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Chapter 7: Problem 13

A woman comes to the doctor with a two-week history of complete paralysis of her left arm. She has had no injury to the extremity, and full neurological workup fails to demonstrate any underlying cause. She seems surprisingly unconcerned about the paralysis, and seems more worried about an argument she had one month ago in which she hit her daughter. Based on this information, the woman's most likely diagnosis is: (A) \(\quad\) conversion disorder. (B) \(\quad\) generalized anxiety disorder (C) \(\quad\) illness anxiety disorder (D) \(\quad\) histrionic personality disorder.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Conversion disorder.

Step by step solution

01

- Understand the Symptoms

The woman has complete paralysis of her left arm for two weeks with no injury or neurological cause found. Additionally, she seems unconcerned about the paralysis but is worried about an argument with her daughter.
02

- Analyze Symptom Interpretation

The lack of concern about a severe physical symptom (paralysis) and the focus on a recent emotional event supports the possibility of a psychological disorder.
03

- Examine Diagnostic Criteria

Conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms (like paralysis) with no medical cause, often triggered by psychological stress. This patient's symptoms and behavioral response align with conversion disorder.
04

- Eliminate Other Options

Generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive worrying about various aspects of life, not specifically linked to sudden physical symptoms. Illness anxiety disorder is characterized by preoccupation with having a serious illness, without substantial symptoms. Histrionic personality disorder includes attention-seeking behaviors and emotionality but doesn't directly match with the given symptoms.
05

- Conclusion

Given the symptoms and behavior, the most likely diagnosis is conversion disorder.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Psychological Disorders
Psychological disorders are conditions characterized by abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. These issues can affect a person's ability to function in daily life. The woman in the exercise demonstrates symptoms of a psychological disorder called conversion disorder.

Conversion disorder falls under the category of somatic symptom and related disorders. These disorders commonly present physical symptoms that arise from psychological stress rather than a medical condition.

To understand conversion disorder, we need to consider a few key points:
  • It involves neurological symptoms like paralysis or blindness without a medical cause.
  • Symptoms often emerge after a stressful event.
  • Patients usually show a lack of concern about their symptoms, known as

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A 36 -year-old who works from home is referred for evaluation. He is reluctant to venture out to meet with other people and rarely has people in to visit. When selected for a company-wide award, he refused to have his picture taken for the company newsletter. During an assessment, he averts his face and asks the examiner to \(^{4}\) stop looking at me." Although he is average in appearance, he is convinced that his face is ugly and misshapen. The most likely diagnosis for this man would be: (A) \(\quad\) schizophrenia. (B) \(\quad\) obsessive-compulsive disorder. \((C)\) body dysmorphic disorder. (D) \(\quad\) schizoid personality disorder.

During an interview with a schizophrenic patient, a psychiatrist notices that the patient keeps repeating what the psychiatrist says. This phenomenon is known as: \((A)\) echolalia. (B) \(\quad\) echopraxia. \((C)\) loosening of associations. (D) \(\quad\) neologisms.

A 42 -year-old woman has always been extremely neat and tidy. She works as a secretary and stays long after normal working hours to check the punctuation and spelling of letters she prepared during the day. Her boss referred her for counseling after she repeatedly got into fights with her coworkers. "They don't take the job to heart," she says. "They just joke around all day." The most likely preliminary diagnosis for this patient is: (A) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. (B) \(\quad\) antisocial personality disorder. (C) \(\quad\) narcissistic personality disorder. (D) \(\quad\) borderline personality disorder.

A mother notices that her teenage son seems to have a phobia for snakes. In the past week, on several occasions, the teenager has had more severe fear symptoms than usual, without seeing or even thinking about a snake. Which mental disorder could cause this reaction? (A) Schizophrenia (B) Antisocial personality disorder (C) Obsessive-compulsive disorder (D) Panic disorder

Which of the following is true with regard to a major depressive episode? (A) It may last less than two weeks. (B) \(\quad\) It must involve thoughts of suicide or a suicide attempt. (C) \(\quad\) It may involve a decrease in sleep. (D) \(\quad\) It must involve feelings of sadness.
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