Chapter 1

Question 1

What is Abnormal Psychology?

Answer 1

The scientific study whose objectives/goals are to describe (what is normal/abnormal behaviour), explain (causes and correlates), predict (risk factors & long-term outcomes), and modify behaviours associated with mental disorders.

Question 2

What is Psychopathology?

Answer 2

The study of the symptoms, causes, and treatments of mental disorders.

Question 3

What are the 4 periods of time with different perspectives on psychopathology?

Answer 3

-Ancient: demonology
-Grego-Roman: brain dysfunction
-Middle Age: demonology & witchcraft
-14-16th centuries: humane and moral treatments

Question 4

What were the prehistorical and ancient beliefs?

Answer 4

-behaviour outside our control was “supernatural” (displeasure of gods/possession by demons)
-demonology: the doctrine that an evil being (devil) may dwell within a person and control his/her mind and body
–treated by trephining or exorcism

Question 5

What is Trephining?

Answer 5

A surgical method from the Stone Age in which part of the skull was chipped away to provide an opening through which an evil spirit could escape. (while alive)

Question 6

What is an Exorcism?

Answer 6

Treatment method used by the early Greeks, Chinese, Hebrews, and Egyptians in which prayers, noises, emetics, flogging, and starvation were used to cast evil spirits out of an afflicted person’s body.

Question 7

What were the Greco-Roman Thoughts?

Answer 7

-Hippocrates: brain - organ of intellectual activity; brain pathology = deviant behaviour caused by dysfunction of the brain; shift to scientific causes
-Plato: the mentally ill should be taken care of, not punished
-Galen: scientific examination of the nervous system and role of brain in mental functioning

Question 8

What were the beliefs during the Middle Ages?

Answer 8

-supernatural explanations (illness was punishment for sin; treatments: prayers, curses, exorcism)
-persecution of witches: loss of reason = demonic possession; mentally ill = witches; hundreds of thousands caused, tortured, and murdered

Question 9

What is Hysteria?

Answer 9

An outdated term referring to excessive or uncontrollable emotion, sometimes resulting in somatic symptoms (blindness, paralysis) that have no apparent physical cause.

Question 10

What is Tarantism?

Answer 10

A form of mass hysteria prevalent during the Middle Ages, characterized by wild raving, jumping, dancing, and convulsing.

Question 11

What were the beliefs during 14-16th Centuries?

Answer 11

-rise of humanism
-hospitals took care of mentally ill instead of churches; mental asylums had poor conditions/treatments (chained,caged, starved, whipped, exhibited to public); St Mary of Bethlehem (bedlam = chaos/disorder)

Question 12

What is Humanism?

Answer 12

A philosophical movement that emphasizes human welfare and the worth and uniqueness of the individual.

Question 13

What were the beliefs during 18-19th Centuries?

Answer 13

-Moral Treatment Movement
-Philippe Pinel: treated with dignity; no chains; sunny rooms & exercise
-Benjamin Rush: humane treatment; gainfully employed when hospitalized
-Dorthea Dix: better treatment for mentally ill; 32 state hospitals built
-Clifford Beers: book on his disorder; promoted education on mental ill.

Question 14

What is the Moral Treatment Movement?

Answer 14

Crusafe to institute more humane treatment of people with mental illness.

Question 15

What were asylums like in Canada?

Answer 15

-overcrowding; improper treatment
-ex: Ewen Cameron; administered high LSD doses, repeated ECT while patients in drug-induced coma & played subliminal messages to erase past memories/replace with new identity/personality

Question 16

What were the 2 early viewpoints of the 19th century?

Answer 16

-Biological view: mental disorders have physical or physiological basis
-Psychological view: mental disorders have psychological or emotional basis

Question 17

What supported the biological viewpoint?

Answer 17

-Kraepelin: defined syndromes; created classification system based on physical causes, led to DSM
-general paresis and syphilis: biological views gained credibility and became a dominant theory

Question 18

What is a Syndrome?

Answer 18

Certain symptoms that tend to occur regularly in clusters.

Question 19

What supported the psychological viewpoint?

Answer 19

-Mesmer/Mesmerism: early practice that evolved into modern hypnotism
-Breuer: discovered that symptoms disappeared after patients spoke about past trauma while in trance
-Freud - psychoanalysis

Question 20

How is Abonormality determined (contemporary view)?

Answer 20

Abnormality usually determined (4Ds):
-distress
-deviance
-dysfunction
-dangerousness

Question 21

What does Distress imply?

Answer 21

-abnormal behaviour creates great distress and torment in the person
-ex: depression
-some disorders do not necessarily involve distress

Question 22

What does Deviance imply?

Answer 22

-abnormal behaviours represent deviations from statistical standards or norms (ex: sleep too much = depression; no sleep = mania)
-cultural universality & relativism (both true)

Question 23

What is Culture Universality?

Answer 23

The assumption that a fixed set of mental disorders exists whose manifestations and symptoms are similar across cultures.

Question 24

What is Culture Relativism?

Answer 24

The belief that lifestyles, cultural values, and worldviews affect the expression and definition of mental disorders.

Question 25

What does Dysfunction imply?

Answer 25

-abnormal behaviour is related to impairment in some important area of life (work/personal relationships)
-advantage: considers changes in behaviour
-disadvantage: high functioning individuals are harder to diagnose

Question 26

What does Dangerousness imply?

Answer 26

-abnormal behaviour may pose risk of harm to themselves or others (whether conscious or unconscious)

Question 27

What makes something a disorder?

Answer 27

-DSM-5: syndrome(pattern) that cause disturbance in thinking, emotion, & behaviour (deviance)
-clinically significant distress or impairment in social/occupational
-not a culturally expected response
-duration or persistence of behaviours

Question 28

What are the current contemporary viewpoints on psychopathology?

Answer 28

-multicultural psychology
-positive psychology
-recovery movement
-changes in therapeutic landscape

Question 29

What is Multicultural Psychology?

Answer 29

-recognize influences of cultural identifiers on development, health, and mental health (symptoms)
-how? social conditioning (values/cultural expectations); cultural manifestations/explanations of behaviours; sociopolitical influences (prejudice, discrimination, racism); cultural biases in diagnoses

Question 30

What is Positive Psychology?

Answer 30

The philosophical and scientific study of positive human functioning and the strengths and assets of individuals, families, and communities.
-focus on resilience: ability to adapt to difficult situations (stress/trauma)

Question 31

What is the Recovery Movement?

Answer 31

Philosophy that with appropriate treatment and support those with mental illness can improve and live satisfying lives even with any limitations caused by their illness.

Question 32

What are the Changes in Therapeutic Landscape?

Answer 32

-advances in psychotropic medications; outpatient care; recognition of biological factors
-increased appreciation for research
-Technology-Assisted Therapy (apps)

Question 33

What is Psychotropic Medications?

Answer 33

Drugs used to treat or manage psychiatric symptoms by influencing brain activity associated with emotions and behaviour.

Question 34

What is Etiology?

Answer 34

The cause or causes for a condition.

Question 35

What is Psychotherapy?

Answer 35

A program of systematic intervention with the purpose of improving a client’s behavioural, emotional, or cognitive symptoms.

Question 36

What is Psychiatric Epidemiology?

Answer 36

The study of the prevalence of mental illness in a society.

Question 37

What is the Cathartic Method?

Answer 37

A therapeutic use of verbal expression to release pent-up emotional conflicts.

Question 38

What is Intrapsychic?

Answer 38

Psychological processes occurring within the mind.

Question 39

What is Managed Health Care?

Answer 39

The industrialization of health care, whereby large organizations in the private sector control the delivery of services.