Psychopathology Flashcards
What are the four definitions of abnormality
- Statistical deviation
- Deviation from social norms
- Deviation from ideal mental health
- Failure to function adequately
Define Statistical deviation as a definition for abnormality
We define someone as normal depending on how often something is observed. If something is observed many times we say this is normal, and if not it is considered abnormal
Define Deviation from social norms as a definition for abnormality
Someone is considered abnormal when…
they behave different to what is socially acceptable in that social setting. We make a collective judge as a community what is ‘right’
Define Deviation from ideal mental health as a definition for abnormality
Rather than look at what is abnormal, look at what is normal and then begin to identify who deviates from this ideal.
Jahoda developed a list of what made up ideal mental health
Define Failure to function adequately as a definition for abnormality
Someone is considered abnormal when…
They are no longer able to cope with the demands of everyday life and no longer able to maintain basic standards of nutrition and hygiene.
Rosenhan developed some signs that someone is failing to function adequately.
What where some of the signs Rosenhan developed to indicate if someone is failing to function adequately
- When a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules (e.g. personal space, eye contact)
- When a person experiences severe personal distress
- When a persons behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous
List some examples of Jahoda’s ideal mental health:
- No symptoms of distress
- Good self esteem
- Can cope with stress
- Can successfully work and enjoy leisure
- We self actualise
Define Phobia
An irrational fear of object of situation
List the emotional characteristics of phobias
- Anxiety (unpleasant state of high arousal)
List the cognitive characteristics of phobias
- Cognitive distortions
- Irrational Beliefs
- Selective attention
List the behavioural characteristics of phobias
- Endurance
- Avoidance
- Panic (crying, screaming running away)
Define Depression
A mental disorder characterised by low mood and low energy levels
List the emotional characteristics of Depression
- Low self esteem
- Lowered mood
- Anger
List the cognitive characteristics of Depression
- Poor concentration
- Dwelling on the negative
- Absolutist thinking
List the behavioural characteristics of Depression
- Lowered activity levels
- Disruption or sleep or eating patterns
- Aggression or self harm
What does OCD stand for
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Define OCD
A condition characterised by obsessions and/or compulsive behaviour
List the emotional characteristics of OCD
- Anxiety and distress
- Accompanying depression
- Guilt and disgust
List the cognitive characteristics of OCD
- Obsessive thoughts
- Insight into excessive anxiety
- Cognitive strategies to deal with obsessions
List the behavioural characteristics of OCD
- Repetitive Compulsions to reduce anxiety
Positives of using Statistical Infrequency as a definition of abnormality
+ Real life application
Diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder
Negatives of using Statistical Infrequency as a definition of abnormality
- Does not consider favourable characteristics (e.g. IQ)
- Not everyone will benefit from a label
Positives of using Deviation from social norms as a definition of abnormality
+ Includes desirability for positive traits
Negatives of using Deviation from social norms as a definition of abnormality
- Not comprehensive enough (can’t be used alone)
- Culture bias (what is defined as normal differs in each society)
- Bad uses (human rights abuses)
Positives of using Failure to function adequately as a definition of abnormality
+ Patients perspective (looks at subjective experiences)
Negatives of using Failure to function adequately as a definition of abnormality
- Discriminate (hard to choose between failure to function or just alternative lifestyle)
- Subjective (someone has to decide if they’re failing)
Positives of using Deviation from ideal mental health as a definition of abnormality
+ Comprehensive (covers a wide range of criteria)
Negatives of using Deviation from ideal mental health as a definition of abnormality
- Culturally relative (mostly linked to western cultures)
- Unrealistic (sets high standards of mental health)
- Not specific (doesn’t indicate how many we need)
Behavioural approach to explaining phobias (two-prosses model)
- Acquisition by classical conditioning
- Maintenance by operant conditioning
Behavioural Approach:
Explain how phobias are acquired
Classical Conditioning:
- Associating something we initially have no fear of, with something that already triggers a fear response.
- Example:
‘Little Albert’ - made him have a phobia of rat by pairing it with loud scary noise
Behavioural Approach:
Explain how phobias are maintained
Operant Conditioning
- Individual avoids a phobic stimulus and as a reward avoids feeling stress and anxiety. (negative reinforcement)
Explain the Behavioural Approach to treating Phobias
- Flooding
- Systematic Desensitisation
Two process model evaluation:
+ Explanatory power (goes into a lot of detail of how and why)
+ Can lead to therapy
- Incomplete explanation (doesn’t consider evolutionary factors)
- Doesn’t explain all phobias (if they don’t follow trauma)
Behavioural Approach:
How does flooding work
- Works by extinction of phobia
- Immediate exposure to worst case possible
- Participant will realise there is no harm or eventually become exhausted by fear making them relax (reciprocal inhibition)
Behavioural Approach:
How does systematic desensitisation work
- Counter condition client to have new response to phobic stimulus
- Anxiety hierarchy produced
- Relaxation techniques are taught
- Gradual Exposure
What is reciprocal inhibition
One emotion prevents the other
Behavioural Approach:
Systematic Desensitisation Evaluation
+ Effective (Gilroy - 42 patients compared to control. After 3 and 33 months 42 patients remained calmer than control group)
+ Suitable for a range of patients (don’t have to share feelings)
+ enjoyable for client
- Expensive (take time of work, long process)
- Symptom substitute
What is symptom substitute
As one phobia is taken away, another may occur
Behavioural Approach:
Flooding Evaluation
+ Cost effective (only one session)
- Less effective (more likely to drop out)
- Less enjoyable for client
- Not suitable for all clients
- Symtom Substitution
Cognitive Approach to explaining depression
- Becks Cognitive theory of depression
- Ellis’s ABC model
Cognitive Approach:
Explain Becks cognitive theory of depression
- Faulty information processing Dwell on negative, blow small problems out of proportion - Negative self-schemas Interpret all info negatively - The negative triad 1. Negative view of the world 2. Negative view of the future 3. Negative view of self
Cognitive Approach:
Ellis’s ABC Model
A = Activating event (irrational thoughts triggered by external events)
B = Beliefs ('musturbation' everything must be perfect)
C = Consequences (emotional and behavioural)Cognitive Approach:
Becks cognitive theory of depression Evaluation
+ Can lead to therapy
- Incomplete (only covers basic symptoms)
- Alternative explanations (insecure attachment could lead to depression)
Cognitive Approach:
Ellis’s ABC Model Evaluation
+ Can lead to therapy
- Incomplete (only applies to depression caused by an activating event)
- Alternative explanations (genetics, inherited)
Cognitive Approach:
Treating depression
Cognitive Behavioural therapy:
- Becks cognitive behavioural therapy
- Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive Approach:
Outline Becks CBT
Identify negative thoughts about self, world and future and then challenge these thoughts.
Patients asked to note things down (eg. when someone is nice to them) so this can be used as evidence during therapy
Cognitive Approach:
Outline Ellis’ REBT
- Identify and challenge negative thoughts
- Extension of ABC to ABCDE (D = Dispute E = Effect)
- Involves vigorous argument to dispute beliefs:
1. Empirical argument
2. Logical argument
Cognitive Approach:
What is the empirical argument
Disputing wether there is actual evidence to support the negative belief
Cognitive Approach:
What is the logical argument
Disputing wether the negative thought logically follows from the facts
Cognitive Approach:
Becks CBT Evaluate:
+ effective (march found 81% of both CBT and antidepressant made recovery)
- Not work for severe cases (hard for some patients to engage in therapy)
- Therapist-patient relationship (may actually just be having someone to talk to)
- Works better along side drug therapy (march found 86% for both)
Cognitive Approach:
Ellis’ REBT Evaluate:
+ effective (march found 81% of both CBT and antidepressant made recovery)
- Not work for severe cases (hard for some patients to engage in therapy)
- Therapist-patient relationship (may actually just be having someone to talk to)
- Works better along side drug therapy (march found 86% for both)
Biological Approach to explaining OCD
- Genetic Explanations
- Neural Explanations
Biological Approach:
Genetic Explanations to explaining OCD
- Candidate genes: Create vulnerability for OCD
- Polygenic: OCD is not caused by one single gene
- Different types OCD: caused by different genes
Biological Approach:
Neural Explanations to explaining OCD
- Less serotonin, lowered mood, effects mental processes
- Decision making system located in frontal lobe. Abnormal Functions could make decision making difficult
Biological Approach:
Treating OCD
- Drug therapy
Biological Approach:
Drug therapy to treating OCD
- SSRI = selective serotonin re uptake inhibitor (blocks the reabsorption of serotonin sombre is transmitted)
- CBT+ SSRI
- Tricyclics and SNRIs = alternatives to SSRI
Biological Approach:
Drug therapy Evaluation
+ Cost effective
+ Non disruptive (don’t have to go see therapist)
- Negative side effects
+ Effective (soomro found 17 studies showed SSRI’s to be more effective than placebo)
