Chapter 1-4 Flashcards
Definition of Abnormal Behaviour
Psychological dysfunctional
Personal distress or impairment
Atypical or not culturally expected
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
Psychopathology
The scientific study of psychological disorders through professionals and research
The Scientific Practitioner
Mental health professional expected to apply scientific methods to his or her work. Must know the latest research on diagnosis and treatment, must evaluate his or her methods for effectiveness, and may generate research to discover information about disorders and their treatment.
Presenting Problem
Original complaint reported by the client to the therapist. The actual treated problem may be a modification derived from the presenting problem.
Prevalence
The number or proportion of cases of a particular disease or condition present in a population at a given time.
Incidence
The number or rate of new cases of a particular condition during a specific time.
The Present: The Scientific Model and Integrative Approach
Psychopathology is multiply determined by reciprocal relations between biological, psychological, social, and experiential factors
21st Century: explosion of knowledge about the brain allows for a greater understanding of cognitive and neuroscience
5 steps of scientific method
Observation Question Hypothesis Experiment Conclusion
Five types of mental health practitioners in Canada
Psychiatrists: MD, specialization in psychiatry, prescribe medication and sometimes talk therapy
Psychologist: PhD in Clinical, Counselling, or School Psychology; regulated in Canada
Counsellors: typically Masters-level; unregulated in Canada; may be registered with certain associations that have standards for registration
Social Workers: regulated; may do similar work to counsellors, often work with family
Psychiatric Nurses: Nurse specialized in mental health
Describe the one-dimensional model of psychopathology
It posits a single cause of psychopathology (e.g., it’s all conditioning, it’s all biology, it’s all social or psychological)
- linear in approach
Describe a multidimensional model of psychopathology
Often systemic and interdisciplinary and hold that a system of different reciprocal influences (i.e. biological, learning, emotional, cognitive, social, cultural) interact in complex ways to yield the major etiological and maintaining processes responsible for abnormal behavior.
Describe the Diathesis-Stress Model
Individuals are assumed to inherit certain vulnerabilities that make them susceptible to a disorder when the right kind of stressor comes along
- certain traits or behaviors are inherited
- activated under conditions of stress
- diathesis is the inherited tendency
- stress is environmental
Example: person has a family history of depression. They then go through a couple job changes, start working from home, are socially isolated and develop depression.
Gene-environment correlation model
An individual’s genetic vulnerability toward a certain disorder may make it more likely that they will experience the stressor that, in turn, triggers the genetic vulnerability and thus the disorder.
Genetic endowment may increase probability of responding negatively to stressful events.
Example: person with depression is more likely to behave in ways that contribute to negative events in their life.
Describe epigenetics and the nongenomic “inheritance” of behavior
In epigenetics, the immediate effects of the environment (such as early stressful experiences) influence cells that turn certain genes on or off. This effect may be passed down through several generations.
Define clinical assessment
A multidimensional, integrative approach to gathering information about a client to make informed and accurate decisions.
