abnormal psychology Flashcards
what is abnormal psychology
what does abnormal mean in psychology?
a deviation from ideal mental health
what are the 3 things that justify normal
1.statistical frequency
2.violation of social norms
3.deviation from ideal mental health
what is abnormal psychology referred to?
psychopathology
what disorders does abnormal psychology include?
1.anxiety disorders
2.obsessive-compulsive disorders
3.post-traumatic stress disorder 4.mood disorders
5.personality disorders, schizophrenia
6.delusional disorders
7.substance use disorder
8.dissociative disorders
9.impulse control disorders.
aetiology of stress and what events can this include?
triggered by ‘stressors’ that are often unanticipated and out of one’s control
Events such as romantic break-ups, political conflict, hectic work schedules, chronic illness and other circumstance can lead to stress.
psychoneuroimmunology
study of how psychological factors can influence the immune system
The transactional modal of stress(Lazarus and Folkman 1984)
suggested that an individual’s capacity to cope and adjust to life challenges and issues is influenced by transactions (or interactions) that take place between the individual and their environment
what is the transactional modal of stress experienced by ?
appraisal
in the transactional modal of stress, what are the 2 stages of appraisal that people go through when undergoing stress?
1.persons primary appraisal
2.persons secondary appraisal
what is primary appraisal?
-they evaluate the situation to decide if it is relevant to them
-they evaluate whether it will bring about the possibility of gain or harm
-they evaluate whether it will bring about the possibility of gain or harmIf -it is relevant, they decide if it is positive or dangerous
-if they perceive it as dangerous they will move onto secondary appraisal
what is secondary appraisal?
person then decides if they have the ability to cope with the situation – usually by examining the balance of situational demands (such as risk, uncertainty or difficulty etc.) and their perceived resources (including social support, expertise etc.
-if they perceive that demands outweigh resources they experience negative stress, after which they start to engage in coping strategies
what 2 coping styles does the transactional modal of stress have?
1.problem focused
2.emotion focused
what does a problem focused approach involve?
attempting to deal with the situation itself to change it into something of less concern
what does an emotion focused approach involve?
-changing our relationship with the situation in a way which reduces the stress it causes
what can an emotion focused approach lead to?
involve denial, avoidance or cognitively re-framing the meaning of the event
in the transactional modal, what are the 2 coping strategies?
1.adaptive
2.maladaptive
what is a adaptive response?
beneficial because they either tackle the stressor directly or the way it is perceived
what is an maladaptive response?
helps ameliorate the stress in the short-term but can exacerbate the problem in the long term by adding more stressors to one’s life.e.g drinking alcohol
what is a mindfulness
psychotherapy approach:developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn to use Buddhist principles and cognition management in a more secular, Westernised approach to help people manage stress
what is the main subtype of mindfulness?
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
anxiety disorder
haracterised by excessive anxiety and constant worry that have been present for more than 6 months.
2 bodily symptoms of anxiety disorder
1.feeling on edge
2.muscle tension
social anxiety disorder
referred to as social phobia, is a long-term and overwhelming fear of social situations. More specifically, the fear and anxiety is induced by the thought of being watched, judged or rejected by others i.e. of being negatively evaluated
what is the age of onset for social anxiety disorder?
teenage years.
symptoms of social anxiety disorder
elevated heart rate, nausea, and sweating, and individuals may experience full-blown attacks when confronting a feared situation
causes of social anxiety disorder
Triggering memories of public humiliation or embarrassment
Overprotective parents
History of being bullied
Limited socialisation
Genetic factors
what 2 treatments is given for social anxiety disorder?
1.benzodiazepines
2. psychotherapy
what do behavioural approach for anxiety disorder?
Behavioural approaches tend to focus on behaviour change, namely relaxation techniques to manage GAD symptoms
what is cognitive behavioural approach ?
focus on automatic thinking. First, clients are instructed to pay attention to any factors in their daily life that trigger anxiety responses as well as identify their worries.
-they are then encouraged to question and diminish the perceived severity or ramifications of the worries they have
-Patients are then asked to develop alternative, less anxiety-arousing assumptions or interpretations, these will be applied to real life
Bipolar disorders
group of mood disorders that cause extreme shifts in mood, energy, and behaviour
what episodes do people with bipolar disorder experience?
both dramatic “highs,” called manic episodes (or mania), and “lows,” called depressive episodes.
antecedents(factors) that trigger bipolar symptoms
-not enough sleep
-antidepressant
-alcohol drug misuse
-pregnancy hormone
-change in seasons
2 treatments for bipolar
1.combination of medication 2.psychotherapy, also called “talk therapy
2 medications for bipolar disorder
1.mood stabilisers
2.antipsychotics
major depressive disorder
commonly known as Depression, is classified as a mood disorder and is characterised by low mood that lasts for a long time span
what is difference between depression and grief
1.Depression :self-loathing or lowered (sometimes loss of) self-esteem, while grief usually does not.
2. grief: positive affective states and happy memories of the deceased typically accompany feelings of emotional pain. In major depression, the feelings of sadness are usually constant
how can depression affect everyday life?
reduce a person’s self-management ability in terms of health-protective behaviour (e.g. medical adherence, good diet, physical activity) or adoption health-risk behavoiours (e.g. use of cigarettes or alcohol)
what are the 3 factors of aetiology of depression?
1.predisposing factors
2. precipitating factor
3.perpetuating factors
predisposing factors
genetic factors, physical health, personality and social support. There may be a hereditary risk in individuals developing depression or another condition which then triggers depression
precipitating factor
often adverse life events. Bereavement is a common example. However, not everyone with depression has experienced adverse life events and not everyone experiencing such events becomes depressed
perpetuating factors
factors that sustain an illness such as depression.
-These can be external to an individual i.e. ongoing life events and circumstances or their environment.
-internal, for instance personality traits that inhibit decisions or behaviours that can ameliorate depressive states, an inability to form close relationships, a tendency to be helpless and hopeless, an inability to tolerate change and loss of control, and feelings of loneliness.
endogenous depression
refers to depression that originates due to ‘faulty’ or suboptimal physiology (Shorter, 2007), essentially a purely biological cause
exogenous depression
caused by external factors which can include societal (poverty, racism or sexism) or situational factors (job loss or marital dissatisfaction
what treatments are there for depression?
1.medication
2.self-help resources
3.be conducted as a web/app-based resource; a self-help manual or physical activity
4.talking therapies
5.alternative therapies:Art therapy, Mindfulness, ecotherapy
obsessive compulsive disorder
obsessions or compulsions where people spend an inordinate amount of time undergoing obsessive thoughts and practicing compulsive behaviours where they feel overwhelmingly compelled to carry out certain actions
what are obsessions in obsessive compulsive disorder?
unwanted and intrusive thoughts keep coming back, no matter how much an individual tries to ignore or suppress them.
-Their very persistence can lead to an even stronger conviction that they might be true, or might come true, if the person does not take action to prevent them
what are compulsions in obsessive compulsive disorder?
responses to obsessions. Once an obsession surfaces, the individual may feel compelled to take action to relieve the anxiety and distress the obsession causes or to keep that obsessive thought from coming true.
4 categories of OCD
1.Checking, such as light switches, ovens, car handbrakes, alarm systems, ovens, or locks, or thinking ones has a medical condition like pregnancy or schizophrenia
2.Contamination, a fear of objects that might be unsanitary, dirty or a compulsion to clean
3.Symmetry and ordering, the need to have objects organised and positioned in a very specific way
4.Ruminations and intrusive cognition, an obsession with a pattern of thought. Occasionally, these thoughts may be violent or disturbing, posing risk to one’s self or others
what treatments are available for OCD?
1.psychological therapy:cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which helps individuals face their fears and obsessive thoughts without “putting them right” through compulsions
2.medicine – usually a type of antidepressant medicine called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which can help by altering the balance of chemicals in the brain
what schizophrenia
impact thought processes, emotions, and behaviour.
what do positive symptoms refer to in schizophrenia
might see or hear things that others do not or believe things that other people do not
what do negative symptoms refer to in schizophrenia
For example, losing motivation to do things in their daily life or engage in hobbies or becoming withdrawn
the early stage of illness in schizophrenia?
the prodromal phase- during this phase their sleep, affect (emotions), motivation, communication and ability to think clearly might change.
what is the difference between schizophrenia and psychosis?
describes experiencing the world in a different way. Psychosis often entails the positive symptoms of schizophrenia i.e. seeing or hearing things that are not there, or believing things that other people do not believe.
what can schizophrenia cause
it can cause psychosis
gender bias in schizophrenia
Critics of classification systems for these disorders argue that diagnostic criteria such as “excessive emotionality” unfairly targets women, who through the result of how society socialises women to behave
ethnocentrism
important concept in the study of intergroup relations and has relevance when considering diagnosis of psychopathologic conditions
