Chapter 15: Psychological Disorders Flashcards
psychological disorder
a syndrome marked by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behaviour
medical model
the concept that diseases, in this case psychological disorders, have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and, in most cases, cured, often through treatment in a hospital
epigenetics
the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
DSM-5
The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
a psychological disorder marked by extreme inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity
anxiety disorders
psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviours that reduce anxiety
generalized anxiety disorder
an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous arousal
panic disorder
an anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable, minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations. Often followed by worry over a possible next attack
phobia
an anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object, activity, or situation
Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD)
a disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions), actions (compulsions), or both
post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
a disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, numbness of feeling, and/or insomnia that lingers for four weeks or more after a traumatic experience
major depressive disorder
a disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of drugs of another medical condition, two or more weeks with five or more symptoms, at least one of which must be either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure
mania
a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state in which dangerously poor judgement is common
bipolar disorder
a disorder in which a person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania (formerly called manic-depressive disorder)
rumination
compulsive fretting; overthinking about our problems and their causes
schizophrenia
a psychological disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and/or diminished, inappropriate emotional expression
delusions
a false belief, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders
chronic schizophrenia
(also called process schizophrenia) a form of schizophrenia in which symptoms usually appear by late adolescence or early adulthood. As people age, psychotic episodes last longer and recovery periods shorten
Acute Schizophrenia
(also called reactive schizophrenia) a form of schizophrenia that can begin at any age, frequently occurs in response to an emotionally traumatic event, and has extended recovery periods
dissociative disorders
controversial, rare disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings
dissociative identity disorder (DID)
a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities. Formerly called multiple personality disorder
personality disorders
inflexible and enduring behaviour patterns that impair social functioning
antisocial personality disorder
a personality disorder in which a person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends or family members; may be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist
anorexia nervosa
an eating disorder in which a person (usually an adolescent female) maintains a starvation diet despite being significantly underweight; sometimes accompanied by excessive exercise
bulimia nervosa
an eating disorder in which a person alternates binge eating (usually of high-calorie foods) with purging (by vomiting or laxative use) or fasting
binge-eating disorder
significant binge-eating episodes, followed by distress, disgust, or guilt, but without the compensatory purging or fasting that marks bulimia nervosa
How should we draw the line between normality and disorder?
- Psychological disorders are marked by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behaviour
How do the medical model and the biopsychosocial approach influence our understanding of psychological disorders?
- medical model assumes that psychological disorders are mental illnesses with physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and cured
- the biopsychosocial perspective assumes that three sets of influences – biological, psychological, and social and cultural circumstances – interact to produce specific psychological disorders
How and why do clinicians classify psychological disorders, and why do some psychologists criticize the use of diagnostic labels?
- DSM-5 contains diagnostic labels/descriptions
- critics believe DSM has become too detailed and extensive, and that it creates preconceptions
Why is there controversy over ADHD?
- The number of diagnoses is growing and we are unsure as to whether that is because of increased awareness of it, or if it’s due to overdiagnosis
Do psychological disorders predict violent behaviours?
- mental disorders seldom lead to violence
- more likely to be victims than attackers
How many people have, or have had a psychological disorder? is poverty a risk factor?
- ranges from 5% (shanghai) to 25% (US)
- poverty can contribute, but mental disorders (such as schizophrenia) can drive people into poverty as well
How do generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias differ?
- anxiety disorder = persistently and uncontrollably tense and apprehensive for no apparent reason
- panic disorder = anxiety escalates into periodic episodes of intense dread
- phobia = irrationally afraid of an object, activity, or situation
How do conditioning, cognition, and biology contribute to the feelings and thoughts that mark anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD?
- learning perspective: views anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD as products of fear conditioning, stimulus generalization, fearful-behaviour reinforcement, and observational learning of other’s fears and cognitions
- biological perspective: considers the role that fears of life-threatening animals, objects, or situations played in natural selection and evolution
How do major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder differ?
- major depressive disorder: experiences 2+ weeks with 5+ symptoms, one of which is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure
- persistent depressive disorder: mildly depressed mood for at least 2 years, along with at least 2 other symptoms
- bipolar disorder: depression as well as mania
How can the biological and social-cognitive perspectives help us understand depressive disorders and bipolar disorders?
- biological perspective focuses on genetic predisposition and abnormalities in brain structures and fun
What factors increase the risk of suicide and what do we know about nonsuicidal self-injury?
- rates differ by nation, gender, race, age, income, etc.
- those with depression are more at risk, but social suggestion, health status, economic and social frustration also play a role
- nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) does not usually lead to suicide, but may escalate if left untreated
What patterns of perceiving, thinking, and feeling characterize schizophrenia?
- disturbed perceptions, disorganized thinking and speech, and diminished, inappropriate emotions
- delusions and hallucinations are common
- can be positive (presence of inappropriate behaviours) or negative (absence of appropriate behaviours)
How do chronic and acute schizophrenia differ?
- chronic: (process) develops gradually and recovery is doubtful
- acute: (reactive) onset is sudden, reaction to stress, prospects for recovery are brighter
What brain abnormalities are associated with schizophrenia?
- increased dopamine receptors, which can intensify brain signals, creating positive symptoms like hallucinations and paranoia
- enlarged, fluid-filled cerebral cavities and corresponding decreases in the cortex
- abnormal activity in the frontal lobes, thalamus, and amygdala
What prenatal events are associated with increased risk of developing schizophrenia?
- viral infections or famine conditions; low weight or oxygen deprivation at birth; maternal diabetes or older paternal age
Do genes influence schizophrenia? What factors may be early warning signs of Schizophrenia in children?
- predisposition for schizophrenia is inherited; multiple genes interact to produce it
- no environmental causes, but environmental events (prenatal viruses, etc.) can “turn on” these genes
- early warning signs include biological factors (family history, short attention span and poor muscle coordination, low birth/oxygen at birth, etc.) and psychological factors (disruptive/withdrawn behaviour, emotional unpredictability, etc)
What are dissociative disorders, and why are they controversial?
- conditions in which conscious awareness is separated from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings
- skeptics note that it is rarely found outside North America, diagnosis increased dramatically in the late 20th century, it may reflect role playing by people who are vulnerable to therapists suggestions
- other’s view it as a manifestation of feeling of anxiety, or a learned response when behaviours are reinforced by anxiety-reduction
What are the three clusters of personality disorders? what behaviours and brain activity characterize the antisocial personality?
- anxiety, eccentric or odd behaviours, and dramatic or impulsive behaviours
- Antisocial: lack of conscience, aggressive and fearless behaviour. genetic predispositions may interact with the environment to produce altered brain activity
What are the three main eating disorders, and how do biological, psychological, and social-cultural influences make people more vulnerable to them?
- anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder
- common in young women and gay men; cultural pressures, low self-esteem, and negative emotions interact with stressful life experiences to produce eating disorders
hikikomori
“social withdrawal”
-japanese boys (1.2 mil in teens and 20s) decide they no longer want to go to school or be social
cultural differences in psychological disorders
- Chinese patients showed more physical signs and fewer psychological signs
- are less likely to discuss it
- symptoms are experienced differently due to context
immigrants have ____ mental health than their US counterparts of the same ethnic heritage?
better
Intern syndrome
a tendency to self-diagnose with disorders or conditions after learning about them
stimulus generalization
experiencing a fearful event and later developing a fear of similar events
norepinephrine
increases arousal and boosts mood
-scarce during depression; overabundant during mania
serotonin
affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
- scarce during depression
Depression’s Vicious Cycle
- Negative stressful events
- Pessimistic explanatory style
- Hopeless depressed state
- These hamper the way the individual thinks and acts, fueling personal rejection
suicide rates
women are more likely to attempt suicide than men, but men are 2-4 time more likely to die by suicide
Paraphilic disorders
paraphilia that is currently causing distress or impairment to the individual or a paraphilia whose satisfaction has entailed personal harm, or risk of harm, to others
most serial killers have antisocial personality disorder
(APD is also known as psychopath)
- but its true lol
- more of a fact than a flashcard
