5.3 Explaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders Flashcards
Psychological Disorder
A condition characterized by significant disturbances in a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that cause distress, impairment, or both.
Dysfunction
A significant impairment or disturbance in an individual’s cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning.
Distress
A state of emotional discomfort or suffering
Stigma
Negative and discriminatory attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors directed towards individuals or groups perceived as different or having certain characteristics
Amerian Psychiatric Association
A professional medical organization specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health disorders.
Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
A widely used handbook that provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification and diagnosis of mental disorders, serving as a tool for mental health professionals.
World Health Organization
A specialized agency of the United Nations that is responsible for international public health.
International Classification of Mental Disorders (ICD)
A standardized system for classifying and diagnosing a wide range of mental health conditions, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Eclectic Approach
A therapeutic style that combines elements from multiple theoretical frameworks and techniques.
Behavioral Perspective
A theoretical approach that emphasizes the study of observable behaviors and their underlying mechanisms
Maladaptive Behaviors
Patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions that are harmful or interfere with an individual’s well-being, functioning, and ability to adapt to their environment.
Psychodynamic Perspective
A theoretical approach of unconscious mental processes, early childhood experiences, and interpersonal relationships shaping human behavior and personality.
Humanistic Perspective
an individual’s inherent potential for growth, self-actualization, and positive development
subjective experiences, emotions, and the uniqueness of human nature
Cognitive Perspective
A theoretical approach that emphasizes the role of mental processes in understanding and explaining human behavior.
Maladaptive Thoughts
unhelpful cognitive patterns which hinder effective coping with life challenges, leading to distress and psychological difficulties.
Maladaptive Relationships
Unhealthy patterns of interaction, communication, and behavior that negatively impact individuals’ well-being and relationships.
Evolutionary Perspectives
how human behavior and mental processes are shaped by evolutionary processes, focusing on the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors
Sociocultural Perspective
The view that an individual’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions are influenced by their social and cultural environment
Biological Perspective
A scientific approach that emphasizes the role of biological factors in understanding human behavior and mental processes
Biopsychosocial Model
A framework in psychology that emphasizes the interconnectedness of biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding and treating health and illness.
Diathesis-Stress Model
how mental disorders develop as a result of the interaction between an individual’s inherent vulnerability (diathesis) and environmental stressors.
Diathesis
A predisposition or vulnerability to develop a specific mental health condition
Epigenetics
The study of how environmental factors and experiences can influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence.
