Clinical Assessment Flashcards
Psychological Tests
- Intelligence tests such as the WISC-IV and WAIS-III
- Projective personality tests
Objective personality tests
projective personality tests
- Unstructured stimuli are presented to a subject
- The subject projects meaning or structure onto the stimuli
- These projections reveal hidden motives
i.e. rorschach
objective personality tests
- A subject is required to read and respond to itemized statements or questions
- i.e. MMPI-2
- cost-effective and highly reliable
Ethical Issues in Assessment
- Cultural bias
- Theoretical orientation of the clinician
- Underemphasis on the external situation
- Insufficient validation
- Inaccurate data or premature evaluation
Benefits of Classifying Abnormal Behavior
- The introduction of order
- The enabling of communication
- The enabling of statistical research
- Insurance issues
DSM Axis (5)
- Axis I: clinical syndromes
- Axis II: Personality Disorders, mental retardation
- Axis III: General medical conditions
- Axis IV: Psychosocial and environmental problems
- Axis V: Global assessment of functioning
Stress
- stressors
- internal biological and psychological responses to stressors
Distress
Negative stress
Factors Predisposing a Person to Stress
- nature of the stressor
- crisis
- Life changes
- perception of the stressor
- stress tolerance
- A lack of resources and support
Characteristics of Stressors
- Severity
- Chronicity
- Timing
- How closely it affects our own lives
- How expected it is
- How controllable it is
Crises
Stressful situation exceeds ability to cope properly
Body system response to stress
- (SAM) system prepares fight-or-flight response
- (HPA) produces cortisol, which is helpful in emergencies
Allostasis
The process of adaptation or achieving stability through change
Coronary Heart Disease
A blockage of arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle
Causal Factors in Cardiovascular Disease
- Chronic and acute stress
- Type A—excessive drive, hostility, impatience
Type D—distressed; tendency to experience negative emotions - Depression, anxiety, and social isolation
Bio Tx of stress disorders
- Surgical procedures
- Lipid-lowering medications
- Aspirin or other anticoagulants
- Antidepressant medications
Psycho Tx for stress disorders
- Emotional disclosure
- Biofeedback
- Relaxation and meditation
- Cognitive-behavior therapy
Adjustment Disorder
Reaction to a common stressor
- Only if:
- maladaptive
- Occurs within 3 months of the stressor
PTSD
Reaction to a traumatic stressor
- Severe psychological and physical symptoms can result from sudden unexpected environmental crises
- human intent are more likely to cause
Clin Desription of PTSD
- Recurrent reexperiencing of the traumatic event
- Avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma
- emotional numbing
- Increased arousal
- may occur after a delay
PTSD Causal Factors
The nature of the trauma
Individual risk factors
Sociocultural risk factors
PTSD Ind. Risk Factors
Being female
Low levels of social support
Neuroticism
Preexisting anxiety or depression
Family history of anxiety or depression
Substance abuse
Appraisals soon after trauma
PTSD Prevention & Tx
prepare a person in advance of a stressor
Telephone hotlines
Psychological first aid
Crisis intervention (e.g., with airline disasters)
