PSYC 507: General Psychopathology

Question 1

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Answer 1

A disorder marked by the inability to focus attention or by overactive and impulsive behavior, or a combination of all three. 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 disorder in which anxiety is a central symptom. These disorders are characterized by anxiety or emotional/physiological response to danger even without (and generally the case) an immediate threat or danger. Treatment generally consists of benzodiazepines and/or SSRI’s, CBT and/or exposure therapy.

Question 3

Anxiety Sensitivity

Answer 3

A tendency to focus on one’s bodily sensations, assess the illogically or inaccurately, and interpret them as harmful or threatening. These maladaptive thought process are the genesis of most anxiety disorders.

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, diagnosis the disorder based on symptomology described in the DSM-V. Categorical diagnosis is based strictly off of what disorder the patient is displaying symptoms. Dimensional diagnosis conceptualizes additional factors of the client’s life (i.e. severity, environmental factors, and experiences) in collaboration with the categorical diagnosis.

Question 9

Clinical Significance

Answer 9

A term used when analyzing impact of clinical treatment experiments. Although a treatment can result in symptom reduction for an individual, clinical significance indicates whether that amount of improvement is meaningful in the patient’s life. A client can feel reduction in their symptoms and may not feel happy or satisfied in their life. Therapists should constantly monitor clinical significance of treatment in its overall impact on their client.

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

The determination that a person’s problems are reflective of a particular disorder. Clinicians should caution before using diagnostic labels for its negative feelings it could possibly provoke in a client and the social stigmas that can be perceived from some mental diagnosis. However, diagnoses can be beneficial in giving the clinician clarity in their client’s presenting problems and guidance towards treatment.

Question 14

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

Answer 14

A classification system for mental disorders developed by the American Psychiatric Association. 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

Disorders marked by major changes in memory that do not have clear physical causes. These disorders are characterized by sudden or gradual disruption in the 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 is involved in the pleasure/reward center of the brain and also affects learning and motivation. Abnormal levels of dopamine are associated with schizophrenia, and depressive disorders.

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 neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood. GABA is a message carrier between certain neurons throughout the nervous system. GABA’s superpower is that it can stop certain messages from being transmitted. GABA is important in its understanding how the body reacts to feelings of anxiety, fear, and stress. Low activity has been linked to anxiety disorders. 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, symptom, or disorder, but could be a contributing factor.

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 (generally used by clinicians) that relates to the understanding of abnormal behavior within an individual case. Whereas nomothetic assessments (generally used by researchers) are a general understanding of nature, causes, and treatments of abnormal behavior across individuals.

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

A state or episode of euphoria or frenzied activity in which people may have an exaggerated belief that the world is theirs for taking. Individuals experiencing 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

Are disorders affecting one’s emotional state, including bipolar and related disorders and depressive disorders. The principal feature of mood disorders is a prolonged and pervasive emotional disturbance.

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 presenting in childhood characterized by chronic misbehavior, such as anger outburst and aggression towards authority. This is most commonly seen in young boys, but the frequency evens out across gender identities by puberty. Without intervention, ODD can potentially develop into conduct disorder.

Question 29

Panic Attack

Answer 29

A panic attack is characterized by an abrupt surge of fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes, and gradually passes. The individual typically experiences symptoms such as accelerated heart rate, dizziness, shaking, feelings of choking, loss of breath, and nausea, etc.

Question 30

Personality Disorder

Answer 30

A group of disorders involving an endurance of pervasive patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking and outward behavior that repeatedly impairs a person’s sense of self, goals, emotions, and capacity for empathy or intimacy towards others. 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

A psychotic disorder characterized by disturbances in cognition, emotional responsiveness, and behavior. The typical age of onset is late teens through mid-30s. 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.