abnormal psychology

Question 1

mental disorder

Answer 1

deviant, distressful, or dysfunctional patters of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors
deviant = different from most other people in your culture
distressful = feeling that something is wrong
dysfunctional = ability to work/live is measurably impaired
dangerous = poses risk of harm to self or others

*all of these don’t need to apply for it to be considered a mental disorder

Question 2

biopsychosocial model

Answer 2

a model for understanding abnormal behavior

biological influences: evolution, individual genes, brain structure and chemistry

social-cultural influences: roles, expectations, definitions of normality, and disorder

psychological influences: stress, trauma, learned helplessness, mood-related perceptions and memories

Question 3

DSM

Answer 3

DSM-5
-popular categorical approach to disorders
-sets specific criteria for making a psychological diagnosis (allows psychologists to measure/diagnose psychological disorders)
-not without its flaws! (it’s a work in progress…)
DMS-1-4
-remember historical context is important
-many things previously included as mental disorders that are no longer considered abnormal by most (ex: homosexuality classified as a pathology in editions 1 & 2)

Question 4

anxiety disorder

Answer 4

type of mental health condition where people have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns
ex: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias

Question 5

anxiety

Answer 5

similar to fear, except not tied to a specific situation

Question 6

generalized anxiety disorder

Answer 6

frequent and exaggerated worries (ex: a person is worrying about all things of life; everyday issues)

Question 7

panic disorder

Answer 7

frequent anxiety and occasional panic attacks (rapid breathing, increased heart rate, chest pains, sweating, faintness, and trembling) *a more serious diagnosis

Question 8

phobias

Answer 8

a fear that interferes with normal living
-largely learned in a societal context (ex: snakes, spiders, heights, social contexts)

Question 9

OCD

Answer 9

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
ex: worrying about killing/hurting their family/loved ones/others or contracting an illness (not rooted in reality)

Question 10

obsession

Answer 10

repetitive, unwelcome stream of thought

Question 11

compulsion

Answer 11

repetitive, almost irresistible action (ex: cleaning, checking, counting, collecting)

Question 12

substance-related disorders

Answer 12

dependence/addiction
ex: alcoholism

Question 13

dependence/addiction

Answer 13

unable to quit a self-destructive habit

Question 14

alcoholism

Answer 14

-habitual overuse of alcohol
-substantial genetic influence (via twin studies)

-liver uses enzymes to convert alcohol to acetaldehyde and acetaldehyde to acetic acid

-due to genetics, some people have difficulty turning acetaldehyde to acetic acid (drinking makes them feel ill and very hungover, common among people from Asia/Southeast Asia (who have low rates of alcoholism, as a result)

-culture and experience matter, too! heavy drinking is condoned/encouraged differently in different cultures, alcoholism is more common for: people who were raised in families marked by conflict, hostility, and inadequate parental supervision, women who were sexually abused, people who are depressed

Question 15

acetaldehyde

Answer 15

a toxic substance

Question 16

acetic acid

Answer 16

a harmless substance

Question 17

mood disorders

Answer 17

major depression, bipolar disorder

Question 18

major depression

Answer 18

condition lasting weeks at a time, during which the person experiences little interest, pleasure, or motivation

Question 19

bipolar disorder

Answer 19

condition in which someone alternates between mood extremes

Question 20

schizophrenia

Answer 20

people with this disorder exhibit:
-a prolonged deterioration of daily activities such as work, social relations, and self-care
-some combination of the following:
-hallucinations: perceptions that do not correspond to anything in the real world (namely auditory which are more common than visual)
-delusions: belief that someone holds strongly despite evidence against it
-disorganized speech and thought
-movement disorder
-loss of normal emotional responses and social behaviors

Question 21

autism spectrum disorder

Answer 21

main symptoms:
-impaired social relationships (little eye contact; little social contact)
-impaired communication (repetitive speech; no sustained conversations)
-stereotyped behaviors (repetitive movements such as flapping fingers)
-usually identified before age 2
-may perform below average on some intellectual tasks and above average on others (sometimes way above average)
-strong genetic basis (92% concordance for autism in monozygotic twins, 10% concordance for autism in dizygotic twins)
*the most clearly related genetically

Question 22

psychotherapy

Answer 22

-treatment of psychological disorder by methods that include a personal relationship between a trained therapist and a client
-empirically supported treatments: therapies demonstrated to be helpful
not mandatory, but common among therapists (and sometimes required by insurers)

Question 23

psychodynamic therapies

Answer 23

attempt to understand conflicting impulses, including some that the individual does not consciously recognize (based on the work of Freud)

Question 24

behavior therapy

Answer 24

begins with a clear, well-defined goal (e.g., eliminate test anxiety) and then attempts to achieve it through learning

Question 25

cognitive therapy

Answer 25

seeks to improve psychological well-being by changing people’s interpretation of events

Question 26

humanistic therapy

Answer 26

therapist listens to the client with total acceptance and unconditional positive regard

Question 27

family systems therapy

Answer 27

the guiding assumption is that most people’s problems develop in a family setting and that the best way to deal with them is to improve family relationships and communication

Question 28

group therapies

Answer 28

administered to several people at once