Lesson 3.2.4.6.2

3.2.4.6.2 ICD diagnosis of addiction (dependence syndrome) Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 8

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.2.4.6.2, ICD diagnosis of addiction (dependence syndrome): 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Psychology (8182), Unit 8: Psychological problems, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What does the ICD use to diagnose addiction?

    • The height and weight of the person measured in kilograms at the clinic
    • A single blood test that identifies one specific chemical in the body
    • The dependence syndrome, which lists features such as strong desire and loss of control
    • The person's exact income and job title at the time of assessment

  2. Which is an ICD feature of addiction or dependence?

    • A preference for only non-alcoholic drinks in all social settings
    • Difficulty in controlling substance use
    • Ability to control use perfectly in every single situation that arises
    • A complete lack of any desire to use the substance at any time

  3. A patient skips meals to save money for a substance and has stopped attending work. Which ICD feature is most clearly shown?

    • Lower priority given to the substance than to all other daily tasks
    • Equal priority given to meals, work and every other daily activity
    • Greater priority given to a hobby than to the substance in every setting
    • Higher priority given to the substance than to basic needs and obligations

  4. Which feature of dependence is shown by continued use despite harmful consequences?

    • Persisting with use even when it causes clear physical or psychological harm
    • Using only when a doctor prescribes it at a set dose and time
    • Never noticing any consequences of use at all in the person's life
    • Stopping use as soon as any harm is noticed by the person at all

  5. Which feature describes a strong desire to use a substance?

    • A neutral view of the substance at a party with friends in the evening
    • A calm indifference to the substance at all times and in all places
    • A wish to avoid the substance for a holiday that is planned in advance
    • A powerful urge to use that is hard to resist when it arises

  6. Why does the ICD use several features to diagnose dependence rather than one?

    • Features are only used for children and not for adults in the clinic
    • Features are chosen at random by the clinician during each assessment
    • No single feature alone is enough, so a pattern of features is used
    • Only one feature is needed, so the others are optional for the clinician

  7. Which statement about the ICD dependence features is most accurate?

    • They apply only to people who are under the age of eighteen years
    • Each one is sufficient on its own to make a diagnosis of dependence
    • They are considered together as a pattern over time, not one by one
    • They can be ignored once the person has stopped using for a single week

  8. A clinician records difficulty stopping, strong craving and continued use despite harm. What does this pattern suggest?

    • Features consistent with normal sleep patterns across the whole of the night
    • Features consistent with the dependence syndrome described by the ICD
    • Features consistent with a broken bone that has not yet healed in the leg
    • Features consistent with a healthy routine of work and rest over the week

  9. Which is most important to ask about when assessing dependence?

    • Whether the person has a favourite colour that they wear most of the time
    • Whether the person has lost control over how much or how often they use
    • Whether the person likes sport and is a member of a local team
    • Whether the person can speak a second language at a conversational level

  10. How does the ICD approach for addiction compare with the approach for depression?

    • Both rely on a single blood test that gives a yes or no answer
    • Both use only brain scans to decide whether a diagnosis should be made
    • Both ignore all symptoms and features and rely on the clinician's instinct
    • Both use a set of listed features rather than a single test

  11. What is meant by 'loss of control' in the ICD addiction features?

    • Being fully able to stop using a substance at any moment that is chosen
    • Being unable to remember what was eaten at breakfast on a particular morning
    • Being unable to limit how much or how often a substance is used
    • Being unable to walk without the help of a carer at home each day

  12. A person continues to drink despite it causing liver damage and job loss. Which ICD feature does this show?

    • Good control over drinking despite the harm that it is causing to them
    • Lack of desire to drink at any time over the course of the year
    • Continued use despite harmful consequences
    • Drinking only at prescribed times of the day as set by a doctor

  13. Which feature is least relevant to diagnosing addiction under the ICD?

    • Continued use despite harmful consequences that are clearly documented
    • Difficulty in controlling use that the person has reported to the clinician
    • The patient's favourite television programme that they watch each evening
    • A higher priority given to the substance than to other activities

  14. Why is the ICD dependence syndrome considered a pattern rather than a single event?

    • Several features must be present together over a period of time to show dependence
    • One single use is enough to meet all of the features of dependence at once
    • The features are only ever recorded once in a patient's whole life history
    • The features are never related to time and can occur at any moment

  15. Which ICD feature best matches a person who says they 'can't stop' even though they want to?

    • Difficulty in controlling use despite a wish to stop
    • No desire for the substance at all, even when the person is under stress
    • Easy control of use at all times, whatever the person's own wishes are
    • Complete abstinence for many years without any relapse at all in the period

  16. A clinician uses the ICD to assess a patient's strong desire to use. Which evidence would be most useful?

    • The patient describing a single pleasant memory from childhood holidays
    • The patient describing a new recipe they tried for dinner the week before
    • The patient describing frequent, intense cravings
    • The patient describing their favourite holiday destination and the hotel

  17. Why might a clinician check for multiple features when diagnosing dependence?

    • To find the single feature that proves dependence every time it is present
    • To make sure the pattern is consistent and not explained by a single factor
    • To avoid asking the patient any questions about their own experiences at all
    • To reduce the time spent on the assessment to only one minute in the clinic

  18. Which feature describes a person who uses a substance more than planned, repeatedly?

    • Never using more than planned, even on the days with the most stress
    • Using exactly what was planned each time without any change at all
    • Full control over use at all times, with the amount always kept low
    • Loss of control over the amount and frequency of use over time

  19. Which pattern would the ICD approach most likely link to dependence?

    • Occasional use with no attempts to change and no harm to the person
    • Use only in a social setting with no effect on the person's daily life
    • Repeated failed attempts to cut down, with use continuing despite harm
    • Use that is always planned and never exceeds the limit set in advance

  20. Which statement best summarises ICD diagnosis of addiction?

    • A single symptom such as a headache is enough to make the diagnosis
    • A pattern of features such as strong desire and loss of control is used
    • A diagnosis is never made because addiction is not a recognised condition
    • A diagnosis is based only on the person's age in years at the clinic

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