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psychopathology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the 4 definitions of abnormality?

A

Statistical infrequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health

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2
Q

What is statistical infrequency? And an example?

A

This is when an individual has a less common characteristic that can be seen as abnormal

Eg IQ and intellectual disability order
- When individuals have an iq score of below 70 they are abnormal so recieve a diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder

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3
Q

What is Deviation from social norms? And an example?

A

This concerns behaviour that is differenent from the accepted standards behaviour in a community or society. We make a collective judgement about what is right

Eg Antisocial personality disorder
- impulsive, aggressive, ireesponsible
- absence of prosocial internal standards associated with failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical behaviour

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4
Q

a03 - statistical frequency

A

STRENGTH : Real World Application
- used in diagnosis, clinical practice and as a way to assess severity of peoples symptoms
- eg iq of 70 means a disorder can be diagnosed
- They used the Becks depression inventory and score of 30+ indicates depression
- Useful in diagnosis and assessment

LIMITATION : infrequent characteristics can be positive/negative
- not think of someone with an abnormally high IQ as abnormal
- low depression on scale not seen as abnormal
- never sufficient

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5
Q

a03 deviation from social norms

A

STRENGTH : Real world application
- key characteristics eg recklessness and aggression can be used to define characteristics of antisocial behaviour
- such norms also play a role in schizotypal personality disorder where the term strange can also characterise the thinking, behaviour and appearance of people with the disorder

LIMITATION : Cultural and Situational relativism
- one cultural group may label someone from another group abnormal using their own standards

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6
Q

What is failure to function adequately? And examples?

A

Occurs when someone is unable to cope with the demands of day to day living eg nutrition and hygiene
EG Intellectual disability disorder

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7
Q

When is someone failing to function adequately?

A

Rosenham and Seligman
- When a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules eg respecting personal space
- When a person experiences severe personal distress
- When a persons behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others

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8
Q

What is deviation from ideal mental health

A

Anyone who identifies from the ideals of being normal

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9
Q

What is Jahods criteria for ideal mental health (state 3)

A
  1. We have no symptoms or distress
  2. We are rational and percieve ourselves accurately
  3. We self actualise
  4. We can cope with stress
  5. We have a realistic view of the world
  6. We have good self esteem and lack guilt
  7. We are independent of other people
  8. We can successfully work love and enjoy our leisure
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10
Q

ao3 - failure to function adequately

A

STRENGTH - Threshold for professional help
- 25% of us experience symptoms of mental disorder to some degree
- when we cease to function adequately people seek or referred to professional help
- criterion provides a way to target treatment and services

LIMITATION - Lead to discrimination
- hard to distniguish between failure to function and conscious decision to deviate from social norms
- people may choose to live off grid
- abnornal and freedom of choice restricted

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11
Q

a03 - deviation from ideal mental health

A

STRENGTH - Approach being comprehensive
- range of criteria
- discussed meaningfully with a range of professionals
- checklist

LIMITATION
- culture bound
- variations in value placed on independence
- self actualisation not recognised

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12
Q

behavioral characteristics of phobias

A

Panic - Crying, Screaming, Running away from phobic stimulus
Avoidance - Prevent contact w phobic stimulus
Endurance - Remaining with stimulus and continuing to experience anxiety

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13
Q

Emotional Characteristics of phobias

A

Anxiety - unpleasant state of high arousal
Fear - immediare response
Emotional Response is Unreasonable - Disproportionate to threat prosed ( arachnaphobia with strong emotional response to a tiny spider)

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14
Q

Cognitive characteristics of phobias

A

Selective attention to phobic stimulus - hard to look away
Irrational beliefs
Cognitive distortions

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15
Q

behavioral characteristics of depression

A

Activity levels - lethargic
Distruption to sleep - insomnia & hypersomnia
Distruption to eating behaviour
Agression and self harm

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16
Q

emotional characteristics of depression

A

Lowered mood - people with depression describe themself as worthless
Anger - such emotions lead to aggression
Lowered self esteem - self loathing

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17
Q

cognitive characteristics of depression

A

Poor Concentration - cant stick with a task
Attention to negative - bias towards focusing on negative activities
Absolutist thinking - When a situation is unfortunate it is seen as an absolute disaster

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18
Q

What is the behavioral approach to explaining phobias

A

The two process model

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19
Q

What does the two process model consist of?

A

Classical conditioning where phobias are maintained
Operant conditioning where it is maintained

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20
Q

What is little albert and how does it explain phobias?

A
  1. When Little albert played with a white rat, a loud noise was made close to his hear the noise (UCS) caused a fear response (UCR)
  2. Rat (NS) did not create fear until the bang and the rat has been paired together several times
  3. Albert showed a fear response (CR) every time he came into contact with the rat (CS)
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21
Q

How does generalisation with phobias come about?

A

Little albery showed fear in response to other white furry objects

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22
Q

How are phobias maintained by operant conditioning

A

Negative reinforcement - an individual produces behaviour that avoids something unpleasant

When a person with a phobia escapes the anxiety they would have experienced reducing fear so phobia can be maintained

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23
Q

A03 - the behavioural approach to explaining phobias

A

STRENGTH - Real world application
- explains why people with phobias benefit from exposure therapies
-once avoidance behaviour is prevented it ceases to be reinforced by reduction of anxiety so it declines
- shows value of 2 process model as it can treat phobias

LIMITATION - unable to explain cognitive aspects of phobias
- behavioural explanations like 2 process model are geared towards explaining behaviour
- phobias also have a significant cognitive component eg people holding irrational beliefs
- 2 process model does not fully explain symptoms of phobias

STRENGTH - Evidence linking phobias to bad experiences
- john found 73% of dental phobics had experienced a trauma (involving dentistrsy)
- control group where people have low dental anxiety only 21% had a traumatic event
- association between stimulus (dentistry) and an unconditioned response (pain) does lead to phobia
COUNTERPOINT
- snake phobias occur where very few people have had bad experiences

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24
Q

What is the two behavioural approaches to treating phobias

A

Systematic Desensitisation
Flooding

25
Q

What is systematic desensitisation

A
  • This is based on classical conditioning where we reduce anxiety through counterconditioning
  • Phobia is learned so that phobic stimulus (CS) produces fear (CR)
  • CS paired with relaxation becoming the new CR
26
Q

What is reciprocal inhibition - SD

A

Not possible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time so one emotion prevents the other

27
Q

What is an anxiety hierarchy?

A

This is where fearful stimuli is arranged from least to most frightening

28
Q

How do you work through the anxiety hierarchy

A
  1. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and meditation
  2. Each person is exposed to phobic stimulus in a relaxed state
29
Q

When is treatment successful

A

The person can stay relaxed in high anxiety situations

30
Q

What is the concept of flooding

A

To expose the person to the phobia without a gradual buildup

31
Q

What is extinction - flooding

A

Without the option of avoidance behaviour the person quickly learns that the phobic object is harmless through exhaustion of fear response

32
Q

Why does flooding require informed consent

A

It is a unpleasant process

33
Q

ao3 - behavioural approach to treating phobias (SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION)

A

STRENGTH : Evidence for effectiveness
- gilroy et al followed up 42 people who had SD for spider phobias and at follow up SD were less fearful than a control group
- Wechlser concluded that SD us effective for specific phobia, social phobia and agoraphobia

STRENGTH : Usefulness for people with learning disabilities
- not distressing and doesnt require high level of rational thought, understanding or engagement

34
Q

ao3 - behavioural approach to treating phobias (FLOODING)

A

STRENGTH - COST Effective
- work in as little as one session
- even with longer sessions it is more cost effective

LIMITATION - Traumatic
- ppts and therapists rated flooding as more stressful
- ethical concerns as higher attrition rates

35
Q

What is the two explanations for the cognitive approach to treating depression

A

Beck Negative Triad
Ellis ABC model

36
Q

What is a schema - negative triad (cognitive approach to treating depression)

A
  • Package of ideas and information developed through experience
  • Negative schema so all information interpreted the wrong way
37
Q

What is the faulty information processing? - negative triad
(cognitive approach to treating depression)

A
  • Some people are more prone to depression because of faulty information processing - black and white terms
38
Q

What is the negative triad and examples ? (cognitive approach to treating depression)

A
  • Negative view of the world : The world is a cold hard place
  • Negative view of the future : There isnt much chance the economy will get any better
  • Negative view of self : I am a failure —-> low self esteem
39
Q

What is Ellis ABC model and its components (cognitive approach to treating depression)

A

A - Activating Event
- Depression arises from irrational thoughts

B - Beliefs
- Musterbation : Belief we must always succeed
- I-cant-stand-it-itis : Belief that it is a disaster when things do not go smoothly
- Utopianism : Belief the world must be always fair and just

C- Consequences
- When an activating event triggers irrational beliefs there are emotional and behavioural consequences

40
Q

a03 - cognitive approach to treating depression (BECK NEGATIVE TRIAD)

A

STRENGTH : Supporting research
- Beck concluded cognitive vulnerabilities (faulty information processing) are more common in depressed people
- Cohen tracked 473 adolescents development and found early cognitive vulnerability predicted later depression

STRENGTH : Real world Application to screening for depression
- Assessing cognitive vulnerability in young people most at risk of developing depression means they can be monitored
- this understanding is applied in CBT to alter cognitions underlying depression so they are more resiliant
- Useful in clinical practice

41
Q

A03 - cognitive approach to treating depression (abc model)

A

STRENGTH : Application in treating depression
- Applied the ABC to treat depression (REBT)
- REBT can change negative beliefs and relieve symptoms of depression

LIMITATION - Ellis model only explains reactive depression
- Reactive depression describes a form of depression which is triggered by negative activating events
- Not obvious what triggers depression

42
Q

What is the cognitive approach to treating depression ( 6 point summary)

A

CBT
- Challenge irrational thoughts whilst also changing behaviour by CLIENT and THERAPIST working together
- Aim is to identify negative thoughts in the triad and allow them to be challenged by Client taking an active role
- Client is scientist by being set hw
- REBT extends ABC to ABCD(dispute beliefs) and E(effect)
- REBT identifies thoughts as Utopianism
—- empirical argument : disputing whether there is evidence to support belief
—– Logical argument : disputing whether negative thought follow from fact
- Behavioural action - decrease avoidance and increase engagement

43
Q

A03 - cognitive approach to treating depression

A

STRENGTH : CBT has evidence for effectiveness
- march compared effects of CBR with antidepressant and a combo of the 2 in 327 depressed adolescents
- 81% of cbt group, 81% if antidepressants group and 86% of cbt and antidepressants significantly improved
- good case for making cbt the first choice of treatment in public health systems

LIMITATION - not suitable for diverse clients
- severely depressed clients may not be able to motivate themselves to engage with cognitive work of cbt or pay attention
- not suitable for learning difficulties

LIMITATION - high relapse rates
- relapse is common
- ali et al assessed depression for 12 months following a course of cbt
- 42% relapsed within six months of ending treatment and 53% within a year
- cbt needs to be repeated regularly

44
Q

what are the two explanations for the biological approach in explaining OCD

A

Genetic Explanations
Neural explanations

45
Q

What is the genetic explanations (the biological approach in explaining OCD)

A
  • Candidate genes
    eg 5HTI-D beta and implicated in transmission of serotonin across synapses
    eg Dopamine implicated in ocd and may regulate mood
  • OCD is polygenic
  • OCD is aetiologically heterogenous
46
Q

Why is OCD polygenic ?

A

Not caused by one single gene but several genes involved

47
Q

Why is OCD aetiologically heterogenous

A

One group of genes may cause OCD in one person but a different group of genes may cause the disorder in another

Evidence to show that different types of OCD may be the result of particular genetic variations

48
Q

What is the neural explanations (the biological approach in explaining OCD)

A
  • Neurotransmitters are responsible for relaying information from one neuron to another eg low levels of serotonin lowers mood
49
Q

How does impaired frontal lobes have an effect?

A
  • Some cases of ocd seem to be associated with impaired decision making
  • Associated with abnormal functioning of the lateral frontal lobes of the brain
  • Frontal lobes are responsible for logical thinking and making decisions
50
Q

What area is associated with processing unpleasant emotions?

A

Left Parahippocampal gyrus

51
Q

A03 the biological approach in explaining OCD ( GENETIC EXPLANATIONS)

A

STRENGTH : Evidence for genetic explanation of OCD
- nestadt found 68% of identical twins shared OCD as opposed to 31% of non identical
- Marini and Stebnicki found that a person with a family member with ocd is 4 times likely to develop as someone without
- genetically similar more likely to share

LIMITATION : Existence of environmental risk factors
- Factors that can trigger or increase the risk of ocd
- Cromer found over half the people with OCD experienced a traumatic eveny

52
Q

A03 the biological approach in explaining OCD ( Neural EXPLANATIONS)

A

STRENGTH : Supporting evidence
- antidepressants that work on serotonin reduce ocd symptoms suggesting serotonin is involved in ocd
- ocd symptoms can form part of conditions such as parkinsons
- biological factors eg serotonin are involved in ocd

LIMITATION : No unique neural system
- people with ocd also experience depression which distrupts serotonin
- so serotonin not relevant to ocd symptoms

53
Q

What is the biological approach to treating OCD?

A

Drug Therapy

54
Q

What is SSRIS

A

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
- prevent reabsorbtion and breakdown of serotonin in the brain
- increases levels in the synapse thus serotonin continues to stimulate the post synaptic neuron

55
Q

What is the typical dosage of SSRIS and the name of the medication?

A

Fluoxetine
- 20mg
- 3-4 months for impact
- dosage can be increased

56
Q

What are the drugs used alongside and why

A

cbt
- the medication can reduce emotional symtoms so they can engage more effectively with CBT

57
Q

What are the alternatives to SSRIS

A

TRICYCLICS
- eg clomipramine
- more severe

SNRIS
- second line of defence
- increase serotonin and noradrenaline

58
Q

ao3 - biological approach to treating ocd

A

STRENGTH - effectiveness for drig therapy
- 17 studies showed better outcomes following SSRIS then placebos
- ocd symtoms reduced for around 70% of people taking ssris
COUNTERPOINT
- cbt might be more effective

STRENGTH - cost effective and non distruptive
- cheap and good value for nhs
- no time taken out of day
- preference

LIMTATION - side effects
- indigestion, blurred vision, loss of sex
-clomipramine has more common side effects and 1/10 experience weight loss
- quality of life is poor
- reduce effectiveness

psychology (year 1 and 2) (12 decks)

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