ch 1: psychopathology past and present Flashcards
what is psychopathology
the scientific study of mental difficulties or disorders, including their explanations, caused, progression, symptoms, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. (mental disorders/ illness)
what are the four D’s of psychopathology?
deviance, distress, disfunctional, dangerous, (bonus: duration)
what is deviance?
psychopathology is different, extreme, or unusual according to social norms, though you must take specific circumstances into consideration because a person may be reacting in an ordinary way to an extraordinary situation
what is distress in psychopathology?
psychopathology is distressing or upsetting, the person is often upset or unhappy about the behaviour they are exhibiting
what is dysfunctional in psychopathology?
psychopathology will interfere with a person’s ability to conduct daily activities at home, work, and social life
what does dangerous mean in psychopathology? and why is this D controversial?
psychopathology can potentially be causing harm to yourself or harm to others.
this D is debatable because not all people either psychopathology do not exhibit behaviours that pose immediate danger to themselves or others. also contributes to stigma of mental disorders because a lot of people still believe the myth that people with mental illness are dangerous because they are mentally unstable
what does duration mean in psychopathology?
many psychopathologies have a specific duration associated with their symptoms
definition of norms
stated and unstated rules for proper conduct
definition of culture
society’s norms grow from its particular culture (history, values, institutions, habits, skills, tech, art)
definition of cultural humility
a process where a person continuously examines their own beliefs and cultural identity and seeks to understand the cultural contexts others live in
what are the 3 principles of cultural humility?
- a lifelong commitment to learning and critical self reflection
- recognizing and changing power imbalances
- accountability
what is treatment
a systematic procedure designed to change dysfunctional behaviour into more functional behaviour. aims to reduce the 4 Ds
what was thought to be the cause of psychopathology in ancient times and how was it treated?
cause: evil spirits
treatment: exorcism or trepidation
what were the beliefs about psychopathology in early europe and asia?
hypocretes believed that all diseases, including mental illness, was due to an imbalance of the four humours (fluid that flows though the body) and thought that they influenced mental and physical function. yellow bile, black bile, blood, and phlegm. (excess yellow bile meant mania, while excess black bile meant depression)
early chinese views believed that psychopathology is due to your internal environment (physical pathology in body) but also believed it was tied to disharmony with external environment (nature and surroundings)
how did the middle ages think about psychopathology?
went back to supernatural causes, thinking that psychopathology is the work of the devil
