ch 16-17 (mental illness, biopsychosocial) Flashcards
define stress
a psychological and physical response of the body that occurs whenever we must adapt to changing conditions whether those conditions are internal, real or perceived.
what is a stress response?
this involves the physiological and psychological changes that people experience when they are confronted by a stressor.
what are the physical changes usually reacted from a stressor
physiological: -flight or fight response eg increase HR
- HPA axis
explain the flight or fight response
this is an involuntary reaction that results in a state of physiological readiness to deal with an immediate threat by either confronting it (fight) or fleeing from it to safety (flight)
what is the role of each part in the HPA axis
he HPA axis is activated during times of physical, psychological or environmental stress. These are the structures involved in the activation of the fight-or-flight response.
hypothalamus: activates and releases CRH to the stimulate the pituitary gland
pituitary gland: secretes the hormone ACTH which travels through the blood stream and stimulate the adrenal gland
adrenal gland: these release stress hormones which include adrenaline and cortisol
what are the psychological changes usually reacted from a stressor
- negative though patterns
- low self-efficacy
- pessimistic
- difficulty concentrating, thinking clearly or making decisions
- dwelling on thoughts and past events
what does the yerks-dodson law state?
it believes that performance and arousal are measured with the shape of a bell curve. so this means that we are at out optimum level of performance when in moderate arousal.
what is the difference between eutress and distress?
eutress is a positive psychological response to a percieve stressor while distress is a negative psychological response to a perceived stressor.
what are some psychological determinants of the stress response?
- prior experience with stressors and stress response
- atitudes
- motivation
- level of self esteem
- optimistic vs pessimistic
- personality characteristics
- coping skills
- perception of how much control we have over a stressful situation or event
what does lazarus and folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping propose?
it proposes that stress involves an encounter between an individual and their external environment, and that a stress response depends upon the individuals interpretation of the stressor and their ability to cope.
define appraisal
evaluating if and how one can meet the demands of a stressor
what is primary appraisal?
this is the initial evaluation process where the person determines whether the event is a threat/challenge
in primary appraisal what does the person engage in of the event is perceived as a stressor?
threat: assessment of the possible consequences resulting from this damage eg cant pay rent
challenge: assessment for potential growth or personal gain from the situation eg get another job and save money
what is the secondary appraisal?
this is where we evaluate our coping options and the resources or options we can use to deal with the stressful situation. these coping options may be internal or external.
if the demands are greater than our resources then this will result in distress
define coping and what are the two types of coping?
an attempt to manage the demands of a stressor through cognitive and behavioural effects
- problem focused coping
- emotion forced coping
what is problem focused coping and what strategies does it include?
this looks at the causes of the stressor from a practical perspective and works out ways to deal with the problem or stressful situation with the objective of reducing that stress.
strategies include:
- taking control
- information seeking
- evaluating pros and cons
eg you dont have enough money to go to a concert so you decide to help around with work around the house for money
what is emotion focused coping and what strategies does it include?
this involves trying to reduce the negative emotional feelings associated with the stressor.
strategies include:
- mediation
- relaxation
- talking to friends and family
- denial
- distraction
- ignoring
- expecting the worst case scenario
- physical exercise
provide examples of exacerbate and alleviate in social factors
exacerbate: a wife whose caring spouse had died might be very stressed from his death so her stress is exacerbated
alleviate; a wife whore abusive and violent spouse had died may not be as stressed, in fact her stress may have been alleviated
provide examples of exacerbate and alleviate in cultural factors
exacerbate: asylum seekers have left their home to come to a foreign land where they may have trouble adjusting to the new values which may exacerbate their stress response
alleviate: asylum seekers are escaping war and possible death from their country to come to Australia so this may alleviate their stress.
provide examples of exacerbate and alleviate in environmental factors
exacerbate: being at a night club and trying to get out may exacerbate a persons stress due to crowding
alleviate: making policies and plans ( i will get to the train at this time because its not busy) will alleviate stress
define allostasis
refers to the body’s ability to maintain stability by adjusting and changing to meet external and internal demands
what is the difference between homeostasis and allostasis
while homeostasis helps achieve stability by staying the same, allostasis emphasises that stability and healthy functioning requires change
explain the allostatic response to stress
However, it views it from a holistic perspective where genetics, personal experiences, behavioural patterns, personality, environmental and socio-cultural in infuences are taken into account. So, it accepts that each person will perceive and respond to a stressor in their own unique way. When a person interprets an event as being stressful, several internal physiological and behavioural processes are activated, usually the HPA axis and sympathetic NS so that adaptation to the stressor or allostasis can be achieved.
when the person has successfully coped with the stressor, or when it has passed the brain deactivates or ‘turns off’ the allostatic response
what is allostatic load?
this refers to the ‘wear and tear’ of the brain and body as a result of cumulative exposure to increased secretion and presence of stress hormones.
ie when you are always stress
what is allostatic overload?
when the demands of the stressor exceed
the body’s ability to repeatedly adapt,
the person is no longer able to meet the
demands.
what is a physical and mental disorder that can occur through allostatic overload?
physical: cardiovascular disease
mental: major depression
how does the biopsychosocial explain stress
BIOLOGICAL - HPA axis - sympathetic NS PSYCHOLIGICAL - transactional model of stress - biofeedback - coping strategies SOCIAL - major life events/ situation - cultural circumstances - environmental factors
what are the different types of coping strategies
- biofeedback
- meditation/relaxation
- physical activity
- social support
what is biofeedback and how is it used to cope?
this is a technique used to receive information about automatic processes (HR, RR, brainwaves, body temp) in order to learn how to control them through processes and relaxation techniques
what is mediation/relaxation and how is it used to cope?
meditation: is amy intentional attempt to bring about a deeply relaxed state in order to reduce one or more effects of stress-related symptoms
relaxation: any activity that brings about a state of reduced psychological and/or physiological tension
these states usually help decrease automatic processes (HR, RR, etc) which help reduce stress
name ways PA can reduce stress
- lowering anxiety levels
- using up stress hormones (cortisol) for exercise rather than in a stress induced state
- increases efficiency of the cardiovascular
- allows a shift in attention
- increases self confidence
name and explain the types of social support
appraisal support: help form another person the improves understanding of a stressful event
tangible assistance:involves the provision of material support, such as financial assistance etc
information support: help from another person that involves the importing of specific resources, advice or information about how to deal and cope with the stressful event
emotional support: help friends family, with the aim of the person under stress being able to approach their stress with greater confidence because they know there are others that they can rely on.
name 3 Strengths Lazarus & Folkman’s Transactional model of health
¥ Emphasises the importance of cognitive appraisal in determining the stress response;
¥ Emphasises the ‘active’ role individuals have in the stress process as opposed to the ‘passive’ one they play according to physiological models, e.g. GAS;
¥ Emphasises the personal and individual nature of cognitive appraisal and this helps explain why different individuals respond in different ways to the same types of stressors
define disorder
a set of symptoms that interfere daily functioning. symptoms are reasonably consistent between patients but origins/causes may differ
what are the two systems of classification of mental conditions and disorders
- categorical approach
- dimensional approach
what does the categorical approach assume?
- mental disorders can be identified based on present symptoms
- mental disorders are different from one another
- mental disorders are not on a spectrum ( you either do or you dont)
what is the DSM and what is the current dsm?
we are currently in DSM 5
this is a manual based on a categorical system for diagnosing and classifying mental disorders, where it groups psychological disorders into categories based on similar recognisable symptoms
name some strengths of the categorical approach
- very detailed in terms of number of disorders, key features and symptoms
- detailed symptom information promotes easier diagnosis of conditions
- based on ongoing research and is regulary revised and up to date
- shows useful planning treatment for patients
name some limitations of the categorical approach
- a patient’s unique combination of symptoms may be overlooked
- the symptoms in many categories and sub-categories may overlap which can complicate some disorders
- the use of categories can promote negative labeling, stigmatization and shame
what is the dimensional approach?
this quantifies a persons symptoms and other characteristics of interest to then represent them with numerical values on one or more scales to indicate “how much” rather than assigning them to categories
what does the dimensional approach assume?
- it believes a mental disorder is not present or absent, rather it is graded on a scale in terms of magnitude, severity and degree
name some strengths of the dimensional approach
- it does not use single diagnostic labels, so it considers patients unique combination of symptoms and traits
- reduces the possibility of the patient being negatively labeled for their condition
- assumed to have high reliability and validity for diagnosing mental disorders
- quantifying and grading patient symptoms enables patients to see improvement in their condition
name some limitations of the dimensional approach
- can be time consuming to create relevant scales/questions to suitably rate patients on many dimensions
- there is a lack of agreement from psychologists on the number of dimensions
- there is a wide range of symptoms patients experience that can lead to many potential dimensions being associated with disorders
- this approach makes it more complex to communicate information about the disorder to other professionals as well as the public
define mental health and explain emotional, cognitive and psychological well being
- is a state of emotional and social well-being in which individuals realise their own abilities can cope with the normal stresses of life EMOTIONAL - cope effectively with stress - realise your abilities and potential COGNITIVE - thinking clearly and rationally PSYCHOLOGICAL - be resilient - realise your abilities and potential - expressing emotions
What are the Strengths of Lazarus & Folkman’s Transactional model of health
Emphasises the importance of cognitive appraisal in determining the stress response;
Emphasises the ‘active’ role individuals have in the stress process as opposed to the ‘passive’ one they play according to physiological models, e.g. GAS;
Emphasises the personal and individual nature of cognitive appraisal and this helps explain why different individuals respond in different ways to the same types of stressors
The inclusion of a ‘reappraisal’ process allows for the fact that stressors and the circumstances under which they occur can change over time;
The inclusion of ‘coping’ methods has enhanced understanding of the importance of stress-management strategies.
What are the limitations of Lazarus & Folkman’s Transactional model of health
The model is difficult to test through experimental research because of the subjective nature, variability and complexity of individual responses to stressful experiences.
Primary and secondary appraisals can interact with one another and are often undertaken simultaneously not sequentially as the model suggests.
It is questionable whether we really need to cognitively and consciously ‘appraise’ something in order to have a stress response.
Didnotincludecultural,socialorenvironmentalfactors inlookingathowindividualsperceivea stressfulevent.
define mental illness
mental illness is a mental disorder that affects one or more functions of the mind, and can interfere with a persons thoughts, emotions, perceptions and behaviours
define normality
A behaviour, thought or feeling is generally considered to be normal when it helps the person fit appropriately into their society and culture and to function independently as expected for age.
explain the three components of abnormality
deviant: the behaviour differs so much from social and cultural norms that it can be considered inappropriate or unacceptable
distressing: the thoughts, feelings or behaviours cause stress, anxiety and are upsetting for the experiencing them
Dysfunctional: the TFB interfere with a persons ability to carry out their usual daily activities in an effective way.
what are the approaches to normality
socio-cultural situational statistical medical functional historical
explain the socio-cultural approach to normality with an example
Thoughts, feelings and behaviour that are appropriate or acceptable in a particular society or culture are viewed as normal may inappropriate or unacceptable are considered abnormal in some other cultures.
eg in china looking someone in the eye is disrespectful while talking, however in Australia not looking someone in the eye while talking is disrespectful
explain the situational approach to normality with an example
when TFB may be considered normal in a specific situation.
eg tackling someone in a football game is normal but out on the street it is considered crazy
explain the statistical approach to normality with an example
A behaviour that is evident in a large group of individuals is considered normal, as that large majority of people called the “statistical average” think, feel and behave in a certain way
eg a lot of people laugh when they are tickled, so laughing in this case is considered normal, sometimes not laughing in this situation is abnormal
explain the functional approach to normality with an example
Thoughts, feelings and behaviour are viewed
as normal if the individual is able to cope with living independently (‘function’) in society, but considered abnormal if the individual is unable to function effectively in society.
eg being able to feed and make friends for yourself
explain the historical approach to normality with an example
when normality or abnormality of TFB are dependent on which era and period of time the action is made
eg smacking a child in the 1900’s was considered acceptable, now in modern day it is viewed by most people as unacceptable and can be illegal
explain the medical approach to normality with an example
Abnormal thoughts, feelings or behaviour are viewed as having an underlying biological cause and can usually be diagnosed and treated.
eg someone experiencing hallucination and voices which leads to them attacking people may be normal due to their condition of schizophrenia
define the biopsychosocial framework
this is an approach pertains a holistic view to describing and explaining how biological, psychological and social factors combine and interact to influence a persons level of physical and mental health.
what are some biological, social and psychological factors in the biopsychosocial framework
BIOLOGICAL - bodily structures -biochemical process - genetics PSYCHOLOGICAL - individuals personality, personality predisposition - TFB - mental and cognitive processes SOCIAL - how we interact with others in our society
name 3 limitations of lazarus and folkmans transactional model of stress
¥ The model is difficult to test through experimental research because of the subjective nature, variability and complexity of individual responses to stressful experiences.
¥ Primary and secondary appraisals can interact with one another and are often undertaken simultaneously not sequentially as the model suggests.
¥ It is questionable whether we really need to cognitively and consciously ‘appraise’ something in order to have a stress response.
