Chapter 38, Problem 1E

Summary Introduction

Introduction: A psychological disorder is a clinically significant disturbance that is associated with emotion regulation, behavior, or cognition of an individual. Psychological disorders are usually related to the significant distress in the biological, psychological, or developmental processes repressing the mental functioning. They affect the normal activities of a person on every aspect of life including thoughts, feelings, emotions, behaviors, and outlook.

Answer to Problem 1E

Correct answer: Person K is terrified of elevators. She could be suffering from a phobic disorder. Hence, the correct answer is option (b).

Explanation of Solution

Reason for the correct answers:

Option (b) is given as “phobic disorder”.

A phobic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that causes a person to feel exaggerate, irrigational fear about a situation, thing, living creature, place, or an activity. As Person K is terrified of elevators, it indicates that Person K is suffering in acrophobia. This is because acrophobia is a type of phobic disorder that is characterize by an extreme or irrigational fear of elevations.

Hence, the correct answer is option (b).

Reasons for the incorrect answers:

Option (a) is given as “obsessive-compulsive disorder”.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted, uncontrollable and repetitive thoughts, intrusive, and distressing actions. Hence, option (a) is incorrect.

Option (c) is given as “panic disorder”.

A panic disorder is characterized by a feeling of dread, fear, and uncomfortable physical symptoms that reach a peak within minutes. Hence, option (c) is incorrect.

Option (d) is given as “generalized anxiety disorder”.

People with generalized anxiety disorder experience, feel long-term persistent anxiety, fear, and uncontrollable worry. Hence, option (d) is incorrect.

Hence, options (a), (c), and (d) are incorrect.

Conclusion

Person K could be suffering from a phobic disorder.