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Psychopathology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is Psychopathology?

A

The in-depth study of problems related to mental health

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2
Q

What is pathology?

A

The study of diseases

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3
Q

Why might it be difficult to define behaviour as abnormal?

A

-Subjective
-Cultural differences
-Context
-How do we measure it?
-Behaviour changes
-Societal views change

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4
Q

What is ‘Deviation from social norms’?
Evaluate

A

Social norms are set be a social group, a collective judgement on what is right e.g not wearing a bra

-Abuses human rights
-Creates social stigmas
+Real world application to schizotypal personality disorder- strange behaviour?

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5
Q

What is ‘Failure to Function Adequately’? Evaluate

A

Can’t cope in day to day life, distress leading to dysfunction.

+Threshold for help
+Individual experience
-Subjective
-Bereavement- does that mean abnormal?

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6
Q

Rosenhan and Seligman proposed signs of Failure to Function Adequately, what are they?

A

-Irrationality/dangerous
-Observer discomfort
-Unpredictability
-Severe personal distress

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7
Q

Outline the research on ‘Deviation from ideal mental health’

A

Jahoda: created a criteria for good mental health

-No symptoms of distress
-Rational and can perceive ourselves accurately and positively
-we self-actualise
-Can cope with stress
-Realistic view of the world
-Good self-esteem and lack guilt
-Independent of other people
-Successfully work, love and enjoy our leisure

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8
Q

Evaluate Jhaoda’s criteria for ‘Deviation from ideal mental health’

A

+ Useful checklist, can form diagnosis

  • Cultural relativism, African voices are a good sign
  • Too simplistic, other factors not considered
  • Unachieveable
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9
Q

What is ‘statistical infrequency’?

A

The ‘Normal distribution curve shows the majority of people in the middle, as normal. You are abnormal id you are statistically different to everyone.

Relatively few people fall at either end, they are abnormal.

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10
Q

Evaluate ‘statistical infrequency’

A

+ Can see pattern and trends

  • Labelling, socially sensitive?
  • Useful in clinical practice
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11
Q

Define ‘Phobia’

A

Unreasonable, irrational, persistent fear of a particular situation or object.

60% have a fear
15% hace a phobia

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12
Q

What are the 3 sub-sections we can categorises characteristics of mental disorders?

A

Emotional- how you feel
Behavioural- how you act
Cognitive- how you think

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13
Q

What are 3 characteristics in the behavioural phobia sub-section?

A

Avoidance: makes an effort to prevent contact with phobia stimulus, effects daily life

Panic: crying, freezing, screaming

Endurance: alternative response to remain in the presence of fear e.g watching a spider crawl around your room.

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14
Q

What are the 3 characteristics in the emotional phobia sub-section?

A

Anxiety: unpleasant state of high arousal, prevents relaxing

Fear: immediate and extreme response to phobic stimulus

Unreasonable response: fear is disproportionate to the threat

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15
Q

What are the 3 characteristics in the cognitive phobia sub-section?

A

Irrational beliefs: thoughts just keep unfolding, one leads to another

Cognitive distortions: perception is inaccurate

Selective attention to phobia stimulus: its hard to look

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16
Q

What are the categories of phobias?

A

-Specific phobias
-Social anxiety
-Agoraphobia

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17
Q

Define ‘specific phobia’ and give examples

A

Sufferers are anxious in the presence of a particular stimulus:

-Animal
-Natural environment
-Blood
-Situational
-Other

This the most common type.

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18
Q

Define ‘social anxiety’ and give examples

A

Sufferers experience inappropriate anxiety in social situations:

-Thinking about it can cause anxiety
-Leads to avoidance
-Usually starts in adolescence

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19
Q

Define ‘agoraphobia’ and give examples

A

Sufferers are anxious in a situation they cannot easily leave being outside or in a public place(e.g crowds):

-Avoid situations
-Most start in early 20s without warning
-Avoid going out leading to deterioration in quality of life

This is the least common type.

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20
Q

Give a brief overview of the ‘two-process model’ as a behavioural explanation of phobias

A

(Hobart Mowrer)

Acquisition of phobias > Maintenance of phobias

Classical conditioning Operant conditioning
(association) (reinforcement)

-Longer lasting phobias are maintained through operant conditioning

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21
Q

What were the reinforcements in the two-process model?

A

Negative: Avoidance

Positive consequence: reduce anxiety

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22
Q

Evaluate the two-process model

A

+Helped therapies develop
+Applicable

-Does not explain cognitive aspects of phobia
-Not all phobias follow a traumatic event

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22
Q

Explain systematic desensitisation

A

A step by step process aiming to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning:

  1. The anxiety hierarchy- created by client and therapist, a list of situations, least to most frightening
  2. Relaxation techniques- breathing exercises, mental imagery
  3. Exposure- exposed to phobic stimulus whilst in a relaxed state
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22
Q

Evaluate systematic desensitisation

A

+Client is involved with making hierarchy= ethical
+Based on classical conditioning principles

-Causes distress
-Relies on the person being able to relax
-Could have a reverse effect

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22
Q

What is ‘flooding’?

A

-Exposure therapy: flood the senses with fear
-Based on classical conditioning: new association is formed
-Biological element: you can only experience fear for so long before you get exhausted
-New positive association formed

23
Q

Evaluate ‘Flooding’

A

+ Effective
+ Quicker, so more cost effective

  • Can cause intense distress
  • Less ethical
  • May be ineffective, can bring back trauma
  • Spontaneous recovery, not long-term
24
Q

What are the DSM-5 categories of depression (4)? and explain them

A

Major depressive disorder: severe but often short term

Persistent depressive disorder: long-term or recurring

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder: childhood temper tantrums

Premenstural dysphoric disorder: disruption of mood prior or during mensturation.

25
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of behavioural depression?

A

Disruption to sleep and eating

Activity levels- reduced energy

Aggression and self-harm- verbal or physical

26
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of emotional depression?

A

Lowered mood- severe sadness

Anger

Lowered self-esteem

27
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of cognitive depression?

A

Poor concentration

Absolutist thinking- see everything as bad

Dwelling on the negative- paying more attention to the negative things

28
Q

What are the 2 cognitive approaches to explaining depression?

A

-Beck’s negative triad

-Ellis’ ABC model

29
Q

Explain ‘Beck’s negative triad’

A

Faulty information processing:
Depressed people see the negative aspects of a situation.

Negative self-schema:
‘Package of info’ developed through experience- see themselves in a negative way

The negative triad:
Develops a dysfunctional view of themselves-
-of the world
-future
-self

30
Q

Evaluate Beck’s negative triad

A

+ Real world application: therapy, CBT
+ Research support: cognitive vunerability predicted later depression

-Does not explain all symptoms

31
Q

Explain ‘Ellis’ ABC model’

A

Good mental health= rational thinking
Anxiety and depression= Irrational thoughts, interfering with us feeling happy

(A) Activating event- triggers irrational beliefs
(B) Beliefs-
- ‘I-Can’t-Stand-It-itis’, dwelling on the negative
- ‘Utopianism’, life must always be fair
- ‘Musterbation’, a failure if you don’y succeed
(C) Consequences- the symptoms e.g depression

32
Q

Evaluate Ellis’ ABC model

A

+ Real world application: Therapy, REBT

  • Might not have an ‘activating event’
  • Explains ‘reactive depression’ but not ‘endogenous depression’, as some depression does not have a cause
33
Q

What is CBT?

A

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

-Aims to challenge irrational and dysfunctional thought processes

34
Q

Outline ‘Beck’s Cognitive Therapy’

A

Focuses on negative schemas, challenges the thoughts and replaces with rational ones.

  1. Therapist helps to identify negative thoughts and keep a diary.
  2. Therapist challenges dysfunctional cognition, draws to positive incidents.
  3. Reality testing- homework
  4. Shows negative thoughts are irrational and unrealistic
  5. Behavioural techniques to encourage positive behaviour
  6. Small goals set to encourage sense of personal achievement
35
Q

What does REBT stand for in Ellis’ REBT therapy?

A

Rational-emotive behavioural therapy

36
Q

What is Ellis’ REBT therapy?

A

Add on to the ABC model:
A
B
C- emotional consequences
D- disputations to challenge irrational beliefs
E- effective new beliefs to replace old ones

-Based on problems are the result of faulty thinking
-Self defeating habits
-More confrontational

37
Q

What are the 3 ‘disputing beliefs’ from Ellis’ REBT therapy?

A

Logical- self-defeating beliefs do not flow logically from the info available

Empirical- beliefs are not consistent with reality

Pragmatic- emphasises the lack of usefulness of self-defeating beliefs

38
Q

Evaluate CBT

A

+ Effectiveness- studies show it works just as well as antidepressants

  • High relapse rates- 53% after 1 year, not long-term
  • Lack of suitability for diverse clients, involves complex thinking, people with disabilities may find hard
39
Q

What is OCD?

A

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

40
Q

What are ‘obsessions’?

A

Thoughts that are persistent, unwanted, and irrational

41
Q

What are ‘compulsions’?

A

Tasks that people do to relieve their obsessions

42
Q

Describe the OCD cycle

A

(imagine in a circle)

Obsessive thought → Anxiety →
Compulsive behaviour → temporary belief → back to obsessive thought

43
Q

What are the 3 behavioural characteristics of OCD?

A

Avoidance- anxiety situations

Compulsions Repetitive- habitual

Compulsions anxiety reduction- task to reduce anxiety of obsessive thought

44
Q

What are the 3 emotional characteristics of OCD?

A

Depression

Guilt and Disgust

Anxiety/Distress- due to unpleasant or frightening thoughts

45
Q

What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of OCD?

A

Obsessive thoughts- recurring and unpleasant

Awareness of excessive anxiety- aware thoughts are not rational

Cognitive coping strategies- devise their own way to cope

46
Q

Briefly describe synaptic transmission

A

-Neurotransmitter are released from the vesicles and diffuse across the synaptic cleft
-They bind to the receptor sites on the post synaptic neuron
-If any neurotransmitters are left in the cleft, they are taken back up into the presynaptic neuron (reuptake)

47
Q

What are the 3 biological explanations of OCD?

A

-Genetic
-Neurotransmitters
-Neuroanatomy

48
Q

Explain the ‘genetic’ biological explanation of OCD

A

Lewis found 37% had parents with OCD and 21% had siblings with OCD (of people with OCD)

-Researchers have identified candidate genes which make you more likely to develop OCD such as SHT1 and the COMT gene
-OCD is polygenic- caused by different genes/neurotransmitters
-Aetiologically hetrogeneous- the same gene can cause different outcomes e.g OCD or no OCD

49
Q

Explain the ‘neurotransmitters’ biological explanation of OCD

A

-Serotonin is a neurotransmitter with a role in regulating mood.
-Lower levels of serotonin are thought to cause obsessive thoughts and low mood due to it being removed too quickly in reuptake, before it has been able to transmit.

50
Q

Explain the ‘neuroanatomy’ biological explanation of OCD

A

Faulty neuro-circuitry: areas of the brain are over active, causing anxiety and checking behaviours.

Left parahippocampul gyrus- associated with processing unpleasant emotions

The ‘worry circuit’ is over active:
Orbitofrontal cortex, basal ganglia system, caudete nucleus, and the thalamus.

51
Q

Evaluate the biological explanation of OCD

A

Genetic:
+ There is research support: some people are more vulnerable to OCD due to genetics; 68% of identical twins share OCD, 31% non-identical

  • Ignores environmental factors, some triggered by a traumatic event

Neural:
+ Supporting evidence: antidepressants work on serotonin are effective with OCD, so there must be a serotonin link

  • The serotonin-OCD link may not be unique to OCD, people with OCD also experience depression
52
Q

What are the biological treatments for OCD?

A

SSRIs
Alternatives: SNRIs and tricyclics

53
Q

What are SSRIs and how do they work?

A

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
-antidepressant
-increase serotonin levels in synapse so continues to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron

54
Q

What is an SNRI and how does it work?

A

Serotonon-noradreneline Reuptake Inhibitors
-alternative to SSRIs
-different class of antidepressant
-increase serotonin and noradreneline levels

55
Q

What id a tricyclic and how does it work?

A

-Alternative to SSRIs
-acts on various systems including the serotonin system where it increases levels
-an older type of antidepressant
-has a lot worse side effects

56
Q

Evaluate the biological treatments for OCD

A

+Studies using a placebo show the drug is effective
+Drugs are cheaper
+Little effort required in taking them\

  • Only effective short-term
  • Relapse is common
  • Side effects are severe
  • Sufferers may benefit from talking to someone, GP or CBT
  • Selective publication can lead to Drs making inappropriate treatment
57
Q

What are the 4 definitions of abnormality?

A

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

Psychology🧠 (8 decks)

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