Mood disorders: Freudian view of melancholia: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Mood disorders: Freudian view of melancholia

Sample item

In 'Mourning and Melancholia', Freud explained pathological depression as the result of which process?

ALearned expectation that outcomes are uncontrollableBFixation at the phallic stageCNegative schemas about self, world and futureDAnger toward a lost loved one turned inward against the self

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Anger toward a lost loved one turned inward against the self

Freud proposed that in melancholia the person identifies with a lost ambivalently loved object, and the hostility meant for that object is directed against the ego, which accounts for self-reproach. Learned helplessness and the cognitive triad belong to learning and cognitive models.

Option by option

A. Learned expectation that outcomes are uncontrollable
Learned helplessness is Seligman's learning model of depression.
B. Fixation at the phallic stage
The phallic stage is linked with the Oedipus complex, not with melancholia.
C. Negative schemas about self, world and future
Negative schemas and the cognitive triad are Beck's cognitive model.
D. Anger toward a lost loved one turned inward against the self (correct)
Correct. Freud saw melancholia as aggression toward a lost object being redirected at the self.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is D, Anger toward a lost loved one turned inward against the self. Freud proposed that in melancholia the person identifies with a lost ambivalently loved object, and the hostility meant for that object is directed against the ego, which accounts for self-reproach.

Why is "Learned expectation that outcomes are uncontrollable" not the answer?

Learned helplessness is Seligman's learning model of depression.

Why is "Fixation at the phallic stage" not the answer?

The phallic stage is linked with the Oedipus complex, not with melancholia.

Why is "Negative schemas about self, world and future" not the answer?

Negative schemas and the cognitive triad are Beck's cognitive model.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mood disorders: Freudian view of melancholia in Psychiatry. Learned helplessness and the cognitive triad belong to learning and cognitive models.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Mood disorders: Freudian view of melancholia?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.