Anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders: past paper questions
Real questions on anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders
The newest 20 of 128 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 9990/32 · May/June 2026 · Q2a[2]
Outline applied tension as a treatment for blood‑injection‑injury phobia.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2026 · Q2b[2]
Explain how applied tension as a treatment for blood‑injection‑injury phobia is reductionist.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2026 · Q3a[4]
Suggest how REBT will be used to help Samuel.
See it on the paper → - 9990/33 · May/June 2026 · Q1[4]
Richard fell off his chair and cut himself. He could see himself bleeding. After this, he developed a phobia of blood. Richard’s mother also has a phobia of blood. He recently made an appointment for a blood test but cancelled it due to his phobia. Outline two explanations for Richard’s blood phobia.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · February/March 2026 · Q1[4]
Muhammad has been diagnosed with agoraphobia. He is afraid of having a panic attack if he goes shopping, so he avoids leaving the house. His doctor refers him for cognitive‑behavioural therapy (CBT). Suggest how cognitive‑behavioural therapy (CBT) could treat Muhammad’s agoraphobia.
See it on the paper → - 9990/31 · October/November 2025 · Q1[4]
Hugh has obsessive‑compulsive disorder (OCD). Hugh’s childhood was difficult. His mother had an obsession with germs, insisting on excessive cleanliness. Suggest two different explanations of why Hugh has OCD.
See it on the paper → - 9990/31 · October/November 2025 · Q2b[2]
Explain one reason why cultural differences could affect the diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.
See it on the paper → - 9990/31 · October/November 2025 · Q3a[4]
Suggest how Habiba’s therapist can use systematic desensitisation to treat Habiba’s phobia.
See it on the paper → - 9990/31 · October/November 2025 · Q3b[2]
Explain one weakness of systematic desensitisation.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · October/November 2025 · Q4a[6]
Describe the following treatments for anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders: • cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), and • applied tension focusing on treating blood/injection/injury phobia.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · October/November 2025 · Q4b[10]
Evaluate the following treatments for anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders: • cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), and • applied tension focusing on treating blood/injection/injury phobia, including a discussion of generalisations. Evaluation in your answer can include strengths, weaknesses and a discussion of...
See it on the paper → - 9990/33 · October/November 2025 · Q2b[2]
Explain one reason why cultural differences could affect the diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.
See it on the paper → - 9990/33 · October/November 2025 · Q3a[4]
Suggest how Habiba’s therapist can use systematic desensitisation to treat Habiba’s phobia.
See it on the paper → - 9990/33 · October/November 2025 · Q3b[2]
Explain one weakness of systematic desensitisation.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2025 · Q2a[2]
Outline systematic desensitisation as a treatment for a specific phobia.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2025 · Q2b[2]
Explain one reason why systematic desensitisation as a treatment for a specific phobia supports the situational side of the debate about individual and situational explanations.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2025 · Q3a[4]
Suggest a psychodynamic explanation for why Lina has this phobia of snakes.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · May/June 2025 · Q3b[2]
Explain one weakness of the psychodynamic explanation for Lina’s phobia of snakes.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · February/March 2025 · Q2a[2]
Outline what is meant by determinism, including an example from the psychodynamic explanation of fear-related disorders.
See it on the paper → - 9990/32 · February/March 2025 · Q2b[2]
Explain one problem psychologists may have when investigating the psychodynamic explanation of fear-related disorders.
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
Comprehensive responses • Responses that demonstrated excellent understanding of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), with clear links to the context of Muhammad’s agoraphobia, symptoms, or behaviour, showed a comprehensive grasp of the requirements. • Candidates referred directly to the scenario/context in the question in their response. Limited responses • These outlined treatments other than C...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/32 Q1 (Cambridge)
There were some good responses that were able to clearly outline what is meant by determinism, including an example from the psychodynamic explanation of fear-related disorders to achieve full marks. Weaker responses were often able to give a definition of determinism but could not explain how the psychodynamic explanation of fear-related disorders was deterministic. Responses that did not receive...
— Examiner report, February/March 2025, 9990/32 Q2(a) (Cambridge)
There were some clear explanations given of one problem psychologists may have when investigating the psychodynamic explanation of fear-related disorders. Common full mark responses explained the difficulties of investigating a non-observable phenomenon or that the data collected is usually qualitative (through conversations with the therapist/psychologist) and is subjective. These often had an ex...
— Examiner report, February/March 2025, 9990/32 Q2(b) (Cambridge)
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