Psychopathology Flashcards
4 definitions of abnormality
1) Failure to function adequately
2) deviation from social norms
3) deviation from ideal mental health
4) statistical infrequency
What’s statistical infrequency?
Someone is abnormal if they have behaviours/traits that aren’t statistical common.
What’s failure to function adequately?
Someone is considered abnormal when they’re unable to cope with demands of everyday life.
What’s deviation from social norms?
Someone is abnormal if they go against the expectations of society.
What’s deviation from ideal mental health?
Someone is considered abnormal if they don’t meet the ideal mental health criteria proposed by Jahoda.
Criteria includes Self-actualisation, ability to cope with stress, independence, seeking leisure.
Outline the behavioural characteristics of OCD
Repetitive compulsions in order to reduce anxiety
Outline the emotional characteristics of OCD
Anxiety and distress
Guilt and disgust
Outline the cognitive characteristics of OCD
Obsessive thoughts
Aware of irrationality
Outline the 2 biological explanations of OCD
Genetic explanations:
COMT gene produces higher dopamine level
SERT gene reduces serotonin levels
Diathesis-stress
Neural explanations:
High dopamine and low serotonin levels associated with OCD
OCD associated with impaired decision making
Abnormal functioning of frontal lobe
Briefly evaluate the biological explanations of OCD
+ research support — twins studies
- environmental factors/ other disorders
Outline the biological approach to treating OCD
SSRIs: increases serotonin concentration at receptor sites
Used alongside CBT in increase engagement
Alternatives to SSRIs: Tricyclics
Evaluate the biological treatment to OCD
+Cost effective
+Evidence of effectiveness- educe symptoms
- side effects (eg. Heart problems)
Outline the behavioural characteristics of Depression
Disruption to sleep & eating behaviour
Aggressive self harm
Outline emotional characteristics of Depression
Lowered mood
Anger
Low self esteem
Outline the cognitive characteristics of Depression
Poor concentration
Irrational negative thinking
Outline two cognitive explanations of Depression
Ellis ABC Model : Depression symptoms are due to irrational beliefs
A- Activating events
B- Beliefs (irrational)
C- Consequences (Unhealthy negative emotion)
Beck’s Negative Triad : Negative self schema
1- the world
2- the self
3- the future
Outline two cognitive explanations of Depression
Ellis ABC Model : Depression symptoms are due to irrational beliefs
A- Activating events
B- Beliefs (irrational)
C- Consequences (Unhealthy negative emotion)
Beck’s Negative Triad : Negative self schema
1- the world
2- the self
3- the future
Evaluate the cognitive explanations of Depression
+ Application to treatments - CBT (Beck) & REBT (Ellis)
- Partial explanation of irrational thinking
Outline 2 cognitive treatments for depression
Beck’s CBT: Challenges negative thoughts, HW given to provide evidence against these thoughts
Ellis’s REBT : Encourages client to become more positive
D- Disputing
E- Effects
Evaluate the cognitive treatments of Depression
+ CBT is as effective as drugs or together
- High relapse rates
Emotional characteristics of Phobias
Unseasonable emotional responses
Anxiety
Behavioural characteristics of Phobias
Avoidance of phobic stimulus
Panic
Cognitive characteristics of Phobias
Irrational beliefs
Selective attention
Outline the behavioral explanations of Phobias
Two precess model — Mowrer
Phobias created by CC, maintained through OC
CC — Little Alert
OC — Negative & Positive reinforcement
Evaluate the behavioural explanations of phobias
+ development of treatments
- Not all avoidance is linked to reducing anxiety
- incomplete explanations
What’s the behavioural treatments for Phobias?
Systemantic desensitisation:
Anxiety hierarchy - relaxation - exposure
Flooding:
Immediate exposure for extended period of time until anxiety is gone
Evaluate Behavioural treatment to Phobias
SD - Time consuming
+ Effective
+ safe
Flooding + Cost effective
- Ethics (traumatic) Psychological harm
- Less effective for complex phobias
Evaluate Behavioural treatment to Phobias
SD - Time consuming
+ Effective
+ safe
Flooding + Cost effective
- Ethics (traumatic) Psychological harm
- Less effective for complex phobias
Evaluate the definitions of abnormality
SI: - Defines desirable traits as abnormal - Majority with same problems
DFSN: - Cultures differ in stats - Judgement on context
FTF: - Who decides you functioning - Culture bias
DFIMH: - Unrealistic criteria - Culture bias
Statistical Infrequency
Deviation From Social Norms
Failure to fucntion
Deviation from ideal mental health
