Lesson 1b - Models of Psychopathology & Research and Assessment Methodologies

Question 1

What are the models of Psychopathology?

Answer 1

1. Biological/Medical
2. Behavioral
3. Cognitive
4. Family systems
5. Multicultural

Question 2

What does the Biological model consist of?

Answer 2

Human thoughts
Emotions
Behaviours associated with activities of the central nervous system

Question 3

What are the causes associated with Abnormal behaviour in the Biological Model?

Answer 3

Brain dysfunction
Biochemical imbalances
Heredity

Question 4

What are the Biochemical theories?

Answer 4

1. Chemical imbalances underlie mental disorders
2. Chemical actions are involved in most physiological and mental processes in which messages are transmitted from neuron to neuron.

Question 5

What are the main key points of the Genetic theories?

Answer 5

Tendencies toward mental illness are biological inherited through genes.

Question 6

What are the main two types of Genetic theories?

Answer 6

1. Genotype - A person’s actual genetic makeup
2. Phenotype - Observable physical and behavioral characteristics that are determined by the interaction of the genotype and environmental influences.

Question 7

What are the main characteristics of the Diathesis-Stress model?

Answer 7

1. Inherited vulnerability tendency (diathesis)

2. Tendencies activated by life events (stress)

Question 8

What abnormalities can you diagnosed with the Diathesis-stress model?

Answer 8

1. Schizophrenia
2. Substance abuse
3. Blood-injection injury phobia

Question 9

What are the main characteristics of the Reciprocal Gene-Environment Model?

Answer 9

A genetically determined tendency to create certain environments.

Genetic vulnerability to disorder
Environmental stress
Tendency to create environmental stress

Question 10

What disorders can be diagnosed with the Reciprocal Gene-Environment Model?

Answer 10

Depression
Divorce
Impulsivity

Question 11

What determines the value of clinical assessments?

Answer 11

1. Reliability
2. Validity
3. Standardization

Question 12

What is Reliability?

Answer 12

The degree to which a measurement is consistent

Question 13

What is Validity?

Answer 13

The degree to which a technique measures what it is designed to measure

Measuring / understanding a construct that we aim to measure or understand

Question 14

What is Standardization?

Answer 14

It is the application of certain standards to ensure consistency across different measurements.

Question 15

Who performed the first Lobotomy?

Answer 15

Dr Moniz - won Nobel prize in 1930s

Popularized by Dr Walter Freeman in the USA

Question 16

Who is a neuropsychologist?

Answer 16

Is a psychologist who studies how brain damage alters the way we think, behaved and feel

Question 17

Who is a neurologist?

Answer 17

Studies brain diseases

Question 18

What do Neuropsychological tests assess?

Answer 18

They assess behavioral disturbances caused by brain dysfunction

Question 19

What is Psychophysiological Measurement?

Answer 19

It is Psychophysiology concerned with the bodily changes that accompany psychological events or a person's psychological characteristics.
Measures include:
1. Heart rate (EKG)
2. Skin conductance (GSR)
3. Brain electrical activity (EEG)

Question 20

What is Neuroimaging?

Question 21

What is Imaging Brain structure?