Defining Psychological Disorders Flashcards
abnormal psychology
the application of psychological science to understanding and treating mental disorders
psychological disorder
an ongoing dysfunctional pattern of thought, emotion, and behavior that causes significant distress, and that is considered deviant in that person’s culture or society
bio-psycho-social model of illness
a way of understanding disorder that assumes that disorder is caused by biological, psychological, and social factors
diagnosis not purely exact
emotional states and behaviors operate on a continuum, ranging from more “normal” and “accepted” to more “deviant,” “abnormal,” and “unaccepted.”
Whether a given behavior is considered a psychological disorder is determined not only by whether a behavior is unusual (e.g., whether it is “mild” anxiety versus “extreme” anxiety) but also by whether a behavior is maladaptive—that is, the extent to which it causes distress (e.g., pain and suffering) and dysfunction (impairment in one or more important areas of functioning) to the individual
Comorbidity
occurs when people who suffer from one disorder also suffer at the same time from other disorders
Another difficulty in diagnosing psychological disorders is that they frequently occur together
Philippe Pinel
believed that mental illness was caused by a combination of physical and psychological stressors, exacerbated by inhumane conditions as opposed to spirits or whatever
stigma
a disgrace or defect that indicates that person belongs to a culturally devalued social group
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
a document that provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders
organizes the diagnosis of disorder according to five dimensions (or axes) relating to different aspects of disorder or disability
DSM uses categories, and patients whose symptoms are similar to the description of the category are said to have that disorder
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
a developmental behavior disorder characterized by problems with focus, difficulty maintaining attention, and inability to concentrate, in which symptoms start before 7 years of age
some argue it is overdiagnosed today
quadrupled over the past 20 years
BUT Twin studies have found that ADHD is heritable nd neuroimaging studies have found that people with ADHD may have structural differences in areas of the brain that influence self-control and attention
autistic disorder (autism)
a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication and by restricted and repetitive behavior, and in which symptoms begin before 7 years of age
heritability of autism has been estimated to be as high as 90%
Asperger’s disorder
a developmental disorder that affects a child’s ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others and in which symptoms begin before 7 years of age
almost identical to that of autism (with the exception of a delay in language development)
anxiety
the nervousness or agitation that we sometimes experience, often about something that is going to happen
anxiety disorders
psychological disturbances marked by irrational fears, often of everyday objects and situations
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
a psychological disorder diagnosed in situations in which a person has been excessively worrying about money, health, work, family life, or relationships for at least 6 months, even though he or she knows that the concerns are exaggerated, and when the anxiety causes significant distress and dysfunction
panic disorder
a psychological disorder characterized by sudden attacks of anxiety and terror that have led to significant behavioral changes in the person’s life
phobia
a specific fear of a certain object, situation, or activity
social phobia
extreme shyness around people or discomfort in social situations
agoraphobia
anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing, or in which help may not be available
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
a psychological disorder that is diagnosed when an individual continuously experiences distressing or frightening thoughts, and engages in obsessions (repetitive thoughts) or compulsions (repetitive behaviors) in an attempt to calm these thoughts.
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
experience high levels of anxiety along with reexperiencing the trauma (flashbacks), and a strong desire to avoid any reminders of the event
dissociative disorder
a condition that involves disruptions or breakdowns of memory, awareness, and identity
Dissociative amnesia
a psychological disorder that involves extensive, but selective, memory loss, but in which there is no physiological explanation for the forgetting
dissociative fugue
a psychological disorder in which an individual loses complete memory of his or her identity and may even assume a new one, often far from home
Dissociative identity disorder
a psychological disorder in which two or more distinct and individual personalities exist in the same person, and there is an extreme memory disruption regarding personal information about the other personalities
host personality
the personality in control of the body most of the time
alter personalities
tend to differ from each other in terms of age, race, gender, language, manners, and even sexual orientation
mood
the positive or negative feelings that are in the background of our everyday experiences
Mood (or affective) disorders
psychological disorders in which the person’s mood negatively influences his or her physical, perceptual, social, and cognitive processes
dysthymia
a condition characterized by mild, but chronic, depressive symptoms that last for at least 2 years
Major depressive disorder (clinical depression)
a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities
bipolar disorder
a psychological disorder characterized by swings in mood from overly “high” to sad and hopeless, and back again, with periods of near-normal mood in between
Schizophrenia
a serious psychological disorder marked by delusions, hallucinations, loss of contact with reality, inappropriate affect, disorganized speech, social withdrawal, and deterioration of adaptive behavior
symptoms are divided into positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive symptoms
Positive symptoms
the presence of abnormal behaviors or experiences (such as hallucinations) that are not observed in normal people
negative symptoms
(such as lack of affect and an inability to socialize with others) refer to the loss or deterioration of thoughts and behaviors that are typical of normal functioning
include social withdrawal, poor hygiene and grooming, poor problem-solving abilities, and a distorted sense of time
cognitive symptoms
the changes in cognitive processes that accompany schizophrenia
difficulty comprehending information and using it to make decisions (the lack of executive control), difficulty maintaining focus and attention, and problems with working memory (the ability to use information immediately after it is learned)
psychosis
a psychological condition characterized by a loss of contact with reality
hallucinations
imaginary sensations that occur in the absence of a real stimulus or which are gross distortions of a real stimulus.
auditory are most common
delusions
false beliefs not commonly shared by others within one’s culture, and maintained even though they are obviously out of touch with reality
derailment
the shifting from one subject to another, without following any one line of thought to conclusion
grossly disorganized behavior
inappropriate sexual behavior, peculiar appearance and dress, unusual agitation (e.g., shouting and swearing), strange body movements, and awkward facial expressions
inappropriate affect
a patient may laugh uncontrollably when hearing sad news
catatonia
a state in which a person does not move and is unresponsive to others
personality disorder
a disorder characterized by inflexible patterns of thinking, feeling, or relating to others that cause problems in personal, social, and work situations
odd or eccentric behavior, those characterized by dramatic or erratic behavior, and those characterized by anxious or inhibited behavior
they may become problematic when they are rigid, overused, or interfere with everyday behavior
common to all the disorders is the person’s inability to accurately understand and be sensitive to the motives and needs of the people around them
personality disorders are essentially milder versions of more severe Axis I disorders
Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
a psychological disorder characterized by a prolonged disturbance of personality accompanied by mood swings, unstable personal relationships, identity problems, threats of self-destructive behavior, fears of abandonment, and impulsivity
internalizing disorder
research suggests that excessive affective reactions and lessened cognitive reactions to emotional stimuli may contribute to the emotional and behavioral volatility of borderline patients
antisocial personality disorder (APD)
characterized by a disregard of the rights of others, and a tendency to violate those rights without being concerned about doing so. APD is a pervasive pattern of violation of the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood
externalizing disorder
sociopaths or psychopaths
somatization disorder (also called Briquet’s syndrome or Brissaud-Marie syndrome)
a psychological disorder in which a person experiences numerous long-lasting but seemingly unrelated physical ailments that have no identifiable physical cause
almost always comorbid with other psychological disorders, including anxiety and depression and dissociative states
conversion disorder
a psychological disorder in which patients experience specific neurological symptoms such as numbness, blindness, or paralysis, but where no neurological explanation is observed or possible
Hypochondriasis (hypochondria)
psychological disorder that is focused on preoccupation, accompanied by excessive worry about having a serious illness
factitious disorder
fake physical symptoms in large part because they enjoy the attention and treatment that they receive in the hospital
Münchausen syndrome
malingering
fabricating the symptoms of mental or physical disorders, but where the motivation for doing so is to gain financial reward; to avoid school, work, or military service; to obtain drugs; or to avoid prosecution
Sexual dysfunction
a psychological disorder that occurs when the physical sexual response cycle is inadequate for reproduction or for sexual enjoyment
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder
refers to a persistently low or nonexistent sexual desire.
Sexual aversion disorder
refers to an avoidance of sexual behavior caused by disgust or aversion to genital contact
Female sexual arousal disorder
persistent difficulties becoming sexually aroused or sufficiently lubricated in response to sexual stimulation in women
dyspareunia and vaginismus
refer to sexual pain disorders that create pain and involuntary spasms, respectively, in women, and thus make it painful to have sex
Gender identity disorder (GID, or transsexualism)
diagnosed when the individual displays a repeated and strong desire to be the other sex, a persistent discomfort with one’s sex, and a belief that one was born the wrong sex, accompanied by significant dysfunction and distress
paraphilia
a sexual deviation where sexual arousal is obtained from a consistent pattern of inappropriate responses to objects or people, and in which the behaviors associated with the feelings are distressing and dysfunctional
