Question

A psychologist is interviewing a refugee to this country who is unfamiliar with the majority culture here. in his former country, this person was spied on by the government and was the victim of robberies and assaults. he is suspicious of most people in authority and does not trust their motives which personality disorder might a psychologist suspect of this refugee, given that he did not know the history?​

Answer 1

This question is incomplete, here´s the complete question.  

A psychologist is interviewing a refugee to this country who is unfamiliar with the majority culture here. in his former country, this person was spied on by the government and was the victim of robberies and assaults. he is suspicious of most people in authority and does not trust their motives which personality disorder might a psychologist suspect of this refugee, given that he did not know the history?​

a.  borderline

c.  paranoid

b.  obsessive-compulsive

d.  schizotypal

Answer: c.  paranoid

Explanation:

Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) is an eccentric personality disorder, meaning that the subject´s behavior seems unusual to other people. Considering that the refugee on this example is unfamiliar with the local culture, his attitude may seem strange to others and therefore fit the diagnosis.

Furthermore, having been a victim of political persecution and different criminal attacks, him being suspicious of other people may be a learned behavior, but without knowing about his past, a psychologist could mistakenly conclude that the patient has PPD.

Answer 2

The man is being paranoid. Or rather he is in a state of paranoia.


Almost all of us has experienced paranoia at some point of our lives. People with severe paranoia are often admitted to psychiatric care which typically diagnoses schizophrenia and they are mostly treated with anti psychotic drugs. 

Paranoia may be a consuming disorder. Those individual with paranoia tend to perceive danger.