MCAT Behavioral Sciences Question 103: Answer and Explanation

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Test Information

Question: 103

13. A woman comes to the doctor with a two-week history of complete paralysis of her left arm. She has had no injury to the extremity, and full neurological workup fails to demonstrate any underlying cause. She seems surprisingly unconcerned about the paralysis, and seems more worried about an argument she had one month ago in which she hit her daughter. Based on this information, the woman's most likely diagnosis is:

  • A. conversion disorder.
  • B. generalized anxiety disorder.
  • C. illness anxiety disorder.
  • D. histrionic personality disorder.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

Conversion disorder is marked by a motor or sensory symptom in the absence of an underlying physical or neurological cause. It is associated with an inciting event that, in this case, may have been the argument with her daughter. Her lack of concern over the deficit is referred to as la belle indifférence.

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