Psychology Ch. 14 Flashcards
Psychological Disorder
A syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behaviour that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning”
Stigma
One of biggest barriers to treatment is the fear
of being judged and/or discriminated against
(stigma) Certain mental health
issues are more stigmatized than others
(e.g., addiction, psychotic disorders)
Stereotypes with disorders
Psychological disorders are incurable
People with psychological disorders are often
violent and dangerous
People with psychological disorders behave in
bizarre ways and are very different from normal
people
Evidence based practice
making informed decisions rooted in the best available evidence from scientific research.
Mental disorders are what?
Brain diseases -Implies that it is not the fault of the person, which is
important; but doesn’t necessarily reduce stigma or
discrimination
Diathesis-stress model
It’s the combination of both of these things determines how likely someone is to develop a mental disorder
[Not everyone with a family history, genetic predisposition,
childhood trauma, etc., will develop a psychological disorder
Not everyone who experiences a stressful life event will
develop a psychological disorder]
Assessments
involves examining a person’s mental
state in order to diagnose (and treat) possible
psychological disorders
Comorbidity
juggling multiple health challenges at once, and it requires a holistic approach to address the interconnected aspects of each condition.
What criteria do psychologists use to determine whether someone’s behaviour is normal or abnormal?
Maladaptive behaviour (not just abnormal)
The behaviour must interfere with at least one important
aspect of the person’s life
Our understanding of abnormal behaviour and mental
illness is also constantly evolving
Treatment
always involves interactions between
practitioner and client/patient importance of finding the
right practitioner Increased understanding of the
causes of a mental disorder does not necessarily lead to more effective treatment strategies
Psychotherapy
Any psychological service provided by a trained
professional that primarily uses forms of
communication and interaction to assess,
diagnose, and treat dysfunctional emotional
reactions, ways of thinking, and behaviour patterns
May be provided to individuals, couples, families, or
members of a group
Major categories include psychodynamic therapy,
humanistic therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy
Psychoanalytic Therapy
Focus on bringing unconscious struggles into consciousness
(free association, dream analysis)
Insight: Increase patient’s understanding of their own
psychological processes
Person–Centered (Humanistic) Therapy
Encouragement of personal growth through self-
understanding -congruence
Safe and comfortable setting, empathy, reflective listening
Cognitive therapy
Attempts to modify maladaptive thought patterns
E.g., Cognitive restructuring
Recognizing automatic thoughts
Identify cognitive distortions (e.g., personalizing)
Challenge or dispute the thoughts
Replace with healthier/ more functional thoughts
Behaviour therapy
Attempts to modify maladaptive behaviours and the
environments that trigger them (reconditioning)
E.g., systematic desensitization (fear hierarchy, relaxation training,
exposure therapy)
VRET
virtual reality exposure therapy
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Incorporates techniques
from both cognitive
therapy and behavioural
therapy to correct faulty
thinking and change
maladaptive behaviours
Very successful at treating
anxiety and mood
disorders, particularly over
the long-term
Psychotropic medication
Drugs that affect mental
processes
Anxiolytics
treatment of anxiety
e.g., benzodiazepines, increase GABA activity
Antidepressants
E.g., SSRIs increase serotonin levels
