Abnormal Psychology Flashcards
Mild MR
IQ is 50-55 thru approx. 70; 85% of all MR cases; may not become apparent until child is school age and has difficulty meeting educational demands
Moderate MR
Approx 10% or MR population; IQ between 35-40 and 50-55; usually develop communication skills during early childhood; can be trained to performed unskilled work under close supervision
Severe MR
3-4% of the MR population; IQ between 20-25 and 35-40; communicative speech usually does not develop during early childhood, although it may be acquired during the school-age years; can learn basic self-care, but need more supervision
Profound MR
Approx 1-2% of MR population; IQ of less than 20-25; communication skills and sensorimotor functioning are significantly impaired; need nearly constant supervision and generally benefit from a one-to-one relationship with a caregiver
Assessing MR
WISC has high floor, or minimum score of about 50; this test cannot provide accurate assessment of the level of MR. Stanford-Binet best to assess MR because its floor is much lower (also to assess giftedness).
Causes of MR
Varied and etiology may be undetermined in approximately 30-40% of cases. Clear etiologies easier to ascertain w/severe or profound MR. Most common identifiable cause is abnormalities in embryonic development; maternal illness; maternal consumption of alcohol, maternal use of nicotine or drugs and chromosomal changes.
What is the most common form of LD?
Reading disorder (dyslexia). 80% of LDs and approx. 4% of all children.
What percentage of those with LD do not complete High School?
40%
What percentage of children with LD have comorbid ADHD?
20-30%
What are most cases of reading disorder due to?
Poor sound awareness and sound-symbol correspondence (phonological processing).
What are the two types of dyslexia?
Surface dyslexia (AKA orthogonal dyslexia: difficulty with irregular words, ex. might = mit) and deep dyslexia (probs with many words, even “regular” ones)
Alexia
Dyslexia due to brain damage
What percentage of LD people struggle with significant psychosocial probs as adults?
Approx 33%
Borderline Intellectual Functioning
IQ between 71 and 84
Stuttering
Onset nearly always under 10; approx 3:1 boy:girl ratio; peak onset age 5. Often resolved by age 16, but may persist to adulthood, especially with males. Must cause impairment for a diagnosis. Rarely recommended, but Verpamil may help.
Phonological Disorder
A childhood communication disorder characterized by failure to use developmentally appropriate speech sounds; when speaking, individuals with this disorder may substitute one sound for another, omit sounds, incorrectly order sounds within words of syllables, lisp, or otherwise misarticulate sounds.
Autism and Gender
Boys more likely to have AD, but when girls have it they are more likely to also have MR
What percentage of individuals with autism show MR? Have seizures?
MR - about 70%. 25% develop seizures.
What indicates good prognosis with autism?
Normal range IQ (over 70) and spoken language by age 6.
Rhett’s Disorder
A PDD in which a child demonstrates deceleration in head growth, replacement of purposeful hand skills w/stereotyped hand movements (hand-wringing), severe psychomotor agitation, severe impairment in language development,a nd loss of social engagement. Sx appear between 5 and 48 mths in age, after an apparently normal prenatal and perinatal development. Only occurs in females.
ADHD and nuerology
Frontal lobe functioning and frontal striata pathways are implicated in symptoms
Prevalence of ADHD
5-8% of children and adolescents (slightly lower in adults); sex ratio is 3:1 male:female. Comorbidity with ODD/CD, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, LD; strongly heritable (around 80%)
ODD
A disruptive behavior disorder characterized by negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior (actively disobeying directions or parents or other caregivers, short temper, spitefulness, irritability, failure to take responsibility for one’s mistakes or misbehavior, frequent arguments w/adults) lasting at least 6 mths.
Conduct Disorder
Disruptive Behavior Disorder characterized by aggression toward people or animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness, theft, and serious rule violations, childhood precursor to Antisocial Personality Disorder.