Chapter 15; Psychological Disorders Flashcards
Criteria for mental disorders
- statistically rare
- subjective distress
- Impairment
- Biological dysfunction
Middle Ages; the demonic model
odd behaviour was attributed to evil spirits infesting the body
treatment: exorcisms
Renaissance; the medical model
Mental illness is caused by a physical disorder requiring medical treatment and people were put in asylums
treatment: bloodletting, frightening by being tossed in a pit of snakes
1950s; Modern era of psychiatric treatment
introduction of chlorpromazine/ Thorazine
deinstitutionalization
government policy in the 60s/70s focused on releasing hospitalized psychiatric patients and closing mental hospitals
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders DSM
set of diagnostic criteria/decision-making rules,ex.duration of symptoms, number of symptoms present
makes sure symptoms aren’t a result of a medical condition
Criticisms of DSM
overmedicalization of normal behaviour; makes normal human experiences seem disordered
categorical model (either present or absent)
Generalized anxiety disorder
continual feeling of worry, anxiety, physical tension, and irritability across many areas of life functioning
Panic disorder
repeated an unexpected panic attacks, along with either persistent concerns about future attacks or a change in personal behaviour in attempt to avoid them
Phobia
an intense fear of an object/situation that is greatly out of proportion to its actual threat
agorophobia
a fear of being in a place or situation in which escape is difficult or embarrassing, or in which help is unavailable in the event of panic attack
obsessive-compulsive disorder
condition marked by repeated and lengthy (at least 1 hr/ day) immersion in obsessions, compulsions, or both
obsession
intrusive ideas, thoughts, or impulses that are unwanted and inappropriate, causing distress
compulsions
repetitive behaviours or mental acts undertaken to reduce or prevent distress or relieve shame and guilt
Major Depressive Disorder
at least 1 depressive episode (depression, loss of interest, insomnia, change in appetite) lasting for at least 2 weeks, typically lasting 6 months - 1 year, average 5 -6 episodes in a lifetime
less severe version is dysthymia
Bipolar Disorder
at least 1 manic episode (elevated mood recklessness) lasting 1 weeks, symptoms include pressured speech
most heritable disorder
Interpersonal Model; Depression as a social disorder
depression creates interpersonal problems
rejection causes depression but depression also causes rejection
Behavioural Model; depression as a loss of reinforcement
depression results from a low rate of response-contingent positive reinforcement, ei. when people with depression try different things and receive no payoff causing them to give up
Borderline personality disorder
condition marked by extreme instability in mood, identity, and impulse control, intense fear of abandonment
psychopathic personality
condition marked by superficial charm, dishonesty, manipulativeness, self-centeredness, and risk taking
Dissociative identity disorder
characterized by the presence of 2+ distinct personality states that markedly disrupt the persons usual sense of identity
DID controversy
research suggests alters may be a result of influences from the media and/or therapists, ei. sociocognitive model
sociocognitve model of DID
peoples expectancies and beliefs shaped by certain psychotherapeutic procedures and cultural influences account for the origins and maintenance of DID
schizophrenia and what it is associated with
severe disorder of thought and emotion associated with a loss of contact with reality
associated with hypofrontality and enlarged ventricles, and dopamine receptor abnormalities
strong genetic component
pyschosocial factors that influence schizophrenia
expressed emotion, family member over involvement and criticism = increased risk of relapse
positive symptoms of schizophrenia
symptoms that appear in ill patients and aren’t present in healthy people, include:
delusions: strongly held, fixed beliefs that aren’t based in reality
hallucinations: sensory perceptions in the absence of external stimuli
disorganized speech: peculiar language
catatonic symptoms: motor problems, extreme resistance to complying with simple suggestion, holding the body in bizarre positions
echolalia: phrase repetion
negative symptoms
decrease/loss of normal functions, includes:
flat affect- without emotional expression
catatonia- abnormal movements or immobility(zombie like)
diathesis-stress model of mental illness(schizophrenia)
explains why some people develop disorders and others don’t; stressors trigger a pre-existing genetic vulnerability (diathesis)
Austism Spectrum Disorder
DSM-5 category that include autistic disorder and Asperger’s, marked by severe deficits in language, social bonding, imaginations, and accompanied by intellectual impairment
symptoms of ASD-5
social impairments and repetive or restrictive behaviours
why do people think vaccines cause autism?
illusory correlation, vaccines are given at the same time as symptoms of autism start to appear
