psychopathology

Question 1

4

definitions of abnormality

Answer 1

1. statistical infrequency
2. deviation from social norms
3. failure to function adequately
4. deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

statistical infrequency

Answer 2

behaviour, traits or thinking that is seen as rare or statistically unusual e.g. IQ below 70

Question 3

AO3

AO3 of statistical infrequency

Answer 3

strengths : real world application - it is used in clinical practice as an assessment tool for diagnosis
weaknesses : many rare behaviours or characteristics are seen as rare not a problem

Question 4

deviation from social norms

Answer 4

behaviour considered abnormal because it goes against socieities standards of what the norm is

Question 5

AO3

AO3 of deviation from social norms

Answer 5

strengths: it is a comprehensive definition
weaknesses : cultural relativism - some behaviours may be seen as socially acceptable in one culture however in another seen as abnormal

Question 6

failure to function adequately

Answer 6

a person who shows behaviours that they cannot cope with the tasks/pressure of everyday life e.g. lack of hygiene

Question 7

failure to function adequately

Rosenham and Seligman

Answer 7

seven major features of failure to function adequately
1. suffering
2. maladaptiveness
3. irrational
4. observer discomfort
5. vividness
6. violation of moral codes
7. unpredictability

Question 8

AO3

AO3 of failure to function adequately

Answer 8

strengths : economic conditions - holding down a job and supporting family may not always be possible, high unemployment rates prevent this.
weaknesses : cultural relativism - what is classed as irrational in some cultures is not the same as others

not all maladaptiveness is a sign of abnormality

Question 9

deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 9

judges someones mental health in the same way as physical health, requiring certain attributes to be deemed mentally healthy

Question 10

deviation from ideal mental health

Jahoda (1958)

theres 6 xxx

Answer 10

found 6 categories that were commonly referred to as desirable for mental health
1. positive attitudes towards self
2. resistance to stress
3. self-actualisation
4. autonomy
5. accurate perception of reality
6. can adapt to new situations

Question 11

AO3

AO3 of deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 11

strengths : real world app - Jahoda has helped society see mental health as similar to physical health which has helped to reduce the stigma associated with mental health
weaknesses : unrealistic - many of us would strggle to meet the criteria of good mental health, making it an impossibly high standard to live up to

Question 12

what is a phobia?

Answer 12

it is an anxiety disorder in which someone has an irrational fear of an object or situation

Question 13

phobias

behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of phobias

two for each

Answer 13

behavioural : panic, avoidance
emotional : anxiety, fear
cognitive : irrational beliefs, selective attention

Question 14

depression

what is depression?

Answer 14

depression is a mood disorder

Question 15

depression

behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of depression

two for each

Answer 15

behavioural : aggression (suicide), disruption to sleep levels (insomnia)
emotional : lowered mood, anger
cognitive : poor concentration, absolutist thinking

Question 16

OCD

what is OCD?

Answer 16

an intrusive disorder where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours

Question 17

OCD

behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of OCD

Answer 17

behavioural : repetitive compulsions/actions, avoidance
emotional : depression, irrational guilt
cognitive : obsessions (intrusive thoughts), selective attention

Question 18

the behavioural approach to explaning phobias:

what is the two process model?

Answer 18

phobias are initiated through classical conditioning (learning through association)
and maintained through operant conditioning, the sufferer avoids the anxiety of the situation
(negative reinforcement)

Question 19

the behavioural approach to explaining phobias:

Classical Conditioning - Little Albert

Answer 19

UCS : the loud noise –> UCR : fear
UCS + NS (noise + rat) —> UCR : fear
CS : rat —> CR : fear

Question 20

AO3

AO3 of the behavioural approach

one each

Answer 20

strengths : real world application - treatment such as systematic desensitisation and flooding have been developed from the two process model and proven successful in unlearning phobias
weaknesses : biological preparedness - Seligman argues phobias can develop without a traumatic event because humans are genetically programmed to leanr association between dangerous stimuli and fear

Question 21

behavioural approach to treating disorders :

what is systematic desensitisation?

three stages

Answer 21

stage one : the client is taught relaxation techniques
stage two : an anxiety heirarchy is created
stage three : the client works through each stage, using the relaxation techniques at every step only moving up when they no longer feel anxious at the current one

Question 22

AO3

AO3 of systematic desensitisation

Answer 22

strengths :
* it is 75% effective, McGarth (1990)
* Humphrey (1973) argued SD is effctive even when self administered making it cos-effective.
weakness :
* symptom substitution - could be confusing for the ppt because they are substituting one emotion for another

Question 23

behavioural approach to treating phobias :

what is flooding?

4 steps xxx

Answer 23

• the client is taught relaxation techniques
• has immediate exposure to their phobic stimulus for usually 2-3 hours
• as adrenaline naturally decreases, a new stimulus response is learned
• leads to relaxtion/exhaustion

Question 24

AO3

AO3 of flooding

one each

Answer 24

strengths :
* Choy et al (2007) reported both were effective but flooding more effective of the two
* cost-effective and quick
weaknesses :
* unethical - can be highly distressing for the individual, could argue their right to withdraw is denied during the experience and protection from harm

Question 25

# **cognitive approach** to **explaining** depression : Beck's explanations for depression ## Footnote theres three of them xx

Answer 25

1. negative triad - negative view of the world, negative view of the future, negative view of self 2. negative self-schema - interpreting information about ourselves in a negative way 3. faulty information processing - if depressed we tend to focus only on the negative aspects of life and ignore anything positive

Question 26

# AO3 AO3 of Beck's explanations ## Footnote one each xx

Answer 26

strengths : * real world application - his inventory allows us to assess depressive symptoms in patients and develop cognitive therapies weaknesses : * reductionist - it blames the patient for their depression instead of focusing on the environmental factors rather than their irrational thoughts

Question 27

# **cognitive approach** to **explaining** depression : Ellis' ABC model

Answer 27

ABC model * activating event ; triggers that can cause distress * beliefs ; irrational belief * consequences ; irrational beliefs leading to unhealthy emotions

Question 28

# AO3 AO3 of Ellis' ABC model

Answer 28

strengths : * real world application - he developed REBT (rational emotional behavioural therapy) which can challnge irrational beliefs and relieve depressive symptoms weaknesses : * reductionist - blames the person for their depression instead of the environmental factors rather more their irrational beliefs

Question 29

# **cognitive approach** to **treating** depression: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Answer 29

aims to challenge irrational and dysfunctional thought processes by identifying and testing negative beliefs which can help the client to reframe their thinking during moments of heightened anxiety or panic.

Question 30

# AO3 AO3 of CBT

Answer 30

strengths : * highly effective - March et al (2007) compared CBT with drugs and a combination of the two in 327 adolescents, 81% of both groups showed improvement and 86% of combination. CBT is just as effective as antidepressants and works well alongside drugs weaknesses : * time-consuming - time consuming and expensive and there can be very long waiting lists, relapse rates can also be high in the long term

Question 31

# **cognitive approach** to **treating** depression: Ellis' REBT

Answer 31

**Rational Emotional Behavioural Therapy** disputing irrational thoughs and seeing a beneficial effect on thoughts and behaviours (disputing using logic, empirical evidence and pragmatic) | pragmatic meaning is this thought useful to me

Question 32

# **biological approach** to **explaining** OCD: genetic expxlanations

Answer 32

Lewis 1936 found that: * 37% of his patients had parents with OCD * 21% had siblings with OCD suggesting it runs within the family. * mutations of the SERT gene affects the transport of serotonin creating lower levels of it implicating OCD

Question 33

# **biological approah** to **explaining** OCD: neural explanations

Answer 33

* dopamine levels are abnormally high and/or serotonin levels are low in people with OCD * when the caudate nucleus is damaged it fails to supress the worry signals and the thalamus is alerted constantly

Question 34

# **biological approach** to **explaining** OCD: AO3 of neural and genetic explanations ## Footnote 2 for genetic and one for neural xxx

Answer 34

genetic : * Nestadt (2000) conducted twin studies an found 68% of monozygotic twins shared OCD as opposed to 31% of dizygotic demonstrating a genetic cause. * concordance rates are never 100%, we have predisposition to it but environmental factors determine if we get it neural : * animal studies - a study was conducted and it was found that if we increased rats' dopamine with level with drugs, they would display stereotpical behaviours resembling the compulsive behaviours found in OCD sufferers

Question 35

# **biological approach** to **treating** OCD: drug therapies

Answer 35

* fluoxetine - patients are given 20mg and start on a low dosage, usually prescribed alongside CBT * if the drugs are not effective after 3-4 months other drugs such as tricylics which have the same effect

Question 36

# AO3 AO3 of drug therapies

Answer 36

strengths: * 17 studies were reviewed where SSRI's were used to treat OCD and it was found that it was more effective than the placebo * relatively cheap when compared to psychological therapies, however they only treat the symptoms and not the root cause weaknesses: * SSRI's can cause headaches, nausea and insomnia which can mean people stop taking the medication * side effects of tricylics are severe hallucinations, irregular heart beat and weight gain