PSYC 507: General Psychopathology

Question 1

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Answer 1

A neurodevelopmental disorder that has a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. The primary cause of this disorder is thought to be biological and related to the frontal lobes. ADHD is typically treated with stimulant medications and behavioral therapy.

Question 2

Anxiety Disorders

Answer 2

A group of disorders in the DSM-V that are characterized by anxiety or an emotional/physiological response to an anticipated or imagined danger – not an imminent threat of danger. Anxiety disorders also commonly involve an avoidance of the anxiety-inducing stimuli and are treated with medications such as benzodiazepines and/or SSRI’s and CBT and/or exposure therapy.

Question 3

Anxiety Sensitivity

Answer 3

A term meaning the presence of a fear associated with anxiety symptoms – typically a mis-assessment of bodily sensations found with anxiety. The individual believes the anxiety symptoms will cause harmful consequences and their felt anxiety about the presence of anxiety often worsens the initial anxiety.

Question 4

Assessment Interview

Answer 4

The process of collecting relevant information about a client and their history. The assessment interview allows the clinician to begin forming a conceptualization of the client’s case. The clinician gathers information about the client’s history and presenting problem(s). Interviews may be structured (i.e. adhere to set list of questions) or unstructured (i.e. more conversation based).

Question 5

Bipolar I vs. Bipolar II Disorder

Answer 5

Bipolar I disorder is characterized by a current or past full manic episode that may be preceded or succeeded by major depressive episodes. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by a current or past hypomanic episode that is preceded or succeeded by major depressive episodes. Mania differs from hypomania in that it lasts consistently for 1+ week (or if hospitalization is necessary) and the mood disturbance is severe enough to cause marked impairment. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania. Bipolar II has the potential to develop into Bipolar I if left untreated.

Question 6

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Answer 6

A “Cluster B” personality disorder that is characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, affects, and has marked impulsivity. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is often diagnosed in early adulthood and often has components of recurrent suicidal behavior and self-injurious behavior.

Question 7

Case Study

Answer 7

A type of research in which one takes an in depth look at an individual and their history. Case studies are typically useful for studying disorders that are very rare. However they lack generalizability because they are completed with a single individual and cannot establish a cause/effect relationship.

Question 8

Categorical vs. Dimensional Diagnosis

Answer 8

Terms used to refer to types of diagnostic approaches. A categorical approach, also referred to as a medical model, views each diagnosis as separate with no overlapping features. Whereas a dimensional approach believes that symptoms overlap and the combination is often what determines the diagnosis.

Question 9

Clinical Significance

Answer 9

A term used to describe the practical importance of a particular treatment effect and whether or not the treatment has a genuine effect on the client’s daily life. Clinical significance refers to the degree of usefulness in clinical practice and overall impact of client’s functioning and quality of life outside the confines of treatment.

Question 10

Comorbidity

Answer 10

The presence of 2+ disorders in one individual at the same time. Comorbidity is not uncommon due to borders between diagnostic categories often being blurred. Additionally, many disorders often present concurrently and must be treated as such.

Question 11

Competency to Stand Trial

Answer 11

A legal decision as to whether a person charged with a crime has the capacity to understand the charges against them and the ability to assist with their own defense. This refers to the client’s state of mind at the time of the trial, not the time of the crime. If the client is found incompetent to stand trial, the disorder(s) will be treated until they are deemed competent.

Question 12

Conduct Disorder

Answer 12

A repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms/rules are violated. The individual must be under the age of 18 and meet at least three of the possible fifteen criteria in the past year and one must have occurred in the last six months. Some possible criteria include aggression to people/animals, destruction of property, and/or deceitfulness or theft. Conduct disorder is often thought to be a predecessor to antisocial personality disorder.

Question 13

Diagnosis

Answer 13

A determination that a person’s problems are reflective of a particular disorder or syndrome. Diagnostic labels make it possible for clinicians to communicate clearly with one another, but they may also carry negative connotations and/or social stigmas. Diagnoses are not always completely accurate or perfectly fit an individual’s symptoms.

Question 14

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)

Answer 14

A nomothetic categorical system of diagnoses developed by the American Psychiatric Association that provides a prototypical diagnosis approach. It is the primary manual used for diagnosis by mental health practitioners in the United Sates and provides a common language for professionals to discuss disorders/symptoms.

Question 15

Diathesis-Stress Model

Answer 15

This model theorizes a relationship between one’s biological nature and their environmental conditions. It hypothesizes that individuals who develop disorders have a genetic predisposition towards a disorder, which is then activated through stress in the environment. The diathesis-stress model is a biopsychosocial explanation of abnormal behavior.

Question 16

Dissociative Disorders

Answer 16

A group of disorders characterized by sudden or gradual disruption in the normal integrative functions of consciousness, memory, or perception of the environment. The disruption may last for minutes to years, depending on the type of disorder.

Question 17

Dopamine

Answer 17

A neurotransmitter that has an important role in motor behavior and is implicated in numerous mental conditions and emotional states. Dopamine is involved in the pleasure/reward center of the brain and also affects learning and motivation. Abnormal levels of dopamine are associated with Parkinson’s Disease, schizophrenia, and depressive symptoms.

Question 18

Eating Disorders

Answer 18

Any disorder characterized primarily by a pathological disturbance of attitudes and behaviors related to food. Diagnoses of eating disorders found in the DSM-V include rumination disorder, ARFID, OSFED, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

Question 19

GABA

Answer 19

A major inhibitory neurotransmitter whose low presence/activity in the brain’s fear circuit has been linked to symptoms of anxiety. This neurotransmitter is utilized to weaken or slow down signals between neurons. The decreased level of GABA may be treated with benzodiazepines.

Question 20

Heritability

Answer 20

A term used in genetics to describe how much of a condition is attributed to an individual’s genetic makeup as opposed to being caused by the environment. Heritability doesn’t always guarantee that a person will inherit a condition, but the condition is more likely to be present on the person’s genotype which then has potential to appear phenotypically.

Question 21

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Pathway/Axis

Answer 21

A bodily system that maintains homeostasis by regulating the sympathetic nervous system. The hypothalamus releases a corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which is received by the pituitary gland which releases adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which then binds to the adrenal gland and releases the stress hormone cortisol. Dysfunction in the HPA pathway has been implicated in the pathophysiology of mood disorders, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, substance use, and insomnia.

Question 22

Idiographic vs. Nomothetic Assessment/Understanding

Answer 22

An idiographic assessment relates to the understanding of an individual case. Whereas nomothetic assessments involve a study of a group of people/cases for the purpose of discovering general/universal principles that characterize the average case.

Question 23

Insanity

Answer 23

A term used in the legal system that refers to a condition of the mind that renders a person incapable of being responsible for their criminal acts. The term “insanity” is never used in a clinical setting, rather only in legal matters.

Question 24

Mania

Answer 24

In general, mania is a state of excitement, overactivity, and psychomotor agitation that is often accompanied by overoptimism, grandiosity, and/or impaired judgment. Individuals experiences mania are often preoccupied with a particular activity or idea. Mania is a main feature of Bipolar I disorder and can also lead to a period of psychosis.

Question 25

Mood Disorders

Answer 25

In the DSM-V, mood disorders are divided into 1) bipolar and related disorders or 2) depressive disorders. The principal feature of mood disorders is a prolonged and pervasive emotional disturbance. Mood disorders often have a biological root and can be treated with medication as well as therapeutic interventions, such as CBT.

Question 26

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Answer 26

A noninvasive diagnostic technique that uses the responses of hydrogen in tissue molecules to strong magnetic impulses to form a three-dimensional picture of body organs and tissues. The procedure is often used in psychology to determine if a condition has a biologic or structural component in the brain.

Question 27

Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

Answer 27

A category of disorders characterized by intrusive, unwanted, recurring thoughts or sensations that make a person feel driven to repeatedly perform a behavior. These thoughts (i.e. obsessions) can significantly interfere with everyday functioning. The behaviors (i.e. compulsions) often lower the individual’s anxiety brought about by the obsessive thoughts. Treatment often involves exposure and/or cognitive therapy.

Question 28

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Answer 28

A behavior disorder of childhood characterized by recurrent disobedient, negative, or hostile behavior toward authority figures. The disorder typically manifests as temper tantrums, active defiance of rules, argumentativeness, or stubbornness. Symptoms must last for at least 6 months and typically do not involve aggressive or destructive behavior (as seen with conduct disorder, which ODD can develop into if left untreated). This is most commonly seen in young boys, but the frequency evens out across gender identities by puberty.

Question 29

Panic Attack

Answer 29

Panic attacks can occur in the context of any anxiety disorder as well as other mental disorders. A panic attack is characterized by an abrupt surge of fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes. The individual typically experiences symptoms such as accelerated heart rate, dizziness, shaking, feelings of choking, nausea, etc.

Question 30

Personality Disorder

Answer 30

A group of disorders involving an endurance of pervasive patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and the self that interfere with long-term functioning and capacity for empathy/intimacy. In the DSM-V, personality disorders are divided into three clusters A) “odd/eccentric” B) “dramatic/emotional” C) “anxious/fearful. Personality disorders were an adaptative response during a period of trauma/chaos.

Question 31

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

Answer 31

An imaging technique using radiolabeled tracers that emit positively charged particles as they are mobilized. A PET scan assesses brain functioning during the performance of mental activities and can also detect disease/damage of the brain.

Question 32

Placebo Effect

Answer 32

A phenomenon that occurs in research when subjects undergoing a placebo, or false treatment, experience the effects of the actual treatment. The placebo effect shows that client expectancies about the outcome of a treatment can significantly impact the actual outcome.

Question 33

Positive vs. Negative Symptoms

Answer 33

Terms used in the diagnosis of schizophrenia to categorize possible symptoms. Positive symptoms refer to the presence of something abnormal, such as hallucinations or disorganized speech. Negative symptoms refer to the absence of something normal that should be present, such as a flat affect or avolition.

Question 34

Psychosis

Answer 34

A fundamental break from reality that is characterized by impairments or disruptions in perception, cognitive processing, and/or emotional state. This break from reality is often manifested via delusions, hallucinations, and significantly disorganized speech. Individuals experiencing psychosis have the inability to distinguish between internal and external stimuli.

Question 35

Primary vs. Secondary Gain

Answer 35

Terms used in psychodynamic theory. Primary gain refers to the basic psychological benefit of somatic symptoms keeping internal conflicts out of one’s awareness. Secondary gain is what people receive from others when their somatic symptoms elicit a response from others (i.e. sympathy, avoidance, extra attention, etc.).

Question 36

Remission

Answer 36

A reduction or significant abatement in symptoms of a disorder, or the period during which this occurs. Remission of symptoms does not necessarily indicate that a disorder is “cured” or resolved entirely.

Question 37

Schizophrenia

Answer 37

“Split mind,” a psychotic disorder characterized by disturbances in cognition, emotional responsiveness, and behavior. The typical age of onset is late teens through mid-30s. The disturbance must last for at least 6 months and include at least 1 month of active-phase symptoms – meaning the individual experiences symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, etc. The main treatment approach for schizophrenia includes medication.

Question 38

Serotonin

Answer 38

A common neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a role in emotional processing, mood regulation, appetite, sexual impulses, sleep, and hallucinations. Several psychiatric disorders, such as depressive disorders and psychosis, benefit from psychotropic medication that includes serotonin.

Question 39

State vs. Trait Anxiety

Answer 39

State anxiety refers to anxiety as a response to a specific situation that is perceived as threatening or dangerous. State anxiety varies in intensity and fluctuates over time. Trait anxiety refers to an individual’s proneness to experience anxiety. A person with high-trait anxiety is more likely to view the world as dangerous and respond to anxiety-inducing-situations that wouldn’t elicit the same response in those with low-trait anxiety.

Question 40

Substance-Related Disorders

Answer 40

A disorder that is characterized by the excessive use of a substance or substances that lead to or are preceded by a series of maladaptive behaviors. Substances may include caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogens, opioids, etc. The substance use must cause significant impairment in the person’s day-to-day functioning.

Question 41

Tolerance vs. Withdrawal Symptoms

Answer 41

These are key symptoms in substance-related disorders and can be indicative of physical dependence. Tolerance refers to a physiological state where the effectiveness of a drug has decreased due to chronic use (i.e. need more of the drug to achieve same effect). Withdrawal refers to the onset of physical and/or mental symptoms when the quantity of substance used in reduced or eliminated. Withdrawal symptoms vary depending on the substance used and typically requires medical observation.

Question 42

Trauma and Stress or Related Disorders

Answer 42

A category of disorders that are characterized by exposure to a traumatic or stressful event and a subsequent intense reaction to said event. Individuals may experience symptoms such as re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance, numbing, sleep disturbances and/or withdrawal. Two examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder.