Which of the following mental health problems is generally considered the least common among adults in the general population?

• A. Generalized anxiety disorder
• B. Major depressive disorder
• C. Alcohol use disorder
• D. Schizophrenia

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the prevalence of each mental health disorder listed. Prevalence refers to how common a disorder is within a given population over a specific period.
2. Step 2: Review epidemiological data or research studies that report the lifetime or annual prevalence rates of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Schizophrenia among adults.
3. Step 3: Compare the prevalence rates of the first three disorders (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder) with that of Schizophrenia, noting which has the lowest rate.
4. Step 4: Recognize that Schizophrenia typically has a lower prevalence rate (around 1%) compared to the other disorders, which are generally more common in the adult population.
5. Step 5: Conclude that Schizophrenia is considered the least common mental health problem among the options provided based on its lower prevalence in the general adult population.