EXAM REVIEW Flashcards
- the study of psychological disorders, including their symptoms, etiology (causes), and treatment
psychopathology
- a condition characterized by abnormal thoughts, feelings, and
behaviours - behaviours, thoughts, and inner experiences that are atypical, dysfunctional, or dangerous are signs of psychological disorders.
psychological disorder
factors that impact defining something as a psychological disorder (2)
cultural expectations
-Hallucinations is a violation of cultural expectations in Western Societies. People who
report hallucinations are likely to be labeled with a psychological disorder
harmful dysfunction
-Dysfunction occurs when an internal mechanism (e.g., cognition, perception, learning)
breaks down and cannot perform its normal function
- Significant disturbances in thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
- Outside of cultural norms.
- The disturbances reflect some kind of biological, psychological, or developmental dysfunction.
- The disturbances lead to significant distress or disability in one’s life.
- E.g. difficulty performing appropriate and expected roles.
American Psychological Association (APA) Definition of a Psychological Disorder
- appropriately identifying and labeling a set of defined symptoms
- requires classification systems that organize psychological disorders systematically
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders:
* Published by the American Psychiatric Association
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Categories (4)
- Diagnostic features – overview of the disorder.
- Diagnostic criteria – specific symptoms required for diagnosis.
- Prevalence – percent of population thought to be afflicted.
- Risk factors
the co-occurrence of two disorders at once
comorbidity
2 types of disorder that are often found in the same person (comorbidity)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder and major depressive disorder frequently occur in the same person.
what classification system is this describing?
- Used to examine general health of populations and monitor prevalence of diseases/health problems internationally.
- Worldwide, the ICD is more frequently used for clinical diagnosis, whereas the DSM is more valued for research.
- DSM includes more explicit disorder criteria as well as extensive explanatory text.
- DSM is the classification system used among U.S. mental health professionals
THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF
DISEASES (ICD)
Published by the World Health Organization (WHO)
- psychological
disorders attributed to a force beyond scientific
understanding. - Practitioners of black magic (sorcery).
- Possessed by spirits.
- Witchcraft
supernatural perspective
- Epidemic in Western Europe (11th-17th centuries) in which groups of people would suddenly
begin to dance with wild abandon. - Some would dance for days or weeks, screaming of terrible visions.
supernatural perspective
- View psychological disorders as linked to biological phenomena:
- Genetic factors, chemical imbalances, and brain abnormalities.
- Supported by evidence that most psychological disorders have a genetic component.
biological phenomena
stress model:
Integrates biological and psychosocial factors to predict the likelihood of a disorder.
Diathesis-Stress Model
Diathesis + Stress → Development of a disorder
Diathesis-Stress Model
- People with an underlying predisposition for a disorder (diathesis) are more likely than
others to develop a disorder when faced with adverse environmental or psychological
events. - A diathesis can be a biological or psychological vulnerability.
- Emphasizes the importance of learning, stress, faulty and self-defeating thinking
patters, and environmental factors. - Views the cause of psychological disorders as a combination of biological and
psychosocial factors.
psychosocial perspective
an instantaneous reaction to an imminent threat
fear
apprehension, avoidance, and cautiousness regarding a potential threat, danger, or other negative content
anxiety
Characterized by excessive and persistent fear and anxiety, and by related disturbances in behavior.
anxiety disorders
- Effects approximately 25%-30% of the U.S. population during their lifetime.
- More common in women than men.
- Most frequently occurring class of mental disorders.
Involves excessive, distressing, and persistent fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation.
specific phobia
name 5 common phobias
- Acrophobia – heights.
- Aerophobia – flying.
- Arachnophobia – spiders.
- Claustrophobia – enclosed spaces.
- Agoraphobia: intense fear, anxiety, and avoidance of situations in which it might be difficult to escape or receive help if one experiences a panic attack (public transportation, crowds, being outside the home alone)
3 types of learning/conditioning discussed in this chapter:
- Classical Conditioning.
- Child is bitten by dog (US) → dogs become associated with biting (CS) → childexperiences fear around dogs (CR).
- Vicarious Learning.
- Child observes cousin react with fear around spiders → child later expresses the same fears even though spiders have never presented any danger to him.
-Verbal transmission of information.
* A child is continuously told that snakes are dangerous → child starts to fear snakes.
Characterized by extreme and persistent fear or anxiety and avoidance of social situations
in which the person could potentially be evaluated negatively by others, leading to serious impairments in life
social anxiety disorder
- mental or behavioral acts that reduce anxiety in social situations by
reducing the chance of negative social outcomes
-E.g., avoiding eye contact or rehearsing sentences before speaking
safety behaviours
a consistent tendency to show fear and restraint when presented with unfamiliar people or situations.
Behavioral inhibition
characteristics at the biological, psychological, family, community, or cultural level that precede and are associated with a higher likelihood of negative outcomes
risk factors
recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, along with at least one month of persistent concern about additional panic attacks, worry over the consequences of the attacks, or self-defeating changes in behavior related to the attacks.
panic disorder
comorbidity relating to anxiety (name 2 co related disorders)
anxiety disorders & major depressive disorder
a period of extreme fear or discomfort that develops abruptly and reaches a peak within 10 minutes
panic attack
name 4 theories behind panic attacks and why they happen:
- genetics
- neurobiological theory
- conditioning theory
- cognitive theory
which of the following theories surrounding panic attacks is this referring to?
43% heritability
genetics
which of the following theories surrounding panic attacks is this referring to?
The idea that locus coeruleus in the brainstem is possibly involved.
- Major source of norepinephrine (neurotransmitter that triggers flight-or-flight response).
-neurobiological theory
which of the following theories surrounding panic attacks is this referring to?
Panic attacks are responses to subtle bodily sensations resembling those normally occurring when one is anxious or frightened
conditoning theory
which of the following theories surrounding panic attacks is this referring to?
individuals with panic disorder are prone to interpret ordinary bodily sensations catastrophically, setting the state for panic attacks.
* In some patients, reducing catastrophic cognitions about sensations has proven
to be as effective as medication in reducing panic attacks
cognitive theory
A relatively continuous state of excessive, uncontrollable, and pointless worry and apprehension
generalized anxiety disorder
name the main theory behind generalized anxiety disorder:
cognitive theory
- Worry represents a mental strategy to avoid more powerful negative emotions perhaps stemming from earlier unpleasant or traumatic experiences.
- Worrying acts a distraction from remembering painful childhood experiences.
persistent, unintentional, and unwanted thoughts and urges that are highly intrusive, unpleasant, and distressing
obsessions
Involves thoughts and urges that are intrusive and unwanted (obsessions) and/or the need to engage in repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions).
OCD
name 4 common obsessions:
- Concerns about germs and contamination
- Doubts
- Order and symmetry
- Aggressive or lustful urges
repetitive and ritualistic acts, typically carried out primarily as a means to minimize the distress that obsessions trigger or to reduce the likelihood of a feared event
compulsions
Involves a preoccupation with a perceived flaw in the individuals physical appearance that is either nonexistent or barely noticeable to other people
body dysmorphic disorder
involves great difficulty in discarding possessions, regardless of how valueless/useless they are, usually resulting in an accumulation of items that clutter living or work areas.
hoarding disorder
explain 3 theories as to why individuals have OCD:
- genetics
- conditioning theories
- brain anatomy
which of the following theories surrounding OCD is this referring to?
- 5 times more frequent in first-degree relatives of people with OCD.
- Identical twins - 57% concordance rate.
- Fraternal twins - 22% concordance rate.
- Genes involved regulate the function of serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate.
genetics