Stress & Coping MCAT Practice Question
A 34-year-old woman is evaluated 6 weeks after a major hurricane destroyed her neighborhood. She reports nightmares, hypervigilance, and avoidance of news about weather. She lives alone, lost her job due to the disaster, and has minimal contact with family. Her neighbor, a 36-year-old man with similar exposure, reports intrusive thoughts but continues working remotely, participates in community rebuilding efforts, and regularly meets with friends. Both meet DSM-5 criteria for acute stress disorder. Which of the following best explains why the neighbor is likely to have better long-term recovery outcomes than the patient?
Answer choices
- AThe neighbor has a higher baseline intelligence quotient, allowing better cognitive processing of trauma
- BThe neighbor maintains social connections and perceives agency in recovery through continued functioning and community engagementCorrect answer
- CThe neighbor likely has a more extroverted personality type, which is inherently protective against PTSD
- DThe neighbor was taking anxiolytic medications prior to the disaster, providing neurobiological resilience
- EThe neighbor experienced less severe property damage, resulting in lower overall trauma exposure
- FThe neighbor's age difference of 2 years provides a developmental advantage in trauma recovery capacity
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