Recoletos de Bacolod Graduate School

FINAL EXAMS (MA Psych)

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Joyce M. Fernandez, MAEd, RGC
JennibethD.Baculna

April10,2013

Essay:
1. Why is personality disorder ego-syntonic?
2. Differentiate obsessive compulsive disorder from obsessive compulsive personality disorder.
Give case illustrations to differentiate the two.
3. Differentiate anxiety reaction from phobic reaction. Give illustrations.
4. How do we diagnose conduct disorder and anti-social personality disorder?
5. How does paranoid personality disorder differ from schizophrenia? Illustrate

Answer:
1. Personalitydisorderisegosyntonicbecausepeopleexperiencingthisdisorderarenotawareorin
denialofhavingthem.Theyhavedistortedexperiencesofthemselvesandtheworldaroundthem
buttheyfailtorealizethesame,thus,thedisorderwouldnotbeamainconcerntotheindividual
asheorshethinksthatthereisnothingwrongwithhim.

2. Individuals who have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are often aware that their
obsessions are not normal but are compelled to perform them anyway while those having
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) believe their need for strict order
and rules is perfectly normal; they have a rigid conformity to rules, moral codes and
excessive orderliness. In addition, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder interferes with the
success in social and work environment of the affected individuals unlike in ObsessiveCompulsive Personality Disorder which the people have no problems with regard to their
performance in work environments, although, they encounter difficulties in social
relationships.

3. Anxiety reactions have repeated episodes of intense fear. Individuals experiencing this
reaction have difficulty in breathing, dizziness, fear of dying, they hyperventilate,

palpitations, numbness and tingling in the fingers and toes. The phobic reaction, on the
other hand, is merely a reaction to a phobia. It may be a psychological and at the same
physical such as feeling of uneasiness or may come by sweating or crying. Phobic
reactions may be in a mild or severe form which are generally different in each person.
As an example, everytime the girl sees a cockroach, she has a phobic reaction consisting
of trembling and shaking.
4. Children who are diagnosed with Conduct Disorder are intentionally aggressive and

cruel. They may steal or destroy property and there is possibility that they might commit
rape, armed robbery and homicide when they reach the adolescence stage. They may
cheat in school when they attempt to attend. They do not experience any sense of guilt or
remorse for their misdeeds. Conduct-disordered children have frequent problems in
academics such as poor reading, language skills and mathematics. Alternatively, Antisocial Personality Disorder are diagnose when individuals have pervasive pattern of
disregard for and violation of the rights of others occurring since 15 years old as
indicated by three of more of the following: failure to conform to social norms with respect to
lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest, deception,
as indicated by repeatedly lying use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure,
Impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead, Irritability and aggressiveness as indicated by repeated
physical fights or assault and reckless disregard for safety of self or others, consistent
irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor
financial obligations, lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having
hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another. Likewise, the individual is at least age 18 years of age,
there is an evidence of conduct disorder with onset before age 15 years old and that the
occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of shcizophrenia or a manic
episode.
5. Paranoid personality disorder differs from Schizophrenia such that those suffering from Paranoid
Personality Disorder do not have hallucinations and delusions as they are in touch with reality,
they only have extreme suspiciousness. Patients are not psychotic but their conviction that others
are trying to get them or humiliate them often leads to hostility and social isolation.
Schizophrenia results in some combination of hallucinations, delusions and disordered thinking
and behavior which in turn, reflect distortions in the perception and interpretation of reality. The
individual suffering from schizophrenia loses the ability to rationally evaluate his surroundings
and interactions with others. Unlike Paranoid Personality Disorder, Schizophrenics have
difficulty accepting what they see as true reality.