Mental health problems Flashcards
What was the cause of mental health problems based on historical approaches?
-Previously viewed as possession of evil spirits
-Within middle ages, it was viewed as ‘sin’ and a form of madness
-Humanistic approach then took over and idea around supernatural began to fade away
What treatments were used to treat mental health based on historical approaches?
-Exorcisms
-Purging and bleeding
-Asylums used as ‘prison like places’ where individuals were chained up
Pinel (1745-1826)
Began to unchain inmates at La Bicetre hospital and took a more humane approach
William Tuke (1732-1822)
created Country Asylums Act 1845 meaning they had to provide an asylum for every mentally unwell person
Dorothea Dix (1802-1887)
Created the mental hygiene movement where asylums were made more humane
Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926) - more modern views
Saw how important brain pathology was in causing mental health problems and he further created the basis of the DSM
Used lobotomies as treatments
Describe the contemporary approach of the medical model
-Suggests that our behaviour is affected by certain changes that occur within our brain
-Diagnosis tends to be treated rather than the individual
What did the medical model do to improve classifications?
Began to put things categorically such as through the DSM e.g. excessive worrying, restlessness and muscle tension means anxiety disorder
What is the good thing about classifying diagnoses?
-Same diagnosis and treatment can be given worldwide
-Makes research more specific
What is the bad thing about classifying diagnoses?
-Lack of reliability as certain boundaries between disorders can be viewed as unclear e.g. anxiety and depression can both show similar symptoms such as sleep disturbance
-Cross cultural inconsistencies may occur where ethnicity of clinician may impact diagnosis (Milton and Grounds, 2007)
Describe the culture effect
-What can be considered ‘normal’ in one culture may be abnormal in another e.g. hearing voices
-Culture bound syndromes can occur which are specific to certain cultures, and there is 25 listed in DSM 4 but DSM 5 takes a wider approach
-E.g. Taijin Kyofusho in Japan is a type of anxiety where they are worried about social situations incase they offend people
What are the benefits of diagnosis?
-Clear communication and understanding between patient and clinicians
-Individuals like to have a diagnosis to make them feel as if their feelings are valid and that they aren’t going ‘crazy’
-Can help to infer certain treatments and support plans
Describe Rosenhan’s study (1973) ‘Being sane in insane places’
-8 individuals presented themselves to hospitals saying that they were hearing voices ‘empty, hollow, thud’
-They were all admitted with schizophrenia
-Once in the hospital they claimed to no longer be hearing the voices and they bang to act ‘normal’ again
-Results found that 7/8 were discharged with schizophrenia in remission
-Hospitalisation length was 7-52 days, with 19 days as an average
Describe Harris’ study (1992) Expectations of behavioural disorder (ADHD)
-Ppts were pairs of boys aged 6-12 years
-Perceivers were typically developing (TD). boys and targets were either TD boys or ones with ADHD
-Expectancy manipulation ‘he’s in a special class for his behaviour and gets in trouble a lot for disrupting class’
-Questionnaire data was used e.g. ‘how well do you think your partner did’
-Behavioural data collected such as videotaping interactions
-Perceiver effects showed stigma and target effects showed self fulfilling prophecy
