Stress & Coping MCAT Practice Question
A 15-year-old male presents to his primary care physician with his mother, who reports he has been skipping school 2-3 days per week over the past 2 months. The patient states that he was socially excluded by his peer group after an embarrassing incident in the cafeteria. He endorses significant anxiety when anticipating social interactions at school. Since beginning to avoid school, he reports his anxiety temporarily decreases, but his mother notes his academic performance has declined and he spends most evenings isolated in his room. The patient acknowledges that avoiding school "feels better right now" but recognizes this pattern is making things worse long-term. Which of the following psychological principles best explains why this maladaptive coping behavior persists despite negative long-term consequences?
Answer choices
- ANegative reinforcement: The avoidant behavior removes the aversive stimulus (anxiety), strengthening the avoidance responseCorrect answer
- BObservational learning: The patient models isolation behavior observed from family members
- CClassical conditioning: Social anxiety has become a conditioned response to the school environment
- DPositive reinforcement: Parental attention when expressing anxiety maintains the avoidant behavior
- EExtinction burst: Brief increases in anxiety when attempting to return to school will naturally resolve
- FCognitive dissonance: The patient's beliefs about his social worth conflict with his avoidant actions
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