Area Of Study 2 Flashcards
What are the 6 approaches?
- Socio-cultural
- Functional
- Historical
- Situational
- Medical
- Statistical
Define the ‘Socio-cultural’ approach and give an example
Thoughts, feelings and behaviours that are appropriate or acceptable within a particular society or culture.
- Laughing at a funeral
Define the ‘Functional’ approach and give an example
Thoughts, feelings and behaviours are viewed as normal if the person is able to cope by living independently (and function) within society.
- Able to clothe and feed self
Define the ‘Historical’ approach and give an example
What is considered normal or abnormal depends on particular culture’s/society’s era or time when the judgement is made.
- Smacking a child
Define the ‘Situational’ approach and give an example
Within a society or culture, thoughts, feelings and behaviours may be considered normal in one situation and abnormal in another.
- Wearing pjs to school vs to bed
Define the ‘Medical’ approach and give an example
Abnormal thoughts, feelings or behaviours viewed as having an underlying biological cause and can usually be diagnosed and treated.
- Schizophrenia
Define the ‘Statistical’ approach and give an example
Any behaviour, thought or characteristic in a large group is distributed in that particular way - called the ‘statistical average’. Any behaviour, thought or characteristic shared by a small minority of people - called ‘statistical extremity’
- Laughing at a funeral
Define ‘Abnormality’
A pattern of thoughts, feelings or behaviours that are deviant (differ) from social norms, distressing (to the individual or those around them) or dysfunctional (interfere with ability to live and complete everyday tasks).
Define ‘Mental Health’
The capacity of an individual to interact with others and the environment in ways that promote a subjects wellbeing, optimal development and the effective use of cognitive, emotional and social development and abilities throughout the life (this is a sliding scale where all elements interact rather than have or do not have).
Define ‘Mental Health Problem’
When the difficulties experienced by a person are mild, temporary and able to be treated within a relatively short period of time.
Define ‘Mental Illness’
Describes a psychological dysfunction that usually involves impairment in the ability to cope with everyday life, distress and thoughts/feelings/behaviours may be in appropriate within their culture.
Describe how an individual with normal Mental Health functions in everyday life
- Can form positive relationships with others
- Can cope with normal stressors arising in everyday life
- Think logically and clearly
- Manage feelings and emotions (no extreme highs or lows)
- Experience pleasure and enjoyment
Describe how an individual with a Mental Health Problem functions in everyday life
- Feel tense, low, irritable, quiet, confused, angry
- Experience increased or decreased sleep and appetite
- Experience a loss of energy and motivation
- Feel that things are somehow ‘different’
- Have difficulty concentrating
- Become withdrawn
Describe the different types of Mental Illness
- Anxiety disorder
- Impulsive control disorder
- Mood disorder
- Psychotic disorder
Define ‘Classification’
Organising items into groups based on their shared characteristics
What are the two types of Classification?
- Categorical
- Dimensional
Define the ‘Categorical Approach’
Organises mental disorders into (sub) categories each with specific symptoms and characteristics symptoms and characteristics that are typical of the mental disorder.
Define the ‘Dimensional Approach’
Classifies symptoms on one or more scales.
Define ‘Normality’
Patterns of thoughts, feelings or behaviours that conform to a usual, typical or expected standard.
What’s the difference between the Categorical and Dimensional approaches of Classification?
Categorical - is used to classify symptoms
Dimensional - is used to determine the severity of symptoms
What are strengths of the Categorical approach?
- Enhances communication between mental health professionals
- Large amount of information can be obtained quickly and easily
- Allows for a treatment plan to be put in place
What are limitations of the Categorical approach?
- 30% less inter-rater reliability
- Overlap of symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis
- Loss of valuable qualitative information due to the classification process
- Social stigma regarding being labelled with a mental disorder
What are strengths of the Dimensional approach?
- Quantifying into numbers based on a scale that can then be graphically represented
- No labelling, limits social stigma
- Mental health professionals can monitor changes overtime in an individual’s symptoms
- Understands uniqueness and viewed as individuals
What are limitations of the Dimensional approach?
- No widely accepted standardised inventory
- Disagreement among mental health professionals about the number of dimensions, by making it an over complicated process where a mental health action plan is difficult to create
Define the Biopsychosocial framework
An approach to describing and explaining how biological, psychological and social factors combine and interact to influence a persons physical and mental health.
What is the biological factor of the Biopsychsocial Framework?
Factors that involve physiologically based or determined influences, often not under our control, such as the genes we inherit and our neurochemistry.
What is the Psychological factor of the Biopsychosocial Framework?
Factors that involve all of those influences associated with mental process such as how we think; learn; make decisions; solve problems; perceive, understand and experiences emotions; manage stress; reconstruct memories and so on.
What is the Social factor of the Biopsychosocial Framework?
Described broadly to include such factors as our skills in interacting with others, the range and quality of our inter-personal relationships, and the amount and type of support available from others when needed. Also includes cultural influences.
What is important to remember about the Biopsychosocial Framework?
It reflects a holistic view view of the health of an individual where each of the domains are equally important.
What are the biological factors involved with Stress and Health?
- The Fight/Flight response
- The HPA Axis
- Allostasis
What are the psychological factors involved with Stress and Health?
- The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping
- Biofeedback
- Coping Strategies
What are the social factors involved with Stress and Health?
- Social (life events)
- Cultural
- Environmental
Define Stress
A state of physiological ans psychological arousal produced by internal or external stressors that are perceived by the individual by the individual as challenging or exceeding their ability to cope.
Define Stressor
Any person, situation or event that produces stress, it may be an internal or external stressor, it may also be physical or psychological
Define Stress Response
Involves the physiological and psychological changes people experience when they are confronted by a stressor.
What are the three different levels of a stress response
- Mild
- Acute
- Chronic
Define Mild in regards to Stress and Health
The response may be thrilling, challenging or motivating leading to the the increase of performance in simple and complex tasks.
Define Acute in regards to Stress and Health
The response is sudden, producing a high level of arousal over a period of time.
Define Chronic in regards to Stress and Health
The response produces a high level of arousal that persists over a long period of time and results in a number of physiological and psychological responses which may be short term or long lasting.
Define Eustress
Positive psychological response to a stressor (active, excited, alert)
Define Distress
Negative psychological response to a stressor (anger, anxiety, nervousness)
What are the three Psychological responses to stress?
- Behavioural Changes
- Emotional Changes
- Cognitive Changes
Define Behavioural Changes and give examples
Apparent in how a person looks - shaky voice, hand tremors, jumpiness, muscle stiffness, strained face, decreased or increased sleeping and eating.
Define Emotional Changes and give examples
Apparent in how a person feels - anxious, tense, depressed, angry, feeling hopeless and negative attitudes.
Define Cognitive Changes and give examples
Apparent in changes in a persons ability to learn and think - perception is distorted, difficulty concentrating, making decisions and forgetful.
- Catastrophising
Define Catastrophising
Where a person dwells and overemphasises on negative events and consequences.
Define Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping
Proposes that stress involves an encounter (transaction) between an individual and their environment - the stress response depends on the individuals interpretation (appraisal) of the stress and their judgement their ability to cope with it.
Define Primary Appraisal
We evaluate or judge the significance of the situation
During Primary Appraisal, what may the situation be Appraised as?
- Irrelevant
- Benign-Positive
- Stressful
Once Appraised as Stressful, what may a situation be classified as?
- Harm/Loss
- Threat
- Challenge
Define Harm/Loss and give and example
Involves the assessment of how much damage has already occurred.
- ‘I have lost my job’
Define Threat and give an example
Involves an assessment of harm/loss that may have not occurred but may occur in the future.
- ‘I might not be able to afford the rent’
Define Challenge and give an example
Involves an assessment o the potential for personal gain or growth from the situation.
- ‘I’ll get any other job I can and will learn to budget and save money’
Define Secondary Appraisal
We evaluate our coping options and resources and our options for dealing with the stressful situation, may be internal or external.
Define Reappaisal
We determine the extent to which additional resources are needed to cope with the situation - this is a dual process.
Define Coping
The process of constantly changing cognitive and behavioural efforts to manage specific internal or external stressors that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of a person.
Define Problem-Focused Coping
Involves efforts to manage or change the cause or source of the problem.
What are the 6 strategies of Problem-Focused Coping?
- Reappraising the stressor by examining it from new perspectives
- Obtaining more information about the stressor by talking to someone who could help
- Redefining the stressor in a way that is more manageable
- Generating alternative ways of dealing with the stressor
- Focusing on changing only what is changeable
- Learning new skills to more effectively manage the stressor
Define Emotional-Focused Coping
Involves strategies to attend to our emotional responses to the stress.
What are the 8 types of Emotional-Focused Coping?
- Denial
- Distancing
- Avoiding
- Minimising
- Wishful thinking
- Acceptance
- Venting emotions
- Seeking emotional support
What are the strengths of Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping?
- Focuses on psychological determinants where stress involves interaction with the environment
- Focuses on individual experiences and interpretations of situations
- Allows for the fact that stressors and circumstances can change overtime
- Proposes different coping methods for managing psychological responses
What are the limitations of Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping?
- Difficult to test through experimental research
- Primary and secondary appraisals are often undertaken simultaneously
- Some psychologists doubt that we need to appraise something as causing stress in order to have a stress response
Define Social Readjustment
Refers to the amount of change or ‘adjustment’ in lifestyle a person is forced to make following a specific event in their lives.
What are three Cultural Factors?
- Alleviating
- Adjusting
- Acculturated
Explain and give an example of Alleviating
Alleviating a stress response
- Leaving poverty or civil unrest
Explain Adjusting
Adjusting to a new culture
Explain Acculturated
Adopt the values, custom and language of the new culture can be difficult and also cause stress
Explain a Racism Related Stressor
Linking the effects of experiencing racism with chronic stress related responses such as anxiety disorders, depression and weaker links to drug misuse, violence and heart disease.
Who may experience the Cultural Factors and why?
Immigrants, refuges or asylum seekers may be escaping famine, poverty or torture.
What are some examples of Social Factors that may effect an individual?
- Death of a spouse
- Divorce
- Marriage
- Pregnancy
- Personal injury or illness
- Change in a family member’s health
- Detention or jail
- Dismissal from work
Define Crowding
Feeling of being cramped and having less space than preferred - this is a subjective experience and not always related to population density.
Define Personal Space
Refers to the immediate and small area (up to about 50 centimeters) with an invisible boundary that surrounds each person.
What are some factors that can influence Crowding?
- Length of time spent in that situation
- Personal characteristics and temperament
- Individual perception
- A sense of control over a situation
What are some examples of Environmental Factors?
- Crowding
- Air pollution
- Loud noises
- Extremes of temperature
- Catastrophes such as technological and natural disasters
Define Homeostasis
Refers to the body maintaining a balance of day to day automatically occurring body functions (via the Autonomic NS)
Define Allostasis
The body’s ability to maintain a stable physiological environment by adjusting and changing to meet internal and external demands.
- This is done by helping the body by changing and attempting to return the body to a state of homeostasis
- Attempts to achieve biological and psychological stability when facing a response to stress, stressors or challenges
Define Allostatic Load
The cumulative negative effects of wear and tear that the body and brain experience due to repeated cycles of allostatic changes and/or insufficient turning on and off of these responses.
Fill in the blanks: Eustress is ___ while distress may be ___ or ___.
Short term, long term, short term
What are the two main Physiological responses to stress?
- The Fight/Flight Response
- The HPA Axis
Define Fight/Flight Response
An involuntary reaction resulting in a state of physiological readiness to deal with a sudden and immediate threat by either confronting it (fight) or running away (flight).
What are some examples of physiological changes that occur as a result of the Fight/Flight Response?
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased respiration rate
- Dilation of pupils
- Relaxed bladder
What is activated during the Fight/Flight Response?
The stressor activates the HYPOTHALAMUS, which then activates the SYMPATHETIC NS which activates the ADRENAL MEDULLA where the stress hormones ADRENALINE and NORADRENALINE are secreted resulting in increased energy and heightened arousal.
Define the HPA Axis
Involves the Hypothalamus, Pituitary Gland and the Adrenal Cortex.
What are the main differences between the Fight/Flight Response and the HPA Axis?
- Fight/Flight is for short term responses, while HPA is for longer term responses
- Use different parts of the adrenal gland
- HPA does not use the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous systems
- Secrete different stress hormones
What is activated during the HPA Axis?
The stressor activates the HYPOTHALAMUS, which then activates the PITUITARY GLAND which causes the secretion of ACTH in the ADRENAL CORTEX where the stress hormone CORTISOL is secreted resulting in increased energy and heightened arousal.
What harm may be caused to the body as a result of prolonged activation of the HPA Axis?
Cortisol may remain in the blood stream at a high level which may impair the immune system’s functioning and increase vulnerability to disease.
What does the DSM stand for?
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
What does ICD stand for?
The International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems
What are the two coping strategies in Lazarus and Folkman’s Model?
- Emotion-Focused Coping
- Problem-Focused Coping
Explain what an Allostatic System is and give three examples
Systems that act to protect the body by responding to internal and external stimuli.
- The HPA Axis
- The Autonomic NS
- Immune System
Define Allostatic Overload
Occurs when a person has reached or developed serious health problems such as physical or mental disease.
What are examples of harm that can be caused by Allostatic Load?
- Cardiovascular disease, immunosuppression, obesity, atherosclerosis, gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes
- Mental disorders such as major depression and anxiety
What are the four types of Allostatic Load?
- Repeated hits
- Lack of adaption
- Prolonged response
- Inadequate response
Define Repeated Hits
Most common type of Allostatic Load, where a person is exposed to multiple stressors in a short period of time.
Define Lack of Adaption
Not being able to adapt to repeated stress - prolonged exposures.
Define Prolonged Response
Where the body is unable to turn ‘off’ Allostatic responses after the stressful situation has passed.
Define Inadequate Response
When one Allostatic system does not respond or responds weakly when needed.
Explain the term Graded involved in a Dimensional Approach
A score that represents the level of overall impact the symptoms have had on someone’s ability to function.
Explain the term Transitional involved in a Dimensional Approach
This is done by conducting assessments at different intervals and comparing scores on one or more scales to observe changes in symptoms to see if treatments and strategies for dealing with the symptoms are working effectively.
Define Biofeedback
A technique that enables individuals to receive information (feedback) on a bodily response.
- The person is taught ways to deal with and control their physiological responses
Define Meditation
A specific technique that involves altering one’s state of consciousness by focusing attention of thoughts on a single internal stimulus.
- Purposefully goes into an Altered State of Consciousness, used for coping with stress
Define Relaxation
A process of reducing psychological/physiological arousal.
Define Physical Exercise
Involves engaging in a planned activity that requires physical exertion to improve or maintain your physical condition.
- It results in the use of stress hormones meaning that they cant be used in a stress response
- Releases endorphins
Define Social Support
Help or assistance provided by other people when needed.
What are the types of Social Support?
- Appraisal Support
- Tangible Assistance
- Information Support
- Emotional Support
Define Appraisal Support and give an example
Help from another person that improves the individual’s understanding of the stressful event and the resources and coping strategies that may be needed to deal with it.
Define Tangible Assistance and give an example
The provision of material support, such as services, financial assistance or goods, that may help offset the effects of a stressful event.
Define Information Support and give an example
Giving information about the stressful event that will help the individual cope with it.
Define Emotional Support and give an example
Targeting the emotional reactions by reassuring a person under stress that they are an individual who is cared for and valued.
