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MCAT Psychology > Psychological Disorders > Flashcards

Psychological Disorders Flashcards

1
Q

Biomedical approach to psychological disorders

A

Assumes that any disorder has roots in biomedical disturbances and thus the solution should also be of a biomedical nature. Fails to take into account other factors of disorder like SES and lifestyle

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2
Q

Biopsychosocial approach to psychological disorders

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Broader than biomedical approach. Assumes there are biological, psychological, and social components to to an individual’s disorder. Treatment is both direct and indirect therapy

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3
Q

Direct therapy

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Acts directly on the patient

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4
Q

Indirect therapy

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Aims to increase social support for the patient by educating and empowering their family and friends

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5
Q

Schizophrenia

A

Prototypical psychotic disorder. Its positive symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thought and behavior. Often associated with the downward drift effect

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6
Q

Psychotic disorder

A

Individuals with one of these suffer from one or more of the following: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thought, disorganized behavior, catatonia, and negative symptoms

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7
Q

Positive symptoms

A

Behaviors, thoughts, or feelings added to the normal behavior such as delusions and hallucinations

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8
Q

Negative symptoms

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Those that involve the absence of normal or desired behavior, such as disturbance of affect and avolition.

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9
Q

Delusions

A

False beliefs discordant with reality and not shared by others in the individual’s culture that are maintained despite of strong evidence to the contrary

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10
Q

Delusions of reference

A

Involve the belief that common elements in the environment are directed toward the individual (e.g. believing that the TV characters are talking to you)

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11
Q

Delusions of persecution

A

Involve the belief that the person is being deliberately interfered with, discriminated against, plotted against, or threatened

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12
Q

Delusions of grandeur

A

Common in bipolar I disorder, involve the belief that the person is remarkable in some significant way, such as being an inventor, historical figure, or religious icon

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13
Q

Thought broadcasting

A

A delusion that involves the belief that one’s thoughts are broadcast directly from one’s head to the external world

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14
Q

Thought insertion

A

A delusion that involves the belief that thoughts are being placed in one’s head

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15
Q

Hallucinations

A

Perceptions that are not due to external stimuli but have a compelling sense of reality

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16
Q

Disorganized thought

A

Characterized by loosening of associations. May be exhibited as speech in which ideas shift from one subject to another in such a way that the listener would be unable to follow the train of thought

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17
Q

Word salad

A

When speech is so disorganized that it seems that the words are thrown together incomprehensibly

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18
Q

Neologisms

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Invented new words

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19
Q

Disorganized behavior

A

The inability to carry out activities of daily living, such as paying bills, maintaining hygiene, keeping appoitnemts

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20
Q

Catatonia

A

Certain motor behaviors characteristic of people with schizophrenia. Patient’s spontaneous movement and activity may be greatly reduced or the patient may maintain a rigid posture, refusing to be moved. Behavior may also include useless and bizarre movements not caused by external stimuli, echolalia, or echopraxia

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21
Q

Echolalia

A

Repeating another’s words

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22
Q

Echopraxia

A

Imitating another’s actions

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23
Q

Disturbance of affect

A

A negative symptom. A disturbance in the experience and display of emotion. Includes blunting, flat effect, and inappropriate affect

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24
Q

Blunting

A

A sever reduction in the intensity of affect expression

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Flat effect aka emotional flattening
No signs of emotional expression
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Inappropriate affect
The affect is clearly discordant with the context of the individual's speech
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Avolition
Marked by decreased engagement in purposeful, goal-directed action
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Prodromal phase
Prior to schizophrenia diagnosis, patients often go through this phase, characterized by poor adjustment (e.g. clear evidence of deterioration, social withdrawal, role functioning impairment, peculiar behavior, inappropriate affect, and unusual experiences). Followed by the active phase of symptomatic behavior
29
Major depressive disorder
A mood disorder characterized by at least on major depressive episode
30
Major depressive episode
A period of at least two weeks with at least five of the following symptoms: prominent and relatively persistent depressed mood, loss of interest in all or almost all formerly enjoyable activities (anhedonia), appetite disturbances, substantial weight changes, sleep disturbances, decreased energy, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt (sometimes delusional), difficulty concentrating or thinking, psychomotor symptoms (feeling "slowed down") and thoughts of death or attempts at suicide. At least one of the symptoms must be depressed mood or anhedonia. (SIG E. CAPS)
31
Persistent depressive disorder
A diagnosis given to individuals who suffer from dysthymia, a depressed mood that isn't severe enough to meet the criteria of a major depressive episode, most of the time for at least two years
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Seasonal Affective Disorder
A depressive disorder best characterized as MDD with a seasonal onset. Often treated with bright light therapy
33
Bipolar disorder
A major type of mood disorder characterized by both depression and mania
34
Manic episodes
Characterized by abnormal and persistently elevated mood lasting at least one week with at least three of the following: increased distractibility, decreased need for sleep, inflated self-esteem or grandiosity, racing thoughts, increased goal-directed activity or agitation, pressure speech or increased talkativeness, and involvement in high-risk behavior. DIG FAST
35
Bipolar I disorder
Has manic episodes with or without major depressive episodes
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Bipolar II disorder
Has hypomania with at least one major depressive episode
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Hypomania
A mild manic state in which the individual seems infectiously merry, extremely talkative, charming, and tireless.
38
Cyclothymic disorder
Consists of a combination of hypomanic episodes and periods of dysthymia that are not severe enough to qualify as major depressive disorders
39
Monoamine of catecholamine theory of depression
Holds that too much norepinephrine and serotonin in the synapse leads to mania while too little leads to depression
40
Generalized anxiety disorder
A disproportionate and persistent worry about many different things-making mortgage payment, doing a good job at work, returning emails, political issues, and so on-for at least six months. These individuals often have symptoms like fatigue, muscle tension, and sleep problems that accompany worry
41
Phobia
The most common type of anxiety disorder. An irrational fear of something that results in a compelling desire to avoid it
42
Specific phobia
Anxiety is produced by a specific object or situation
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Social anxiety disorder
Characterized by anxiety that is due to social situations
44
Agoraphobia
An anxiety disorder that is characterized by a fear of being in places or in situations where it might be hard for an individual to escape. These individuals tend to be uncomfortable leaving their homes for fear of a panic attack or exacerbation of another mental illness
45
Panic attack
Symptoms are fear and apprehension, trembling, sweating, hyperventilation, and a sense of unreality
46
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Characterized by obsessions (persistent intrusive thoughts and impulses), which produce tension and compulsion (repetitive tasks) that relieve tension but cause significant impairment in a person's life
47
Body dysmorphic disorder
A person has an unrealistic negative evaluation of his or her personal appearance and attractiveness, usually directed toward a certain body part
48
PTSD
Occurs after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as war, a home invasion, or a natural disaster and consists of intrusion symptoms, avoidance symptoms, negative cognitive symptoms, and arousal symptoms
49
Intrusion symptoms
Component of PTSD. Recurrent reliving of a triggering event, flashbacks, nightmares, and prolonged distress
50
Avoidance symptoms
Component of PTSD. Deliberate attempts to avoid the memories, people, places, activities, and objects associated with the trauma
51
Negative cognitive symptoms
Component of PTSD. Include an inability to recall key features of the event, negative mood or emotions, feeling distanced from others, and a persistent negative view of the world.
52
Arousal symptoms
Component of PTSD. Includes an increased startle response, irritability, anxiety, self-destructive or reckless behaviors, and sleep disturbances
53
Acute stress disorder
Same PTSD symptoms that last for less than one month but more than three days
54
Dissociative disorders
Patients with this condition avoid stress by escaping from their identities. Otherwise, these patients have an intact sense of reality
55
Dissociative amnesia
Characterized by an inability to recall past experiences. Not due to a neurological disorder and often linked to trauma
56
Dissociative fugue
A sudden unexpected move or purposeless wandering away from one's home or location of usual daily activities.
57
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Formerly multiple personality disorder, a condition in which there are 2+ personalities that recurrently take control of a person's behavior
58
Depersonalization/derealization disorder
Individuals feel detached from their own mind and body or from their surroundings
59
Somatic symptom disorder
Must have at least on somatic symptom which may or may not be linked to an underlying medical condition, and that is accompanied by disproportionate concerns about its seriousness, devotion of an excessive amount of time and energy, or elevated levels of anxiety
60
Illness anxiety disorder
Characterized by being consumed with thoughts about having or developing a serious medical condition
61
Conversion disorder
Characterized by unexplained symptoms affecting voluntary motor or sensory functions. Symptoms begin soon after an individual experiences high levels of stress or a traumatic event
62
La Belle indifference
When patients with conversion disorder are unconcerned by their symptoms
63
Personality disorder
A pattern of behavior that is inflexible and maladaptive causing distress or impaired functioning in at least two of the following: cognition, emotions, interpersonal functioning, or impulse control. Personality disorders are ego-syntonic
64
Ego-syntonic
Conditions in which the individual perceives his or her behavior as correct, normal, or in harmony wit his or her goals
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Ego-dystonic
Conditions in which the individual sees their illness as something thrust upon him or her
66
Cluster A personality disorders
Weird
67
Paranoid personality disorder
Marked by a pervasive distrust of others and suspicion regarding others. Cluster A.
68
Schizotypal personality disorder
Refers to a pattern of odd or eccentric thinking. May have ideas of reference (similar to delusions of reference, not as extreme in intensity) or magical thinking (e.g. superstition or a belief in clairvoyance). Cluster A.
69
Schizoid personality disorder
A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of emotional expression. Cluster A.
70
Cluster B personality disorders
Wild
71
Antisocial personality disorder
Characterized by a pattern of disregard for and violations of the rights of others as is evidenced by repeated illegal acts. Wild.
72
Borderline personality disorder
A pervasive instability in interpersonal behavior, mood, and self-image. Interpersonal relationships are often intense and unstable. May use splitting (the view of others as either all good or all bad) as a defense mechanism. Cluster B.
73
Histrionic personality disorder
Characterized by constant attention-seeking behavior. Cluster B.
74
Narcissistic personality disorder
Disorder in which one has a grandiose sense of self-importance or uniqueness, preoccupation with fantasies of success, a need for constant admiration and attention, and characteristic disturbances in interpersonal relationships such as feelings of entitlement. Cluster B.
75
Cluster C personality disorders
Worried
76
Avoidant personality disorder
The affected individual has extreme shyness and fear of rejection. The individual will see herself as socially inept and is often socially isolated, despite an intense desire for social affection and acceptance
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Dependent personality disorder
Characterized by a continuous need for reassurance
78
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)
The individual is perfectionistic and inflexible, tending to like rules and order.
79
Neuroleptics aka antipsychotics
Medicine used to treat schizophrenia, block dopamine receptors
80
Alzheimer's disease
A type of dementia characterized by gradual memory loss, disorientation in time and place, problems with abstract though, and a tendency to misplace things
81
Parkinson's disease
Characterized by bradykinesia (slowness in movement), resting tremor (a tremor that appears when muscles are not being used), pill-rolling tremor, masklike facies, cogwheel rigidity, and a shuffling gait. Caused by decreased dopamine production, preventing proper function of the basal ganglia.
82
L-DOPA
Dopamine precursor used to treat Parkinson's

MCAT Psychology (12 decks)

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