L12 - disorders & treatments

Question 1

normal vs abnormal

Answer 1

hard to define, controversial, psychologists use specific system to classify

Question 2

definition of disorder

Answer 2

deviance, distress, dysfunction, dangerous

Question 3

biopsychosocial model

Answer 3

interaction between biological factors, psychological experiences, and social environment

Question 4

DSM-5

Answer 4

lists symptoms & criteria of 19 categories of disorders, acknowledges interplay between three factors
onset age, risk factors, course of disorder (evolution & persistence), prevalence rates, gender differences, cultural considerations

Question 5

problems with classification systems

Answer 5

subjective, relies on self-report
no bio-markers
may encourage overdiagnosis
consider everyday life problems as clinical disorders
does not account for (sequential) comorbidity

Question 6

stigma

Answer 6

disapproval, discrimination, isolation, misconception that it’s a conscious choice or can be prevented/anticipated, may lead to self-fulfilling prophecy

Question 7

anxiety disorders

Answer 7

general anxiety disorder - chronic anxiety, belief in benefits of worry for 6 months
panic disorder - unexpected panic attacks, worry of additional attacks
PTSD - intrusive memories, avoidance of external reminders, hypervigilance, irritability, exaggerated belief about others
risk factor genetic vulnerability, history of psychological problems, tendency to avoid unwanted thoughts, lack of social & cognitive resources

Question 8

obsessive compulsive disorder

Answer 8

obsessions - recurrent unwanted thoughts & images
compulsions - repetitive, uncontrollable ritualised behaviours
magical thinking
may be abnormalities in prefrontal cortex -> cognitive & bahvioural rigidity
hyperactive amygdala

Question 9

bipolar disorder

Answer 9

I - at least one manic episode, no major depressive episode required
II - at least one manic and one major depressive episode
abnormally elevated or irritable mood, increased energy, inflated slef-esteem, sometimes psychotic symptoms, decreased need for sleep, distractability, increased goal-directed activity, risk-taking, talkativeness

Question 10

depressive disorders

Answer 10

significant distress & impairment
not attributed to physiological effects of drugs
5 or more in 2-week period:
1. depressed most of the day, most days
2. diminished interest & pleasure
3. disnificant weight/appetite loss/gain
4. insomnia or hypersomnia
5. psychomotor agitation/retardation
6. fatigue
7. feelings of worthlessness, excessive guilt
8. diminished ability to think/concentrate
9. recurrent thoughts of death/suicide
~7%, 3x higher in youth, neuroticism, adverse childhood experiences & stressful life events, first-degree family members
differential diagnosis: manic episodes, other conditinos, substance-induced, ADHD

Question 11

vulnerability-stress model of depression

Answer 11

interaction between individual vulnerabilities & stressful experiences
genetic componenet
serotonin studies inconclusive

Question 12

cognitive habits in depression

Answer 12

attributional theory, rumination (repetitive & passive focus on symptoms, causes, consequences), negative feedback seeking, excessive reassurance seeking

Question 13

attributional theory of depression

Answer 13

attributing negative events to causes that are internal, stable, and global

Question 14

schizophrenia

Answer 14

positive psychotic symptoms - delusions, hallucinations, disorganised thinking, abnormal motor (eg catatonic) behaviour
negative psychotic symptoms - loss of motivation to take care of self, flat/blunted affect, reduced speech production, asociality
childhood/past trauma, abnormality in brain structure: enlarged ventricles, abnormalities in thalamus, deficiencies in auditory cortex, hyoeractivity of dopamine in subcortical regions & hypoactivity in prefrontal regions
genetic predisposition, prenatal problem/birth complications (cannabis exposure), environmental stressors interacting with genetics
reduced grey matter density

Question 15

psychoanalysis/psychodynamic therapy

Answer 15

analysing unconscious processes
how repressed emotions influence current behaviours/thoughts
recurrrent themes/patterns
interpersonal relationships
developmental focus

Question 16

resistance

Question 17

humanistic/person-centered therapy

Answer 17

unconditional positive self-regard
empathy
congruence (genuineness, authenticity)
no hierarchy between client & patient, non-directive, goal to increase insight

Question 18

cognitive behavioural therapy

Answer 18

thought, emotion, behaviour affect each other, can change feelings through thought and action

Question 19

acceptance & commitment therapy

Answer 19

CBT focused on nagative automatic thoughts, paradoxical, may be ineffective
approach with acceptance and without hanging on, focus on positive message
psychopathology stemming from efforts to escape unpleasant feelings
psychological flexibility - acceptance, cognitive de0fusion, self as context, being present, values, committed action

Question 20

cognitive distortions

Answer 20

all or nothing thinking
over-generalising
mental filter
disqualifying the positive
jumping to conclusions
magnification (catastrophisig & minimisation)
emotional reasoning
should/must/ought -> guilt, failure, frustration
labelling
personalisation

Question 21

cognitive restructuring

Answer 21

CBT thought record - mnegative automatic thoughts, evidence against & alternative thought

Question 22

bahavioural activation

Answer 22

mainly used in depression
increase engagement in adaptive activities eg walking jogging, going to movies, spending time with family, and decrease activities that maintain depressive symptoms

Question 23

systematic desensitisation

Answer 23

exposure (anxiety & OCD)
pavlovian extinction - fearful stimulus presented without negative reinforcer and without engaging in safety behaviours

Question 24

dodo bird effect

Answer 24

“everybody has won and all must have prizes” -> all therapies have equivalent outcome

Question 25

common factors

Answer 25

client characteristics - positive expectancies, distress
treatment structure - technique/ritual, explanation of inner world, theory
therapist qualities - cultivate hope, warm/positive regard, empathy
relationship - alliance
chance processes - catharsis/ventilation, new behaviours, therapeutic rationale, insight/awareness