Chapter 9 - Eating disorders

Question 1

Anorexia nervosa

Answer 1

Eating disorder in which the individual is significantly below a bodyweight that is normal for his/her age and height and suffers from a fear of gaining weight and from body image disturbance.

Question 2

Bulimia nervosa

Answer 2

Eating disorder in which the individual engages in recurrent binge-eating episodes and compensatory behaviours (such as self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives and excessive exersice) designed to prevent weight gain.

Question 3

Binge eating episode

Answer 3

An instance of disordered eating characterised by eating an excessive amount of food, accompanied by a sense of lack of control over eating.

Question 4

Binge eating disorder

Answer 4

Eating disorder in which the individual engages in recurrent binge eating episodes but does not engage in compensatory behaviours (such as self-induced vomiting) designed to counteract the caloric intake.

Question 5

Tube feeding

Answer 5

Practice of feeding a patient via a tube in the case of patients who are unable or refuse to obtain nutrition by swallowing; in the case of severely malnourished patients with anorexia nervosa, a nasogastric tube may be used, which entails a plastic tube being inserted through the nose and throat into the stomach.

Question 6

Barium swallow

Answer 6

A test that is used to determine the cause of difficulty with swallowing. The patient drinks a preparation containing barium sulphate, which is a metallic compound that shows up on X-rays and is used to see abnormalities in the oesophagus and stomach.

Question 7

Amphetamines

Answer 7

Stimulant drugs that can produce symptoms of euphoria, self-confidence, alertness, agitation, paranoia, perceptual illusions and depression.

Question 8

Heritability

Answer 8

Percentage indicating the degree to which genes contribute to the development of a disorder.

Question 9

Concordance rate

Answer 9

Probability that both members of a twin pair will develop the same disorder.

Question 10

Monozygotic twins

Answer 10

Identical twins who share 100 per cent of their genes because they developed from a single fertilised egg.

Question 11

Dizygotic twins

Answer 11

Non-identical twins who share with each other on average 50 per cent of their genes because they developed from two separate fertilised eggs.

Question 12

Neuroimaging

Answer 12

Range of techniques to image the structure and/or functioning of the brain such as computerised tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Question 13

Sociocultural approach

Answer 13

Theories that focus on interpersonal relationships, culture and social institutions to understand the cause of abnormality.

Question 14

Incidence

Answer 14

Number of new cases of a specific disorder that develop during a specific period of time.

Question 15

Inpatient treatment

Answer 15

Treatment that entails the patient being hospitalised.

Question 16

day-patient treatment

Answer 16

Type of treatment where individuals with psychological disorders attend the treatment setting during the day but return home at night.

Question 17

Outpatient treatment

Answer 17

Treatment received at a hospital or clinic but where the patient is not hospitalised.

Question 18

Motivational enhancement therapy (MET)

Answer 18

Type of psychological treatment that aims to increase the client’s intrinsic motivation to change.

Question 19

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)

Answer 19

Type of psychological treatment that combines both cognitive and behavioural concepts and techniques.

Question 20

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Answer 20

Class of antidepressant drugs (such as fluoxetine) that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin.

Question 21

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)

Answer 21

Class of antidepressant drugs such as imipramine and amitriptyline.

Question 22

Neuroleptics

Answer 22

Drugs used to treat psychotic symptoms.

Question 23

Affect

Answer 23

Experience of feeling or emotion.

Question 24

Hypertension

Answer 24

Condition in which the blood supply through the blood vessels is excessive and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke (also known as high blood preassure)