors like sustained work pressure that persist over extended periods.

Q: Which of the following excludes painful stimuli from awareness?

Repression. ***Repression*** - **Repression** is a defense mechanism where the mind unconsciously blocks disturbing thoughts, memories, or impulses from entering awareness. - It serves to remove painful stimuli or unacceptable desires from conscious perception, preventing emotional distress. - This is the primary mechanism that **excludes painful stimuli from awareness**. *Reaction formation* - **Reaction formation** is a defense mechanism where a person unconsciously replaces an unacceptable impulse with its opposite. - For example, showing excessive kindness to someone one dislikes. - This does not directly exclude painful stimuli from awareness but transforms the expression of the impulse. *Projection* - **Projection** involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or impulses to another person. - This mechanism shifts blame or undesirable traits onto others rather than blocking the original painful stimulus from awareness. - The person remains aware of the trait but misattributes its source. *Rationalization* - **Rationalization** is the cognitive distortion of facts to make an unacceptable action or impulse appear more acceptable or logically justifiable. - It involves constructing a plausible but false reason for one's actions. - While it reduces anxiety, it doesn't exclude the original painful stimulus from awareness—rather, it reinterprets it.

Q: The Oedipus complex is a concept primarily associated with which psychoanalyst?

Freud. ***Freud*** - The **Oedipus complex** is a central concept in **Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory**, describing a child's unconscious sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex and feelings of rivalry with the parent of the same sex. - This concept is foundational to his theory of **psychosexual development**, particularly during the **phallic stage**. *Plato* - Plato was an ancient **Greek philosopher**, student of Socrates, and teacher of Aristotle, whose work focused on metaphysics, ethics, politics, and epistemology. - His ideas, such as the theory of **Forms** and the **Allegory of the Cave**, are central to classical philosophy but do not relate to psychological complexes. *Socrates* - Socrates was a classical **Greek philosopher** credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. - His contributions include the **Socratic method** of inquiry and the pursuit of virtue and self-knowledge, not psychological theories of development. *Huxley* - There are two prominent Huxleys: **Aldous Huxley**, known for his dystopian novel *Brave New World*, and **Thomas Henry Huxley**, known as "Darwin's Bulldog" for his advocacy of evolution. - Neither of them are primarily associated with the development of psychological theories like the Oedipus complex.

Q: Which of the following is considered a fundamental defense mechanism in psychology?

Repression. ***Repression*** - **Repression** is the **fundamental unconscious defense mechanism** where unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or memories are pushed out of conscious awareness to protect the ego. - It is considered the foundational defense mechanism because it operates automatically and without conscious effort, forming the basis for many other defense mechanisms. *Alienation* - **Alienation** refers to a feeling of estrangement or disconnection from others, society, or oneself, often due to social or psychological factors, but it is not a defense mechanism. - It describes a state of being rather than an active psychological process used to cope with anxiety. *Confabulation* - **Confabulation** is the creation of false autobiographical memories without the intent to deceive, often seen in neurological conditions like **Korsakoff's syndrome**. - It is a symptom of memory impairment, not an active psychological defense mechanism. *Suppression* - **Suppression** is a defense mechanism but is considered a mature/conscious defense; it involves deliberately and consciously putting unwanted thoughts or feelings out of mind. - Unlike **repression**, **suppression** is an intentional and relatively aware act of avoiding disturbing thoughts.

Q: Which of the following represents a form of sexual behavior that is considered pathological and legally prohibited due to harm and exploitation?

Sexual relations between close relatives. ***Sexual relations between close relatives (Incest)*** - **Incest** refers to sexual activity between close blood relatives and is universally prohibited due to **genetic risks, power imbalances, and psychological harm** - While not classified as a paraphilic disorder in DSM-5, incestuous behavior is considered pathological when it involves **exploitation, coercion, or abuse**, particularly with minors - It is **legally prohibited** in virtually all jurisdictions and violates fundamental ethical and social norms regarding consent and familial boundaries - Clinical significance arises from the **severe psychological trauma** to victims and the disruption of normal family dynamics *Oral sex* - Oral sex is a **normative sexual activity** between consenting adults and is part of typical human sexual behavior - It is not pathological, illegal, or considered atypical sexual behavior in modern psychiatric classification - Represents normal sexual variation and intimacy *Same-sex relationships* - Same-sex relationships represent **normal human sexual orientation diversity** and are not pathological - Homosexuality was removed from DSM in 1973 and is recognized as a natural variation of human sexuality - Same-sex relationships are legally recognized and protected in many countries *Loss of control over bowel movements* - **Fecal incontinence** is a **medical symptom** related to gastrointestinal or neurological dysfunction, not a sexual behavior - This is completely unrelated to sexual behavior classification and requires medical evaluation - Has no relevance to the assessment of sexual behavior patterns

Q: A 25-year-old medical student who failed his exam tells his friends, "I didn't want to pass anyway. The exam was poorly designed and doesn't test real clinical knowledge." This is an example of which defense mechanism?

Rationalization. ***Rationalization*** - **Rationalization** involves constructing a logical justification for actions or attitudes that otherwise would be unacceptable, thereby avoiding feelings of guilt or shame. - The man in the scenario uses logical reasons to explain his actions, preventing him from feeling guilty about them. *Denial* - **Denial** is a defense mechanism where a person refuses to accept or acknowledge a reality or facts of a situation, usually a painful or threatening one. - In this case, the man is not denying his actions but rather finding reasons to excuse them. *Projection* - **Projection** is when an individual attributes their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or qualities to another person. - The man is creating excuses for his own behavior, not attributing his feelings or actions to someone else. *Displacement* - **Displacement** involves redirecting unacceptable urges or feelings from their original target to a less threatening one. - The man is not shifting his emotions to a different object or person; instead, he is justifying his own actions.

Question 1

Which of the following best describes a situation that would trigger General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

Accepted Answer

Chronic Stress from Work Pressure

Answer

Acute Stress from a Traumatic Event

Answer

Temporary Anxiety due to Exam Preparation

Answer

Brief Adjustment Stress from Moving to a New City

Question 2

Which of the following excludes painful stimuli from awareness?

Accepted Answer

Repression

Answer

Reaction formation

Answer

Projection

Answer

Rationalization

Question 3

The Oedipus complex is a concept primarily associated with which psychoanalyst?

Accepted Answer

Freud

Answer

Plato

Answer

Huxley

Answer

Socrates

Question 4

Which of the following is considered a fundamental defense mechanism in psychology?

Accepted Answer

Repression

Answer

Alienation

Answer

Confabulation

Answer

Suppression

Question 5

Which of the following represents a form of sexual behavior that is considered pathological and legally prohibited due to harm and exploitation?

Accepted Answer

Sexual relations between close relatives

Answer

Oral sex

Answer

Same-sex relationships

Answer

Loss of control over bowel movements

Question 6

A 25-year-old medical student who failed his exam tells his friends, "I didn't want to pass anyway. The exam was poorly designed and doesn't test real clinical knowledge." This is an example of which defense mechanism?

Accepted Answer

Rationalization

Answer

Denial

Answer

Projection

Answer

Displacement

Introduction to Psychiatry — MCQs

Introduction to Psychiatry — MCQs

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