chapter 2 Flashcards
Biological Approach:
disorder is the result of abnormal genes present or a neurobiological dysfunction is occuring
Psychological Approach:
disorder is the result of cognitions(thinking processes), personality styles, emotions, and learning/conditioning
Sociocultural Approach:
disorder is the result of environmental conditions and cultural norms
Theory:
- Describes causes or contributing factors to mental disorders
- Set of ideas that provides a framework for asking questions about a phenomenon and gathering + interpreting data about it
Therapy:
treatment that targets the causes of psychological disorders based on a specific theory
Biopsychosocial approach:
disorder is the result of an interaction between the biological, psychological, and social factors
Risk factor:
- something that increases the risk of getting a specific disorder
- Ex: genetic predisposition, difficulty remaining calm, childhood issues
Transdiagnostic risk factors:
increase the risk of multiple types of disorders
Diathesis-stress model:
Idea that when risk factor and a trigger come together it allows for the disorder to emerge
Parts of the Forebrain and their functions
- Thalamus: directs incoming information from sensory receptors to cerebrum; Relay center for cortex; handles incoming + outgoing signals
- Hypothalamus: regulates eating, drinking, sex, temperature, and processes emotions
- Pituitary Gland: master gland that regulates endocrine glands
- Lymbic system:
- Amygdala: critical in emotions such as fear
- Hippocampus: plays a role in memory
- Cerebrum: involved in many of our most advanced thinking processes
Parts of the Midbrain
Superior colliculus
Inferior Colliculus
Substantia nigra
Part of the Hindbrain and their functions
- Medulla: regulates unconscious functions like breathing and circulation
- Pons: involved in sleep and arousal
Reticular formation: network of neurons related to sleep, arousal, and attention - Cerebellum: involved in balance and the control of movement
Neurotransmitters:
biochemicals that carry impulses between neurons
Serotonin:
depression, anxiety, aggression
Dopamine:
affected by substances (alcohol) and behaviors (sex) that are pleasurable; also important in controlling and function of muscles (ex: parkinsons = not enough dopamine)
Norepinephrine:
cocaine and amphetamines stop the reuptake; depression if not enough
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA):
anxiety; inhibits the action of other neurotransmitters
Synapse:
gap between presynaptic terminal of one neuron and postsynaptic of another
Receptors:
molecules on the membrane of adjacent neurons that receive the neurotransmitter
Reuptake:
presynaptic neuron reabsorbs excess neurotransmitter from synapse
Degradation:
postsynaptic (sometimes presynaptic) neuron releases an enzyme into the synapse that breaks down excess neurotransmitter
Endocrine system:
system of glands that produces hormones
Hormone:
carries messages through the body
Pituitary gland:
master gland (because it produces largest number of different hormones) that regulates other endocrine glands; helps regulate stress response
Behavioral genetics:
the study of genetics of personality and abnormality; concerned with the extent to which behaviors or tendencies are inherited
How genes and environment interact
- Genes influence the enviornment that we choose
- Enviornment acts as a catalyst for a genetic tendency
- Enviornmental conditions affect the expression of genes
- Epigenetics: study of the changes in expression of genes (through environment genes can be turned on and off)
Antipsychotic drugs:
reduce psychotic symptoms (loss of reality, false perceptions, hallucinations, delusions); phenothiazines
Antidepressant drugs:
reduce depressive symptoms (sadness, loss of apetite, sleep disturbances) SSRI’s or SNRI’s
Lithium:
mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder; reduces symptoms of mani (agitation, excitement grandiosity)
Antianxiety drugs:
reduce anxiety symptoms (fearfullness, worry, tension); benzodiazepines
Electroconvulsive Therapy:
electrical current induces seizure in brain; general anesthesia and muscle relaxers are usually administered for patient comfort
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation:
repeated high intensity magnetic pulses focused on particular brain structures
Deep Brain Stimulation:
electrodes surgically implanted in specific areas of the brain
Vagus Nerve Stimulation:
electrodes surgically implanted at the vagus nerve
- Great for treatment resistant depression, but not many insurance cover
Advantages/disadvantages of biological therapies
- Advantages: effective, appealing because it seems erase the blame from sufferer of disorder
- Disadvantages: side effects, dont work for everyone, people could rely on drugs instead of dealing with things, ignores enviornmental and psychological processes, people tend to be more pessimistic when its a biological problem
Classical conditioning:
explains seemingly irrational responses to a neutral stimuli; pairs a neutral stimulus that doesnt usually create a response with a stimulus that does and eventually the neutral stimulus elicits a response
Operant Conditioning:
shapes new behaviors through rewards and punishments; conditioned avoidance response
Modeling:
new behaviors learned by imitating others
Observational learning:
person learns by observing the rewards and punishments that another person receives
Systematic Desensitization Therapy
gradually extinguishing anxiety responses to stimuli and the maladaptive behavior that often accompanies this anxiety
Advantages/disadvantages of behavioral approaches
Advantages:
- effectiveness is supported in research
Disadvantages:
- Cannot address all disorders
- Evidence comes from lab studies
- Doesnt recognize free will
Cognitive theories:
cognitions shape behavior and emotions (not just rewards and punishments)
Casual Attributions:
thoughts about why an event happens to us; the attributions that we give events influences behavior because it impacts meaning we give to events and our expectations for the future
Global Assumptions:
- broad beliefs about ourselves, our relationships, and the world
- Can be positive or negative (ex: im a terrible person that doesnt deserve a job)
- Usually unrealistic; ex: “i must have perfect self control”
Steps in cognitive therapy
- Identify and challenge dysfunctional thoughts and belief systems
- Replace irrational cognitions with realistic ones
- Teach effective problem-solving strategies
- Short term (between 12-20 weeks)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
cognitive techniques combined with behavioral techniques; problem-oriented
- Identify and replace dysfunctional thoughts and add behavioral skills they can do in those situations
Advantages/disadvantages of cognitive approaches
- Advantages: useful for sexual disorders, social anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse
- Disadvantages: difficult to prove role of cognitions (because what if they stem from a disorder); ex: do negative thoughts cause depression or does depression cause negative thoughts
Freud:
thought therapist had to “figure out” what patients problem was
Catharsis:
release of emotions; idea was holding emotions are causing the problem
Repression:
ego pushes anxiety-provoking material back into the unconscious (aka motivated forgetting); deffense mechanism Freud thought was the most effective
Free Association:
client talks about whatever comes to mind and therapist notices themes and how one thought leads to the next
Resistance:
blocking emotionally heavy information, the more resistance one has towards something the more threatening that thought is for the person
Transference:
client redirects feelings for someone else to the therapist
Working through:
repeatedly going over painful memories
Interpersonal therapy:
- Shifted focus from unconscious conflicts to clients’ relationships with others
- Short term therapy
- Much more structured and directive
Advantages/disadvantages of psychodynamic approaches
Advantages:
- Have played a big role in shaping psychology and psychiatry over the last century
Disadvantages:
- Lack of scientific data because its hard to prove
- Unaffordable because of the fact that its like 10 years long and insurance likely wont pay
Humanistic theories:
think all people have the innate capacity for goodness and living a full life
Carl Rogers:
- Believed people could move towards personal growth, self-acceptance, and self-actualization (fulfillment of their love, creativity, and meaning)
- Developed a form of treatment using this
Client Centered Therapy:
Unconditional positive regard; accepting who a person IS but not their behaviors
Communicate with empathic understanding and authenticity
Reflection:
therapist attempts to understand what client is experiencing and communicating (reflective listening) and checks with client about accuracy of understanding
Advantages/disadvantages of humanistic approaches
Advantages:
- Refreshing change because its positive
Disadvantages:
- Vague and not subject to scientific testing
- Best for moderate distress; cant be used on schizophrenia or other severe mental illnesses
Family systems theory:
individuals disorder indicates a dysfunctional family system because it sees the family as a complex interpersonal system with its own hierarchy and rules that govern members behavior
Family systems therapy:
- treats the family system to resolve an individuals symptoms
- Behavioral family systems therapy: targets family communication and problem solving
Family systems approaches advantages/disadvantages
Advantages: good for children
Disadvantages: needs more research and hard to observe
Third wave:
- focuses on people ability to understand and regulate their emotions
- Because emotional regulation is a trasdiagnostic risk factor
Dialectical behavior therapy:
- helps manage negative emotions and control impulsive behaviors
- very intense
- Used for mood disorders, eating disorders, suicidal behaviors
Acceptance and commitment therapy
- face distressing situations and emotions rather than avoiding them
- Use mindfulness and acceptance with behavioral principles and an understanding or personal values
Sociocultural risk factors
- Socioeconomic disadvantage
- Upheaval + disintegration of societies
- Social norms and policies
- Societal rules
