Psychopathology 1 Flashcards
Statistical infrequency
When an individual has a less common characteristic for example being higher iq than 130
Strength of statistical infrequency
Usefulness in rw used in clinical practice diagnosis of disorders for example those belo 70iq diagnosed w intellectual disability disorder.
= useful in diagnostic and assessment processes
Limitation of statistical infrequency
Infrequent characteristics can be positive such as we would view someone w iq over 130 as abnormal or very low on the depression scale as abnormal may be unusual but doesn’t make someone abnormal
= not sufficient
Deviation from social norms
A behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a society
Strength of deviation from social norms
Usefulness used in clinical practice eg psychopathy characteristic failure to conform to acceptable behaviour used diagnosing schizophrenia all deviate from social norms
= value in medicine
Limitation of social norms
The variability between cultures and what is a norm. May label as abnormal from 1 culture to another eg in tribes talked to by ancestors uk would diagnose as schizophrenia. Even within culture aggression accepted in a boxing match however frowned upon at dinner
= difficult to judge and use as an explanation of abnormality
Failure to function adequately
When someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day to day life
Rosenhan - no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules
Sever personal distress
Dangerous to themselves
CSD
Strength of failure to function adequately
Represents sensible threshold to seek help. Everyone on depression spectrum if reach this point seek pro help
= means treatment can be targeted to those who need it most
Limitation of failure to function adequately
Discriminate label a nonstandard lifestyle as abnormal. Eg travellers may be seen as abnormal as they don’t have a permanent address or a job. Adrenaline junkies danger to self
= those who make unusual choices are at risk of being labelled abnormal and restrict freedom
Deviation from mental health
When someone doesn’t reach the set of criteria for good mental heath
No distress
Rational
Self actualise
Cope w stress
Good self esteem
Independent
Limitation of deviation from ideal mental health
Culture bound only made for us and eaurope doesn’t even apply to European countries eg Italy doesn’t value independence
= limited application
Limitation of ideal mental health
Incredibly high standards no one meets all the time
Disheartening and may do more harm than good
= poor ideology of what is abnormal
Phobia behavioural characteristics
Panic
Avoidance
Endurance
Phobia emotional characteristics
Anxiety
Fear
Unreasonable emotional response
Phobia cognitive characteristics
Selective attention
Irrational beliefs
Cognitive distortions
Behavioural explanation of phobias
2 process model = acquisition classical conditioning (neutral stimulus unconditioned stimulus like dentists and pain)
- maintenance operant conditioning - behaviour reinforced -vely (avoid) and +vely behaviour= desirable consequences
Evaluation of behavioural explanation
Real world application - exposure therapies successfully test by preventing avoidance cease to be reinforced
- limitation doesn’t account for cognitive aspect - hold irrational beliefs doesn’t completely explain
- strength evidence link bad experience w phobia ad de jongh dentists 73% fear= trauma
Systematic desensitisation
Anxiety hierarchy
Reciprocal inhibition relax and anxiety can’t happen same time
Exposure
Evaluation of SD
More effective than relaxation alone after 33 months and effective for wide range of phobias
Useful for people w learning difficulties flooding = traumatic
Flooding
Exposes client without build up working by extinction of conditioned fear
Clients must give informed consent and be prepared
Evaluation of flooding
Cost effective - better for the nhs will only take 1-3 sessions
Limitation = v traumatic and stressful than SD may experience more drop outs
Depression behaviour characteristics
Low activity levels
Disruption to eat/sleep
Aggression/ self harm
Depression emotional characteristics
Lowered mood
Anger towards self and others
Lowered self esteem
Depression cognitive characteristics
Poor concentration
Dwell on negative
Absolutist thinking
Becks theory of depression
Faulty info processing - attend to negative aspects of situation
Negative self schema - negative info about ourselves
Negative triad - the world the self the future
Evaluation of becks theory
Supporting research- cognitive vulnerability- faulty info processing more common in those depressed Cohen 473 pp cog vuln= depression later
RWA- identify vulnerabilities screen thise w risk of depression with CBT
Ellis abc model
Irrational thoughts- interfere w happiness
Activating event - trigger
Beliefs- overreact to event
Consequence- depression overreact to -ve events trigger depression/ SH
Evaluation of ABC model
Real world application - leads to therapy -ve thoughts challenged REBT
Only explain reactive depression not endogenous not caused by event- partial explanation
Becks cognitive therapy
Identify negative thoughts and challenge them
Client does hw proves themselves wrong client as scientist
Ellis REBT
D dispute E effect identify and challenge irrational beliefs via empirical argument whether there is actual evidence
Behavioural activation
Encourage client to engage in enjoyable activities
Evaluation for CBT
-Cbt is as effective as antidepressant 81% more effective combined 86%
-May not be suitable for those with sever case of depression or w learning disabilities
-Relapse rate =42% after 6 months 53% within a year may need repeating
OCD behaviour characteristics
Repetitive compulsions
Compulsion performed to reduce anxiety
Avoid triggers
OCD emotional characteristics
Anxiety and distress
Depression
Guilt
OCD cognitive characteristics
Obsessive thoughts
Cognitive coping strategies
Insight into excessive anxiety - catastrophic thoughts
OCD is genetic
Candidate genes may produce symptoms 5HT1-D beta
OCD is polygenic together form ocd
Passed from 1 generation to another
OCD genetic evaluation
Research support 68% mz twins w OCD only 31% dz twins ocd 4x more likely if family member has it
Environmental factors play a part eg more than 50% of OCD experience trauma > trauma more sever OCD
= only partial explanation
OCD neural explanation
Serotonin low levels linked to ocd
Frontal lobes and parrahippocampal gurus malfunctioning
Neural ocd evaluation
Research support antidepressants work in serotonin systems alleviating ocd
Serotonin ocd link may just be comorbiditiy with depression an emotional characteristic
Drug therapy
Ssris antidepressants that increase levels of serotonin at synapse
Ssris + cbt = best
Drug therapy evaluation
Evidence of effectiveness Ssris more effective than placebo
Cost effective and non disruptive don’t involve visit to therapy or nhs cheap
Serious side effects - blurred vision loss of sex drive out people off
