Psychological Disorders Part II Flashcards
Cognitive model
Biases in how information is attended to, processed, and remembered lead to and maintain depression
Helplessness theory
Individuals who are prone to depression automatically attribute negative experiences to causes that are
internal (their fault), stable (unlikely to change), and global (widespread)
Negative schema
– Interpretations of information (tendency to interpret neutral information as negative)
– Attention (trouble disengaging from negative information)
– Memory (better recall of negative information)
Bipolar disorder
Characterized by cycles of abnormal, persistent high mood (mania) and low mood (depression). Typically a cycle of manic either before or after depression. No biological sex differences.
Depressive phase
Just like major depression
Mania phase
1 week long, elevated or expansive or irritable
mood, grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, talkativeness, racing thoughts, reckless behaviour, distractibility; sometimes also hallucinations and delusions
Rapid cycling behaviour
Four mood episodes (either manic or depressive) every year
Causes of bipolar disorder
- Highest rate of heritability
- Polygenic
- Pleiotropic effects
- Stressful life experiences
- Influence of family members with expressive emotion:
Polygenic
Interaction of multiple genes
Pleiotropic effects
One gene influences one’s susceptibility to multiple disorders
Expressive emotion
Critical, hostile, and emotionally over-involved attitude that relatives have toward a family member with a disorder.
Psychosis
Break from reality
Schizophrenia
Profound disruption of basic psychological
processes; a distorted perception of reality; altered or blunted emotion; and disturbances in thought, motivation, and behaviour
Diagnosis of schizophrenia
– Two or more symptoms emerge during a continuous period of at least 1 month with signs for at least 6 months
– Symptoms are separated into positive, negative, and cognitive categories
- First episode occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia
Thoughts/behaviours present
Includes hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and grossly disorganized behaviour
Hallucinations
False perceptual experiences that seem real despite the absence of external stimulation
– Hearing, seeing, smelling, or feeling things that aren’t there
– Most common? Auditory (65%)
Delusions
False beliefs, often bizarre or grandiose, that are
maintained despite being irrational; persecution is also
common
– Do not recognize that they have lost control of their minds
– Develop beliefs/theories they attribute to external agents
Disorganized speech
Severe disruption of verbal communication in which ideas shift rapidly and incoherently among unrelated topics
Grossly disorganized behaviour
Behaviour inappropriate for the situation or ineffective in attaining goals, often with specific motor disturbances – Childlike silliness – Improper sexual behaviour – Disheveled appearance – Shouting or swearing – Motor disturbances: catatonia
Catatonia
Decrease in all movement, muscle rigidity, repetitive or purposeless overactivity, etc - basically abnormalities in movement
Negative symptoms
Deficits or disruptions of normal emotions and behaviours
- Emotional and social withdrawal
- Apathy
- Poverty of speech
- Lack of motivation, emotions
- Lack of a capacity to focus
Cognitive symptoms
Deficits in cognitive abilities, specifically in executive functioning, attention, and working memory
- Hard to notice; less publicly displayed
Causes of schizophrenia
- Biological factors: Rates increase dramatically with biological relatedness
- Environmental factors: Prenatal/perinatal (immediately before and after birth) environment
- Biochemical factors: Dopamine hypothesis
- Neuroanatomy: Enlargement of the ventricles (areas with cerebrospinal fluid) in the brain; enlargement means reduced tissue mass
- Psychological factors: Family environment: extreme conflict, lack of communication, chaotic relationships
Dopamine hypothesis
Schizophrenia involves an excess of dopamine activity; mixed findings on this!
Misconceptions with schizophrenia
- Schizophrenia is NOT multiple personality disorder or split personalities
- Multiple personality disorder is NOT the correct term
Dissociative identity disorder
- Disorder where two or more distinct identities or personality states alternately take control of the individual
– Deficits in the integration of various aspects of identity, memory, and consciousness into a single self
Autism
- Begins in early childhood
- Persistent communication deficits
- Restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, interests, or activities
- More diagnoses now – better screening tools!
- Includes: Autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, Childhood disintegrative disorder, and Pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified
Heritability of autism
90%
Unique capabilities of autism
- Enhanced abilities to perceive or remember details
– Master symbol systems like math or music
– Superior ability for systematizing (understanding
rules that organize structure/function of objects)
What does autism impair?
Empathizing (knowing mental states of others)
ADHD
Persistent pattern of severe problems with inattention and/or hyperactivity or impulsiveness that causes significant impairments in functioning
Diagnosis of ADHD
Must have:
– Multiple symptoms of inattention (e.g., organization, memory)
– Evidence of hyperactivity-impulsiveness (e.g., difficulties remaining still, waiting for a turn)
– Must be present for at least 6 months in at least two settings (e.g., home and school)
– Before age 12
Adult ADHD
Can persist into adulthood
– Few adults receive treatment even though it has negative consequences on job performance and relationships
Cause of ADHD
- Strong biological influence (heritability is 76%!)
– Smaller brain volumes in ADHD individuals
– Structural/functional abnormalities in areas associated
with attention and behavioural inhibition
Conduct disorder
Persistent pattern of deviant behaviour involving
aggression to people or animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness or theft, or serious rule violations
Symptoms of conduct disorder
Cluster into 3 categories: - Rule breaking - Theft/deceit - Aggression towards others For diagnosis, need 3/15 symptoms = 32k combos
Causes of conduct disorder
Combination of genetic factors + environmental stressors = brain structures/functions that combine with environmental factors (i.e., peers) to lead to deviant behaviours
Personality disorders
Enduring patterns of thinking, feeling, or relating to others or controlling impulses that deviate from cultural
expectations and cause distress or impaired functioning. Begin in adolescence or early adulthood; stable over time. 3 clusters: odd/eccentric, dramatic/erratic, and anxious/inhibited.
Antisocial personality disorder
Pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adulthood and continues into adulthood. Usually history of conduct disorder before 15.
Symptoms of antisocial personality disorder
Diagnosis w/ 3 of 7 signs: - Illegal behaviour – Deception – Impulsivity – Physical aggression – Recklessness – Irresponsibility – Lack of remorse for wrongdoing
Sociopath/psychopath
Terms used to describe people who have APD but are especially cold-hearted, manipulative, ruthless, glib, charming
Cause of APD
- Early onset of conduct problems
– Brain abnormalities
– Less activity in amygdala/hippocampus = less sensitive to fear
Suicide
Intentional self—inflicted death
– Biological sex differences: men more than women
– Sociodemographic differences
Suicide attempt
Engaging in potentially harmful behaviour with
intent of dying
– Biological sex differences: women more than men
– Increases during adolescence and young adulthood
Cause of suicide
– We do not know; complex issue
– Influence of distressing situations (like multiple mental
illnesses, trauma, severe medical issues)
Nonsuicidal self-injury
Direct, deliberate destruction of body tissue in the absence of any intent to die
– No real biological sex or racial differences; some cultural differences
Cause of self-harm
- Understanding is limited; no clear biological or environmental causes
– Strong emotional and physiological responses to negative events; self-injury diminishes the intensity of the response
