Kap 1: What Is Psychopathology? Flashcards
In which ways can a psychological disorder be understood?
- Social construct
- Pragmatic classified
- Essentialist
- Common trait
How high is comorbidity (USA)
~79%
What is the problem posed by comorbidity?
Diagnoses should be exclusive!
-> Validity Problem
- Either the diagnoses describe the same underlying phenomenon with different expressions (think P-Factor)
- Or disorder categories are too big (one illness can “catch” multiple diagnoses)
- The Illnesses could also just stabilize each other
What is the P-Factor
A possible Factor that underlies all psychological problems
Why is it so difficult to define “normal”?
There is no distinction in the DSM/ICD systems.
Statistics cant always work to capture pathology (conditions might not be deviations)
Manuals might not take the context into consideration and therefore what a “normal” reaction to a situation would be
Why is focus on negative emotions not sufficient?
Because for example too little emotions might also be pathological! Negative emotionality is overrepresented
Fire detector principle
Evolutionary: rather have multiple false alarms than not go off in a critical situation. -> evolution does this bc it works
=> Certain behaviors might be adaptive, bc its meaningfull for evolution
What is Harmful Dysfunction?
A psychological definition
(Wakefield):
When the evolutionary function does not work as intended AND does harm (to society or the individual) at the same time.
Why are there no “normal” traits?
Because Evolution works though creating a spectrum of traits
Why are some diagnoses definitely socially constructed concepts?
Because Evolution has never selected for these traits, such as writing/reading
What is the mutational burden?
The amount of mutations that one carries in their genome!
This can be inherited or through environmental toxins
How can the (modern) Environment shape our diagnoses?
We might not be adapted to our (modern environment)
one might be suffering under “diseases of civilization” -> an evolutionary mismatch
What are protective factors?
Biological!
Psychological:
response styles + Personality profiles
Social: social inequality and interpersonal relationships
What is the Biopsychosocial model
That the biology, psychology and social network all interact and play a role in disorders!
