Case Study: Anxiety Answer Sheet
Diagnosing Tina
Student Name:

Diagnosing Generalized Anxiety Disorder:
1a. Refer to the DSM-IV checklist for generalized anxiety disorder. Which of Tina's symptoms meet any of the criteria? (Be sure to match specific symptoms with specific criteria.)
Tina’s symptoms match all four of the criteria in the DSM-IV checklist for generalized anxiety disorder. Tina worries constantly something is going to happen to her twins which is in correlation with the first criteria listed. The second criteria of having difficulty controlling the worry is exhibited in Tina’s own admission that she worries sll the time and this causes her to smoke, eat and drink excessively to deal with the worry. She exhibits all the …show more content…

Tina’s unreasonable assumptions that the bridges are going to collapse or something is going to happen to her daughters cause the abnormal behavior or the symptoms of GAD.
4. Explain Tina’s Phobia from a Behavioral Perspective (please use classical conditioning as a possible example).
Tina has conditioned herself to fear the bridges and her response of panic and avoidance of driving are a conditioned behavior.
5. Explain Tina’s Phobia from a Psychodynamic Perspective.
From a Psychodynamic Perspective, Tina was consistently under control by her parents and then her husband. She denied or suppressed impulses and her phobia has derived from this.
6. Considering the biological correlates or causes of Tina's panic disorder, what role does the neurotransmitter norepinephrine play in her panic disorder?
The neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, carries messages between the neurons in the brain. It is working overtime because of the panic disorder and basically feeds the panic.
7. What does Tina's locus ceruleus have to do with her panic disorder?
The locus coeruleus secretes norepinephrine and stimulates the other areas of the brain to do the same. The stress of her husband’s illness and death has caused her brain to be overtaken by neurons which has put her in a constant state of stress and anxiety.
8. What role might GABA play in her symptoms?
GABA receptors can be binded on