Psychopathology Flashcards
What are the 4 definitions of abnormality?
Statistical infrequency
Deviation form social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health
Beck’s negative triad
A component of Beck’s cognitive explanation for depression which suggests negative thoughts in depression broach three categories; the self, the world and the future
Cognitive behavioural therapy
A form of therapy used to help patients with depression that aims to directly combat irrational cognitive biases
Depression
A mood disorder that causes sufferers to experience chronic low mood
Deviation from ideal mental health
A definition of abnormality that suggests if a person does not achieve one of six criteria of mental health, they are acting abnormally. These six criteria are coping with stress, self-actualisation, sufficient self-esteem, autonomy, adaptation to new situations and an accurate idea of the world.
Deviation from social norms
A definition of abnormality that suggests that if a person deviates from cultural and social rules, they are abnormal. This definition is restricted temporally and spatially. For example, homosexuality was viewed as abnormal in the past and is currently viewed as abnormal in some countries today.
Elis’s ABC model
An explanation for depression which suggests it is caused fundamentally by irrational beliefs. He explains that an ‘Activating event’ (A) i interpreted by your ‘Beliefs’ (B) which leads to unhealthy ‘Consequences’ (C). This cycle causes and perpetuates depression.
Failure to function adequately
A definition of abnormality that suggests that a person had abnormal behaviour if they are unable to function in everyday life. This definition encompasses an individual’s quality of life as well ad their objective behaviour
Fear hierarchy
An order of situations that expose patients to increasing levels of fear-inducing stimuli
Flooding
A form of therapy for phobias where in a patient is exposed to a huge amount of fear stimuli in order to help the patient associate the stimulus with safety (since in spite of huge amounts of fear, the patient is not actually in any danger)
Phobia
An intense, irrational fear of stimulus
Reciprocal inhibition
Inhibition of fear by learning to relax, since both response are not possible at the same time
Relaxation techniques
Techniques taught to patients to erase uncomfortable emotions of fear arousal, which can help eliminate a fear response in a phobia, as per reciprocal inhibition.
Statistical infrequency
An explanation that suggests abnormalities can be statistically determined. If the behaviour is calculated to fall out of the range of normal distribution, it can be labelled as statistically infrequent and therefore abnormal.
Systematic desensitisastion
A form of therapy for phobias that involves establishing a fear hierarchy and teaching patients relaxation techniques. Use of relaxation at every level of the fear hierarchy
Identify the neural explanations of OCD.
Low levels of serotonin = low mood
High levels of Dopamine = hypervigilance and compulsions
Abnormal frontal lobes (impaired caudate nucleus/worry circuit)
The biological approach to OCD uses what model?
Diathesis stress
Summarise the genetic explanations to OCD
Lewis (1936) observed that of his OCD patients, 37% had parents with OCD and 21% had siblings with OCD
MZ twins have a concordance rate of around 48%-60%
DZ twins have a concordance rate of around 20-30%
Taylor (2013) found evidence of up to 230 genes being involved
COMT/SERT
Describe the SERT gene.
This faulty version of gene creates lower levels of serotonin
Describe the COMT gene
One form/ faulty version/ mutation of the COMT gene has been found to be more common in patients suffering with OCD
This variation of gene produces lower activity of the COMT gene and higher levels of dopamine ( high levels are linked to their compulsions)
Describe the worry circuit/OFC
Abnormal brain region in the frontal lobe
Caudate nucleus usually suppresses signals from the OFC
The OFC sends signals to the thalamus about things that are worrying e.g germs
When the caudate nucleus is damaged it fails to suppress minor worry signals and in turn the thalamus is alerted
Sends signal back to OFC (known as worry circuit)
Name three behavioural characteristics of depression
Changed activity levels (anhedonia)
Aggression
Changed patterns of sleeping and eating
Name three emotional characteristics of depression
Lowered self-esteem
Constant poor mood
High levels of anger
Name three cognitive characteristics of depression
Absolutist thinking
Selective attention towards negative events
Poor concentration
What are compulsions?
Repetitive and intrusive thoughts focused around the stimulus which reduce anxiety through being a method of acting upon obsessive thoughts
Name four emotional characteristics of OCD
guilt
disgust
depression
anxiety
Name two behavioural characteristics of OCD
Compulsions
Avoidance behaviour
Describe the cognitive characteristics of OCD
Patient’s acknowledgement that their anxiety is excessive and irrational
The development of cognitive strategies to deal
with obsessions
Obsessive thoughts
Give a strength of the genetic explanation of OCD
There is strong evidence to support the role of genes and specifically genetic vulnerability when explaining OCD. Twin studies provide evidence MZ twins have a concordance rate of around 48%-60%, DZ twins have a concordance rate of around 20-30%. As concordance rates are much higher for MZ twins who share 100% of genetic makeup, it strongly indicates that shared genes must influence the likelihood of developing OCD, genetic vulnerability for this trait is shared. This is support for the genetic explanation overall.
Give a strength of the neural explanation of OCD
Use of drug therapies for OCD, for example antidepressants and SSRIs work purely on the serotonin system. This provides evidence for the role of neural mechanisms in OCD. (Real word application -> ecological validity)
