4.1.4 PSYCHOPATHOLOGY Flashcards

1
Q

what are the four definitions of abnormality

A

statistical infrequency, deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, deviation from ideal mental health

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2
Q

what is statistical infrequency

A

any relatively usual behaviour or characteristic is normal, anything else is abnormal - such as an iq being under 70 or higher than 130

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3
Q

define deviation from social norms

A

behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community or society, norms are specific to the culture we live in

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4
Q

define failure to function adequately

A

when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day to day living such as maintaining basic hygiene

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5
Q

what did rosenhan and seligman propose

A

signs to determine when someone is not functioning adequately:
• no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules
• experiences severe personal distress
• behaviour is irrational or dangerous to themselves or others

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6
Q

define deviation from ideal mental health

A

when someone doesn’t meet set criteria for good mental health

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7
Q

who defined the set criteria for good mental health

A

jahoda

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8
Q

what are the criteria for good mental health

A

• no symptoms of distress
• rational thinking and accurate self perception
• self actualisation
• cope with stress
• realistic view of the world
• good self esteem and lack guilt
• independent of others
• successfully work, love and enjoy leisure

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9
Q

what is the approach, explanation and treatment of phobias

A

behavioural, two-process model, flooding & SD

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10
Q

what is the approach, explanation and treatment of depression

A

cognitive, ellis abc model & becks cognitive theory, CBT

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11
Q

what is the approach, explanation and treatment of ocd

A

biological, genetic & neural explanations, drug therapy

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12
Q

what is a phobia

A

an intense, persistent and irrational fear of an object, context or activity

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13
Q

when is fear considered atypical

A

when people have an extreme reaction to a non threatening or only mildly threatening situation

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14
Q

what are the three types of phobia

A

specific phobias, social phobia, agoraphobia

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15
Q

what is a specific phobia

A

fears about specific objects or situations, such as spiders, flying or the dark

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16
Q

what is a social phobia

A

anxiety relating to social situations, such as public speaking, talking to a group of people or using a public toilet

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17
Q

what is agoraphobia

A

a fear of being outside or in a public space

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18
Q

what are the three types of phobia characteristics

A

behavioural, emotional, cognitive

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19
Q

what are behavioural characteristics of phobias

A

panic : screaming, crying
avoidance : preventing contact
endurance : keep wary eye on stimulus

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20
Q

what are the emotional characteristics of phobias

A

anxiety : unpleasant high arousal
fear : immediate unpleasant experience

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21
Q

what are the cognitive characteristics of phobias

A

selective attention : struggle to focus
irrational beliefs : resistant to rational argument
cognitive distortions : innacurate perceptions

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22
Q

who proposed the two process model

A

mowrer

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23
Q

what is the two process model based on and what does it suggest

A

the behavioural approach to phobias, suggests phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning

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24
Q

who conducted the study on little albert

A

watson and rayner

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25
Q

define the procedure of little albert

A

a 9 month old baby shown a series of stimulus, only one resulted in a fear response was a loud bang, then presented with a white rat at the same time and as a result displayed fear when he saw the rat

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26
Q

what is stimulus generalisation

A

developing a fear to other similar objects, in little alberts case, also developed a fear to a rabbit, a fur coat and a santa beard

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27
Q

why do phobias continue

A

operant conditioning, if we are scared of something we avoid it and so our fear persists, avoiding the fear has desirable consequences and so we feel rewarded

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28
Q

describe systematic desensitisation

A

behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning

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29
Q

define counterconditioning

A

a new response (relaxation) to the phobic stimulus is learned

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30
Q

what are the three processes of systematic desensitisation

A
  1. construction of anxiety hierarchy
  2. relaxation
  3. exposure to phobic stimulus
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31
Q

define the process: construction of anxiety hierarchy

A

a list of situations related to the phobic stimulus arranged in order from the least to the most frightening, cartoon picture of small spider — holding a tarantula

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32
Q

define the process: relaxation

A

the client is taught relaxation techniques such as breathing excersises, mental imagery, mediation
alternatively relaxation can be achieved using drugs

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33
Q

define the process: exposure to the phobic stimulus

A

exposed when in relaxed state, starting at the bottom of the hierarchy, gradually move up the hierarchy when the client can stay relaxed in the presence of the lower levels of the phobic stimulus

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34
Q

define reciprocal inhibition

A

impossible to feel afraid and relaxed at the same time, so one emotion prevents the other from

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35
Q

who created the anxiety hierarchy of a fear of dogs

A

newman and adams

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36
Q

define flooding

A

behaviour therapy involving immediate exposure to the phobic stimulus

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37
Q

define extinction

A

learned response is extinguished when the conditioned stimulus is encountered without the unconditioned stimulus

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38
Q

what may happen during flooding

A

the client may experience exhaustion as the body can’t maintain a high level of arousal for a long period of time

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39
Q

ao3: outline bounton’s theory

A

highlights the fact that evolutionary factors could play a role in phobias, especially if the avoidance of a particular stimulus could have increased the chance of survival for our ancestors

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40
Q

ao3: outline gilroy’s procedure and findings

A

followed up 42 people who had SD for arachnophobia in three 45-minute sessions.
at both 3 and 33 months, the SD group were less fearful than a control group treated by relaxation without exposure.

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41
Q

ao3: wechsler et al findings

A

concluded that systematic desensitisation is effective for specific phobias, social phobia and agoraphobia

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42
Q

name the categories of depression

A

major depressive disorder
persistent depressive disorder
disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
premenstrual dysregulation disorder

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43
Q

what are the three categories of characteristics of depression

A

behavioural
emotional
cognitive

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44
Q

name the behavioural characteristics of depression

A

activity levels: reduced or increased energy
disruption to sleep and eating behaviour: loss or gain
aggression or self harm

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45
Q

name the emotional characteristics of depression

A

lowered mood: more pronounced, worthless or empty
anger: directed at self or others
lowered self esteem

46
Q

name the cognitive characteristics of depression

A

poor concentration: including poor decision-making
attending to and dwelling on the negative
absolutist thinking: black and white thinking

47
Q

who created the negative triad

A

beck

48
Q

what are the three aspects of becks negative triad

A

negative views of self
negative views of the future
negative views of the world

49
Q

what are the cognitions which lead to a vulnerability of depression

A

faulty information processing
negative self-schema

50
Q

describe faulty information processing

A

attend to the negative aspects of a situation and ignore the positives
think in lack and white terms

51
Q

describe a negative self schema

A

the package of information people have about themselves
when using this schema to interpret the world, if it is negative, all information is interpreted in a negative way

52
Q

who created the abc model in order to treat depression

A

ellis

53
Q

what does each letter stand for in the abc model

A

activating event
beliefs
consequence

54
Q

outline three irrational beliefs

A

must achieve perfection - musterbation
major disaster if things don’t go smoothly - i-cant-stand-it-itis
life is always meant to be fair - utopianism

55
Q

how did ellis define irrational thoughts

A

any thoughts which interfere with us being happy and free from pain

56
Q

ao3: outline grazioli and terry’s study and findings

A

assessed 65 pregnant woman for cognitive vulnerability and depression before and after birth, found that highly vulnerable were more likely to suffer with postnatal depression

57
Q

ao3: outline clark and beck’s study and findings

A

confirmed in a review that cognitive vulnerability more common in depressed people

58
Q

what is the most common psychological treatment for depression

A

cognitive behavioural therapy

59
Q

briefly explain the cognitive elements of cbt

A

assessment where client and therapist clarify problems
jointly identify goals and plan to achieve them
identify irrational thoughts which will benefit from challenge

60
Q

briefly explain the behavioural element of cbt

A

work to change negative and irrational thoughts by putting more effective behaviours in place

61
Q

outline becks cognitive theory in relation to cbt

A

identify and challenge thoughts related to the negative triad
test the reality of negative thoughts using homework

62
Q

what does cbt stand for

A

cognitive behavioural therapy

63
Q

describe homework given to cbt patients

A

gathering evidence and testing validity of irrational beliefs

64
Q

what is cbt homework used for

A

the therapist uses it in future sessions to prove clients statements incorrect

65
Q

what is ellis’s form of therapy called

A

Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

66
Q

what does the abc model extend to in rebt

A

d - dispute
e- effect

67
Q

outline the vigorous argument in rebt

A

empirical argument - dispute whether there is actual evidence to support the negative belief
logical argument - dispute whether the negative thought logically follows the facts

68
Q

what is the goal of behavioural activation

A

to work with depressed individuals to decresase avoidance and isolation and increase engagement in mode improving activities

69
Q

ao3: outline march et al’s findings

A

found that CBT was as effective as antidepressants in treating depression in a sample of 327 adolescents.
after 36 weeks, 81% of the antidepressant group, 81% of the CBT group and 86% of the combination group had significantly improved

70
Q

ao3: outline rosenzweig’s research

A

argued that it is the relationship between the client and the therapist which is of utmost importance in determining the success of a psychological therapy

71
Q

what are the behavioural characteristics of ocd

A

compulsions: repetitive behaviour
avoidance: avoiding triggering situations

72
Q

what are emotional characteristics of ocd

A

anxiety and distress
depression
guilt and disgust

73
Q

what are cognitive characteristics of ocd

A

obsessive thoughts: recurring and unpleasant
coping strategies: eg praying
insights into excessive anxiety: aware o/c not rational

74
Q

what are the two biological explanations of ocd

A

genetic
neural

75
Q

what are the two biological explanations of ocd

A

genetic
neural

76
Q

what did lewis’ research suggest about ocd patients

A

the genetic vulnerability to developing ocd is inherited

77
Q

what did lewis’ research suggest about ocd patients

A

the genetic vulnerability to developing ocd is inherited

78
Q

what were the percentages of ocd siblings and parents in lewis’ research

A

37% had parents w ocd
21% had siblings w ocd

79
Q

describe the diathesis stress model

A

certain genes make people more likely to develop a disorder but environmental stress is required to trigger a condition

80
Q

what are candidate genes

A

genes which create vulnerability for ocd

81
Q

what are some candidate genes involved in

A

the regulation and transmission of serotonin

82
Q

what does it mean to say ocd is polygenic

A

it caused by a combination of genetic variations which increase vulnerability, rather than by one single gene

83
Q

how many genes did taylor find associated with ocd

A

230

84
Q

what does it mean to say ocd is aetiologically heterogeneous

A

the origins of ocd vary between people
one group of genes may cause ocd in one person, but a different group of genes may cause
the disorder in another person
different types of ocd may be the result of
particular genetic variations

85
Q

what is the neural explanation of ocd

A

genes associated with ocd are likely to affect the levels of key neurotransmitters as well as structures of the brain

86
Q

what is the function of serotonin

A

regulates mood

87
Q

what is low serotonin associated with

A

a person has low levels of serotonin then normal transmission of mood-relevant information does not take place so low serotonin levels are therefore associated with ocd and other mental disorders

88
Q

how does ocd affect decision making

A

ocd is associated with poor decision-making

89
Q

what lobe is associated with ocd

A

the frontal lobe is responsible for logical thinking and making decisions.
therefore, impairment of the frontal lobe is associated with ocd

90
Q

ao3: what does nestadt et al’s research suggest about genetic explanations of ocd

A

concordance rates of 68% for mz twins and 31% for dz twins; suggesting that the more genetically-related the individuals are, the more likely they are to develop the disorder

91
Q

ao3: what did soomro et al’s research show about serotonin in ocd

A

reviewed 17 studies that compared ssri’s to placebos in the treatment of ocd
all of these studies showed significantly better outcomes for ssris than the placebo conditions

92
Q

ao3: what did cromer et al find out about risk factors in ocd

A

found that over half the ocd clients in their sample had experienced a traumatic event in their past
ocd was also more severe in those with one or more traumas

93
Q

what does drug therapy aim to do

A

aims to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain to increase or decrease their activity

94
Q

what does drug therapy aim to do

A

aims to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in the brain to increase or decrease their activity

95
Q

how does drug therapy aim to treat ocd

A

low levels of serotonin are associated with ocd
drugs to treat ocd work in various ways to increase the level of serotonin in the brain

96
Q

how does drug therapy aim to treat ocd

A

low levels of serotonin are associated with ocd
drugs to treat ocd work in various ways to increase the level of serotonin in the brain

97
Q

what does ssri stand for

A

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

98
Q

how is serotonin absorbed/transmitted

A

serotonin is released by the presynaptic neurons and travels across a synapse
it chemically conveys the signal from the presynaptic neuron to the postsynaptic neuron, and then it is reabsorbed into the presynaptic neuron where it is broken down and reused

99
Q

how do ssri’s work to treat ocd

A

ssri’s increase the levels of serotonin in the synapse by preventing reabsorption in the presynaptic neuron
the increased levels of serotonin in the synapse results in the continued stimulation of the postsynaptic neuron
this compensates for the lack of serotonin that would naturally be found in the individual’s system

100
Q

how do ssri’s work to treat ocd

A

ssri’s increase the levels of serotonin in the synapse by preventing reabsorption in the presynaptic neuron
the increased levels of serotonin in the synapse results in the continued stimulation of the postsynaptic neuron
this compensates for the lack of serotonin that would naturally be found in the individual’s system

101
Q

what is a typical does of fluoxetine

A

20mg

102
Q

what is a typical does of fluoxetine

A

20mg

103
Q

how long does it take for ssri’s to have an impact

A

it takes 3-4 months of daily use for ssris to have much impact on symptoms

104
Q

how long does it take for ssri’s to have an impact

A

it takes 3-4 months of daily use for ssris to have much impact on symptoms

105
Q

what are the advantages of using cbt alongside drug therapy

A

the drugs reduce a person’s emotional symptoms, such as feeling anxious or depressed
this means that people with ocd can engage more effectively with cbt

106
Q

what are the advantages of using cbt alongside drug therapy

A

the drugs reduce a person’s emotional symptoms, such as feeling anxious or depressed
this means that people with ocd can engage more effectively with cbt

107
Q

what do tricyclics do

A

acts on various systems, including the serotonin system

108
Q

when are tricyclics used and why

A

more severe side-effects than ssri’s, so generally only used if a patient has not been responsive to ssri’s

109
Q

when are tricyclics used and why

A

more severe side-effects than ssri’s, so generally only used if a patient has not been responsive to ssri’s

110
Q

what do snri’s do

A

increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline

111
Q

what do snri’s do

A

increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline

112
Q

when are ssris used

A

used if the patient is not responsive to ssris