Psychopathology Flashcards
What are the 4 definitions of abnormality?
Statistical infrequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health
When is someone abnormal according to the statistical infrequency definition?
Someone has a less common characteristic or numerically unusual behaviour
What is an example of abnormality according to the statistical infrequency definition?
Average IQ is 100, so most people have between 85 and 115
Only 2% have a score below 70 and are abnormal and diagnosed with a learning disability
What is a strength and weakness of the statistical infrequency definition for abnormality?
Real-world application in clinical practice to diagnose
-diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder requires IQ below 70
Value of the criterion useful in diagnosis and assessment procedures
Infrequent characteristics can be positive instead of negative
-2% have an IQ above 130, but this isn’t seen as abnormal
-unusual ≠ abnormal
Not sufficient as sole basis for defining abnormality
When is someone abnormal according to the deviation from social norms definition?
Behave differently from expectations/what is acceptable
These social norms are specific to culture/generations
What is an example of abnormality according to the deviation from social norms definition?
Psychopaths are abnormal as they don’t conform to standards
What is an example of how abnormality has changed according to the deviation from social norms definition?
Homosexuality was abnormal in the past, and is still abnormal in some cultures
What is a strength and weakness of the deviation from social norms definition for abnormality?
Real-world application in clinical practice
-key characteristic of anti-social personality disorder is the failure to conform to culturally ethical behaviour
-being reckless + aggressive is deviation from social norms
Criterion has value in psychiatry
Variability between social norms in different cultures/situations
-hearing voices norm for some cultures, not for UK
-deceitfulness unacceptable in family life, not in corporate deal-making
-may get labelled with own standards
Hard to judge deviation across different cultures + situations
When is someone abnormal according to the failure to function adequately definition? Who listed the key signs that one isn’t functioning and when?
Failure to cope to the demands of everyday life
Rosenhan and Seligman (1989)
According to Rosenhan and Seligman (1989), what are the 3 key signs that one isn’t functioning?
- No longer conforms to interpersonal rules (eg: eye contact, personal space)
- Severe personal distress
- Irrational/dangerous behaviour to themself/others
What is an example of abnormality according to the failure to function adequately definition?
Depression- poor hygiene, work, relationships
What is a strength and weakness of the failure to function adequately definition for abnormality?
Represents a sensible threshold for when people need professional help
-Mind charity 25% experience a mental health problem
-when people start to fail to function adequately, they’re referred for help
Treatment + services targeted to those who need
Easy to label non-standard life-choices as abnormal
-no home (traveller)
-enjoy high-risk activities (just deviation from social norm)
Freedom of choice limited if labelled abnormal
When is someone abnormal according to the deviation from ideal mental health definition?
Ill mental health is the absence of mental health
When doesn’t meet Jahoda’s criteria (1958) for good mental health
What are the 8 things needed for good mental health in Jahoda’s criteria (1958)?
- No symptoms/distress
- Rational + perceive ourself accurately
- Self-actualise
- Cope with stress
- Realistic view of the world
- High self-esteem, lack of guilt
- Independent of other people
- Successfully work, love, enjoy leisure
What is an example of something that would be defined as abnormal using both the failure to function adequately definition and deviation from ideal mental health definition?
Can’t keep up job
What is a strength and weakness of the deviation from ideal mental health definition for abnormality?
Highly comprehensive
-range of criteria distinguishing mental health from mental disorder
-covers most reasons why people seek help
-different professionals can help depending on need (eg: psychiatrist for symptoms and humanistic counsellor for self-actualisation)
Definition provides checklist to assess and seek correct help
Unrealistic + demanding
-few satisfy all criteria all of the time so most would be considered mentally ill to a degree
Hard to know how many of criterium needed for disorder, can also be disheartening
What is a phobia?
An anxiety disorder with an irrational and excessive fear of an object, place or situation that interferes with an individual’s normal living
What is the DSM-5?
Diagnostic + statistical manual
What are the 3 types of phobias?
Specific phobia
Social anxiety/social phobia
Agoraphobia
What are the 2 emotional characteristics of phobias?
Unreasonable + disproportionate anxiety
Unreasonable + disproportionate fear
What is the difference between anxiety and fear?
Anxiety- unpleasant state of high arousal, hard to feel positive and may be long-term
Fear- Immediate, extremely unpleasant + intense response when one sees/thinks about phobic stimulus
What are the 3 behavioural characteristics of phobias?
Panic
Avoidance
Endurance
What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of phobias?
Selective attention
Irrational beliefs
Cognitive distortion
Who proposed the two-process model for explaining phobias?
Mowrer (1960)
What is the two-process model?
An explanation for the onset (classical) and persistence (operant) of disorders that creat anxiety (phobias)
How are phobias acquired according to classical conditioning?
NS is associated with fear response (UCR) → little Albert white rat
CR of fear triggered every time object/situation is seen (even in UCS absence)
CR is generalised to similar objects/situation → fur coat, Santa’s beard
How are phobias maintained according to operant conditioning?
Responses decline over time via classical conditioning, but phobias are long-lasting due to operant conditioning
Avoidance of the phobic stimulus reduced unpleasant fear + anxiety
Fear reduction negatively reinforces avoidance and phobia maintained
What are 2 strengths of the two-process model to explain phobias?
Real-world application in exposure therapies
-model suggests maintenance through avoidance
-avoidance prevented through exposure and phobia cured
-eg: systematic desensitization
High value in treating phobias
Evidence for link between bad experience and phobia
-little Albert frightening experience of stimulus → phobia of stimulus
Confirms the association does lead to the development of a phobia
What are 2 weaknesses of the two-process model to explain phobias?
Doesn’t account for cognitive aspects of phobias
-model explains avoidance, not phobic cognitions eg: irrational beliefs
Limited in explaining symptoms of phobias
Not all traumatic experiences lead to phobia
-Di Gallo only 20% in car accident formed car phobia
-may be due to genetic vulnerability of developing mental health disorders
Limited in explaining phobias
What are the 3 types of exposure?
In vivo (actual)
In vitro (imagined)
Virtual reality
What are the 2 types of behavioural therapies used to treat phobias?
Systematic desensitisation
Flooding
What is systematic desensitisation?
Gradually reducing phobic anxiety by counter-conditioning (pair with relaxation), and if one is relaxed in the presence of the phobia stimulus, the phobia is cured
What are the 3 processes involved in systematic desensitisation?
- Anxiety hierarchy put together by the client and therapist from least to most frightening phobic stimulus
- Therapist teaches relaxation as can’t be afraid/relaxed at the same time (reciprocal inhibition), so one emotion prevents the other eg: breathing, imagery, meditation, or drugs
- Exposed to phobic stimulus in relaxed state over several sessions, start at bottom of hierarchy, move up when relaxed in lower levels, until relaxed on high level and phobia is extinct
What is flooding?
Immediate and extreme exposure for a longer time (2-3hr) over a small number of sessions to reduce anxiety that is triggered by the phobic stimulus
How does flooding work?
Person unable to avoid, learns that phobic stimulus is harmless and becomes exhausted by their own fear, so learnt response of fear is extinguished
What are important ethics surrounding flooding?
Informed consent needed
Often given choice of systematic desensitisation or flooding
What are 2 strengths of using systematic desensitisation to treat phobias? (No weaknesses YAY)
Research supporting effectiveness
-McGrath et al 75% successfully treated, particularly with in vivo
-Wechsler et al effective for all 3 phobias
Helpful in treating
Appropriate to help those with learning disabilities (and phobias)
-struggle with complex cognitive therapies
-distressed/traumatised by flooding
Most appropriate method to treat those with learning disabilities and phobias
What is a strength and a weakness of using flooding to treat phobias?
Highly cost-effective
-clinically effective and not expensive
-1 session not 10 to achieve same result
More treated at the same cost with flooding over other therapies
Unpleasant + traumatic
-tremendous anxiety, although do give consent
-high attrition (dropout) rates
Therapists avoid as may be higher cost and result in larger fear from patient
What is depression?
A mood disorder characterised by low mood and/or lack of interest and pleasure in usual activities, affecting everyday living
According to the DSM5, what are the 4 categories of depression?
Major depressive disorder
Persistent depressive disorder
Disruptive mood regulation disorder
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
What are the 3 emotional characteristics of depression?
Lowered mood
Anger
Lowered self-esteem
What are the 3 behavioural characteristics of depression?
Activity level (lethargic or psychomotor agitation)
Disruption to sleep + eating
Aggression + self-harm
How can sleep and eating be disrupted when one has depression?
Insomnia/hypersomnia
Appetite increased/decreased, leading to weight gain/loss