Psychological disorders Flashcards
Define psychopathology
Refers to patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviour that disrupt a persons sense of wellbeing or social functioning
Define mental health
A state of emotional and social well being
Define mental health problems
The wide range of emotional and behavioural abnormalities that affect people throughout their life
Define mental health disorders
A clinically recognizable set of symptoms and behaviors which usually need treatment to be alleviated
Differentitate between the contemporary approaches to psychopathology
labeling theory Rosenhan study Biopsychology and behaviour Psychodynamic perspective biolocial perspective
Outline the positive symptoms of schizophrenia
Signal the presence of something not usually there - acute phase, hallucinations, physios
Outline the negative symptoms of schizophrenia
Signal the absence of a function - lacking emotion, motivation, complex thought
Outline the key symptoms of some of the major psychopathological syndromes
ADHD
Schizophrenia
Define the labeling theory?
Argues that diagnoses of abnormality are labels for people considered deviant
What is the Rosenhan study?
Pseudo patients claimed to hear voices were admitted to psychiatric hospitals, no hospitals detected them as fakes
What is Biopsychology and behaviour?
Mental illness as disease and observation of individual behaviour
What is Psychoses?
Marked disturbances of contact with reality
What is the continumum of psychopathology?
Normal - personality disorder - psychotic
Describe the Psychodynamic perspective?
The Psychodynamic perspective recognises three classes of psychopathology
- Neuroses
2: Psychoses
Define the cognitive in regards to cognitive-behaviour perspectice
Many pscyhological disorders reflect disfunctional attitudes, beliefs and cognitive processes
Define behavioural in regards to the cognitive-behavioural perspective
Many psychological problems arise from conditioned emotion responses ( a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a negative emotion)
What is the biolocial perspective on psychpathology?
The biological perspective seeks the roots of abnormal behaviour within the brain
- Neurtransmitter dysfunction
What is the systems perspective on psychpathology?
The system perspective seeks the root of abnormality in context of a social group ( and families)
What is the family systems model on psychopathology?
An individuals symptoms are viewed as a symptom of dysfunction family
What is the evolutionary perspective on psychopathology?
Provides insight into psychopathology rather than a comprehensive system of understanding and treatment
What is the biolocial perspective on psychpathology?
The biological perspective seeks the roots of abnormal behaviour within the brain
- Neurtransmitter dysfunction
What is a descriptive diagnosis?
The current diagnostic system assumes that we can distinguish normal from abnormal. Symptoms fall into discrete clusters or constellations called syndromes
Describe the DSC and what does it stand for?
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, the american psychiatric association publishes a manual that attempts to classify signs and symptoms into syndromes
Describe the DSM and what does it stand for?
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, the american psychiatric association publishes a manual that attempts to classify signs and symptoms into syndromes
What is ADHD characterised by?
Inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity
What is Schizophrenia characterised by?
It is un umbrella term for a number of psychotic disorders involving disturbances in:
Thought: illogical thought systems and delusions
Perception: presence of hallucinations
Language: word salad, disconnected ideas
Affect: Emotion (flat or absent)
What are the biological basis of schizophrenia?
Diathesis-stress model: Develops in people with an underlying vulnerability (diathesis) that is compounded by stress
Dopamine hypothesis: reflects elevated levels of dopamine in brain
Describe the environmental contributions to schizophrenia
Pattern of communication and expression o femtion
Experience of physical and/or sexual abuse as a child
Event in utero
What is neural atrophy in schizophrenia?
Neuron loss in the brain result in a diminished volume of brain tissue. Enlarged ventricles are common in finding schizophrenia (emotional regulation
Describe depressive disorders
Characterised by disturbance of emotion and mood, mania (an excessive degree of happiness) and depression.
What is depressive disorder chacterised by?
Disturbance in emotion and mood.
Major depressive disorder: a long-term episode of intense sadness, loss of appetite and difficult in sleeping, or excessive
Persistent depressive disorder: a depression where symptoms are evident for longer periods (2 years)
What is characterises Anxiety disorders?
People experience frequent intense and irrational anxiety.
What are the theories of depression?
Genetics Neurochemically (lowered seratonin) Negative life events Dysfunctional thinking Distress in interpersonal relationships
What are the types of anxiety disorders?
Phobia: irrational fear of an object
Social phobia
Agoraphobia: A fear of being in public places
Panic disorders: Intense attacks of fear not justified by the situation
What are recurrent anxiety disorders?
Obsessions: OCD
Compulsions: intentional behaviours performed in response to an obsessive
Describe trauma and stressor-related disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder: flashback of recurrent thought of a psychologically disturbing event
Describe somatic symptoms and related disorders
Complaints of pain, suffering or illness accompanied by distress with no physical explanation
CONVERSION DISORDER: loss or significnat change in phsycial function
ILLNESS ANXIETY DISORDER (hypochondriac
Descrive dissociative disorder
Individuals experience disruptions in consciousness, memory, sense of identity, or perception .
DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER: 2 distinct personalities within the same person
Describe eating disorders
Anorexia Nervosa: exercising excessively, 15% below ideal body weight
Bulima Nervosa: eating and purging
Describe Conduct disorder
Characterised by persistent violation of societal norms and rights of others
Describe substance-related disorders
Characterized by the continued use of substances, primarily alcohol, nicotine, illicit drugs
Describe alcoholism
Both genetics and environment play in the role of alcoholism, more likely to abuse more substances
Describe personality disorder
Chronic and servere disturbances that inhibit an individuals capacity to love and work.
Borderline disorder: unstable personal relationships
Antisocial: Irresponsible and disruptive social behavior
describe the key principles and techniques of psychodynamic therapies
Recognizes three classes of psychopathology which form into a continuum of functioning from minimal to serious disturbances -
Neuroses: issues in living that involve anxiety or interpersonal conflict
Personality disorder: chronic and severe disturbances that alter the capacity to work and love
Psychoses: marked distrubrance of contact with reality
describe the key principles and techniques of cognitive-behavioural therapies
Integration of understanding of classical and operant conditioning with a cognitive-social perspective.
Cognitive: psychological disorder reflect dysfunctional attitudes, beliefs and cognitive processes
Behavioural many psychological problems arise from conditioned emotional responses
discuss the various biological treatments available for patients with severe mental illness
Seeks to understand the roots of abnormal brehaviour within the brain. Include: Pharmacotheraphy Electroconvulsive therapy Psychsurgery
What is Clinical Psychologist?
Delivers psychological services with in a healthcare setting.
What is the scientist-practitioner model?
Emphasizes that our work with clients should be underpinned by empirical research within our practices to advance scientific knowledge in the field
How do you approach tx in the Psychodynamtic treatments?
Insight into the unconscious conflicts
Therapy requires an alliance between the patient and the therapist
What are the Psychodynamic techniqes?
Free association: Pt is encouraged to say whatever comes to mind, to reveal the unconscious processes of the pt.
Interpretation: Therapist must interpret the thoughts and feeling of pt in order to release the hidden conflicts Analysis of transference: Pt bring past into session and therefore transferred onto the therapist
What are the forms of Psychodynamic therapy?
Psychoanalysis: Pt lies on couch and the therapist sits behind them
Psychodynamic psychotherapy: Pt sits face to face, more orientated in goal-directed
What is Cognitive therapy?
Focus of cognitive therapies is on changing dysfunctional thought patterns (Beck theory)
What is cognitive-behavioural therapies?
Usually completed from 10-20 sessions, focused on current behaviours of a person, associated stimuli. More directed than psychodynamic
Define classical conditioning as apart of the cognitive-behavioural therapy
Techniques focus on associations formed between neutral stimuli and emotions
Define response prevention in the Cognitive-behavioural therapy
Key feature of exposing techniques, prevent the individual from producing responses the allow avoidance of the fear stimuli
Define flooding
Confront phobix stimulus all at once
Define graded exposure
Modification to flooding where patient is gradually exposed to phobic stimulation
Define Virtual Reality exposure
Pt is exposed to virtual images of the feared stimulus
What are operant conditioning techniques used in cognitive-behavioural therapy
Is used to reinforce and punish unwanted behaviours.
Modelling
Skills training
