Abnormal

Question 1

What is the purpose of diagnosis? Give 2 reasons

Answer 1

1. To identify abnormal disorders so treatment can be applied accordingly
2. To provide investigation opportunities into the aetiologies of disorders

Question 2

What are 3 types of diagnosis methods?

Answer 2

Biological (i.e. brain scans)
Psychological (i.e. IQ, cognitive tests, observations etc.)
DSM

Question 3

What does the DSM stand for?

Answer 3

Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Question 4

Give a definition of affective symptoms

Answer 4

The way in which people react emotionally to a situation and their ability to feel emotions

Question 5

Give a definition of behavioural symptoms

Answer 5

The way an individual behaves and the activities they participate in or withdraw from

Question 6

Give a definition of cognitive symptoms

Answer 6

Ability/inability to rationalise and concentrate as normal, the thoughts that one has about themselves, others and their intentions.

Question 7

What were the results of Nuermberger and Gershon’s meta-analysis on 7 studies which concluded that genetic factors could predispose people to depression?

Answer 7

Concordance rate for monozygotic twins (identical) was 65%, consistently higher than for dizygotic twins which gave a rate of 14%.

Note: Stats are not 100%, suggests cognitive or social factors also have influence

Question 8

Who’s 1995 study supports Beck’s cognitive triad and how?

Answer 8

Moilanen’s study - associated depression in adolescents to negative self thoughts and negative thoughts about their future

Question 9

What does Brown and Harris’ model suggest?

Answer 9

The Vulnerability Model suggests that certain factors can make one more vulnerable to depression (i.e. losing a parent at a young age, unemployment, more than 3 young children)

Question 10

What were the results of Brown and Harris’ study which supports their vulnerability model?

Answer 10

• 82% of depressed women had recently experienced life changing events compared to 33% in the non-depressed group
• 23% of women in working class had become depressed in the past year compared to 3% in the non-depressed group
• Women with young children were at higher risk

Note: tenuous link to Meany

Question 11

Why may Rosenhan’s study be less relevant now than in 1973 (the year the study was conducted)?

Answer 11

Methods of diagnosis have changed - DSM-II was used in the 70’s but diagnosis is more sophisticated now

Question 12

Define statistical infrequency in terms of abnormality

Answer 12

“A person’s trait, thinking or behaviour is classified as abnormal if it is statistically unusual.”

Question 13

Highlight 3 issues with the statistical definition of abnormality/normality

Answer 13

1. Who decides the extent of deviation from the norm?
2. Not universally applicable
3. Doesn’t distinguish what is desirable (e.g. obesity is statistically normal but not healthy or desirable and high IQ is desirable but not statistically normal)

Question 14

Define social deviation in terms of abnormality

Answer 14

“members of a society who do not think and behave like everyone else are often considered to be abnormal.”

Question 15

Highlight 3 issues with the social definition of abnormality/normality

Answer 15

1. No universal agreement on social norms as each culture varies significantly
2. Social norms differ between generations, ethic groups, socio-economic groups etc.
3. Social norms change with time (e.g. homosexuality was considered a psychological disorder until the 80’s by WHO)

Question 16

Rosenhan and Seligman suggest a list of characteristics which define an individual as abnormal, what are 4 of these?

Answer 16

1. Maladaptiveness (harm to self)
2. Irrationality
3. Being unconventional
4. Unpredictability

Question 17

What are 2 issues with Rosenhan and Seligman’s list of characteristics defining one as abnormal?

Answer 17

1. Many people engage in maladaptive behaviour but are not considered abnormal (e.g. smoking)
2. Being unconventional is considered not as abnormal but may have been at the time (changes with time)

Question 18

In the Cooper et al study, an identical video clip was shown to psychiatrists (from NY and from London). What were the findings?

Answer 18

Psychiatrists from New York were more likely to diagnose schizophrenia and psychiatrists from London were more likely to diagnose mania or depression

Question 19

What were the results and explanation of results of Beck’s study on the reliability of diagnosis?

Answer 19

Agreement between 2 psychiatrists on diagnosis for 153 patients was 54% which may be due to vagueness in criteria for diagnosis and different methods of diagnosis

Question 20

What specific idea is CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) based on?

Answer 20

Idea that cognition, emotion and behaviour all interact and specifically, thoughts determine feelings and behaviour

Question 21

What does the therapy aim to do?

Answer 21

Aims to help people become aware of their negative thoughts and of behavioural patterns which reinforce this thinking
Helps people develop alternative ways of thinking/behaving

Question 22

Give an example of a biomedical treatment

Answer 22

Drug treatments e.g. SSRI’s (such as Prozac)

Note: SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

Question 23

What do SSRI’s do?

Answer 23

They block the reuptake of serotonin by terminal buttons; leaving more in the synapses