This document provides instructions for an abnormal psychology exercise where students will read case studies describing individuals' behaviors and independently diagnose their potential mental illnesses. It includes 8 case studies describing people exhibiting various problematic behaviors and symptoms. Students are asked to diagnose each case with a mental illness based on their training. An answer key is provided with the instructor's diagnosis for each case.

1. DIAGNOSIS EXERCISE
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

2. INSTRUCTIONS
PLEASE READ OVER THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE WORK SHEET IN FRONT OF YOU
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE LET US KNOW.
THE FOLLOWING SLIDES ARE GOING TO DISPLAY A CASE STUDY VIGNETTE AND
YOU ARE GOING TO PLAY THERAPIST (if you want to come up with a fun doctor
name that is up to you) AND DIAGNOSE THE INDIVIDUALS MENTAL ILLNESS.
THIS EXERCISE WILL BE COMPLETED INDEPENDENTLY AND WE WILL DISCUSS
YOUR CHOICES AT THE END.

3. CASE 1
Sharon paraded into the party drunk and continued to drink throughout the
night. Laughing and giggling, she flirted with many of the men and to two of
them expressed her "deep affection." Twice during the evening she disappeared
for almost half an hour, each time with a different man. After a violent argument
with one of them, because he took "too long" to get her a drink, she locked
herself into the bathroom and attempted to swallow a bottle of aspirin. Her
friends encouraged her to go home, but she was afraid to be alone in her
apartment.

4. CASE 2
A 40-year-old secretary has been recently fired because of her inability to
prepare some work projects in time. According to her, they were not in the right
format and she had to revise them six times, which led to the delay. This has
happened before but she feels that she is not given enough time. This has led to
her being late for her meetings and getting yelled at by her boss.

5. CASE 3
John danced into the party and immediately became the center of attention.
With sweeping gestures of his arms and dramatic displays of emotion, he
boasted about his career as an actor in a local theater group. During a private
conversation, a friend inquired about the rumors that he was having some
difficulties in his marriage. In an outburst of anger, he denied any problems and
claimed that his marriage was "as wonderful and charming as ever." Shortly
thereafter, while drinking his second martini, he fainted and had to be taken
home.

6. CASE 4
A 48-year-old company CEO is rushed to the ER after an automobile accident. He
does not let the residents operate on him and requests the Chief of Trauma
Surgery because he is "vital to the company." He makes several business phone
calls in the ER to stay on "top of his game.” During his phone calls he started to
become irate that none of the nurses were catering to his needs.

7. CASE 5
A 35-year-old man, named Mario, dresses in a space suit every Tuesday and
Thursday. He has computers set up in his basement to "detect the precise time
of alien invasion." The "negative forces" in the other rooms of his house he finds
to be unsettling to his "psychic soul-spot." He has no evidence of auditory or
visual hallucinations.

8. CASE 6
A 30-year-old unemployed male has been accused of killing three senior citizens
after robbing them. He is surprisingly charming in the interview. However, when
cops asked him how he felt after killing his victims, he barely suppresses an urge
to laugh out loud and then denies any responsibility: ”those old folks knew they
were going to die soon so what is the big deal I was helping them out.” In his
adolescence, he was arrested several times for stealing cars and assaulting other
kids.

9. CASE 7
Before entering, Doreen watched the party for several minutes from outside
through the window. Once she went in, she seemed very uncomfortable. When
people tried to be nice to her, she looked guarded and distrustful. People quickly
became uncomfortable with her habit of finding fault with everything little thing
you said or did. She seemed to be picking fights with people. She didn't stay very
long at the party.

10. CASE 8
Harold is never invited to parties. No one really knows him very well because he
rarely talks. In fact, he spends most of his time alone at home reading. While at
work he isolates himself in the lab for most of the day and has no friends,
according to his coworkers. He expresses no desire to make friends and is
content with his single life.

11. ANSWER KEY

12. CASE 1
He paraded into the party drunk and continued to drink throughout the night.
Laughing and giggling, she flirted with many of the men and to two of them
expressed her "deep affection." Twice during the evening she disappeared for
almost half an hour, each time with a different man. After a violent argument
with one of them, because he took "too long" to get her a drink, she locked
herself into the bathroom and attempted to swallow a bottle of aspirin. Her
friends encouraged her to go home, but she was afraid to be alone in her
apartment.
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER

13. CASE 2
A 40-year-old secretary has been recently fired because of her inability to
prepare some work projects in time. According to her, they were not in the right
format and she had to revise them six times, which led to the delay. This has
happened before but she feels that she is not given enough time. This has led to
her being late for her meetings and getting yelled at by her boss.
OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE PERSONALITY
DISORDER

14. CASE 3
Donna danced into the party and immediately became the center of attention.
With sweeping gestures of her arms and dramatic displays of emotion, she
boasted about her career as an actress in a local theater group. During a private
conversation, a friend inquired about the rumors that she was having some
difficulties in her marriage. In an outburst of anger, she denied any problems
and claimed that her marriage was "as wonderful and charming as ever." Shortly
thereafter, while drinking her second martini, she fainted and had to be taken
home.
HISTRIONIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

15. CASE 4
A 48-year-old company CEO is rushed to the ER after an automobile accident. He
does not let the residents operate on him and requests the Chief of Trauma
Surgery because he is "vital to the company." He makes several business phone
calls in the ER to stay on "top of his game.” During his phone calls he started to
become irate that none of the nurses were catering to his needs.
NACISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

16. CASE 5
A 35-year-old man, named Mario, dresses in a space suit every Tuesday and
Thursday. He has computers set up in his basement to "detect the precise time
of alien invasion." The "negative forces" in the other rooms of his house he finds
to be unsettling to his "psychic soul-spot." He has no evidence of auditory or
visual hallucinations.
SCHIZOTYPAL PERSONALITY DISORDER

17. CASE 6
A 30-year-old unemployed male has been accused of killing three senior citizens
after robbing them. He is surprisingly charming in the interview. However, when
cops asked him how he felt after killing his victims, he barely suppresses an urge
to laugh out loud and then denies any responsibility: ”those old folks knew they
were going to die soon so what is the big deal I was helping them out.” In his
adolescence, he was arrested several times for stealing cars and assaulting other
kids.
ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER

18. CASE 7
Before entering, Doreen watched the party for several minutes from outside
through the window. Once she went in, she seemed very uncomfortable. When
people tried to be nice to her, she looked guarded and distrustful. People quickly
became uncomfortable with her habit of finding fault with everything little thing
you said or did. She seemed to be picking fights with people. She didn't stay very
long at the party.
PARANOID PERSONALITY DISORDER

19. CASE 8
Harold is never invited to parties. No one really knows him very well because he
rarely talks. In fact, he spends most of his time alone at home reading. While at
work he isolates himself in the lab for most of the day and has no friends,
according to his coworkers. He expresses no desire to make friends and is
content with his single life.
SCHIZOID PERSONALITY DISORDER

20. HOW DID YOU DO?