Psychopathology

Question 1

Deviation from social norms:

Answer 1

Social unspoken rules.

Question 2

Deviation from statistical norms.

Answer 2

Statistically infrequent = abnormal
Not always a bad thing, this can be desirable, e.g a high IQ is infrequent.

Question 3

Failure to function adequately.

Answer 3

Signs: dysfunctional, discomfort to others, unpredictable.

Question 4

Jahoda (1958)- 6 conditions for ideal mental health:

Answer 4

-Positive self-attitude
-Self-actualisation
-Resistance to stress
-Personal autonomy
-Accurate perception of reality
- Can adapt to the environment.
CAN VARY ACROSS CULTURES.

Question 5

Mental illness checklist:

Answer 5

-Delusional beliefs
-Disordered thinking
etc..

Question 6

What is the DSM?

Answer 6

Diagnostic criteria that give concrete answers and make it easier to prescribe treatments.

Question 7

Depression:
Characteristics.

Answer 7

Behavioural: insomnia, hypersomnia, change in appetite, headaches, social withdrawal.
Emotional: despair/sadness, mood variation throughout the day, anger, anhedonia- no longer enjoy things you used to.
Cognitive: negative beliefs, suicidal, difficult concentrating/ making decsions.

Question 8

Phobias: Types.

Answer 8

-Specific phobias: objects/situations.
-Agoraphobia: open/closed spaces.
-Social anxiety.

Question 9

Phobias:
Characteristics.

Answer 9

Behavioural: avoidance, fight or flight, sweating, increased heart rate, panic.
Emotional: anxiety
Cognitive: irrational beliefs, anxiety, selective attention.

Question 10

OCD.

Answer 10

Obsessions- cognitive: persistent and recurring.
Compulsions- behavioural: physical/ mental, external repetition, done to reduce anxiety.

Question 11

4 types of OCD:

Answer 11

Checking
Contamination
Hoarding
Symmetry/ orderliness

Question 12

Ellis’s ABC model:
(1982)

Answer 12

Activating event.
Belief.
Consequence.

Question 13

Beck’s negative triad:
(1983)

Answer 13

Negative self-schemas.
Negative view of world, self, future.

Question 14

Strengths of Beck.
Hollon and Kendall (1980)
ATQ

Answer 14

Automatic thoughts questionnaire- measures negative thinking.
People with depression scored higher.

Question 15

Beck’s negative triad:
(1983)
Evaluation.

Answer 15

+ Addresses beliefs
+ IRL application for treatments.
- Cognitions could be a consequence of depression, not the cause.

Question 16

Advantages/Disadvantages for CBT.

Answer 16

Adv- Empowers patients (taking control), as effective as a drug treatment.
Dis- Takes a lot of time and money, more effective if combined with drug therapy.

Question 17

2 process model. (1947)

Answer 17

Classical conditioning- neutral stimulus (little Albert)
Operant conditioning- reinforcement

Question 18

2 process model. (1947)
Evaluations.

Answer 18

+ Barlow and Durand- fear or driving was often because they had been in a previous car crash.
-Davey (1992) 7% of people with a fear of spiders had a traumatic experience with one.

Question 19

Systematic desensitisation-

Answer 19

Fear hierarchy, relaxation methods.

Question 20

Flooding-

Answer 20

Full exposure- can lead to heart attacks.

Question 21

OCD- Genetic factors:

Answer 21

Nestadt et al, conducted a meta-analysis of twin studies, if one identical twin had OCD there was a 68% chance the other would, 31% fraternal twins.
-no evidence found 100%
-general genetic anxiety might not be OCD
-other factors
-Taylor (2013) found evidence from previous studies that there are up to 230 different genes which may be involved with OCD.

Question 22

OCD- Genetic factors:
Strengths-
Weaknesses-

Answer 22

Scientifically proven, twin studies, ethical.

Effect of environment, family…?

Question 23

OCD- Biological therapy.

Answer 23

Drug therapy
-SSRIs (anti-depressant)
-Advantages:
~evidence of effectiveness
~cost effective
~non-disruptive
~Greist et al. (1995) conducted a meta-analysis where they reviewed placebo-controlled trials of the effects of 4 drugs on OCD, they found all 4 drugs were significantly more effective than the placebo.
Disadvantages:
~side effects
~takes time to work
~high relapse rate once off the drug.
~Simpson (2004) found that 45% of cases in 12 weeks relapsed, compared to only 12% of patients who had CBT. This suggests, that drug therapy does not treat OCD.