Psychopathology Flashcards
What definitions are there of abnormality?
Statistical infrequently, deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, and deviation from ideal mental health
What is statistical infrequently?
Behaviour is considered abnormal if it is statistically rare or unusual
What is deviation from social norms?
Behaviour that is abnormal as it goes against unwritten rules of society
What is failure to function adequately
Behaviour is abnormal if it interferes with the individuals ability to have a normal life
What is deviation from ideal mental health?
Behaviour is considered abnormal if it lacks the characteristics of ideal mental health
who invented the ABC model and what is it?
invented by Ellis, and it is a cognitive approach to explaining depression
what does A stand for and refer to in the ABC model?
A stand for the Activating event which is the event which activates irrational thinking
what does B stand for and refer to in the ABC model?
B stands for belief, the thoughts that are triggered by the activating event
what does c stand for and refer to in the ABC model?
C stands for consequence, how a person behaves due to their new belief
what does D stand for and refer to in the ABC model?
D refers to disputing the irrational belief
what does E stand for and refer to in the ABC model?
E stands for Effect of disputing
what does F stand for and refer to in the ABC model?
F stands for feelings, referring to the new feelings produced
what is logical disputing?
questioning whether self defeating beliefs follow the facts logically
what is empirical disputing?
questioning
who theorised the “negative triad”?
Aaron Beck
what are the three parts of the negative triad?
negative view of the self, negative view of the world, negative view of the future.
What does Beck describe as the cause of depression?
A negative schema, which has been acquired at an early age, and lead to systematic cognitive biases (jumping to conclusions)
what is the biologicals approach to treating OCD?
Drugs- SSRIs- selective serotonin reuptake inhibiters
how do SSRIs work?
they inhibit the reuptake of serotonin into the pre-synaptic neurons, increasing the levels of serotonin passing across each synapse, which may normalise the circuit
what disorder may the COMT gene contribute to, and how?
the COMT gene may contribute to OCD, as it regulates the production of dopamine, and the variant of the COMT gene which has been linked to OCD produces more dopamine.
what disorder may the SERT gene contribute to, and how?
the SERT gene is linked to OCD and is involved in the transport of serotonin, and a variant of the COMT gene has shown lower production of serotonin, linked to OCD in patients
what is one neurological explanation for OCD (not involving neurotransmitters)?
Abnormal brain circuits. Damage to the caudate nucleus, which leads to heightened activity in the orbitofrontal cortex
name the parts of the worry circuit, and what their functions are.
1)orbitofrontal cortex- sends signals to the thalamus about about things that are worrying.
2)caudate nucleus - (located in the basal ganglia) it supresses signals from the orbitofrontal cortex.
OCD
Emotional Characteristics:
Anxiety and distress (extreme anxiety from obsessions and compulsions)
Depression (low mood and lack of enjoyment)
Guilt and disgust (irrational guilt or disgust, often about oneself or external objects)
