Psychopathology Flashcards
Abnormality
A psychological or behavioural state leading to impairment and distress to others.
Deviation from ideal mental health
The failure to meet criteria of the perfect psychological well-being. This behaviour may make others feel threatened.
strength of Deviation from ideal mental health definition
It focuses on the positives rather than the negatives and focuses on what is desirable rather than what is undesirable
Failure to function adequately
An inability to cope/perform behaviours necessary for day to day living. For example, the inability to maintain a relationship or hold down a job.
Weakness of the definition, failure to function adequately
Very subjective - There are many ‘functioning’ alcoholics, cocaine and heroin addicts and thus such behaviours would not meet the criteria for this definition yet ‘substance dependence’ is recognised as a psychological disorder.
Deviation from social norms
Behaviour which violates the accepted social norms e.g not appearing naked in public.
Weakness of deviation from social norms
It is bound by culture. Social norms are culturally relative; they are different in different cultures.
Behavioural characteristics of OCD
Centres on the compulsive behaviour.
1) compulsions are repetitive in nature so the sufferers will feel compelled to repeat a behaviour.
2) hinder everyday functioning
3) social impairment- limit the ability to form relationships
Depression
Depression is a mood disorder characterised by feelings of hopelessness. Two main types:
1) unipolar
2)bipolar (manic)
positive symptoms:
- depressed mood
-lack of pleasure in activities
-loss of energy
-feelings of worthlessness
Cognitive characteristics of depression
1) Delusions
2) thoughts of death
3) poor memory
The cognitive approach to explaining depression
This approach focuses on people’s beliefs rather than their behaviour. Depression results from systematic negative bias in thinking processes.
Becks Negative triad ( 1976)
Beck developed a cognitive explanation of depression which has three components: a) cognitive bias; b) negative self- schemas; c) the negative triad
Cognitive bias
Beck found that depressed people are more likely to focus on the negative aspects of a situation, while ignoring the positives. They are prone to distorting and misinterpreting information- cognitive bias
Negative schemas
Beck perceived negative schemas as developing in childhood and adolescence, when authority figures place unreal demands on them, as well as being highly critical. These negative schemas are fuelled by cognitive biases.
The negative triad
Beck claimed that cognitive biases and negative self- schemas maintain the negative triad. The triad consists of three elements, about the self, the world and the future.
Ellis’ ABC model
An explanation that sees depression occurring through an activating agent, a belief and a consequence.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
In treating depression
-CBT is the main psychological treatment used to help treat depression and sees abnormal behaviour as caused by disordered thought processes
-CBT assists patients to identify irrational and maladaptive thoughts and alter them into rational ones
- CBT is an umbrella term for a number of different therapies, such as REBT.
Evaluation of the cognitive approach to treating depression
Unlike drugs, a patient who undergoes this treatments can be treated for abnormality without experiencing any additional symptoms.
Phobias
Anxiety disorders characterised by extreme irrational fears
Social phobias
Involve being over anxious in social situations
Agoraphobia
The fear of leaving home or a safe place
Behavioural characteristics of phobias
-anxiety response ( efforts are made to avoid feared object)
- disruption of functioning
Emotional characteristics of phobias
-persistent, excessive fear
-fear from exposure to the phobic stimulus
Cognitive characteristics of phobias
-recognition of exaggerated anxiety ( aware that the anxiety levels they experience in relation to their feared object or situation is over stated
