Title: Usmle Step 1 MCQ’s # 34
Subject: Behavioral Science
Q NO 34:
A pathologist receives a phone call from a patient who was diagnosed
with a 15-cm recurrent, mediastinal seminoma. During the conversation it
becomes clear that despite the patient’s obvious intelligence, the man
does not really understand that his disease is probably incurable. The
patient keeps talking about his long-term plans for the future, and
believes that the pathologist must have “misunderstood” how big his
tumor was. Later, the surgeon tells the pathologist that he has spent 12
hours over the last six months trying to explain the prognosis to the
patient. The patient is most likely using which of the following defense
mechanisms?
A. Denial
B. Displacement
C. Reaction formation
D. Regression
E. Repression
Explanation:The
correct answer is A. This is denial, in which a person behaves as if he
or she is unaware of something he may reasonably be expected to know.
Denial is common in medical settings and this case is a real one. Denial
is distinguished from the related concept of repression mostly by the
deeper level of sub consciousness at which the latter occurs. People
with deeply repressed memories do not usually try’ to argue with someone
who talks to them; they simply do not remember.
Displacement (choice B) is a transfer of emotion from one setting to another.
Reaction formation (choice C) is the unconscious adoption of behavior opposite to one’s true feelings and intentions.
Regression (choice D) is the adoption of behavior appropriate to an earlier stage of development.
Repression (choice E) is the deeply subconscious suppression of traumatic events or thoughts.
Source: http://www.usmleworldwide.com/blog/?p=720
