Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

PSYC 102 > Clinical Psychology > Flashcards

Clinical Psychology Flashcards

(59 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

what is a syndrome

A

a collection of symptoms that occur together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what are common features of a disorder?

A

can be reliably detected
can be differentiated from other disorders
has clinical utility
the label has more benefits than costs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is the medical model?

A

an approach that conceptualizes abnormal psychological experiences as illnesses that have biological and environmental causes, defined symptoms, and possible cures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is the difference between signs and symptoms?

A

signs: objectively observed indicators of a disorder

symptoms: subjectively reported behaviours, thoughts, and emotions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is the diathesis-stress model?

A

a person may be predisposed to a psychological disorder that remains unexpressed until triggered by stress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what does it mean that the DSM-5 is atheoretical/descriptive?

A

it means that is only a tool for describing and diagnosing, not for explaining why a disorder occurred

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what are the main criticisms of the DSM-5?

A
  1. categorical (treats most disorders as have or have not, when variations in severity exist)
  2. comorbidity (having 2 or more disorders in one person reduces diagnostic validity)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

define anxiety

A

a state of apprehension and tension in which a person anticipates upcoming danger, catastrophe, or misfortune

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

how is anxiety differentiated from fear?

A

anxiety is anticipatory and does not always have a specific target

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what are anxiety disorders?

A

disorders in which excessive, irrational, automatic, and impairing anxiety is the primary manifesting symptom

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what are predictors of having an anxiety disorder?

A

anxiety disorders have strong family history and are correlated with high neuroticism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what are phobic disorders?

A

marked, persistent, and excessive fear and/or anxiety in presence or anticipation of specific objects, activities, and/or situations (i.e. phobias)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what are some neurobiological factors of phobias?

A

abnormalities in serotonin and dopamine; high levels of activity in amygdala

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what is fear conditioning?

A

the theory that phobias are caused by associating a particular stimulus with a negative event through trauma

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what is the little albert experiment?

A

a 6-mo infant who was not afraid of white rats was conditioned by pairing a loud noise every time he touched the rat; eventually his fear generalized to other white, furry things (i.e. rabbits, Santa Claus)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what is preparedness theory?

A

the theory that we are evolutionarily programmed to learn certain things even with very minimal experience

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is the Garcia effect?

A

when a rat is mildly poisoned once after drinking sugar water, they will never again drink sugar water, even if they were actually poisoned by something else

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what is panic disorder?

A

a disorder characterized by the sudden occurrence of multiple psychological and physiological symptoms that contribute to a feeling of stark terror

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what were the sodium lactate experiments and results?

A

compared the responses of people with and without panic disorder to sodium lactate, a chemical causing rapid/shallow breathing and heart palpitations

  • those WITH panic disorder were acutely sensitive to the chemical, 60-90% experienced an attack
  • those WITHOUT panic disorder rarely experienced an attack
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what is agoraphobia?

A

a specific phobia associated with fear of public places, often co-morbid with panic disorder (most people are not actually scared of public places themselves, but rather what might happen there)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what is social anxiety disorder?

A

excessive anxiety around being judged by others, often to the point that the person avoids all social situations; the most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder (note: this does not necessarily mean that it is the most prevalent, perhaps only the most impairing)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what is social anxiety disorder correlated with?

A

moderate correlations with temperament and neuroticism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what is GAD?

A

an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic and excessive worry accompanied by three or more of the following: fatigue, concentration problems, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances for more than 6 months

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what is a possible cause of GAD?

Study These Flashcards
A

seems to be in part related to the brain’s ability to inhibit information; patients with GAD show significantly higher levels of general brain activity

25
what are predictors of GAD?
moderately predicted by family history, with environmental effects like stress and trauma being the other main predictors
26
what is OCD?
a clinical disorder marked by: 1. repetitive, intrusive, and irrational thoughts and worries (obsessions) 2. ritualistic behaviours (compulsions) done in an attempt to fight those thoughts 3. the obsessions and compulsions impair everyday function, including ability to maintain a job
27
what brain region is indicated in OCD?
cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loop
28
what is depression?
a negative state marked by unhappiness, sadness, pessimism, hopelessness, and lethargy, coupled with changes in eating and sleeping habits, difficulty concentrating, and social withdrawal
29
what are depressive disorders?
mental disorders whose primary symptom is the presence of impairing depression, accompanied by related changes that significantly affect the individual’s capacity to function
30
what characterizes MDD?
- a severely depressed mood and/or an inability to experience pleasure that lasts for 2 or more weeks - accompanied by feelings of worthlessness, lethargy, lack of sleep, inappropriate guilt, and appetite disturbance
31
what is MDD correlated with?
MDD is correlated with increased suicidal ideation and attempted suicide
32
what characterizes PDD? (persistent depressive disorder)
depressed mood for most of they day, for more days than not, over a period of 2 years; less intense than MDD, but more long-term (individuals with PDD experience their symptoms for 2 years with no longer than 2 month breaks)
33
what is it called when MDD and PDD co-occur?
double depression
34
what are the possible biological causes of depression?
- some depressed individuals have significantly reduced levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, reducing their moods and general arousal activity - some depressed individuals have significantly reduced general brain activation - heritability for depression is similar to IQ
35
what is the cognitive model of depression?
the theory that one’s automatic thought patterns, inferences, and attitudes increase the risk for depression
36
what are the concepts under the cognitive model of depression?
negative schemas (depressed individuals are likely to be generally focused on themes of guilt, worthlessness, loss, separation, and rejection) biased attention (might attend more to the negative events in the environment, and interpret them as consistent with their schemas) biased memory (depressed individuals recall the past more negatively, are more likely to ruminate, and more likely to blame themselves for outcomes)
37
what is the helplessness theory of depression?
depressed individuals, through repeated trauma, believe they have no control, and that negative events are therefore: stable, global, and internal
38
how are the cognitive model and helplessness model of depression related?
helplessness theory is sometimes considered a schema in the cognitive model, BUT others consider it a separate theory that explains how past trauma is a strong predictor of future depressive beliefs (note: presence or absence of trauma is a helpful differentiator)
39
what are some of the genetic risks for bipolar?
bipolar is most likely polygenic, but there is also evidence of pleiotropic effects (one gene influences a person's susceptibility to multiple disorders)
40
what are the positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, disorganized behaviours
41
what are the negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
flat affect, social withdrawal, lack of motivation, problems with attention and working memory
42
what are some brain structure causes of schizophrenia?
reduced grey matter, reduced white matter, enlarged ventricles
43
what is the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia?
schizophrenia is caused by an overabundance of dopamine - explains positive symptoms, as excess dopamine would fuck with various sensory and motor aspects of the brain leading to hallucinations and delusions
44
what are cluster A personality disorders?
odd/eccentric - marked by social awkwardness and withdrawal, and strange beliefs or manners of speaking or dressing
45
what are cluster B personality disorders?
dramatic/erratic - problems in impulse control and emotional regulation, including lack of empathy towards others, unstable moods, or attention seeking
46
what are cluster C personality disorders?
anxious/inhibited - associated with feelings of anxiety and discomfort, perfectionism, lack of self-confidence, etc.
47
what is schizoid personality disorder? (A)
detachment from social relationships and restricted range of expression in social situations that is by choice, usually are indifferent to opinions to others, lack friends, and show flat affect
48
what is antisocial personality disorder? (B)
pervasive disregard and violation of rights of others, since at least adolescence, with highly impulsive behaviours, aggression, and irritability, tendency to deceive others, and lack of remorse
49
what brain changes are seen with antisocial personality disorder?
dysregulated amygdala, less amygdala and hippocampal activity when exposed to negative emotion words
50
what is BPD? (B)
pervasive pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, self-image, and high impulsivity; frequently includes fear of abandonment, identity disturbances, recurrent suicidal behaviour, and difficulty controlling anger
51
what brain changes are seen with BPD?
very active amygdalas, experiencing intense fear from small environmental disturbances
52
what is dependent personality disorder? (C)
pervasive patterns of needing to be taken care by others, separation anxiety, and difficult making decisions without excessive amount of advice and support from others (no issues with impulsivity, anger, or fluctuating relationships)
53
what is autism spectrum disorder?
pervasive and sustained deficits in social communication and interaction, coupled with deficits in non-verbal communication, difficulties in having relationships, and restricted/repetitive patterns of behaviour
54
what are the environmental risks for ASD?
advanced parental age, extremely premature birth, teratogen exposure
55
what is ADHD?
a persistent pattern of inattention and hyperactivity lasting at least 6 months and present prior to age 12; can be predominantly on one type or combined
56
what are the predictors for ADHD?
predictors: poor temperament in infancy and childhood, including negative emotions and novelty seeking; low birth weight; teratogen exposure (esp. smoking and alcohol)
57
what is conduct disorder?
a condition in which a child or adolescent engages in a persistent pattern of deviant behaviour involving aggression to people or animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness or theft, or serious rule violations
58
what are the risk factors for conduct disorder?
maternal smoking during pregnancy, exposure to abuse and familial violence in childhood, affiliation with deviant peer groups, presence of EF deficits
59
what conditions are commonly co-morbid with conduct disorder?
ADHD, substance use, antisocial personality disorder

PSYC 102 (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions