Introduction to Psychiatry Practice Questions

Q: Deriving sexual pleasure by seeing or touching inanimate objects of the opposite sex is termed as?

Fetichism. **Explanation:** The correct answer is **Fetichism**. This is a type of paraphilic disorder where sexual arousal and gratification are derived from the use of non-living (inanimate) objects (e.g., shoes, undergarments) or a highly specific focus on non-genital body parts. For a clinical diagnosis under DSM-5/ICD-11, these urges must be present for at least 6 months and cause significant distress or functional impairment. **Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **Voyeurism (B):** This involves deriving sexual pleasure from observing unsuspecting individuals who are naked, disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity ("Peeping Tom"). * **Masochism (C):** This refers to sexual arousal derived from being subjected to pain, humiliation, or bondage. * **Tribadism (D):** This is a sexual practice (not a paraphilia) involving genital rubbing between two females. **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Paraphilias** are generally more common in males and typically onset during adolescence. * **Frotteurism:** Sexual pleasure derived from touching or rubbing against a non-consenting person in crowded places. * **Exhibitionism:** Arousal from exposing one's genitals to an unsuspecting stranger. * **Treatment:** The primary pharmacological treatment for paraphilic disorders involves **SSRIs** (to reduce impulsive behavior) or **Anti-androgens** (like Medroxyprogesterone acetate or Cyproterone acetate) to reduce libido in severe cases. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the mainstay of psychological intervention.

Q: Who is referred to as the Father of Psychoanalysis?

Sigmund Freud. **Explanation:** **Correct Answer: C. Sigmund Freud** Sigmund Freud is universally recognized as the **Father of Psychoanalysis**. He developed this therapeutic technique and theoretical framework based on the exploration of the unconscious mind, the role of childhood experiences in shaping adult personality, and the dynamics of the Id, Ego, and Superego. His work on dream interpretation, defense mechanisms, and free association laid the foundation for modern psychotherapy. **Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **A. Benjamin Rush:** Known as the **Father of American Psychiatry**. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and advocated that mental illness was a disease of the brain, not a result of demonic possession. * **B. Emil Kraepelin:** Often called the **Father of Modern Scientific Psychiatry**. He is credited with the "Kraepelinian Dichotomy," which distinguished between Dementia Praecox (now Schizophrenia) and Manic-Depressive Psychosis (now Bipolar Disorder). * **C. Eugen Bleuler:** A Swiss psychiatrist who **coined the term "Schizophrenia"** (replacing Kraepelin’s Dementia Praecox) and described the "4 As" of Schizophrenia (Ambivalence, Autism, Affective blunting, and Association looseness). **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Father of Indian Psychiatry:** Dr. Girindra Sekhar Bose (who was also the first person outside Europe to be a member of the International Psychoanalytical Association). * **First Psychiatric Hospital in India:** Established in Bombay (1745). * **The term "Psychiatry"** was coined by Johann Christian Reil (1808). * **The term "Schizophrenia"** was coined by Eugen Bleuler (1911).

Q: What are the psychological features of AIDS?

Depression. **Explanation:** The psychological impact of HIV/AIDS is multifaceted, involving both the biological effects of the virus on the CNS and the psychosocial stress of a chronic, stigmatized illness. **Why Depression is the Correct Answer:** **Depression** is the most common psychiatric complication in patients with HIV/AIDS. It occurs in approximately 20–30% of patients, a rate significantly higher than in the general population. It often manifests as a reaction to the diagnosis (Adjustment Disorder), a side effect of medications (e.g., Efavirenz), or as a direct result of HIV-associated neurocognitive changes. Identifying depression is crucial because it directly correlates with poor medication adherence and faster disease progression. **Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **A. Mania:** While "Secondary Mania" can occur in late-stage AIDS (often due to opportunistic infections like Toxoplasmosis or CMV), it is much less frequent than depression. * **C. Suicidal Tendency:** Although the risk of suicide is elevated in HIV patients compared to the general public, it is usually a consequence of an underlying Major Depressive Disorder rather than a standalone feature. * **D. Violence:** Violence is not a characteristic feature of AIDS. Agitation or aggression may only be seen in the context of advanced HIV-associated dementia or delirium. **NEET-PG High-Yield Pearls:** * **Most common psychiatric disorder in HIV:** Depression. * **Drug-induced Depression:** **Efavirenz** (an NNRTI) is notorious for causing neuropsychiatric side effects, including vivid dreams, insomnia, and depression. * **HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND):** This spectrum ranges from mild impairment to **AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC)**, characterized by subcortical dementia features (psychomotor slowing, apathy). * **Psychosis in HIV:** Usually occurs in advanced stages with low CD4 counts (<200 cells/mm³).

Q: What was the lifespan of Sigmund Freud?

1856-1939 and he passed most of his life in Austria. **Explanation:** Sigmund Freud, the founder of **Psychoanalysis**, was born on May 6, **1856**, in Freiberg (then part of the Austrian Empire) and died on September 23, **1939**, in London. Although he spent the final year of his life in the UK to escape Nazi persecution, he lived and practiced in **Vienna, Austria**, for nearly 80 years. His work laid the foundation for modern dynamic psychiatry, introducing concepts such as the unconscious mind, the id/ego/superego, and defense mechanisms. **Analysis of Options:** * **Option A (Correct):** Accurately reflects his lifespan (1856–1939) and his primary residence (Austria). * **Options B, C, and D (Incorrect):** These options provide incorrect dates (1859–1936). Furthermore, while Freud studied briefly in France under Jean-Martin Charcot (learning about hypnosis and hysteria), he was never a permanent resident of France or Germany. **High-Yield Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Father of Psychoanalysis:** Freud transitioned from neurology to psychiatry, focusing on the "talking cure." * **Structural Model of Personality:** Id (pleasure principle), Ego (reality principle), and Superego (moral conscience). * **Topographical Model:** Conscious, Preconscious, and Unconscious. * **Psychosexual Stages:** Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, and Genital. * **Defense Mechanisms:** While Freud introduced them, his daughter **Anna Freud** significantly expanded the classification of ego defense mechanisms. * **Dream Analysis:** Freud famously called dreams the "Royal Road to the Unconscious."

Q: The anal phase of psychosexual stages of development is observed during which age period?

1.5-3 years. **Explanation:** Sigmund Freud’s **Theory of Psychosexual Development** proposes that personality develops through a series of stages where the pleasure-seeking energies of the *Id* focus on specific erogenous zones. **Correct Option (B): 1.5–3 years** The **Anal Phase** typically occurs between 18 months and 3 years of age. During this period, the primary focus of gratification is the anus, specifically through the control of bladder and bowel movements (toilet training). The major conflict is the child’s struggle between the internal urge for immediate evacuation and the external social pressure to delay it. Successful resolution leads to a sense of autonomy and competence. **Incorrect Options:** * **A (0–1.5 years):** This corresponds to the **Oral Phase**, where the mouth is the primary erogenous zone (sucking, biting). * **C (3–5 years):** This corresponds to the **Phallic Phase**, characterized by the Oedipus/Electra complex and the discovery of anatomical sex differences. * **D (5–12 years):** This corresponds to the **Latency Period**, where sexual impulses are repressed, and energy is channeled into social and intellectual pursuits. **NEET-PG High-Yield Pearls:** * **Anal Retentive Personality:** Resulting from harsh toilet training; characterized by being overly orderly, stingy, stubborn, and perfectionistic (Obsessive-Compulsive traits). * **Anal Expulsive Personality:** Resulting from over-indulgent training; characterized by messiness, cruelty, and emotional outbursts. * **Sequence Mnemonic:** **O**ld **A**ge **P**eople **L**ove **G**rapes (**O**ral, **A**nal, **P**hallic, **L**atency, **G**enital).

Q: Which of the following psychiatric disorders is characterized by "rationalization"?

Substance abuse disorder. **Explanation:** **Rationalization** is a defense mechanism where an individual justifies logically inconsistent or unacceptable behaviors, motives, or feelings by providing seemingly logical reasons or "excuses." **Why Substance Abuse Disorder is the correct answer:** In Substance Abuse Disorders, rationalization is one of the most frequently employed defense mechanisms. Patients often justify their substance use by attributing it to external stressors (e.g., "I drink because my job is stressful" or "I only use drugs because of my difficult childhood"). This allows the individual to avoid the guilt and reality of their addiction, maintaining their self-esteem while continuing the maladaptive behavior. Along with **denial** and **projection**, rationalization forms the core psychological barrier to seeking treatment in addiction. **Analysis of Incorrect Options:** * **Schizophrenia:** The primary defense mechanism associated with schizophrenia is **projection** (attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts to others, common in paranoid delusions) and **splitting**. * **Phobia:** The hallmark defense mechanism here is **displacement**. The anxiety regarding an internal conflict is displaced onto a specific external object or situation. * **Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):** The characteristic defense mechanisms are **undoing**, **isolation of affect**, and **reaction formation**. **NEET-PG Clinical Pearls:** * **Denial** is considered the most common defense mechanism in the *early* stages of substance abuse. * **Reaction Formation** is high-yield for OCD (e.g., a person with aggressive urges becomes excessively pacifist). * **Identification with the Aggressor** is often seen in "Stockholm Syndrome." * **Sublimation and Altruism** are classified as "Mature" defense mechanisms and are frequently tested as "healthy" coping strategies.

Q: All of the following are defence mechanisms of the ego except?

Transference. **Explanation:** The correct answer is **Transference**. **1. Why Transference is the correct answer:** Defence mechanisms are unconscious psychological strategies used by the **ego** to protect the individual from anxiety arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings. **Transference**, however, is not a defence mechanism; it is a **phenomenon** occurring during psychotherapy where a patient unconsciously redirects (transfers) feelings, desires, and expectations from significant figures in their past (e.g., parents) onto the therapist. While it involves unconscious processes, its purpose is not primarily ego-protection, but rather a repetition of relational patterns. **2. Why the other options are incorrect:** * **Projection (Immature Defence):** Attributing one’s own unacknowledged unacceptable/distressing feelings or thoughts to others (e.g., a person who is angry accusing others of being hostile). * **Conversion (Immature Defence):** The unconscious transformation of psychological conflict into physical symptoms (e.g., sudden blindness or paralysis after a traumatic event with no organic cause). * **Reaction Formation (Neurotic Defence):** Transforming an unacceptable impulse into its diametrical opposite (e.g., being excessively kind to someone you unconsciously dislike). **Clinical Pearls for NEET-PG:** * **Counter-transference:** When the therapist displaces their own unconscious feelings onto the patient (the reverse of transference). * **Classification:** Remember the Vaillant hierarchy: * *Narcissistic/Psychotic:* Denial, Distortion, Projection. * *Immature:* Acting out, Passive-aggression, Regression. * *Neurotic:* Displacement, Isolation, Rationalization. * *Mature (High-yield):* **S**ublimation, **A**ltruism, **S**uppression, **H**umor (**SASH**). * **Suppression** is the only **conscious** defence mechanism.

Question 1

A well-dressed man presents with a feeling of being a woman trapped within a male body. What condition is he likely suffering from?

Accepted Answer

Gender identity disorder

Answer

Paraphilia

Answer

Toucherism

Answer

Frotteurism

Question 2

Deriving sexual pleasure by seeing or touching inanimate objects of the opposite sex is termed as?

Accepted Answer

Fetichism

Answer

Voyeurism

Answer

Masochism

Answer

Tribadism

Question 3

Who is referred to as the Father of Psychoanalysis?

Accepted Answer

Sigmund Freud

Answer

Benjamin Rush

Answer

Emil Kraepelin

Answer

Eugen Bleuler

Question 4

What are the psychological features of AIDS?

Accepted Answer

Depression

Answer

Mania

Answer

Suicidal Tendency

Answer

Violence

Question 5

What was the lifespan of Sigmund Freud?

Accepted Answer

1856-1939 and he passed most of his life in Austria

Answer

1859-1936 and he passed most of his life in Austria

Answer

1859-1936 and he passed most of his life in Germany

Answer

1859-1936 and he passed most of his life in France

Question 6

The anal phase of psychosexual stages of development is observed during which age period?

Accepted Answer

1.5-3 years

Answer

0-1.5 years

Answer

3-5 years

Answer

5-12 years

Question 7

What is the most common form of dissociative hysteria?

Accepted Answer

Amnesia

Answer

Fugue

Answer

Multiple personality

Answer

Somnambulism

Question 8

A component of conversion disorder is?

Accepted Answer

Hysteric fits

Answer

Derealisation

Answer

Depersonalisation

Answer

Amnesia

Question 9

Which of the following psychiatric disorders is characterized by "rationalization"?

Accepted Answer

Substance abuse disorder

Answer

Schizophrenia

Answer

Phobia

Answer

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Question 10

All of the following are defence mechanisms of the ego except?

Accepted Answer

Transference

Answer

Projection

Answer

Conversion

Answer

Reaction formation

Introduction to Psychiatry — MCQs

Introduction to Psychiatry — MCQs

On this page

Practice by Chapter

Want unlimited practice?