Clinical Psychology Flashcards
Medical Model
psychological disorders have biological and environmental causes, symptoms, and possible treatments
What is considered in a DSM diagnosis?
-PERSISTANT disturbance or dysfunction in behavior, thoughts, or emotions that cause significant distress or impairment
-# of symptoms required for diagnosis
Benefits of the DSM
-helps to communicate between practitioners
-allows for greater standardization of diagnosis
-can guide practitioners in selecting the most effective treatment option
Drawbacks of DSM
-diagnosis/labeling can lead to stigma or lower self-esteem
-can be problematic if just below the cutoff of required symptoms
-systematic diagnosis of mental illnesses can be difficult because the way people describe emotions may vary
How do diagnoses change over time?
-with attitude
-with advances in research
Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC)
views psychological disorders as the result of differences in normal psychological processes
*focuses on studying basic processes/underlying causes of disorders
*can help explain comorbidity
Ex: study response to rewards more generally rather than just cocaine addiction
Biopsychosocial model
potential biological, psychological, and environmental contributors
Diathasis Stress Model
predisposition, then encounter a life events that leads to a psychological disorder
Anxiety
negative mood state accompanied by bodily symptoms such as increased heart rate, muscle tension, a sense of unease, and apprehension about the future
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
excessive worry about everyday things that is out of proportion to specific causes of worry
*the source of worry shifts
*worry can be reinforced (positive reinforcement)
GAD Diagnosis (time and symptoms)
-at least 6 months of excessive anxiety
-may be accompanied by difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, fatigue, sleep problems
Panic Disorder
sudden wave of intense fear or worry
Panic Disorder Diagnosis
-recurrent
-symptoms include sweating, heart palpitations, rapid heart rate
-often described as if it’s a heart attack
-intense anxiety and avoidance related to the attack for at least one month
Agoraphobia
fear of having a panic attack in a public place after experiencing one
Specific Phobias
irrational fear of a specific object or situation that substantially interferes with the person’s ability to function
*5 major subtypes
*can run in families (as is common with the blood/injury/injection phobia)
*for diagnosis, must alter how a person behaves in their daily life
Preparedness Theory
people are predisposed toward certain fears
Are phobias learned?
Not necessarily. People with phobias often don’t have a negative event they can recall
Social Anxiety Disorder
fear of social situations which leads to worry and diminished day-to-day functioning
