Abnormal Psych – Chapter 10

About how many suicides are committed annually in the United States?
A) 15,000
B) 36,000
C) 120,000
D) 700,000

B. 36,000

About how many deaths occur by suicide each year around the world?
A) 10,000
B) 30,000
C) 500,000
D) 1,000,000

D. 1,000,000

About how many suicides are attempted annually in the United States?
A) 30,000
B) 120,000
C) 600,000
D) 2 million

C. 600,000

Compared to heart disease and cancer, suicide accounts for _____ in the United States.
A) about the same number of deaths
B) actually more deaths
C) less than a tenth of the deaths
D) less than 1 percent of the deaths

C. less than a tenth of the deaths

Estimates of the number of suicides that occur in the United States probably underrepresent the total because of all of the following EXCEPT:
A) It’s hard to know for sure whether a death is a suicide or an unintentional accident.
B) Some families don’t acknowledge suicide because of the stigma associated with it.
C) Parasuicides are often included in the number of suicides.
D) It’s hard to know whether drug overdoses are accidental or not.

C. parasuicides are often included in the number of suicides

Why do many people think that estimates of the rates of suicide are inaccurate?
A) Insurance companies pay extra life insurance in cases of suicide.
B) Many reported suicides are probably really accidents.
C) The stigma associated with suicide make people hesitate to report it.
D) Suicide is not a DSM-5 category.

C. the stigma associated with suicide make people hesitate to report it

What is a parasuicide?
A) a failed attempt to commit suicide
B) a murder followed by a successful suicide
C) a successfully committed suicide on the first try
D) a successfully committed suicide after many tries

A. a failed attempt to commit suicide

It is common that the majority of people who commit suicidal acts also have another psychological disorder. Which would be the MOST common disorder associated with suicidal attempts?
A) eating disorders
B) dissociative disorders
C) mood disorders
D) attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

C. mood disorders

In his definition of suicide, Edwin Schneidman includes all of the following factors EXCEPT that it:
A) involves conscious effort.
B) is self-inflicted.
C) results from depression or emotional distress.
D) involves direct effort.

C. results from depression or emotional distress

Sylvia shot herself by placing the gun barrel in her mouth, in the middle of a dense wood, where she knew she wouldn’t be heard or found. Sylvia is an example of what Edwin Shneidman refers to as a:
A) death seeker.
B) death initiator.
C) death ignorer.
D) death darer.

A. death seeker

The critical way in which the death seeker differs from the death darer, according to Edwin Shneidman, is:
A) death seekers speed along a death sure to occur naturally.
B) death seekers are ambivalent about their death.
C) death seekers intend to end their lives with their action.
D) death seekers believe that death will not end their existence.

C. death seekers intend to end their lives with their action

Ambivalent about dying, Jay repeatedly played a dangerous game involving gas and a cigarette lighter. Jay is an example of what Edwin Shneidman refers to as a:
A) death seeker.
B) death initiator.
C) death ignorer.
D) death darer.

D. death darer

Cecil and Jeanne, teenagers, made a love pact, jumping from a cliff in order to be with each other for eternity. Cecil and Jeanne are examples of what Edwin Shneidman refers to as:
A) death seekers.
B) death initiators.
C) death ignorers.
D) death darers.

C. death ignorers

According to Edwin Shneidman, people who commit suicide with clarity and commitment, yet who believe that they are simply facilitating a process that is already under way, are called:
A) death darers.
B) death seekers.
C) death ignorers.
D) death initiators.

D. death initiators

Ernest Hemingway was a physically strong, proud man who developed great concerns about his failing body. Depressed about his progressive illness, he intentionally ended his life. Edwin Shneidman would term Hemingway a:
A) death darer.
B) death seeker.
C) death ignorer.
D) death initiator.

D. death initiator

What is the critical way in which death initiators differ from other categories, according to Edwin Shneidman?
A) They employ more lethal means.
B) They do not intend to end their lives with their action.
C) They believe that death will not end their existence.
D) They believe they are merely speeding up an ongoing process.

D. they believe they are merely speeding up an ongoing process

According to Edwin Shneidman, how do death ignorers primarily differ from other categories?
A) They employ more lethal means.
B) They intend to end their lives with their action.
C) They believe death will not end their existence.
D) They believe they are merely speeding up an ongoing process.

C. they belie death will not end their existence

Miguel lost all of his family when his village was bombed. He throws himself off a cliff to die, in order to be reunited with them. Edwin Shneidman would classify Miguel as a:
A) death darer.
B) death seeker.
C) death ignorer.
D) death initiator.

C. death ignorer

According to Edwin Shneidman, people who are ambivalent about their intent to die and whose actions leading to death do not guarantee death (e.g., swimming in shark-infested waters) are called:
A) death darers.
B) death seekers.
C) death ignorers.
D) death initiators.

A. death darers

According to Edwin Shneidman, how do death darers primarily differ from those in other categories?
A) They are ambivalent about their deaths.
B) They intend to end their lives with their actions.
C) They believe that death will not end their existence.
D) They believe they are merely speeding up an ongoing process.

A. they are ambivalent about their deaths

Knowing she was terminally ill, Bonnie swallowed a handful of barbiturates in order to save herself and her family from the final painful months of life. Bonnie is an example of what Edwin Shneidman refers to as a:
A) death seeker.
B) death initiator.
C) death ignorer.
D) death darer.

B. death initiator

In some religious traditions, people whip themselves or force themselves into uncomfortable physical positions as forms of repenting for their own or others’ sins. These self-injurious behaviors MOST closely fit which of Edwin Shneidman’s categories?
A) death darer
B) subintentional death
C) death initiator
D) death ignorer

B. subintenttional death

A teenager’s hands and arms are covered with self-inflicted burns, and the teenager seems almost addicted to this destructive behavior. The self-inflicted burns would MOST likely be classified as:
A) self-injury, a variety of Edwin Shneidman’s "subintentional death" classification.
B) self-injury, which is not a variety of Edwin Shneidman’s "subintentional death" classification.
C) a variety of Edwin Shneidman’s "death darer" classification.
D) a variety of Edwin Shneidman’s "death seeker" classification.

A. self-injury, a variety of Edwin Shneidman’s "subintentional death" classification

The behavior of those who engage in self-injurious behavior such as cutting:
A) fits into the criteria for suicide behavior disorder.
B) represents a clear effort to end one’s life.
C) may represent an unconscious attempt at suicide.
D) is relatively uncommon and declining in frequency.

C. may represent an unconscious attempt at suicide

Retrospective analysis of suicide typically would include:
A) interviews with the person who attempted suicide.
B) interviews with people who know the person who attempted suicide.
C) interviews with people who knew the person who committed suicide.
D) suicide interventions with people acquainted with the person who committed suicide, and who might attempt "copycat" suicides.

C. interviews with people who knew the person who committed suicide

Retrospective analysis involves:
A) interviewing those thought to be at high risk for suicide.
B) developing a suicide profile, especially for mental patients and prisoners.
C) studying people who survive suicide attempts.
D) gathering information about a suicide victim’s past.

D. gathering information about a suicide victim’s past

Which of the following is the BEST example of retrospective analysis?
A) Researchers ask college students to write suicide notes in order to study what they think is the motivation for suicide.
B) Therapists who had patients who committed suicide are interviewed to gain information on suicide.
C) Adolescents at high risk for suicide are treated through a suicide prevention center.
D) Those who have made suicide attempts are part of a suicide education program.

B. therapists who had patients who committed suicide are interviewed to gain information on suicide

At the time of the suicide, a suicide victim was receiving psychotherapy and had left a clear suicide note. This suicide victim is:
A) the most common kind; most suicide victims are in psychotherapy, and they leave a suicide note.
B) a somewhat uncommon kind; most suicide victims are in psychotherapy, but they do not leave a suicide note.
C) a somewhat uncommon kind; about half of suicide victims have never received psychotherapy, but they do leave a suicide note.
D) the least common kind; about half of suicide victims have never received psychotherapy, and they do not leave a suicide note.

D. the least common kind; about half of suicide victims have never received psychotherapy, & they do not leave a suicide note

One of the factors that is believed to account for differences in the suicide rates of different countries is:
A) climate.
B) religious affiliation and beliefs.
C) prevalence of mental disorders.
D) governmental regulations regarding suicide.

B. religious affiliation & beliefs

Which of the following aspects of religion is MOST closely linked to suicide?
A) doctrine
B) fellowship
C) devoutness
D) denomination

C. devoutness

Which of the following statements MOST accurately the relationship between religion and suicide?
A) A country’s economic status is a more important predictor of suicide rates than its major religion.
B) The degree of one’s devoutness is a more important predictor of suicide than one’s specific religion.
C) Countries that have high Jewish and Muslim populations also have high suicide rates.
D) Religion is a more important predictor of suicide risk for women than it is for men, especially in Catholic countries.

B. the degree of one’s devoutness is a more important predictor of suicide than one’s specific religion

Who of the following individuals has two positive risk factors for suicide?
A) a devout woman
B) a married man
C) a divorced woman
D) a man who is an atheist

D. a man who is an atheist

Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding gender and suicide?
A) Women attempt suicide more often than men.
B) Men use more lethal means to commit suicide than women.
C) Women succeed at committing suicide more often than men.
D) The elderly are more likely to commit suicide than children.

C. women succeed at committing suicide more often than men

What is the cause of death in the majority of male suicides in the United States?
A) hanging
B) car accidents
C) drug overdose
D) use of guns

D. use of guns

Which of the following would be the MOST surprising example of suicide because it does not fit into the pattern that current research results have identified?
A) a woman who stabbed and then hanged herself
B) a woman who attempted suicide but did not succeed
C) a man who shot himself
D) a woman who killed herself with a drug overdose

A. a woman who stabbed & then hanged herself

Which of the following statements regarding suicide is TRUE?
A) Native Americans have the highest suicide rate of any racial group in the United States.
B) The suicide rate for whites in the United States is the same as that for blacks.
C) Married people are more likely to commit suicide than adults who are single.
D) Men are more likely to attempt suicide than women.

A. Native Americans have the highest suicide rate of any racial group in the United States

According to current estimates, the suicide rate is highest in the United States among:
A) African Americans.
B) Euro-Americans.
C) Native Americans.
D) Asian Americans.

C. Native Americans

If you wanted to tailor a suicide prevention program to the racial group MOST at risk, of the following, you should target:
A) African Americans.
B) Asian Americans.
C) white Americans.
D) Hispanic Americans.

C. white americans

Assume that a community is made up of almost exactly equal numbers of these four groups: African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and white Americans, and that everyone is of the same socioeconomic status. Approximately what percent of suicides would you expect to be committed by white Americans?
A) 5 percent—well below the rates for the other groups
B) 25 percent—about the same as the rates for the other groups
C) 40 percent—about double the rates for the other groups
D) 60 percent—almost four times the rates for the other groups

C. 40 percent – about double the rates for other groups

In a community made up of equal numbers of African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans, all of about the same socioeconomic status, someone has just committed suicide. MOST likely that person is:
A) African American.
B) Asian American.
C) Hispanic American.
D) about equally as likely to be African American, Asian American, or Hispanic American.

D. about equally as likely to be African American, Asian American, or Hispanic American

How likely are women to use a gun to commit suicide?
A) Less than 5 percent of women who commit suicide use guns.
B) About 20 percent of women who commit suicide use guns.
C) About 40 percent of women who commit suicide use guns.
D) Over 2/3 of women who commit suicide use guns.

C. about 40% of women who commit suicide use guns

Which of the following does NOT make one at higher risk for suicide?
A) experiencing mood and thought changes.
B) learning about suicide in abnormal psychology.
C) having an alcohol abuse problem.
D) experiencing uncontrollable and repeated stressful events.

B. learning about suicide in abnormal psychology

Commonly observed triggers for suicide include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) being in therapy.
B) heavy alcohol use.
C) modeling of someone who committed suicide.
D) stressful life events.

A. being in therapy

Which of the following is TRUE regarding war veterans’ risk of suicide once they return home?
A) War vets are about twice as likely to commit suicide as similar nonveterans.
B) War vets are no more likely to commit suicide than similar nonveterans.
C) War vets are a little less likely to commit suicide than similar nonveterans.
D) Family members of war vets, not the vets themselves, are at a higher suicide risk.

A. war vets are about twice as likely to commit suicide as similar nonveterans

All of the following are examples of immediate stress EXCEPT:
A) loss of a loved one through death.
B) natural disaster.
C) loss of a job.
D) serious illness.

D. serious illness

Immediate stressors particularly common among those who attempt suicide include all the following EXCEPT:
A) occupational stress.
B) divorce.
C) death of a loved one.
D) stress from a flood.

A. occupational stress

Long-term stressors particularly common among those who attempt suicide include all the following EXCEPT:
A) serious illness.
B) occupational stress.
C) divorce.
D) an abusive environment.

C. divorce

Which of the following people would be at MOST risk of suicide?
A) someone who had been in poor health for years and is now terminal
B) someone who recently escaped from an abusive environment and is enrolled in school
C) someone who has had fewer than the average number of stressors in life
D) someone who is a devout Muslim

A. someone who had been in poor health for years & is now terminal

Which of the following occupations has a particularly high rate of suicide?
A) used-car salespeople
B) psychologists
C) priests
D) gourmet chefs

B. psychologists

Which of the following BEST represents the concept of "psychache?"
A) uncertainty about what one should do for a career
B) an unusual combination of depression and anxiety
C) cognitive impairment similar to what is found in dementia
D) intolerable emotional pain

D. intolerable emotional pain

A person who sees life in "right or wrong," "all or none" terms is engaging in:
A) hopelessness.
B) dichotomous thinking.
C) psychache.
D) blaming.

B. dichotomous thinking

The mood and thoughts of suicidal people are MOST often characterized as:
A) anxious and irrational.
B) angry and aggressive.
C) sad and hopeless.
D) tense and manic.

C. sad & hopeless

If you were assessing a person for suicide potential, which of the following is MOST critical to notice since it is likely related to suicide risk?
A) cognitive dissonance
B) religious devoutness
C) occupation
D) feelings of hopelessness

D. feelings of hopelessness

An increase in which emotion is MOST often linked to suicide?
A) guilt
B) anger
C) anxiety
D) sadness

D. sadness

Which of the following is the BEST example of dichotomous thinking?
A) One person might be stressed by an event that wouldn’t bother another person.
B) You have your opinion about suicide and I have mine.
C) There are lots of factors that put someone at risk for suicide, not just one.
D) There’s only one thing to do and nothing else matters.

D. there’s only one thing to do & nothing else matters

A friend of yours wants certain heavy metal songs banned because, your friend says, listening to them will encourage suicidal tendencies. Your BEST reply, based on research, would be:
A) "You’re right; experts and the courts agree about the potential danger."
B) "It depends; experts agree with you, although the courts have not found musicians liable."
C) "It depends; experts don’t agree with you, although the courts have found musicians liable."
D) "It probably won’t work; experts don’t agree with you, and the courts have not found musicians liable."

D. "It probably won’t work; experts don’t agree with you, & the courts have not found musicians liable"

Based on the available research, we can conclude that:
A) listening to particular kinds of music can trigger suicide.
B) failed suicide attempts may trigger listening to particular kinds of music.
C) teenagers are usually listening to particular kinds of music when they commit suicide.
D) sometimes listening to particular kinds of music is related to suicide attempts.

D. sometimes listening to particular kinds of music is related to suicide attempts

The current rating system for CD and music download lyrics was instituted:
A) decades before people became concerned about links between listening to music and suicide attempts.
B) shortly before people became concerned about links between listening to music and suicide attempts.
C) coincidentally at about the same time people became concerned about links between listening to music and suicide attempts.
D) in part to address people’s concerns about links between listening to music and suicide attempts.

D. in part to address people’s concerns about links between listening to music & suicide attempts

About what percentage of people who commit suicide use alcohol just prior to the act?
A) 10 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 35 percent
D) 70 percent

D. 70%

Of people who use alcohol just prior to committing suicide, what percentage are actually intoxicated?
A) 10 percent
B) 15 percent.
C) 25 percent
D) 35 percent

C. 25%

Which is TRUE about alcohol use and suicide?
A) Most people who attempt suicide drink alcohol just before the act.
B) About one-fourth of people who commit suicide are legally drunk.
C) Alcohol impairs judgment and lowers inhibitions.
D) All the answers are correct.

D. all the answers are correct

Which one of the following is the MOST likely reason for the relationship between alcohol use and suicide?
A) There is a chemical in alcohol that triggers a suicide response in the brain.
B) Alcohol is less well metabolized by those who are depressed.
C) Alcohol lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment.
D) Pound for pound, women get drunk on less alcohol than men.

C. alcohol lowers inhibitions & impairs judgment

Which mental disorders have been found to contribute to the greatest number of suicides?
A) mood disorders
B) sexual disorders
C) personality disorders
D) psychophysiological disorders

A. mood disorders

Who of the following is MOST at risk for suicide?
A) one with a panic or other anxiety disorder
B) one who is depressed and dependent on alcohol
C) one who is schizophrenic and developmentally disabled
D) one without a diagnosable mental disorder

B. one who is depressed & dependent on alcohol

Of the following alternatives, the LEAST common predictor of suicide is:
A) physical illness.
B) hopelessness or cognitive rigidity.
C) depression.
D) alcoholism.

A. physical illness

Although all of the following mental disorders are of concern for increased suicide risk, the LEAST likely to be linked to suicide is:
A) depression.
B) posttraumatic stress disorder.
C) alcoholism.
D) schizophrenia.

D. posttraumatic stress disorder

"Why is there such a strong connection between alcohol abuse and suicide risk?" asks a friend of yours. Based on the best available research, you reply,
A) "Being trapped in substance abuse leads to suicidal ideation."
B) "No one really knows for sure."
C) "Actually, being suicidal most often leads to alcohol abuse, and not the other way around."
D) "Actually, the connection is weak, at best."

B. "no one really knows for sure"

A clinically depressed individual who has been threatening suicide finally shows diminishing of depressive symptoms. This person’s risk of committing suicide:
A) has increased dramatically; almost no one who is depressed commits suicide until she or he is recovering.
B) may have increased, since the person may have the energy to act on the suicidal impulse.
C) probably has decreased, although a slight risk remains.
D) has decreased substantially; almost no one who is depressed commits suicide once recovery from depression is under way.

B. may have increased, since the person may have the energy to act on the suicidal impulse

Research indicates that suicides by people with schizophrenia are in response to:
A) voices commanding them to kill themselves.
B) feelings of demoralization.
C) overdoses of antipsychotic drugs.
D) a feeling of invincibility.

B. feelings of demoralization

Which of the following is TRUE?
A) Suicide kills more marines than combat.
B) Combat is not any more stressful than non-combat military service.
C) Drinking alcohol mellows people, making it less likely that they will commit suicide.
D) Most suicide attempters also have another psychological disorder.

B. combat is not any more stressful than non-combat military service

When a rash of suicides occurs in the aftermath of a celebrity’s suicide or a case that has been highly publicized by the media, behavioral theorists believe it is attributable to:
A) modeling.
B) helplessness.
C) folie à deux
D) hopelessness.

A. modeling

Assume that a recent local suicide attempt was clearly a case of modeling. The person who would MOST likely model another’s suicide would be a(n):
A) preteen.
B) teenager.
C) adult in his or her 30s.
D) adult in his or her 50s.

B. teenager

"How can we reduce suicide risk for our kids?" asks the high school counselor, the day after one of the school’s star athletes commits suicide. Your BEST answer, based on research, is:
A) "Postvention often helps."
B) "There really is little you can do, other than watch the students carefully."
C) "Close the school for a week, and let the students’ parents help them deal with the loss."
D) "Reverse modeling works best."

A. "postvention often helps"

As a political protest, two activists leap from a bridge in a highly publicized double suicide. Those MOST at risk for modeling these suicides are:
A) people with similar political points of view.
B) people with the opposite political point of view.
C) people in an unstable relationship with a significant other.
D) people with a history of emotional problems.

D. people with a history of emotional problems

Media coverage that included the "Don’t do it" message, phone numbers for suicide prevention centers, and interviews with suicide experts, occurred after the suicide of:
A) Marilyn Monroe.
B) members of the Jonestown community.
C) James Dean.
D) Kurt Cobain.

D. Kurt Cobain

All of the following would contribute to the social contagion effect EXCEPT:
A) the suicide of a celebrity.
B) the suicide of a family member.
C) the suicide of a friend.
D) the suicide of a spouse.

A. the suicide of a celebrity

Which of the following is the BEST example of the social contagion effect?
A) If you had a close relative or friend who committed suicide, your risk of committing suicide is greater.
B) The suicide of a family member is extremely stressful to others in the family.
C) The suicide of a close family member or friend can have a life-long impact on a person.
D) Celebrity suicides do not have as great an impact on individuals as the suicide of a close family member.

A. if you had a close relative or friend who committed suicide, your risk of committing suicide is greater

Suicides that are carried out in bizarre ways for political reasons are MOST likely to trigger:
A) those with emotional problems to commit suicide in the same manner.
B) those with similar political views to commit suicide, but in a different manner.
C) no particular increase in suicides.
D) a decrease in suicides, because of close media attention to the bizarre aspects of the act.

A. those with emotional problems to commit suicide in the same manner

If a student at your school commits suicide, the staff might offer counseling sessions for the other students. If so, the staff is engaging in:
A) postvention.
B) destigmatization.
C) substance abuse prevention.
D) psychodynamic therapy.

A. postvention

"How can we reduce suicide risk for our kids?," asks the high school counselor, the day after one of the school’s star athletes commits suicide. Your BEST answer, based on research, is:
A) "Postvention often helps."
B) "There’s really little you can do, other than watch the students carefully."
C) "Close the school for a week, and let the students’ parents help them deal with the loss."
D) "Reverse modeling works best."

A. "postvention often helps"

The leading theories designed to explain suicide:
A) are supported by a significant body of research.
B) address the full range of suicide acts.
C) satisfactorily explain suicidal behavior in the elderly but not the young.
D) are not supported by a significant body of research.

D. are not supported by a significant body of research

The explanation of suicide as due to loss of loved ones and self-directed aggression is consistent with which theoretical perspective?
A) cognitive
B) humanist
C) behavioral
D) psychodynamic

D. psychodynamic

Research supporting a Freudian view of suicide has shown that later suicidal behavior is related to:
A) real, but not symbolic, losses in childhood.
B) symbolic, but not real, losses in childhood.
C) both real and symbolic losses in childhood.
D) neither real nor symbolic losses in childhood.

C. both real & symbolic losses in childhood

"You must redirect your Thanatos," is a remark MOST likely made by a therapist with what theoretical point of view?
A) sociocultural
B) biological
C) psychodynamic
D) cognitive-behavioral

C. psychodynamic

If the psychodynamic explanation for suicide is correct, then suicide rates should:
A) increase in a nation which is at war.
B) be higher in nations with low murder rates.
C) be lower in those who experienced symbolic loss as children.
D) be lower in those who experienced actual (real) loss as children.

B. be higher in nations with low murder rates

The fact that very angry people are not significantly more suicidal than other people argues MOST strongly against which explanation for suicide?
A) sociocultural
B) modeling
C) psychodynamic
D) biological

C. psychodynamic

Emile Durkheim’s theory of suicide fits into the:
A) cognitive model.
B) biological model.
C) sociocultural model.
D) psychodynamic model.

C. sociocultural model

According to Emile Durkheim, suicides by people over whom society has little or no control and who are not concerned with the norms and rules of society are called:
A) anomic suicides.
B) egoistic suicides.
C) imitative suicides.
D) altruistic suicides.

B. egoistic suicides

A society that loses its basic family and religious core values, experiences large-scale immigration of people with very different values, and fails to provide meaning for the life of its people is in danger of an increase in what Durkheim calls:
A) egoistic suicide.
B) altruistic suicide.
C) anomic suicide.
D) intragroup suicide.

C. anomic suicide

A society that honors those who kill themselves to defend their families or country, or because of a value they hold dear, would have a higher rate of what Durkheim calls:
A) egoistic suicide.
B) altruistic suicide.
C) anomic suicide.
D) intragroup suicide.

B. altruistic suicide

Juan is an atheist, does what he wants, and is alienated from others. He feels life isn’t worth living and kills himself. According to Emile Durkheim, he would be classified as an:
A) anomic suicide.
B) egoistic suicide.
C) imitative suicide.
D) altruistic suicide.

B. egoistic suicide

According to Emile Durkheim, suicides by people who give up their lives so another person they love may live would be classified as:
A) anomic suicides.
B) egoistic suicides.
C) imitative suicides.
D) altruistic suicides.

D. altruistic suicides

Carlos died by intentionally stepping in front of a bullet that was intended for another young man, for whom Carlos, as head of a platoon of soldiers in the Persian Gulf War, was responsible. Emile Durkheim would call this an example of:
A) anomic suicide.
B) egoistic suicide.
C) imitative suicide.
D) altruistic suicide.

D. altruistic suicide

Altruistic suicide is MOST likely to occur in a country that:
A) is experiencing great upheaval, disruption of values, and immigration.
B) honors those who kill themselves for a higher good.
C) has a number of ethnic minorities who are very religious.
D) has a high level of substance abuse.

B. honors those who kill themselves for a higher good

A young man whose father and uncle committed suicide at about his age also commits suicide. Which explanation of suicide MOST easily explains the young man’s suicide?
A) psychodynamic
B) sociocultural
C) biological
D) immediate trigger

C. biological

Biological researchers have found a link between suicide and:
A) low activity levels of serotonin.
B) high activity levels of serotonin dopamine.
C) high levels of 5-hydroxyindoleactic acid.
D) elevated number of serotonin receptor sites.

A. low activity levels of serotonin

The strongest direct support for a biological explanation for suicide comes from:
A) studies linking specific genetic mutations to suicidal tendencies.
B) studies of neurotransmitter levels.
C) family pedigree studies.
D) a Danish study of identical twins.

B. studies of neurotransmitter levels

If a biological explanation for suicide is valid, then doing which of the following ought to lower the possibility of a person attempting suicide?
A) removing the person from contact with a suicidal biological parent
B) removing the person from contact with a suicidal adoptive parent
C) gene-splicing to remove the "suicide" gene
D) raising the person’s serotonin level

D. raising the person’s serotonin level

Biological researchers have found a link between suicide and:
A) high levels of serotonin.
B) high levels of serotonin dopamine.
C) high levels of 5-hydroxyindoleactic acid.
D) low levels of serotonin.

D. low levels of serotonin

In research on the relationship between serotonin and suicide, serotonin seems MOST related to:
A) aggression.
B) introversion.
C) selfishness.
D) shame.

A. aggression

Of the following individuals, the one MOST likely to commit suicide would be a:
A) 10-year-old with high serotonin activity.
B) 10-year-old with low serotonin activity.
C) 40-year-old with high serotonin activity.
D) 40-year-old with low serotonin activity.

D. 40-year old with low serotonin activity

Which statement BEST reflects the relationship between serotonin and suicide?
A) Low levels of serotonin are related to high levels of aggression and impulsivity.
B) High levels of serotonin are related to high levels of aggression and impulsivity.
C) Serotonin makes people more likely to abuse substances, increasing the likelihood of their committing suicide.
D) Suicide attempts increase the level of serotonin in the brain, making suicide more likely.

A. low levels of serotonin are related to high levels of aggression & impulsivity

Based on the evidence about suicide rates, which of the following intervention strategies should prevent the MOST suicides?
A) intervention focused on middle-aged adults—they have a fairly high suicide rate, and it is rising relatively rapidly
B) intervention focused on children—they have a relatively low suicide rate, but it is rising extremely rapidly
C) intervention focused on those over 75—they make far more suicide attempts than other age groups, although they have a low suicide rate
D) intervention focused on teenagers—they have the highest suicide attempt and suicide completion rates of any age group

A. intervention focused on middle-aged adults – they have a fairly high suicide rate, & it is rising relatively quickly

The age group LEAST likely to commit suicide in the United States is:
A) children.
B) adolescents.
C) young adults.
D) the elderly.

A. children

You are asked to speak before a local elementary school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) about suicide attempts by the very young. You should be sure to mention that suicide attempts by the very young often occur when they have:
A) shown a sudden drop in interest in death in general.
B) run away from home.
C) experienced the birth of a sibling.
D) begun to ignore criticism from others.

B. run away from home

The "typical" child who commits suicide is a:
A) boy who understands what death really is.
B) girl who understands what death really is.
C) boy who does not understand what death really is.
D) girl who does not understand what death really is.

A. boy who understands what death really is

Which of the following would you be MOST surprised to learn had committed suicide because his or her action is inconsistent with research results of studies of child suicide?
A) a child who had previously run away and tried to take an overdose.
B) a child who had experienced family stress—loss of a loved one, parental unemployment, abuse.
C) a child who had no understanding of death.
D) a child who was especially withdrawn and lonely.

C. a child who had no understanding of death

Adolescent suicides differ from suicides at other age levels in all of the following ways EXCEPT that:
A) in addition to depression, many also experience anger and impulsiveness.
B) many experience significant loss before the suicide.
C) suicides may be triggered by more immediate stress, especially at school.
D) adolescents may be more suggestible and eager to imitate others.

B. many experience significant loss before the suicide

Which of the following represents the greatest risk of death to teenagers; in order from least concern to most concern?
A) drug overdose, cancer, suicide
B) accidents, homicide, suicide
C) suicide, drug overdoses, accidents
D) homicide, suicide, cancer

B. accidents, homicide, suicide

Teenagers are different from people older than them who commit suicide because teenagers are:
A) more likely to be depressed.
B) more impulsive and have poorer problem-solving skills.
C) more likely to have feelings of hopelessness.
D) more prone to homicide than suicide.

B. more impulsive & have poorer problem-solving skills

The finding that more than 90 percent of adolescents who attempt suicide know someone who has attempted suicide provides a case for what process in suicidal actions?
A) modeling
B) reinforcement
C) unconscious conflicts
D) maladaptive thinking

A. modeling

Among teenagers who attempt suicide:
A) about 3 percent succeed the first time, and about half will try again.
B) about 3 percent succeed the first time, and about 10 percent will try again.
C) less than 1 percent succeed the first time, and about half will try again.
D) less than 1 percent succeed the first time, and about 10 percent will try again.

C. less than 1 percent succeed the first time, & about half will try again

A U.S. teenager has just attempted suicide. MOST likely, the teenager has:
A) not succeeded, and almost certainly will never attempt suicide again.
B) not succeeded, but may try again.
C) not succeeded, and almost certainly will attempt suicide again.
D) succeeded.

B. not succeeded, but may try again

Which of the following BEST supports the idea that teenagers who attempt suicide are more uncertain about killing themselves than elderly people are?
A) Teenagers have the opportunity for many more attempts than elderly people do.
B) Teenagers succeed at suicide only in about 1 in 200 attempts.
C) Teenagers have far greater access to pro-suicide websites.
D) The media is much more likely to cover teen suicides than those of elderly people.

B. teenagers succeed at suicide only in about 1 in 200 attempts

All of the following have been linked to increased suicide risk among teenagers, EXCEPT:
A) intense competition for jobs and positions in college.
B) weakening family ties, and resulting alienation.
C) access to pro-suicide sites on the Internet.
D) easy access to drugs and alcohol, and pressure to use those substances.

C. access to pro-suicide sites on the internet

Which of the following is TRUE?
A) More teenagers than people at any other age group commit suicide.
B) Suicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers.
C) African American teenage boys commit suicide at a higher rate than European American boys.
D) More teenagers attempt suicide than actually kill themselves.

D. more teenagers attempt suicide than actually kill themselves

A developing body of research shows that antidepressant use in children and adolescents:
A) substantially increases overall suicide risk.
B) increases suicide risk for some individuals, but decreases the overall suicide risk.
C) decreases suicide risk for some individuals, but increases the overall suicide risk.
D) does not lower suicide risk, as it does for adults.

B. increases suicide risk for some individuals, but decreases the overall suicide risk

Research prompted by the "black box" controversy about using second-generation antidepressants with younger patients shows that taking second-generation antidepressants:
A) decreases younger patient suicide rates.
B) decreases younger patient suicide rates overall, although some individuals are more likely to commit suicide.
C) increases younger patient suicide rates overall, although some individuals are less likely to commit suicide.
D) has no predictable effect on suicide rates in younger patients.

B. decreases younger patient suicide rates overall, although some individuals are more likely to commit suicide

Over the past couple of decades, the correlation between number of antidepressant prescriptions and younger patient suicide rates has been:
A) nonexistent.
B) positive; as the number of antidepressant prescriptions increases, so does the younger patient suicide rate.
C) negative; as the number of antidepressant prescriptions increases, the younger patient suicide rate decreases.
D) first negative (in the 1990s), then positive (in the twenty-first century).

C. negative; as the number of antidepressant prescriptions increases, the younger patient suicide rate decreases

"Cluster suicides" may involve high suicide rates among those:
A) visiting pro-suicide sites on the Internet.
B) who have a particular recessive gene combination.
C) who gather on high-stress occasions, such as funerals or court trials.
D) living on certain Native-American reservations.

D. living on certain Native-American reservations

For teenagers, the highest suicide rates are found among:
A) white Americans and American Indians.
B) American Indians and African Americans.
C) African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
D) white Americans and Hispanic Americans.

A. white Americans & American Indians

The age group MOST likely to commit suicide in the United States is:
A) children.
B) adolescents.
C) young adults.
D) the elderly.

D. the elderly

The percentage of successful suicide attempts among the elderly is about:
A) equal to the percentage of successful suicide attempts among adolescents.
B) twice as high as the percentage of successful suicide attempts among adolescents.
C) 10 times as high as the percentage of successful suicide attempts among adolescents.
D) 50 times as high as the percentage of successful suicide attempts among adolescents.

D. 50 times as high as the percentage of successful suicide attempts among adolescents

Today, "the elderly" make up about 12 percent of the population of the United States. The percentage of suicides committed by the elderly in the United States is:
A) well below 12 percent, a rate lower than all other age groups.
B) a bit below 12 percent, a rate lower than most other age groups.
C) almost exactly 12 percent, a rate about the same as most other age groups.
D) well above 12 percent, a rate higher than most other age groups.

D. well above 12 percent, a rate higher than most other age groups

A couple has been married for almost 50 years, then one of them dies. The probability that the surviving spouse will commit suicide:
A) is much higher than normal.
B) is a little higher than normal, but drops to normal levels within about six months.
C) doesn’t change much at all.
D) drops substantially, especially if the couple had been having marital difficulties.

A. is much higher than normal

All of the following factors contribute to the high suicide rate among the elderly EXCEPT:
A) loss of close friends and relatives
B) geographical location
C) loss of status
D) feelings that they are burdensome to others.

B. geographical location

The spouse of an elderly individual in the United States has recently died; the individual was experiencing clinical depression before the spouse’s death. The suicide risk for this individual is:
A) moderately high—death of a spouse, but not depression, is related to an elevated suicide risk.
B) very high—both death of a spouse and depression are related to an elevated suicide risk.
C) moderately high—depression, but not death of a spouse, is related to an elevated suicide risk.
D) normal—suicide risk among the elderly is largely independent of these factors.

B. very high – both death of a spouse & depression are related to an elevated suicide risk

Why might the suicide rate among elderly Native Americans be low?
A) religious fervor
B) overcoming the rage of youth
C) the value the culture places on the elderly
D) This group overall has a very low suicide rate compared to whites.

C. the value the culture places on the elderly

In 1997, Oregon passed the "Death with Dignity Act," which allows doctor-assisted suicide for persons with terminal illnesses. Since 1997, on average, how many Oregonians with terminal illness have ended their lives each year?
A) a few
B) a few dozen
C) a few hundred
D) a few thousand

B. a few dozen

A friend of yours says, "Yes, I support the right of people to commit suicide, especially if they are in a lot of pain, or don’t have long to live." In the United States, your friend’s opinion is:
A) very uncommon; over 75 percent of all Americans oppose the right to commit suicide under any circumstances.
B) somewhat uncommon; slightly under half of all Americans oppose the right to commit suicide under any circumstances.
C) common; over two-thirds of all Americans support the right to commit suicide under those circumstances.
D) almost universal; virtually all Americans support the right to commit suicide under those circumstances.

C. common; over two-thirds of all Americans support the right to commit suicide under those circumstances

Some believe that allowing terminally ill elderly people to legally commit suicide will lead to a perceived "duty to die," involving:
A) elderly people committing suicide because they think they should.
B) family members of the terminally ill becoming increasingly involved in the suicide process.
C) subtle pressure on people to sign contracts saying they will commit suicide under certain conditions.
D) younger and younger people wanting the right to commit suicide legally.

A. elderly people committing suicide because they think they should

"What works best to keep suicidal people from following through?" asks a friend. Which of the following would be the correct answer to this question?
A) "There are very good drugs one could use."
B) "All therapies are about equally effective."
C) "Try cognitive-behavioral therapy."
D) "Actually, no therapy works very well."

C. "try cognitive-behavioral therapy"

Treatment for suicide attempters:
A) appears not to be effective.
B) typically involves medical and psychological care.
C) is provided in about 90 percent of the cases.
D) shows that the cognitive group method is most successful.

B. typically involves medical & psychological care

Suicide prevention programs:
A) involve the use of paraprofessionals.
B) offer crisis interventions.
C) are often found in emergency rooms as well as clinics.
D) include paraprofessionals, and crisis interventions, and are found in emergency rooms and clinics.

B. offer crisis interventions

Suicide prevention centers:
A) are run on the AA model, using suicide survivors.
B) are hospitals for those who have attempted suicide.
C) may deliver services over the phone using paraprofessionals.
D) are declining in number in the United States.

C. may deliver services over the phone using paraprofessionals

At a suicide prevention center, you hear the following from the counselor. "Hello. I am interested in you as a person and am going to stay on the phone with you as long as you want, all night maybe." Which goals and techniques of suicide prevention does this statement represent?
A) formulating a plan
B) assessing suicide potential
C) understanding and clarifying the problem
D) establishing a positive relationship

D. establishing a positive relationship

At a suicide prevention center, you hear the following from the counselor. "Can you tell me what you think are the most important factors that are making you feel hopeless right now? If you could change three things about your life, what would they be?" Which of the goals and techniques of suicide prevention do these questions BEST represent?
A) formulating a plan
B) assessing suicide potential
C) understanding and clarifying the problem
D) assessing and mobilizing the caller’s resources

C. understanding & clarifying the problem

At a suicide prevention center, you hear the following from the counselor. "Do you have a gun? Is it loaded and do you know how to use it?" Which one of the goals and techniques of suicide prevention do these questions BEST represent?
A) assessing suicide potential
B) understanding and clarifying the problem
C) establishing a positive relationship
D) assessing and mobilizing the caller’s resources

A. assessing suicide potential

At a suicide prevention center, you hear the following from the counselor. "Have you ever tried to commit suicide in the past? [If yes] How did you try to do it?" Which one of the goals and techniques of suicide prevention do these questions BEST represent?
A) formulating a plan
B) assessing suicide potential
C) establishing a positive relationship
D) assessing and mobilizing the caller’s resources

B. assessing suicide potential

When answering the telephone of a suicide hot line, the first step for the counselor is to:
A) formulate a plan.
B) establish a positive relationship.
C) understand and clarify the problem.
D) assess the caller’s suicide potential.

D. assess the caller’s suicide potential

At a suicide prevention center, you hear the following from the counselor. "Who can you think of who might be able to come over and stay with you for a few hours?" Which of the goals and techniques of suicide prevention does the quote best represent?
A) assessing suicide potential
B) understanding and clarifying the problem
C) establishing a positive relationship
D) assessing and mobilizing the caller’s resources

D. assessing & mobilizing the caller’s resources

At a suicide prevention center, you hear the following from the counselor. "Will you promise me that you will call again if you ever feel like killing yourself again?" Which one of the goals and techniques of suicide prevention does this question BEST represent?
A) formulating a plan
B) assessing suicide potential
C) understanding and clarifying the problem
D) assessing and mobilizing the caller’s resources

A. formulating a plan

When talking with a potentially suicidal individual on a suicide hot line, the final step for the counselor is to:
A) formulate a plan.
B) establish a positive relationship.
C) understand and clarify the problem.
D) assess the caller’s suicide potential.

A. formulate a plan

Reports indicate that if someone is a member of an "online community" and threatens to commit suicide online, the other members of the online community will:
A) immediately contact 911 services, and try to talk the person out of the suicide attempt.
B) act as though they are watching a TV drama, and urge the person to follow through with the suicide.
C) ignore the person threatening suicide, directing the online chat to other topics.
D) respond in many different ways, including urging the person to commit suicide and contacting 911 services.

D. respond in many different ways, including urging the person to commit suicide & contacting 911 services

A typical caller to an urban suicide prevention center is:
A) elderly, male, white.
B) elderly, female, white.
C) young, male, African American.
D) young, female, African American.

D. young, female, African American

One study showed that about what percentage of high-risk suicidal people who contact a suicide crisis hot line later commit suicide?
A) 2 percent
B) 10 percent
C) 30 percent
D) 50 percent

A. 2%

Which statement about the successes of suicide prevention programs is most accurate?
A) People at greatest risk for suicide are most likely to call prevention centers.
B) Of those who call, fewer commit suicide than those who don’t call who are in a similar risk group.
C) Suicide rates are consistently lower in communities that have centers.
D) People thinking of suicide know about and readily call centers.

B. of those who call, fewer commit suicide than those who don’t call who are in a similar risk group

Suicide education programs typically focus on:
A) those who have previously attempted suicide.
B) clergy who are often contacted by suicidal people.
C) students and teachers.
D) high-risk people who call hot lines.

C. students & teachers

The MOST well-developed understanding of the causes of suicide come from the:
A) biological model.
B) psychoanalytic model.
C) behavioral model.
D) sociocultural model.

D. sociocultural model

The MOST helpful explanation for suicide, particularly regarding the general background factors and triggers of suicides, come from the:
A) psychodynamic model.
B) behavioral model.
C) cognitive model.
D) sociocultural model.

D. sociocultural model