Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

PSYCH5121 exam notes > LU 9: Abnormal Behaviour > Flashcards

LU 9: Abnormal Behaviour Flashcards

1
Q

What is abnormal behaviour?

A
  • characterized by an individual displaying behavior that is rare or unusual.
  • refers to behaviour that is regarded as maladaptive to situations or the context in which an individual lives.
  • in the context of mental health, abnormality often suggests impairments in an individuals daily functioning.
  • finally, the illness may cause the individual personal distress.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Who is the founder of modern scientific psychiatry?

A

Emil Kraepelin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What year defined mental illness as rooted in a biological/ medical model?

A

1883.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the medical model of mental disorders?

A
  • Think of mental disorders as a disease & identify & classify symptoms in a similar way to physical disease
  • Use structured tools to identify, describe, classify & treat abnormal behaviour.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What 2 medical classification systems are commonly used?

A
  • DSM- 5: published in 2013 (the diagnostic & statistical manual of mental disorders)
  • ICD- 11: currently being developed (the international classification of diseases).
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Describe DSM- 5:

A
  • list 20 categories of disorders
  • covers more than 300 disorders
  • takes an atheoretical approach
  • based on observable behaviour (symptoms) not aetiology (cause).
  • provides mental health care professionals with a common language of categories to communicate key features & symptoms of mental disorders that individuals may present with.
  • each category is a collection of related disorders & each disorder has specific diagnostic criteria.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is diagnostic criteria?

A

Key features of a disorder that identify symptoms, behaviours, cognitive functions, personality traits, physical signs & duration.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Describe the ICD- 11:

A
  • currently being developed
  • provides critical knowledge on the extent, causes & consequences of human disease & death worldwide via data that is reported & coded with the ICD.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

In determining whether a behaviour is abnormal, clinicians rely on the following criteria:

A
  1. Is it deviant, or does it violate societal norms?
  2. Is it maladaptive, that is, does it impair a persons everyday behaviour?
  3. Does it cause them personal stress.
    (All 3 do not have to be met for a person to be diagnosed with a psychological disorder).
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What 3 disorders have a significant overlap of symptoms but are separately accounted for in the DSM?

A
  1. Anxiety disorders
  2. OCD
  3. Trauma- related disorders.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are anxiety disorders?

A

A class of disorders marked by feelings of excessive fear & anxiety, and related disturbances in their behavior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the 3 main types of anxiety disorders?

A
  1. Generalized anxiety disorder
  2. Specific phobic disorder
  3. Panic disorder
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is generalized anxiety disorder?

A
  • Marked by chronic, high level of anxiety that isn’t tied to any specific threat. People with this disorder worry constantly about minor matters.
  • Excessive worry about a number of events, often with no identifiable cause. Worry is out of proportion to the likelihood of the event.
  • Tends to have a gradual onset & more prevalent in females.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the physical symptoms of generalized anxiety disorders?

A

Dizziness, sweating, trembling & heart palpitations.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is specific phobia disorder?

A

An irrational fear of a specific object or situation that markedly interferes with an individual’s ability to function. Although mild phobias are common, people are said to have a phobic disorder when fears seriously interfere with everyday functioning.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is panic disorder?

A
  • Characterized by recurrent abrupt attacks of overwhelming anxiety that occurs suddenly & unexpectedly.
  • People with this disorder often feel so overwhelmed by the feelings of panic they think they are having a heart attack or a seizure.
  • most people with panic disorder cannot identify any specific thing that might have triggered the attack.
  • however, when a panic attack occurs, the same situation may then trigger a future attack. May avoid certain situations for fear of attack.
  • typical in late adolescence and early adulthood. 2/ 3’s are female.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the physical symptoms of a panic attack?

A

Accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling, breathing.
People with panic disorder feel so overwhelmed by the feelings of panic they think are having a panic attack or seizure.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is agoraphobia?

A

A fear of being in places from which escape may be difficult or where to help may not be available if one were to experience panic.
People affected with agoraphobia avoid any place- the mall, grocery store, or the movie theatre etc. such fears can leave a person housebound for years.
At least 75% of those diagnosed with agoraphobia are women.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are concordance rates?

A

Assess the impact of hereditary.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

True or false:
Evidence suggests that a link may exist between anxiety disorders and neurotransmitter activity in the brain.

A

True.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What therapeutic drug reduces excessive anxiety which appears to alter neurotransmitter activity at GABA synapses?

A

Valium.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

True or false:
GABA may play a role in some types of anxiety disorders.

A

True.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What disorder is serotonin linked to?

A

OCD.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Finish the sentence:
Many anxiety responses, especially phobias, may be acquired through…. & may be maintained through…..

A

Classical conditioning & operant conditioning.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What does an avoidance response lead to & why?

A

Negative reinforcement because it alleviates the persons conditioned fear, strengthening the avoidance response.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is Martin Seligman’s concept of “preparedness”?

A
  • The idea that organisms are biologically predisposed to quickly learning associations between stimuli, responses, and reinforcers.
  • This quick-learning can be explained by an organism’s fit with genetic traits that evolved to increase the species’ chances of survival.
27
Q

What are cognitive theories?

A

Hold that certain styles of thinking, such as over- interpreting harmless situations as threatening, make some people vulnerable to anxiety disorders.

28
Q

What are the 3 reasons people are more likely to suffer with anxiety because:

A
  1. Misinterpret harmless situations as threatening
  2. Focus excessive attention on perceived threats
  3. Selectively recall information that seems threatening.
29
Q

What is the difference between obsessions & compulsions?

A

The presence of recurrent, persistent, intrusive thoughts or images (obsessions), and/ or repetitive behaviours or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform (compulsions).

30
Q

What are the 4 types of OCD?

A
  1. Checking: intense needs ti check things to avoid accidents/ damage.
  2. Contamination: an intense need to wash & clean body parts or things in fear it may be dirty.
  3. Symmetry & orderliness: feel a strong need to line up things in a way to avoid anxiety.
  4. Ruminations & intrusive thoughts: refers to an obsession with a line of thought. Often violent or disturbing thoughts.
31
Q

What is OCD?

A

Marked by persistent, uncontrollable intrusions of thoughts, which are called obsessions, & urges ti engage in senseless rituals- which are called compulsions.

32
Q

What are examples of compulsions?

A

Stereotyped rituals such as constant hand washing, or endless rechecking of locks, faucets etc.

33
Q

Why are compulsions performed?

A

With hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. However, these “rituals” provides only temporary relief. Not performing the rituals increases anxiety.

34
Q

True or false:
Recurrent obsessions cause great personal distress & compulsions can be time consuming and in some cases harmful (washing hands so frequently until they bleed).

A

True.

35
Q

What is PTSD?

A

Involves enduring psychological disturbance attributed to the experience major traumatic event.

36
Q

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

A

Re- experiencing the traumatic event form of nightmares & flashbacks, numbing, alienation, problems in social relations and elevated arousal, anxiety & guilt.

37
Q

Traumatic events of PTSD may include the following?

A
  • violent personal assaults eg. rape
  • natural/ human- caused disasters eg. earthquake
  • military combat.
38
Q

What is unipolar disorder?

A

Experience emotional extremes at just one end of the mood continuum. Such people are troubled only by depression.

39
Q

What is bipolar disorder?

A

Emotional extremes at both ends of the mood continuum. People with bipolar disorder go through periods of both depression & mania (excitement & elation).

40
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of bipolar disorder?

A
  1. Emotional
  2. Cognitive
  3. Motor
41
Q

What is the manic and depressive episode of an emotional characteristic of bipolar disorder?

A

Manic episode:
Elated, euphoric, very sociable, impatient at any hindrance.

Depressive episode:
Miserable, hopeless, socially withdrawn, irritable.

42
Q

What is the manic and depressive episode of a cognitive characteristic of bipolar disorder?

A

Manic episode:
Characterized by racing thoughts, flights of ideas, desire for action, impulsive behaviour; talkative, self- confident & experiencing delusions of grandeur.

Depressive episodes:
Characterized by slowness of thought processes, obsessive worrying, inability to make decisions, negative self- image, self- blame & delusions of guilt & disease.

43
Q

What is the manic and depressive episode of a motor characteristic of bipolar disorder?

A

Manic episode:
Hyperactive, tireless, requiring less sleep than usual, showing increased sex drive & fluctuating appetite.

Depressive episode:
Less active, tired, experiencing difficulty in sleeping, showing decreased sex drive & decreased appetite.

44
Q

True or false:
Twin studies suggest that genetic factors are involved in mood disorders.

A

True.

45
Q

Correlations have been found between mood disorders & abnormal levels of 2 neurotransmitters in the brain:

A

Norepinephrine & serotonin.

46
Q

Certain neurochemical reactions reduce…

A

Neurogenesis.

47
Q

Who revised the learned helplessness model?

A

Martin Seligman’s.

48
Q

What is the learned helplessness model?

A

Postulates that the roots of depression sometimes lie in inferences that people draw about the causes of events, others’ behaviour and their own behaviour.

49
Q

What happens to depressed people who ruminate about their depression?

A

They remain depressed longer that those who try to distract themselves.

50
Q

What happens to depressive people with excessive rumination?

A

They tend to extend and amplify individuals’ episodes of depression.

51
Q

What are the 4 characteristics of learned helplessness?

A
  1. Negative events
  2. Attribution to personal flaws
  3. Sense of hopelessness
  4. Depression
52
Q

With poor social skills people acquire fewer reinforcers such as good friends, court rejection because of irritability or pessimism or gravitate to people who confirm negative self- views leads to…..

A

Increased vulnerability to depression.

53
Q

What is Schitzophrenia spectrum?

A

Related disorders are a class of disorders marked by delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech & deterioration of adaptive behaviour.

54
Q

True or false:
Disturbed thought lies at the core of schizophrenia whereas emotion lies at the core of mood disorders.

A

True.

55
Q

In schizophrenia the central feature are cognitive deficits & disturbed irrational, disjointed processes, including…..

A

Delusions.

56
Q

What are delusions?

A

False beliefs that are clearly out of touch with reality. Eg) belief you are a tiger.

57
Q

What are delusions of grandeur?

A

Belief that you are a famous person. Persons of thought deteriorates. Becomes more chaotic, shits topics, disjointed.

58
Q

What causes the deterioration of the adaptive behaviour of schizophrenia?

A
  • deterioration in the quality of the persons routine functioning in work, social relations & personal care.
  • deterioration is readily apparent to friends & family. Inability to get along with others or to function normally.
  • also apparent in neglect of personal hygiene & late arrival to work etc.
59
Q

What role do hallucinations play in schizophrenia?

A
  • sensory perceptions: gross distortions of perceptual input.
  • most common are auditory hallucinations, occurring in 75% of the patients.
  • frequently hear voices. Can be insulting, angry, argumentative or may issue commands.
60
Q

What is the emotional impact of schizophrenia?

A
  • blunted or fact effect.
  • or inappropriate emotional responses, don’t fit situation. Laugh or cry inappropriately.
  • emotionally volatile. Behave in erratic, unpredictable ways.
61
Q

What are positive symptoms?

A

An excess or distortion of normal functions.

62
Q

What are the positive symptoms of schizophrenia?

A
  • hallucinations
  • delusions
  • disorganized speech
  • disordered behavior.
63
Q

What are negative symptoms?

A

A restriction or absence of normal functions.

64
Q

What are the negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

A
  • blunted effect (outward expression of emotion)
  • anhedonia (lack of pleasurable experiences)
  • apathy (lack of motivation)
  • impaired attention
  • alogia (reduced amount of speech).

PSYCH5121 exam notes (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions