1. Intro & Psychopathology

Question 1

Symptomology

Answer 1

study of isolated symptoms in view of their clinical (diagnostic and aetiological) significance
the combined signs, markers or indications of a disease or disorder

Question 2

Nosology

Answer 2

Provisional and conventional characteristics of a syndrome- leads to diagnosis
the scientific study and classification of diseases and disorders

Question 3

Psychopathology

Answer 3

Aims to understand and explain nature of mental disorder
focus on explanations
person-orineted
interdisciplinary scientific study of mental disorders, including their theoretical underpinnings, aetiology, progression, symptomology, diagnosis and tx

Question 4

Statistical model

Answer 4

equates disorder with statistical rarity
disorders are abnormal because they are infrequent within the population
no guidance as to cut offs between normal and abnormal
which dimensions are relevant to abnormality?
assumes common conditions are normal

Question 5

subjective distress

Answer 5

core feature distinguishing disorders from non disorders is psychological pain
assumes all disorders are ego dystonic or that all ahve high insight

Question 6

biological

Answer 6

disorders are associated with a biological disadvantage

Question 7

need for treatment

Answer 7

heterogenous conditions, characterised by perceived need for intervention

Question 8

approaches to understand and classify disorders

Answer 8

statistical model
subjective distress
biological
need for treatment

Question 9

Criticisms of DSM 5

Answer 9

doesnt adequately account for comorbidities
medicalisation of normality (disruptive mood regulation disorder, removing bereavement criteria for depression)
neglect of the attenuation paradox (issues of trade off between reliability and external validity)
categorical rather than dimensional approach to disorders- contention regarding cut offs v continuums

Question 10

comorbidity

Answer 10

joint occurrent of two or more mental disorders
poorer prognosis, greater tx needs
disorder pathway/chain effect
may be a common underlying vulnerability/root cause

Question 11

differential diagnosis

Answer 11

determining which of two or more diseases or disorders with overlapping symptoms a particular person has

Question 12

steps to dsm5 differential diagnosis

Answer 12

1. rule out malingering and factitious disorder
2. rule out substance aetiology (most common diagnostic error made by clinicians)- determine whether the person has been using a substance, whether there is an etiological relationship between the substance and sx
3. rule out disorder due to general medical condition
4. determine the specific primary disorders
5. differentiate adjustment disorders from the residual other specified or unspecified disorders- if other disorder criteria is not met
6. establish the boundary with no mental disorder- clinically significant?

Question 13

be mindful of malingering or factitious disorder when

Answer 13

clear external incentives to dx
patient presents with a cluster of sx that conforms more to a lay person’s perception of mental illness
nature of sx shifts drastically from one encounter to next
presentation mimics that of a role model
patient characteristically manipulative/suggestible

Question 14

3 possibilities of substance aetiology

Answer 14

the use and the sx are independent
sx are the result of the substance
substance use is a consequence of sx (self medication)

Question 15

transdiagnostic interventions

Answer 15

use eclectic treatment strategies to
address multiple diagnostic problem sets linked by common underlying
etiological or maintaining mechanisms.
A good transdiagnotic treatment relies on strategies with empirical support and is flexible
enough to accommodate diverse problems

Question 16

advantages- transdiagnostic interventions

Answer 16

increased efficiency and less resources required
easier dissemination
increased efficacy

Question 17

transdiagnostic theory

Answer 17

an approach to understanding psychological disorders outside of the conceptual structure of diagnosis
commonalities across emotional disorders may outweigh the differences
unified treatments are associated with symptom immprovement