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PSYC 3318 > Exam 1 (Ch. 1-4) > Flashcards

Exam 1 (Ch. 1-4) Flashcards

1
Q

psychological disorder

A

psychological dysfunction that causes stress/impairment functioning/responses to stimuli that are not culturally expected.

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2
Q

psychological dysfunction

A

breakdown in cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning.

  • stress
  • impairment
  • atypical/culturally unexpected
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3
Q

Supernatural Tradition

A
  • treatments included exorcisms
  • influence on Salem Witch Trials
  • origin of term “lunatic”
  • alive and well but with caveats (warnings/limitations)
  • mass hysteria lent credibility to supernatural accounts of abnormal behavior
  • emotional contagious
  • mob psychology
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4
Q

Biological Tradition

A
  • Hypocrates and Galen (humors/psychopathology)
  • psychological symptoms of syphilis
  • John P. Grey and mental “hospital”
  • development of biological treatments
  • Meduna’s research and shock therapy
  • hydrotherapy
  • psychosurgery
  • trepanation
  • Moniz, Freedman, and Lobotomy
  • drugs
  • consequences of biological tradition
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5
Q

Psychological Tradition

A
  • Plato and psychosocial influences on behavior
  • moral therapy
  • positive reinforcement
  • best with small groups patients
  • paradox of the mental hygiene movement
  • psychoanalytic approach: unconscious mind; past experiences left in unconscious
  • humanistic theory/person-centered therapy: emphasizes looking at the whole individual and stresses concepts such as free will, self-efficacy, and self-actualization
  • cognitive-behavioral therapy: goal-oriented, hands-on to problem-solving
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6
Q

Psychoanalytic Theory

A
  • id: sexuality/aggression driven by libido and thanatos
  • superego: keeps id in check through use of moral principles (SUBCONSCIOUS)
  • ego: acts as buffer between id and superego to prevent intrapsychic conflict (CONSCIOUS)
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7
Q

Defense Mechanisms

A
  • used by ego as “socially acceptable” outlets for intrapsychic conflicts
  • denial
  • projection
  • rationalization
  • repression
  • intrapsychic conflicts cannot be quenched via defense mechs can result in abnormal behavior/symptoms
  • ALL non-psychotic disorders (neuroses) result from conflicts between the id, ego, superego and defense mechs
  • psychoanalytic theories use modifications to these principles
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8
Q

Humanistic Theory

A
  • self-actualized if we are given room to grow
  • self-discovery
  • being honest with ourselves
  • person-centered therapy relies on unconditional positive regard, empathy, genuiness, and therapist/client relationship
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9
Q

Behavioral Therapy

A

operant conditioning

  • positive reinforcement: sticker on your HW
  • negative reinforcement: stretching before a workout
  • positive punishment: a christmas story
  • negative punishment: being grounded

classical conditioning

  • UCS (stimulus that automatically triggers a response): food
  • UCR (unlearned response that occurs naturally): salivation
  • CS (primed stimulus): bell ringing
  • CR (response associated with previous stimulus): salivation
  • extinction
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10
Q

One Dimension approach

A

suggest that psychological disorders have a single cause.

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11
Q

Multidimensional Integrative approach

A

many factors interact to contribute to psychopathology.

  • biological
  • psychological
  • social
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12
Q

Biological Influences

A
  • neurons separated by synaptic clefts but can still communicate with each other by neurotransmitters that travel across those spaces.
  • brain circuits are groups of neurons that are sensitive to the same neurotransmitters.
  • neurons have receptors that are sensitive to certain neurotransmitters

GABA: linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia

Glutamate: overstimulating of brain, producing migraines/seizures

Serotonin: linked to depression; some antidepressant drugs raise serotonin levels

Norepinephrine: depresses mood and causes ADHD-like attention problems

Dopamine: linked to schizophrenia; tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s and ADHD

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13
Q

Biological Influences (cont.)

A
  • mechanisms of action for psychotropic medicines
  • reuptake inhibition: inhibits the plasmalemmal transporter-mediated reuptake or a neurotransmitter from synapses into pre-synpatic neuron
  • agonism: bind to synaptic receptors and increase the effects of neurotransmitters
  • antagoism: bing to synaptic receptors but decrease the effect of the neurotransmitter
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14
Q

Biological Influences (cont.)

A
  • most disorders are polygenic: disorder resulting from combined action of alleles or more than one gene
  • genetic can affect how our brains work
  • relative levels of neurotransmitters
  • limbic system brain circuit and stress hormone release (biological vulnerability)
  • evolutionary predisposition to certain phobias
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15
Q

Psychological Influences

A

genetics account for less than a third of mental illness

  • unique thought patterns associated with different disorders
  • locus of control
  • hopelessness
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16
Q

Psychological Influences (cont.)

A
  • learned helplessness
  • learned optimism
  • observational learning
  • psychological vulnerabilities
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17
Q

Circumplex Model of Emotion

A

(see picture on slide)

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18
Q

Social Influences

A
  • culture/ethnicity-specific fright disorders - exaggerated startle responses in addition to other fear and anxiety reactions
  • Susto
  • Ataques de nervios
  • Gender
  • does prevalence differ across gender or does willingness to report symptoms differ across gender?
  • differences in how society has shaped men and women to react to certain emotional situations
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19
Q

Social Influences (cont.)

A
  • effects of social realtionships on mental health
  • media and body-image disorders (Fiji and exposure to western media)
  • news reports of suicide
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20
Q

Interactions

A

Biological and psychological factors

  • Diathesis (predisposition/tendency) stress model
  • gene environment correlation model
  • depression is similar across genders until puberty
  • psychotherapy alters brain circuitry for a variety of clinical disorders
  • early childhood experience can alter brain anatomy and in turn affect the likelihood of developing disorders later on

Psychological and Social factors

  • importance of social support
  • social stigma
  • voodoo death
  • media
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21
Q

Effects of Aging

A
  • stress can be good for young but bad for old in some circumstances
  • adults respond better to certain psychotropic meds than do children
  • the same symptoms in older and younger people may not come from the same origins (equifinality: different early experiences in life can lead to similar outcomes)
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22
Q

Conducting Research in Psychopathology

A
  • test hypotheses with research design, examining impact of an IV(s) on a DV
  • hypotheses must be testable or falsifiable
  • research design should be free of confounds (when researchers control certain extraneous variables that may influence results)
  • internal validity (evidence that study design reflects what is observed) versus external validity ( the extent to which results of study can be generalized to and across other situations)
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23
Q

External Validity

A

ways to improve external validity

  • analogue models/studies recreate real-world conditions in the laboratory
  • focus on clinical significance in addition to statistical significance
  • keep the patient uniformity myth in mind
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24
Q

Internal Validity

A

ways to improve internal validity

  • control groups
  • randomization
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25
Q

Research Design

A
  • case studies
  • correlational studies
  • epidemiological research examines prevalence rates and incidence rates of disorders in greater populations
  • experimental research
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26
Q

Experimental Research Designs

A
  • aim to increase internal validity (but we still want external validity) through the use of control groups
  • groups vs. single case experimental designs
  • SCEDs are essentially well-controlled case studies
  • group experimental designs permit formal statistical analyses
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27
Q

More on Single Case Experimental Designs

A
  • involves repeated measurements
  • can involve a withdrawal design which helps establish internal validity
  • baseline, treatment, withdrawal…return to baseline?
  • what about lasting effects?
  • multiple baseline approach avoids some disadvantages of the withdrawal design
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28
Q

Genetics and Behavior

A
  • family studies
  • adoption studies
  • twin studies
  • genetic linkage analysis and association studies
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29
Q

Family Studies

A
  • studies mental health of proband, their first-degree relatives, and their second-degree relatives
  • if proband has depression and it is genetic, the first-degree relatives should show a tendency to be depressed and their second-degree relatives should also show this tendency but perhaps to a lesser degree
  • such similarities can arise because family members tend to live together and have similar experiences
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30
Q

Adoption Studies

A
  • siblings raised in different homes should have more genetic similarity than environmental similarity
  • if they show similar traits, this provides evidence for genetic contributions
31
Q

Twin Studies

A
  • identical twins share the same genetic makeup while fraternal twins do not
  • if identical twins are more similar than fraternal twins, this suggests genetic contribution to a trait
32
Q

Genetic Linkage Analysis Association Studies

A

genetic linkage analysis
- examines common markers among people with a disorder

association studies
- similar to GLA except that markers are identified by comparing people with and without depression

33
Q

Temporal Factors on Behavior

A
  • gain insight into whether something is just a “phase”
  • assess effectiveness of interventions
  • gain insight into potential etiologies
  • effects of aging on mental health
34
Q

Research Design for Temporal Investigations

A

cross-sectional designs

  • compare several cohorts of individuals who are different ages
  • the cohort effect describes confounding differences between groups of people who are different ages

longitudinal designs

  • follow the same individuals over time
  • free from cohort effects and allow for prediction but are time consuming
  • plagues by attrition and cross-generational effects

sequential designs combined cross-sectional and longitudinal designs

35
Q

Studying Behavior across Cultures

A
  • most research has examined behavior in western cultures
  • cross cultural research treats culture as an IV and behavior as a DV
  • describing symptoms of mental illness and openness about mental health
  • tolerances in abnormal behavior
  • approaches to treatment
36
Q

Assessing Psychological Disorders

A

clinical assessment: systematic evaluation and measurement of psychological, biological, and social factors in a patient with a mental illness

  • clinical interview
  • physical exam
  • behavioral assessment
  • psychological testing
  • neuropsychological testing
  • psychophysiological assessment

diagnosis: determine what set of DSM-5 criteria are met by a patient’s symptoms

issues in assessment

  • reliability
  • validity
  • standardization
37
Q

The Clinical Interview

A

gathers broad into regarding…

- when problems started
possible triggering life events
- interpersonal history
- family history of mental illness
- current living situation
- religion
- educational history
38
Q

Mental Status Exam

A
  • part of clinical interview
  • describes five aspects of a client
  • appearance and behavior
  • thought processes
  • mood and affects
  • intellectual functioning
  • sensorium
  • often semistructured
39
Q

Physical Examination

A
  • psychological symptoms sometimes reflect acute medial conditions
  • avoids issues of social desirability in responding to interview questions
  • provides info that clients may not know about themselves (i.e., side effects of medications they are taking)
40
Q

Behavioral Assessment

A
  • often useful with children who cannot verbalize their problems or who may have limited insight
  • ABCs of observation
  • antecedents: events, actions that occur immediately before behavior
  • behavior: the behavior in detail
  • consequences: actions/responses that follow the behavior

limitations of self-monitoring

  • reactivity
  • memory distortions
  • self vs other ratings
    formal vs informal observations
41
Q

Psychological Testing

A

projective testing

  • we “project” interpretations onto ambiguous stimuli
  • problems with validity, reliability, and standardization
  • usefulness as an icebreaker

personality inventories

  • include self-reference ratings
  • empirical approach vs face validity

IQ testing

  • IQ vs intelligence
  • G factor
42
Q

Neuropsychological Testing, Neuroimagining, and Psychophysiological Assessment

A
  • both ways of assessing brain damage

neuropsychological testing
- behavioral approach to estimating brain damage/cognitive impairment

neuroimagining
- structural vs functional imaging

psychophysiological assessment

  • diagnosing DID
  • role of EEG and biofeedback
43
Q

Diagnosing Psychological Disorders

A
  • idiographic strategy: what makes a person unique among those with their disorder?
  • nomotheitic strategy: what is true about other people with the same symptoms as this individual?
  • nosology: classification of a person’s symptoms as belonging to a specific mental disorder
  • nomenclature: labels/names for disorders
44
Q

Classification Issues

A

normal vs abnormal?

should behavior be measured on a continuum?

  • classical categorical approach
  • prototypical approach
  • dimensional approach
  • impact of labelling
  • categories are not always informative regarding the best treatment approaches
45
Q

Anxiety

A

apprehension about the future and/or a corresponding physical response

46
Q

Fear

A

negative attack in response to a current situation

47
Q

Panic Attack

A

abrupt, intense fear accompanied by intense physiological reactions

  • expected (cued) panic attacks and corresponding disorders
  • unexpected (uncued) panic attacks and corresponding disorders
48
Q

Anxiety Disorders

A
  • generalized anxiety disorder
  • panic disorder/agoraphobia
  • social anxiety disorder
49
Q

Biological vulnerability

A
  • behavioral inhibition system: creates sense of anxiety based on some threat
  • fight or flight system: activates us to engage in threat or disengage/avoid threat
50
Q

Generalized Psychological vulnerability

A
  • personality charactertistics
51
Q

Specific psychological vulnerability

A
  • somatosensory amplification
52
Q

Triple Vulnerability Theory

A

anxiety-related disorders differ primarily in the environmental stressor that triggers the vulnerabilities

53
Q

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A
  • at least six months of uncontrollable excessive anxiety and worry on most days

key symptom: focus on anxiety is on a variety or minor and major everyday events

physiological hallmarks:
- show less physiological arousal but more frontal lobe activity in response to stressors compared to patients with other anxiety disorders

treatments:

  • benzodiazepines and antidepressants
  • psychological treatments offer better long-term prognoses than pharmaceutical treatments alone
54
Q

Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

A

fear of being unable to get to safety

  • typically begins with an unexpected panic attack
  • physiological symptoms of fear are often misinterpreted

treatment:
- pharmacological: Benzos and SSRIs (might have sexual side effects)

  • exposure therapy and panic control treatment
55
Q

Specific Phobia

A

irrational fear of specific object or situation that causes interference
- related to expected panic attacks

four major subtypes…

  • blood-injection-injury phobia
  • situational phobia
  • natural environment phobia
  • animal phobia
56
Q

Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia

A
  • marked by a drop in blood pressure and heartrate

- reflects the fear of fainting

57
Q

Situational Phobia

A
  • includes claustrophobia, fear of flying

- distinct from panic disorder w/ agoraphobia

58
Q

Natural Environment Phobia

A
  • fears of heights, storms, waters
  • seem to cluster together and often develop early in life
  • may be predisposed to fear these things
59
Q

Animal Phobia

A
  • arachnaphobia, etc

- develop early in life

60
Q

Causes (Specific Phobia)

A
  • direct experience
  • experiencing panic attack in a specific situation
  • vicarious experience: something we experience through someone else
  • being warned of the dangers of a situation

any of these must lead to anxiety over a future reaction

61
Q

Treatment (Specific Phobia)

A
  • medications

- exposure therapy

62
Q

Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder

A
  • fear/anxiety in one or more social or performance situations
  • involves a fear or evaluation
  • fears of others feeling embarrassed for the patient may play a role in non-western cultures
63
Q

Causes (Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder)

A

can develop in three basic ways

  • perceived poor social skills
  • unexpected panic attack in social situation
  • actual social trauma
64
Q

Treatment (Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder)

A
  • CBT focusing on perceived vs actual judgments by others
  • social mishap exposure therapy
  • SSRIs and beta-blockers can be helpful
  • mixed evidence for combining meds and psychotherapy
65
Q

Selective Mutism

A
  • lack of speech in one or more settings
  • must endure for longer than a month
  • nearly always comorbid with other anxiety disorders
  • treated with age-appropriate psychotherapy
66
Q

Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders

A
  • PTSD
  • adjustment disorder
  • attachment disorder
67
Q

Causes (Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders)

A

triple vulnerability theory

  • generalized biological vulnerability
  • generalized psychological vulnerability
  • traumatic experience + true alarm
  • trigger + learned alarm = anxiety and avoidance
68
Q

PTSD

A
  • caused by witnessing a traumatic
  • causes susceptibility to flashbacks and chronic levels of hyper-arousal
  • PTSD in children can lead to developmental regression

treatment:
- ideally, patients should face the original trauma and process the associated emotions and feelings with learned coping strategies

69
Q

Other Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders

A
  • adjustment disorder: similar to PTSD but milder
  • attachment disorders occur in children before the age of 5 and are caused by child abuse
  • reactive attachment disorder: avoidance of relationships with caregiving adults
  • disinhibited social engagement disorder: seeking comfort from adults who may not be appropriate caregivers
70
Q

Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

A

model of causation

  • generalized biological vulnerability
  • generalized psychological vulnerability
  • stress + GBV + GPV = specific psychological vulnerability
  • thoughts (obsessions) resulting from SPV trigger anxiety
  • thought-action fusion
  • compulsions are used to try to suppress the thoughts/reduce the anxiety they elicit
71
Q

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

A
  • includes attempts to avoid intrusive thoughts, images, and/or impulses

types of obsessions

  • symmetry: keeping objects in order or doing things a specific way
  • forbidden thoughts or actions: fears, potentially dangerous urges
  • cleaning/contamination: fear of germs, etc.
  • hoarding: fear of throwing things away

treatment

  • SSRIs and/or ERP
  • psychosurgery
72
Q

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

A
  • irrational belief in some flaw in appearance that impairs functioning
  • often comorbid with OCD
  • etiology may be similar to that involved in OCD and social anxiety

treatment

  • SSRIs and a variant on ERP (ERP may have longer lasting effects)
  • while many patients seek help from plastic surgeons and dermatologists, this is typically counterproductive
73
Q

Hoarding Disorder

A
  • differences from OCD
  • tends to get progressively worse rather than wax and wane

three hallmarks

  • excessive acquisition of things
  • difficulty discarding things
  • living in a dangerously cluttered environment

treatment
- CBT that encourages throwing objects away that have greater and greater importance to the patient

74
Q

Trichotillomania and Excoriation

A

trichotillomania: an urge to pull out hair that results in noticeable hair loss, distress, and significant social impairment
excoriation: repetitive and compulsive skin picking leading to tissue damage

treatment

  • SSRIs can be effective
  • CBT focuses on replacing picking/pulling behaviors with non-harmful habits such as gum chewing

PSYC 3318 (1 decks)

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