Concept Practice
Risks and Rates of Disorders

Chapter 93. Risks and Rates of Disorders

antisocial personality disorder
a disorder involving a long-term pattern of aggressively disregarding the rights and well-being of others, and a lack of remorse for wrongdoing; much more common among males
personality disorders
group of psychological disorders involving persistent, inflexible patterns of thinking and behavior that disrupt a person’s social relationships
anxiety disorders
group of psychological disorders involving persistent anxiety and fearfulness, often accompanied by maladaptive behaviors that attempt to reduce the anxiety
psychological disorder
a disturbance in a person’s thinking, behavior, or emotions serious enough to cause distress
dissociative disorders
group of psychological disorders involving a splitting (dissociation) of current conscious awareness from past memories and emotions
schizophrenia
a psychological disorder characterized by disturbed, irrational thinking and inappropriate emotional behavior
mood disorders
group of psychological disorders in which the main symptom is a dramatic and persistent shift in a person’s mood and energy level; includes both major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder
substance use disorder
maladaptive use of alcohol or other drugs, leading to health problems or disruptions in daily life
Risks and Rates of Disorders
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The image is a Venn diagram with three overlapping circles. The circles represent groups of factors influencing psychological disorders: biological, social, and psychological. The factors included in the biological group are genetic vulnerabilities, brain chemistry, physical health, temperament, drug use, and mental health. The factors included in the social group are peer group, neighborhood, family structure, school, traumatic events, drug use, and mental health. The factors included in the psychological group are stress management, selfesteem, values and beliefs, traumatic events, temperament, and mental health. Those factors that include overlap between two groups are temperament (groups biological and psychological), drug use (groups biological and social), and traumatic events (groups psychological and social). Mental health is in the area overlapped by all three groups.
Learning Objectives:

Identify the most common psychological disorders and rank them in order of likelihood.

Describe some gender differences in rates of psychological disorders.

Describe some factors that increase the risk of psychological disorders.

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1. Measuring the prevalence of psychological disorders is not an easy task. Reported rates vary significantly from country to country, with countries having strong mental health services and better recordkeeping generally reporting higher prevalence of disorders. However, as this map shows, rates of some disorders (such as mood disorders) are generally higher in regions with high conflict and/or low economic opportunities.

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2. The rates for many disorders also vary by sex. Females are more likely to experience mood disorders and anxiety disorders, while males are more likely to experience substance use disorder and one of the personality disorders called antisocial personality disorder. The likelihood of developing schizophrenia and dissociative disorders appears to be similar for males and females.

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The image is a line graph with two lines, one representing lifetime risk and one representing annual risk. The X axis is labeled Age in years and ranges from 20 to 90 in increments of 10. The Y axis is labeled Likelihood of mood disorder in percentage and ranges from 0 to 100 in increments in increments of 10. The lifetime risk starts at 5% at 20 years. It increases gradually in a straight line to 20% at age 60. The line remains at 20% from 60 to 90. The annual risk starts at 5% at 20 years, increases slightly to 10% at 30 years, and then decreases back down to 3% at age 50. The line remains at 3% from 50 to 90.

3. Researchers estimate the risk of developing a psychological disorder in two different ways. The rate per year for a disorder refers to the estimated percentage of adults who will experience that disorder in any given year (that is, at some point during the next 12 months). This annual risk may hold steady or even drop with age, as is the case with mood disorders. The rate over a lifetime for a disorder refers to the estimated percentage of adults who will experience that disorder at some point in their lives. As the graph shows, this lifetime risk goes up with age.

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4. Although every person is potentially vulnerable to a psychological disorder at some point in life, researchers have identified a set of risk factors that make a disorder more likely. Any type of physical or mental impairment increases the risk, as does growing up in a dysfunctional or abusive family, especially if the family is very poor. However, the experience of significant, sustained traumatic events seems to be the single largest risk factor for psychological disorders.

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Practice 1: Rates of the Major Disorders

Roll over each category of psychological disorders to see its prevalence in a given year and over a lifetime.

Category of psychological disorders:

Anxiety disorders Rate per year: 11.8% Rate over a lifetime: 28.8%

Mood disorders Rate per year: 5.1% Rate over a lifetime: 20.8%

Personality disorders Rate per year: 9.0% Rate over a lifetime: 11.5%

Dissociative disorders Rate per year: 1.5% Rate over a lifetime: 7.0%

Schizophrenia Rate per year: 1.0% Rate over a lifetime: 2.0%

Substance use disorder Rate per year: 6.0% Rate over a lifetime: 14.6%

Any disorder Rate per year: 18.5% Rate over a lifetime: 46.4%

The image in this practice is a horizontal bar graph. The X axis is labeled Percentage of U.S. adults experiencing each disorder and ranges from 0 to 20 in increments of 2. The Y axis is labeled with the following seven disorders, from top to bottom: anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, dissociative disorders, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and any disorder. For each disorder a wide bar is the rate per year, and a narrow center bar is the rate over a lifetime. The approximate data for the graph is in the following table: Percentage of U.S. adults experiencing each disorder. there are three columns in the table: Disorder, Rate per year, Rate over a lifetime. Anxiety disorders: rate per year 12. Rate over a lifetime 29. Mood disorders: rate per year 5. Rate over a lifetime 21. Personality disorders: rate per year 9. Rate over a lifetime 12. Dissociative disorders: rate per year 2. Rate over a lifetime 7. Schizophrenia: rate per year 1. Rate over a lifetime 2. Substance use disorder: rate per year 6. Rate over a lifetime 15. Any disorder: rate per year 20. Rate over a lifetime 46.4.
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Practice 2: Gender Differences in Rates of Disorders

Roll over each set of bars on the graph to see the name of the disorder.

Some psychological disorders occur more frequently in males, while others are more common in females. Can you predict which disorders show a gender difference?

Major depressive disorder

Anxiety disorder

Substance use disorder

Antisocial personality disorder

The image in this practice is a vertical bar graph. The X axis is labeled with the following four disorders: major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and antisocial personality disorder. The Y axis is labeled Lifetime prevalence for U.S. adults by percent and ranges from 0 to 40 in increments of 10. For each disorder there are two bars, one representing males and one representing females. The approximate data for the graph is in the following table: Lifetime prevalence for U.S. adults (by percent). there are three columns in the table: Disorder, Males, Females. Major depressive disorder. Male 12% Female 20%. Anxiety disorders. Male 18% Female 30%. Substance use disorder. Male 35% Female 17%. Antisocial personality disorder. Male 5% Female 1%.
Major depressive disorder
Anxiety disorders
Substance use disorder
Antisocial personality disorder
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Practice 3: Risk Factors for Psychological Disorders

Roll over each label to see the associated factors that lead to higher risk of developing a disorder.

Given that more than a quarter of the world's population will experience a psychological disorder at some point in their lives, what factors increase the likelihood of developing a disorder?

Childhood issues

Family issues

Life events

Personal Issues

Current Situation

Factors that increase risk:

birth complications; low birth weight; child abuse or neglect

low socioeconomic status; family disorganization or conflict; parental substance abuse or mental illness

traumatic experiences; stressful life events; medical illness; personal loss or bereavement

substance abuse; academic failure; poor work skills; social incompetence

chronic pain; chronic insomnia; physical disabilities; reading disability

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Quiz 1

Drag each type of disorder to one of the gray areas in order to arrange the disorders from most common to least common in the general population. When all the disorders have been placed, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

Most common
Lifetime prevalence in the U.S. population
Least common
28.8%
20.8%
14.6%
11.5%
7.0%
2.0%
Select the NEXT button and move to Quiz 2.
Perhaps you should go back to review the most common psychological disorders.
Dissociative disorders
Personality disorders
Substance use disorder
Anxiety disorders
Mood disorders
Schizophrenic disorders
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Quiz 2

Select the best answer to complete these statements. Then, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

rectangular bar that is red on the right side and fades into green on the other side. There is a smaller rectangular within the bar that is dark green
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These gender differences may reflect different life experiences for men and women. Select the NEXT button and move to Quiz 3.
Try to answer the question again.
Antisocial personality disorder and substance use disorder are more common in ________. Anxiety disorders and mood disorders are more common in ________.
males; males
males; females
females; males
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Quiz 3

Mark all of the factors that are associated with increased risk of psychological disorders. Then, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

Select the NEXT button and move to the Conclusion.
Try to complete the statements again.
Birth complications
Parental mental illness
Feelings of security
Chronic pain
Regular exercise
Poor work skills
Good stress management
Academic failure
Low socioeconomic status
Social support
Substance abuse
Chronic insomnia
Good parenting
Traumatic experiences
Child abuse or neglect
Good social skills
Dysfunctional family
High self-esteem
Death of family member
Participation in sports
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The image is a Venn diagram with three overlapping circles. The circles represent groups of factors influencing psychological disorders: biological, social, and psychological. The factors included in the biological group are genetic vulnerabilities, brain chemistry, physical health, temperament, drug use, and mental health. The factors included in the social group are peer group, neighborhood, family structure, school, traumatic events, drug use, and mental health. The factors included in the psychological group are stress management, selfesteem, values and beliefs, traumatic events, temperament, and mental health. Those factors that include overlap between two groups are temperament (groups biological and psychological), drug use (groups biological and social), and traumatic events (groups psychological and social). Mental health is in the area overlapped by all three groups.
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