Psychopathology Flashcards
Definitions of abnormality (criteria for ideal mental health)
JAHODA
- No symptoms or distress
- Rational/accurate view of self and world
- Aspire to self-actualisation
- Cope with stress
- Independent of others
- Successfully work, love and enjoy leisure
Definitions of abnormality (failure to function adequately)
ROSENHAN AND SELIGMAN
- Doesn’t conform to interpersonal rules
- Severe personal distress
- Behaviour irrational/dangerous to self or others
Beck’s cognitive theory (cognitive vulnerability) support
GRAZIOLI AND TERRY
Procedure:
- 65 pregnant women assessed for cognitive vulnerability before/after birth.
Findings:
- High cognitive vulnerability before birth = more likely to experience post-natal depression.
Beck’s cognitive theory (cv: faulty information processing) support
KOSTER
Procedure:
- Presented ppts with +ve, -ve or neutral word.
- Immediately afterwards, ppts had to press button to indicate where square appeared on screen.
Findings:
- Depressed group took longer to respond after -ve word than control group.
- No difference between the two groups when +ve or neutral.
Beck’s cognitive theory support
KENDLER
Genes alternative explanation: 46% concordance rate in MZs vs 20% in DZs.
Effectiveness of CBT support
CUIJIPERS
- 115 studies on effectiveness compared to control (other psychotherapies and medication).
- Mean effect size of 0.71.
MARCH
- Compared CBT and antidepressants in 327 adolescents.
- After 36 weeks 81% of CBT group significantly improved (86% in combined group).
Behavioural explanation for phobias (acquisition by CC) support
LITTLE ALBERT (case study - Watson and Rayner)
- 9 month old baby.
- No unusual anxiety at start + attempted to play with white rat.
- Rat (NS) presented with loud banging of iron bar (UCS); noise creates fear (UCR).
- Rat becomes associated with noise fear response.
- Rat (CS) now causes fear (CR).
- Fear generalised to other furry objects; afraid of coloured rabbit, fur coat and Watson wearing cotton wool Santa beard.
Effectiveness of systematic desensitisation support
SMITH AND GLASS
- Meta-analysis of 223 randomised clinical trials.
- Average effect size of 0.91.
- Average person improved 82% more than control group.
GILROY
Procedure:
- Followed 42 phobia patients treated in 3 45-minute sessions of SD.
- Control group treated by relaxation without exposure.
- Spider phobia assessed through ‘Spider Questionnaire’ and observing response to spider.
Findings:
- 3 and 33 months after treatment SD group less fearful than relaxation group.
Effectiveness of flooding support
CHOY
- Meta-analysis comparing effectiveness of SD and flooding, found flooding slightly better.
BARLOW
- Meta-analysis and found equally effective.
Genetic explanations for OCD support
NESTADT
- Review of previous twin studies.
- Concordance rate of 68% in MZs vs 31% in DZs.
LEWIS
- Of 50 OCD patients 37% had parents and 21% siblings with OCD.
Neural explanations for OCD support
SAXENA AND RAUCH
- Reviewed brain scans (PET, fMRI and MRI) of those with OCD.
- Consistent association between high activity in orbitofrontal cortex and OCD symptoms.
Effectiveness of drug therapy for OCD support
FINEBERG
- 320 OCD patients randomly allocated to SSRI or control condition.
- After 24 weeks only 23% SSRI group reported reoccurrence vs 52% placebo group.
SOOMBRO
- Review of 17 studies comparing SSRIs and placebo.
- SSRIs significantly better results.
Behavioural explanations for phobias against
MINEKA
- SLT an alternative explanation.
- Found wild baby monkeys but not captive ones had phobia of snakes.
GARCIA AND KOELLING
- Adaptive evolution an alternative explanation
- Rats acquire phobia of sweet drink more quickly when paired with drug (making them sick) than with electric shock.
