Psychological Disorders

Question 1

Deviance

Answer 1

refers to atypical thoughts, emotions and behaviours
- deviance includes both those who fall well below and well above the standard of the group

Question 2

Distress

Answer 2

-intense negative feelings related to thoughts and behaviour due to their behaviour such as anxiety, sadness and despair
-psychological disorders often, but not always, cause strong feelings of distress

Question 3

Dysfunction

Answer 3

-interference with the persons ability to function properly in their daily lives
-dysfunctional behaviours are described as being ‘maladaptive’ because they prevent an individual from adapting well to their environment
-not all dysfunction is considered psychological disorder for example hunger strike

Question 4

Danger

Answer 4

• refers to the safety risk associated with thoughts or behaviour. Psychological disorders often but not always cause a person to place themselves or others in danger

Question 5

Categorical Classification Model

Answer 5

one in which the classified items differ from each other in kind

Question 6

Dimensional Classification Model

Answer 6

classified items differ from each other in degree.
- Better describes psychological disorders which can often overlap in symptoms

Question 7

Comorbidity

Answer 7

the coexistence of two or more disorders at the same time

Question 8

Epidemiology

Answer 8

the study of the distribution of psychological disorders in a population

Question 9

Prognosis

Answer 9

the probable course of an illness

Question 10

Prevalence

Answer 10

percentage of a population that exhibits that disorder during a specific time period

Question 11

Symptomatology

Answer 11

the collection of any behaviours, thoughts or feelings that may be a potential indicator of a specific psychological disorder

Question 12

Heterogeneity

Answer 12

The possibility that two people diagnosed with the same disorder may experience different symptoms

Question 13

Depression

Answer 13

marked by intense, recurrent episodes of sadness
- depression can present itself in a less severe form and not every symptom must be present in order for a clinician to make a diagnosis

Question 14

Anxiety

Answer 14

people with anxiety suffer from intense, persistent and prolonged distress that interferes with their relationships and daily task

Question 15

Schizophrenia

Answer 15

marked by disorganized thoughts and behaviours

Question 16

Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Answer 16

Hallucinations
Delusions
Disorganized thinking
Disorganized motor behaviour

Question 17

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Answer 17

Decrease in engagement with world
flat and inappropriate responsiveness

Question 18

Positive Symptoms

Answer 18

The addition of abnormal behaviours

Question 19

Negative Symptoms

Answer 19

The absence of typical behaviours

Question 20

Biological Model (Disorders)

Answer 20

Points to a brain malfunction as the causal agent
- Genetics may predispose individuals for psychological disorders
- Abnormal brain structures may underlie psychological disorders

Question 21

Environmental Model

Answer 21

Various factors in our environment may give rise to psychological disorders
- Environmental stress directly affects schizophrenia’s etiology

Question 22

Behavioural Model (Disorders)

Answer 22

Considers how the environment affects our behaviours
- A behavioural model is intuitive, but has shortcomings - can all disorders be explained by reinforcement

Question 23

Cognitive Model (Disorders)

Answer 23

Focuses on maladaptive information processing
- Psychological disorders may be due to maladaptive, negative interpretations of life events