EXAM I REVIEW Flashcards
What does DSM stand for, and what is and is not found in it?
DSM stands for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
It does contain criteria, common language, descriptive information, and definitions of professional domain for mental disorders
It does NOT contain treatment for mental disorders
Incidence
Rate of onset for new cases
Prevalence
Number of active cases
Comorbidity
Having 2 or more co-occurring mental conditions
Describe the findings and limitations of the National Comorbidity Study-Replication (NCS-R)
2001-2002, studied US adults
Left out eating disorders, schizophrenia, autism, and personality disorders
About half of people (46.4%) have a disorder in their lifetime
Anxiety disorders are most prevalent in 1 year and in a lifetime
The most common disorder is major depressive disorder, followed by alcohol abuse and phobias
LIMITATIONS: Did not include every disorder, only studied US adults, outdated at this point
Etiology
Causes/origin of disorder
Correlational design
(Overview, strengths, & weaknesses)
Studying the world as it is without manipulating variables
Used often to study differences between people with and without disorders
The strength of correlation is measured by the correlation coefficient (r)
We CAN NOT assume causation
Third variable problem - involvement of some unknown third variable
Useful when experimentation would be unethical/unrealistic
Experimental design
(Overview, strengths, & weaknesses)
Allows researchers to draw conclusions about causality and resolve questions about directionality
Control variables, independent and dependent variables
Double-blind studies and placebo treatment
Not always ethical to conduct an experiment
Criterion vs Control Groups
Criterion groups receive new treatment
The control group receives a standard treatment, placebo, or no treatment at all
Risk Factors
Variable associated with increased risk of disorder
“x” can be considered a risk factor only if shown to occur before “y”
Necessary vs Sufficient vs Contributory
Protective Factors
Variable associated with decreased risk of disorder
Biopsychosocial Model
Atheoretical - can be applied to any theory
Balancing act between social/environmental, biological, and psychological factors
Ecological Systems Theory
There are different systems surrounding an individual that have different levels of impact on their life and behavior
You DON’T control everything
Diathesis-Stress Model
Explains a disorder as the result of interaction between predispositional vulnerability (diathesis) and stress caused by life experiences
Heritability
How much is a trait impacted by one’s genetics?
Twin Studies
Study the differences between genetic and environmental factors (shared or non-shared environment)
Concordance
Presence of the same trait in both twins
Neural Communication: Describe the basics of the electrochemical process (how and where?)
Information is communicated in the brain through electrical impulses
Electrical - Inside neurons
Chemical - Between neurons
Hormones are chemical messengers
Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory
Id, Ego, Superego - Conflicts between them lead to anxiety
Unconscious mind is where mental illness originates
Id
Irrational, illogical, impulsive dimension of personality
Ego
Rational, mediating dimension of personality
Superego
Moralistic, judgemental, perfectionist dimension of personality
Ego Defense Mechanisms
Regression - Returning to an earlier stage of development
Denial - Unpleasant external realities are ignored
Projection - Attributing one’s own unacceptable behavior to others
Reaction formation - Adopting/expressing the opposite of one’s true feelings
Sublimation - Transforming a socially unacceptable anxiety into a source of energy that produces no adverse consequences and is socially acceptable
Humanistic Model of Abnormality
Humans have the agency to change their life/make decisions and are innately good
Mental illness comes from denying oneself and lack of self-acceptance
Behavioral Model of Abnormality
Abnormal behavior is caused by learning history (learning bad things)
Classical Conditioning (Pavlov) - Can lead to phobia formation
Operant Conditioning (Skinner)
Modeling, Observational Learning (Bandura)
Cognitive Model of Abnormality (Important figures, overarching beliefs, and understanding of mental illness)
Albert Ellis, Aaron Beck, and others
Focus on thoughts or beliefs as causing or maintaining psychological symptoms
Mental illness relates to schemas, thoughts, and beliefs being incongruent with reality
Sociocultural Perspectives Model (Important figures, overarching beliefs, and understanding of mental illness)
Focus on people’s different backgrounds including early deprivation and trauma, social support networks, low SES/unemployment, maladaptive peer relationships, and prejudice and discrimination
Reliability vs Validity
Reliability - Does a test yield consistent results?
Interrater and test-retest reliability
Validity - Does a test measure what it intends to?
Internal and external validity
Types of Reliability
Interrater - Can different graders get similar results from the same test?
Test-retest - Does a participant get similar results after retaking a test?
Types of Validity
Internal - Do results mirror what was intended of them?
External - Can results be applied to a larger picture/population?
Double Blind Studies
The participants AND researchers do NOT know which groups participants are in
Structured vs Semi-structured vs Unstructured Interviews
Structured - set list of questions that a clinician must adhere to
Semi-structured - set list of questions, the clinician may ask follow-up questions as needed
Unstructured - Clinician tailors the interview to the client
Factors influencing assessment include _______ and _______.
trust and rapport
Trust and Rapport
The client must have a positive relationship with the clinician, there must be trust between them, and they must have shared goals for the treatment
Projective Personality Assessment - Rorschach, TAT
Unstructured, rely on various ambiguous stimuli such as inkblots rather than explicit questions
Rorschach - Inkblots
TAT - Series of images, the client must explain what happened before, during, and after the image as well as feelings/thoughts associated with those depicted
Objective Personality Assessment - MMPI Clinical and Validity Scales
Structured, typically use questionnaires, self-report inventories, or rating scales
Consequences: Not perfectly valid, cultural limitations
MMPI - True or false questions, possibly too mechanistic to show how complex people really are
Validity scales - Measure things like unanswered items, lies, defensiveness, etc. to assert how valid one’s responses are on a personality test
Behavioral Treatments - Systemic Desensitization vs Flooding, Token Economies
Acknowledges the role of learning and the importance of behavior in treatment
Systematic desensitization - a slow, gradual process
Flooding - Immediate, full-on confrontation of anxiety-inducing stimulus
Token economies - Clients are rewarded with a sort of currency for good behavior, this currency is then used to “buy” prizes
Cognitive Therapy – Role of automatic thoughts and logical errors
Issues result from biased processing of events and internal stimuli, leading to cognitive errors
Clients are made to identify automatic thoughts and logical errors
Carl Rogers’ Client-Centered Therapy
Focus on the organism’s natural power to heal itself
Resolve incongruence and promote self-acceptance
Unconditional positive regard, empathetic listening, genuineness
Make self-concept and actual experience congruent
Freudian Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic Therapies
Focus on the unconscious, attachment, and past experiences
Interpersonal relationship issues
Dream analysis reveals unconscious thoughts and true feelings
Gestalt Therapy
Focus on authenticity, self-awareness, acceptance, and integration of thought, feeling, and action
Commonly used in group settings with an emphasis on one person at a time
Dreams are considered representations of unacknowledged aspects of the dreamer’s self
Empty chair conversations
Antipsychotic Medication (Function, consequences, examples)
Function: Alleviate or reduce the intensity of delusions and hallucinations by blocking dopamine receptors
Consequences: Tardive dyskinesia
Examples: Zyprexa, Clopenthixol
Tardive Dyskinesia
Movement abnormality that is a delayed result of taking antipsychotics
MAOIs (Function, consequences, examples)
Function: Inhibit the activity of the enzyme that breaks down monoamines in the synapse (allows serotonin and norepinephrine to be reabsorbed more slowly)
Consequences: Must avoid foods with tyramine
Examples: Marplan, Nardil, Parnate
TCAs (Function, consequences, examples)
Function: Inhibit norepinephrine reuptake (and serotonin to a lesser extent)
Examples: Anafranil, Tofranil
SSRIs and SNRIs (Function, consequences, examples)
Function: Selective serotonin (and norepinephrine) reuptake, makes depression patients happier, 2nd gen treatments!
Consequences: Success is comparable to MAOIs and TCAs but with less adverse effects
Examples:
SSRIs - Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Celexa, Lexapro
SNRIs - Effexor and Cymbalta
Antianxiety Medications
Benzos - GABA, short-term
Lithium - ???, Bipolar disorder, long-term
Benzodiazepines
Function: Treat anxiety disorders, insomnia, and seizures by acting on GABA (increasing its inhibitory nature)
Consequences: Addictive, cause numbness, overdose can be fatal, meant for short-term symptoms
Examples: Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ambien, Sonata, Lunesta
Lithium
Function: Unknown how it impacts neurotransmitters, treats mood swings in bipolar patients
Consequences: Weight gain, thirst, fatigue, tremor, gastrointestinal issues, discontinuation is dangerous
