Chapter 1: Introduction to Adult Psychopathology Flashcards
Abnormal Psychology
The scientific study of abnormal behavior undertaken to describe, predict, explain, and change abnormal patterns of functioning
Deviance
Different, extreme, unusual, perhaps even bizarre behavior and has to be present in order to define a mental disorder
Distress
Unpleasant and upsetting to the person
Dysfunction
Interfering with the person’s daily activities
Syndrome
A set of something, for example, there has to be deviance and either dysfunction or distress in order to diagnose a disorder
Supernatural Theories for Mental Disorder
Viewed the human body and mind as a battle ground between external forces of good and evil and believed that people were overtaken by evil spirits that needed to be forced from the victim’s body; one “cure” being Trephination
Early Hospitals and Asylums
Poor conditions and often overcrowded
Deinstitutionalization
The conscious effort to remove patients from an institutional environment and begin to support them in community-based scenarios such as halfway houses, day treatment centers, and community mental health centers
Recovery Movement
Inspired change throughout the mental health system in the 1980’s and emphasized that people can and do recover from mental illnesses and that recovery involves more than symptom reduction, but also importance of hope, respect, empowerment, support, etc.
Concerns with Technology and Mental Health
Heavy use of social media has been linked to sleep issues, decreased self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and social isolation
Benefits of Technology and Mental Health
Can help increase patient engagement in mental health treatments because patients are able to use tools provided through apps to manage their symptoms, track their progress, and communicate with their healthcare providers
