The History of Mental Health Care Practice Exam
(Set 1) Sample Questions and Answers
Early Views and Historical Perspectives
- Q: Who is considered the “father of modern psychiatry”?
A: Philippe Pinel.
Explanation: He advocated for humane treatment of the mentally ill and is known for unchaining patients in asylums, which was a groundbreaking shift in the 18th century. - Q: What ancient civilization is credited with first documenting mental illness as a medical condition?
A: The ancient Egyptians.
Explanation: They recognized mental disorders and attempted treatments using religious and medicinal practices. - Q: Which Greek physician proposed that mental illnesses were caused by an imbalance in the four bodily humors?
A: Hippocrates.
Explanation: He emphasized that mental disorders were physical and could be treated by balancing the humors: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. - Q: What did medieval European societies commonly believe caused mental illness?
A: Demonic possession and supernatural forces.
Explanation: Mental illness was often thought to be punishment or a result of evil spirits, leading to practices like exorcisms. - Q: What treatment was commonly used in the 16th and 17th centuries for mental disorders?
A: Bloodletting and trepanning.
Explanation: These practices were believed to remove bad humors and relieve pressure on the brain, respectively. - Q: What significant development in mental health care occurred in the 19th century?
A: The establishment of mental health hospitals with more humane treatment.
Explanation: Figures like Philippe Pinel and Dorothea Dix advocated for better conditions and humane treatment for patients. - Q: Who was Dorothea Dix and what was her contribution to mental health care?
A: She was an American activist who championed the reform of mental health facilities and improved the treatment of mentally ill individuals in the U.S.
Explanation: Dix’s advocacy led to the creation of more mental health hospitals and changes in public attitudes. - Q: What did the early 20th-century treatment of mental illness often involve?
A: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and lobotomies.
Explanation: ECT was used to treat severe mental illnesses, and lobotomies were performed to control behavior, though they had severe side effects. - Q: In what year did the first psychiatric hospital in the United States open?
A: 1773.
Explanation: The Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia was the first hospital to admit patients for mental illnesses. - Q: What was the main focus of mental health treatment in the 1950s?
A: The introduction of antipsychotic medications.
Explanation: The development of drugs like Thorazine transformed the treatment of schizophrenia and other mental disorders.
The Evolution of Mental Health Treatments
- Q: What is the significance of the term “moral treatment” in the history of mental health care?
A: It emphasized humane treatment and the involvement of patients in their own care.
Explanation: Pioneers like Pinel and Tuke believed that structured activities and kindness could improve mental health. - Q: Who developed psychoanalysis, and what was its primary focus?
A: Sigmund Freud.
Explanation: Psychoanalysis focused on the unconscious mind and emphasized the importance of childhood experiences in shaping mental health. - Q: What did the 20th century shift in mental health treatment emphasize?
A: The use of therapy and medication.
Explanation: Treatments began to move away from institutionalization and focused more on outpatient therapy and pharmacological intervention. - Q: What was one of the major criticisms of the mental health care system in the mid-20th century?
A: The overuse of institutionalization and poor conditions in psychiatric hospitals.
Explanation: Many patients were held in institutions for long periods without proper treatment or care. - Q: What was the “deinstitutionalization” movement?
A: A movement that started in the mid-20th century aimed at closing psychiatric hospitals and integrating patients into community-based care.
Explanation: This approach aimed to provide more humane treatment and reduce the stigma of institutionalization. - Q: Which act in the U.S. contributed to the deinstitutionalization movement by funding community mental health centers?
A: The Community Mental Health Centers Act of 1963.
Explanation: This act aimed to provide funding for community-based care to replace long-term institutionalization. - Q: What was the primary purpose of the 1980 DSM-III publication?
A: To standardize the diagnosis of mental disorders and introduce a more scientific approach.
Explanation: It emphasized specific criteria for mental disorders, moving away from vague descriptions. - Q: Who was the first to promote the idea that mental illness could be treated through talking and psychotherapy?
A: Josef Breuer and Sigmund Freud.
Explanation: They developed the idea of “talk therapy” to help patients gain insight into their emotions and thoughts. - Q: What role did the pharmaceutical industry play in the late 20th century for mental health care?
A: It introduced new, more effective medications that changed treatment protocols.
Explanation: Drugs like SSRIs and antipsychotics helped manage conditions more effectively and reduced the need for institutionalization. - Q: What breakthrough in mental health treatment emerged in the 1980s?
A: The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Explanation: SSRIs revolutionized the treatment of depression and anxiety with fewer side effects compared to older medications.
Key Figures and Contributions
- Q: Who was John Locke, and what was his influence on the perception of mental illness?
A: John Locke was a philosopher who argued that mental illness could be attributed to environmental factors and experiences.
Explanation: His ideas promoted the belief that mental disorders were not purely physical but could be influenced by life events. - Q: Which psychiatrist developed the concept of “transference” in therapy?
A: Sigmund Freud.
Explanation: Freud observed that patients projected feelings and attitudes from past relationships onto their therapists. - Q: What impact did the discovery of lithium have on mental health care?
A: It became a treatment for bipolar disorder.
Explanation: Lithium was the first effective medication for stabilizing mood in patients with bipolar disorder. - Q: What role did mental health nurses play in the early 20th century?
A: They provided patient care and assisted with therapeutic activities in asylums.
Explanation: Nurses were critical in implementing treatment plans and maintaining daily routines. - Q: Who developed the humanistic approach to psychotherapy?
A: Carl Rogers.
Explanation: Rogers focused on the importance of self-actualization and unconditional positive regard. - Q: What does the term “asylum” refer to in the context of 19th-century mental health care?
A: A place for the treatment and care of people with mental illness.
Explanation: These facilities were originally meant to be places of refuge but often became overcrowded and underfunded. - Q: What was the major contribution of Emil Kraepelin to psychiatry?
A: He developed a system for classifying mental disorders, laying the groundwork for modern diagnostic practices.
Explanation: His work influenced the development of the DSM classification system. - Q: What is the significance of the term “moral treatment” in mental health history?
A: It emphasized treating patients with kindness, respect, and structured activities.
Explanation: This approach aimed to improve mental health outcomes by creating a positive environment. - Q: Who was the first woman to be appointed as a professor of psychiatry in the U.S.?
A: Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.
Explanation: She is known for her work on the five stages of grief and the understanding of terminal illness. - Q: What discovery by Arvid Carlsson contributed to modern psychiatry?
A: The understanding of neurotransmitters’ role in mental illness.
Explanation: His research on dopamine led to the development of new psychiatric medications.
Mental Health Advocacy and Legislation
- Q: Which major U.S. law passed in 1975 improved educational access for students with disabilities?
A: The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (now IDEA).
Explanation: This law mandated that children with mental and physical disabilities be given access to education. - Q: What was the purpose of the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996?
A: To require insurance companies to provide equal coverage for mental health as for physical health conditions.
Explanation: This was a step toward ensuring equitable treatment for mental health care in insurance
MULTIPLE CHOICE
- The belief of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato that the rational soul controlled the irrational soul could be compared with the belief of the more recent psychological theorist:
a. Freud
b. Pinel
c. Fisher
d. Rush - During the mid-1500s, behaviors associated with mental illness were more accurately recorded by professionals. This practice led to ______________ for different abnormal behaviors.
-
Classifications
b. Diagnosing
c. Treatment
d. Education
- During the latter part of the eighteenth century, psychiatry became a separate branch of medicine, and inhumane treatment was greatly diminished by the French hospital director:
a. Dix
b. Beers
c. Pinel
d. Carter
- In 1841, _______________ surveyed asylums, jails, and almshouses throughout the United States, Canada, and Scotland and is credited with bringing about public awareness and reform for the care of the mentally ill.
a. Sigmund Freud
b. John Cade
c. Florence Nightingale
d. Dorothea Dix - As a direct result of Clifford Beers’ work and book, A Mind That Found Itself, the Committee for Mental Hygiene was formed in 1909 with a focus on prevention of mental illness and:
a. Early detection of symptoms of mental illness
b. Education of caregivers
c. Current treatment options
d. Removing the stigma attached to mental illness
- During the 1930s, what common treatment for schizophrenia caused clients to fall into a coma that could last as long as 50 hours?
a. Electroconvulsive therapy
b. Insulin therapy
c. Humoral therapy
d. Amphetamine therapy
- In the 1930s, what mental health disorder was electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) most often used to treat?
a. Schizophrenia
b. Bipolar disorder
c. Severe depression
d. Violent behavior
- In the early twentieth century, a frontal lobotomy was a common treatment for violent behaviors. Which description of this procedure is accurate?
a. A procedure that delivers an electrical stimulus to the frontal lobes of the brain
b. A surgical procedure that drills holes in the front of the skull to drain fluid
c. A surgical procedure that severs the frontal lobes of the brain from the thalamus
d. A surgical procedure that inserts implants into the frontal lobes of the brain
- Which class of drugs was introduced in the 1930s for the treatment of depression?
a. SSRIs
b. Tricyclic antidepressants
c. MAOIs
d. Amphetamines
- In 1937, Congress passed the Hill-Burton Act, which was significant for the treatment of mental health because it funded:
a. Research on drugs for the treatment of mental health disorders
b. Training of mental health professionals
c. Construction of psychiatric units in facilities throughout North America
d. Development of community mental health clinics
- The National Mental Health Act of 1946 provided a means for funding of programs that promote research on mental health and:
a. Development of mental health clinics in the community
b. Training of mental health professionals
c. Treatment for veterans suffering from mental health disorders
d. Educating the public about mental illness
- Which of the following best describes the disorder that was first recognized in veterans following the Korean and Vietnam Wars?
a. Depression
b. Bipolar disorder
c. Posttraumatic stress disorder
d. Paranoid schizophrenic disorder
- The introduction of ___________ in the 1950s led to the deinstitutionalization of many mentally ill individuals.
a. Psychotherapeutic drugs
b. Community mental health clinics
c. Residential treatment centers
d. State mental health facilities
- In 1949, an Australian physician discovered which therapy to be an effective treatment for bipolar (manic-depressive) illness?
a. Insulin therapy
b. Water/ice therapy
c. Lithium carbonate therapy
d. Electroconvulsive therapy
- In the early 1960s, a committee appointed by President John F. Kennedy recommended the development of a new approach to the way mental health care was administered, with an emphasis on the introduction of:
a. Psychotherapeutic drugs
b. State mental health care systems
c. Community mental health centers
d. Deinstitutionalization of patients
- The Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 was one of the most progressive mental health bills in the history of the United States, but its enactment was interrupted by the:
a. Election of a new president
b. Appointment of a new Surgeon General
c. Rapid expansion of community centers
d. National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) surveys
ANS: A
- The Omnibus Budget Reform Act (OBRA) of 1987 prevented the housing of people with chronic mental illness in:
a. Nursing homes
b. State mental health facilities
c. Residential treatment centers
d. Homeless shelters
- In the late 1980s, government funding for mental health care dwindled, and most insurance companies __________ coverage for psychiatric care.
a. Withdrew
b. Increased
c. Decreased
d. Added
- In 2006, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) conducted a comprehensive survey and grading of state mental health care for adults and learned that the overall grade for care was:
a. “A”
b. “B”
c. “C”
d. “D” - Which of the following persons has the greatest risk for developing ineffective coping behaviors?
a. The middle-aged man whose diet is high in saturated fat and has a 20-year history of tobacco use
b. The single 30-year-old female facing the death of her father
c. The 19-year-old college student with a family history of schizophrenia
d. The 9-year-old child whose parents are nurturing but provide chores and responsibilities
- In the early 1900s the first theory of mental illness that showed behavior could be changed is attributed to:
a. Beers
b. Dix
c. Freud
d. Pinel
- During the middle ages, mentally ill patients often were burned at the stake and were greatly mistreated. In an attempt to treat mentally ill people more humanely, Bethlehem Hospital, more commonly called ___________, was created.
- The humoral theory of disease embraced by Hippocrates required a balance of which elements? (Select all that apply.)
a. Fire
b. Water
c. Light
d. Air
e. Earth
- Which aspects of adult mental health care systems did the National Alliance on Mental Illness survey focus on? (Select all that apply.)
a. Availability of care
b. Access to care
c. Regulation of medications
d. Increased funding
- Mental health is said to be influenced by which of the following factors? (Select all that apply.)
a. Diet and nutritional intake
b. Inherited characteristics
c. Activities of daily living
d. Childhood nurturing
e. Life circumstances
- Who is considered the “father of modern psychiatry”?
A) Sigmund Freud
B) Philippe Pinel
C) John Locke
D) Dorothea Dix - Which ancient civilization first documented mental illness as a medical condition?
A) Ancient Greece
B) Ancient Rome
C) Ancient Egypt
D) Ancient China - What treatment was commonly used in the 16th century for mental disorders?
A) Electroconvulsive therapy
B) Bloodletting
C) Lobotomy
D) Talk therapy - Who is known for developing the theory that mental illnesses were caused by an imbalance in bodily humors?
A) Aristotle
B) Hippocrates
C) Emil Kraepelin
D) Sigmund Freud
- What did medieval European societies believe caused mental illness?
A) Chemical imbalances
B) Brain lesions
C) Demonic possession
D) Overworking - Who was the U.S. activist who fought for better treatment of the mentally ill and influenced the creation of more mental health facilities?
A) Clara Barton
B) Florence Nightingale
C) Dorothea Dix
D) Jane Addams
- What was the main goal of the “moral treatment” movement in the 19th century?
A) To isolate patients from society
B) To use harsh methods to control behavior
C) To provide humane and structured care
D) To create psychiatric medications - Which psychiatric hospital is considered the first in the United States?
A) The Bedlam Asylum
B) The Pennsylvania Hospital
C) McLean Hospital
D) The State Hospital of New York - What treatment for mental illness emerged in the early 20th century and involved inducing seizures?
A) Trepanning
B) Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
C) Lobotomy
D) Psychoanalysis - What type of therapy did Sigmund Freud develop?
A) Cognitive-behavioral therapy
B) Humanistic therapy
C) Psychoanalysis
D) Play therapy
- Which medication was the first effective treatment for bipolar disorder?
A) Prozac
B) Lithium
C) Thorazine
D) Valium - Which act in 1963 aimed to close psychiatric hospitals and provide community-based mental health care?
A) The Mental Health Act
B) The Community Mental Health Centers Act
C) The Affordable Care Act
D) The Deinstitutionalization Act- Answer: B) The Community Mental Health Centers Act
- Explanation: This act funded the creation of community centers to replace long-term institutionalization.
- What breakthrough therapy emerged in the late 20th century for treating depression and anxiety?
A) Antipsychotics
B) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
C) Lithium
D) Barbiturates- Answer: B) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Explanation: SSRIs like Prozac became popular for their effectiveness and relatively fewer side effects.
- What is “deinstitutionalization”?
A) The introduction of medications for mental illness
B) The practice of isolating patients in asylums
C) The movement to close psychiatric hospitals and shift care to community settings
D) The implementation of electroconvulsive therapy - Which major psychiatric figure developed the theory of “talk therapy”?
A) Carl Rogers
B) Josef Breuer
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Emil Kraepelin - What was the significant change in mental health care that emerged with the DSM-III in 1980?
A) The addition of more psychiatric medications
B) The shift to a more standardized, criteria-based diagnostic system
C) The removal of all mental disorders from the classification
D) The focus on outpatient care only - What significant development in mental health care was introduced in the 1950s?
A) The invention of the lobotomy
B) The first use of antipsychotic medications
C) The beginning of the deinstitutionalization movement
D) The discovery of lithium - Who is associated with the humanistic approach to therapy that emphasizes self-actualization?
A) Carl Rogers
B) Sigmund Freud
C) B.F. Skinner
D) Albert Ellis - What was the purpose of the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996?
A) To provide more funding for psychiatric hospitals
B) To require insurance companies to treat mental health the same as physical health
C) To eliminate mental health diagnoses from the DSM
D) To mandate mandatory therapy sessions for all patients - Who developed the concept of transference in therapy?
A) Sigmund Freud
B) Carl Jung
C) Ivan Pavlov
D) Aaron Beck