Describe the characteristics, types and measures of anxiety disorders.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Feb/Mar 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [7-8] (a) Level 4 (7-8 marks): Description is accurate, coherent and detailed and use of psychological terminology is accurate and comprehensive. The answer demonstrates excellent understanding of the material and the answer is competently organised.
2. [5-6] (a) Level 3 (5-6 marks): Description is mainly accurate, reasonably coherent and reasonably detailed and use of psychological terminology is accurate but may not be comprehensive. The answer demonstrates good understanding of the material and the answer has some organisation.
3. [3-4] (a) Level 2 (3-4 marks): Description is sometimes accurate and coherent but lacks detail and use of psychological terminology is adequate. The answer demonstrates reasonable (sufficient) understanding but is lacking in organisation.
4. [1-2] (a) Level 1 (1-2 marks): Description is largely inaccurate, lacks both detail and coherence and the use of psychological terminology is limited. The answer demonstrates limited understanding of the material and there is little, if any, organisation.
5. [0] (a) Level 0 (0 marks): No response worthy of credit.
6. [8] (a) Characteristics, types and measures, including the following: characteristics of generalised anxiety and examples/case studies of phobias; types: agoraphobia and specific phobias (blood phobia, animal phobia, button phobia); measures: the blood injection phobia inventory (BIPI); Generalised Anxiety Disorder assessment (GAD-7).
7. [8] (a) Generalised anxiety: Frequent and persistent worry and anxiety about a perceived threat in the surrounding environment. The perceived threat is usually something that is not actually very threatening and the person may realise their fears are disproportionate to the situation. The symptoms must last for several weeks and include apprehension, motor tension and autonomic over-activity.
8. [8] (a) Case studies - Little Hans, Little Albert and Saavedra case study for button phobia. Little Albert - 10-month old baby who was conditioned by Watson and Raynor to have a phobia of white rats. This was done using classical conditioning by hitting a metal bar behind Albert when presented with a white rat. Albert developed a fear which became generalised over time to include white objects and anything with fur (e.g. Santa's beard).
9. [8] (a) Types: agoraphobia and specific phobias (blood phobia, animal phobia, button phobia). Blood - hemophobia or haemophobia is extreme and irrational fear of blood and can extend to needles. Leads to increase in heart rate and drop in blood pressure can lead to fainting. Buttons - koumpounophobia is a relatively rare phobia. It is an irrational and persistent fear of buttons (stand alone ones or those on clothing). People suffering from koumpounophobia tend to avoid clothes with buttons. Animal - zoophobia is a persistent and irrational fear of a particular species or type of animal – most often snakes, rats, or other rodents. Seeing or even hearing about the feared animal can usually invoke a physiological response similar to fear and such encounters are usually avoided where possible.
10. [8] (a) Measures: the blood injection phobia inventory (BIPI); Generalised Anxiety Disorder assessment (GAD-7). The Blood-injection Phobia Inventory (BIPI) is a questionnaire that has 18 items or stimulus content and 27 phobic responses that covered a range of situations related to blood and injection phobias: Patient given range of situations and asked to evaluate their reaction to each. Rate frequency of symptoms on a scale ranging from 0 = Never to 3 = Always.
11. [8] (a) GAD-7: Seven item questionnaire measure severity of anxiety. A score out of 21 is generated and the higher the score the more severe the GAD. e.g. Not being able to stop or control anything; Feeling nervous, anxious or on edge. Choose from (0-3 scale): Not at all; Several days; More than half the days; Nearly every day.
12. [9-10] (b) Level 4 (9-10 marks): Evaluation is comprehensive and the range of issues covered is highly relevant to the question. The answer demonstrates evidence of careful planning, organisation and selection of material. There is effective use of appropriate supporting examples which are explicitly related to the question. Analysis (valid conclusions that effectively summarise issues and arguments) is evident throughout. The answer demonstrates an excellent understanding of the material.
13. [7-8] (b) Level 3 (7-8 marks): Evaluation is good. There is a range of evaluative issues. There is good organisation of evaluative issues (rather than 'study by study'). There is good use of supporting examples which are related to the question. Analysis is often evident. The answer demonstrates a good understanding of the material.
14. [4-6] (b) Level 2 (4-6 marks): Evaluation is mostly accurate but limited. Range of issues (which may or may not include the named issue) is limited. The answer may only hint at issues but there is little organisation or clarity. Supporting examples may not be entirely relevant to the question. Analysis is limited. The answer lacks detail and demonstrates a limited understanding of the material. N.B. If the named issue is not addressed, a maximum of 5 marks can be awarded. If only the named issue is addressed, a maximum of 4 marks can be awarded.
15. [1-3] (b) Level 1 (1-3 marks): Evaluation is basic and the range of issues included is sparse. There is little organisation and little, if any, use of supporting examples. Analysis is limited or absent. The answer demonstrates little understanding of the material.
16. [0] (b) Level 0 (0 marks): No response worthy of credit.
17. [10] (b) A range of issues could be used for evaluation here. These include: Named issue - case studies. Weaknesses – The studies in the syllabus (Watson, Freud and Saavedra) all have just one participant who is male. These cannot be generalised to female and adult participants. They have a specific phobia of an object and there are many phobias that are about situations/experiences (e.g. flying, social phobia, agoraphobia, etc.) Strengths - every study will focus on specific types of phobias as it would not be possible to include all phobias in the study. Case studies are very detailed and show how the participant overcomes their phobia over the time period of the study.
18. [10] (b) Other issues: Quantitative data; Reliability and validity of measures; Practical applications; Psychometric tests; Cultural bias; Generalisability; Reductionism.