Psychopathology A01 Flashcards
Define Statistical Infrequency
A mathematical method of defining abnormality that works on the idea that abnormality should be based on numerical infrequency. If it occurs rarely and is uncommon, it’s abnormal.
Define Deviation from Social Norms
Labelling people as abnormal if their behaviour goes against the expected, unwritten rules we have in society.
Define Failure to Function Adequately
A person is classed as abnormal if they have a general inability to cope with their everyday activities and if their behaviour causes distress to themselves or others.
Define Deviation from Ideal Mental Health
Looks at the positives rather than the negatives - idea of mental health rather than mental illness. Identifies 6 major criteria for optimal living. Lacking any of these qualities leads to vulnerability to mental disorders and abnormality.
What are the 6 criteria for ideal mental health?
- Accurate perception of reality
- Self Actualisation
- Positive attitude to oneself
- Environmental mastery
- Autonomy
- Resisting Stress
Define Phobia
An intense and irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that poses little to no actual danger.
What are the behavioural characteristics of a phobia?
- Panic
- Avoidance
- Endurance (person remains in presence of phobic stimulus but experiences high levels of anxiety)
What are the emotional characteristics of a phobia?
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Most responses are unreasonable and disproportionate to the actual danger presented by the phobic stimulus.
What are the cognitive characteristics of a phobia?
- Selective attention to the phobic stimulus.
- Irrational beliefs
- Resistance to rational arguments
What is the two-process model?
The idea that phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and reinforced by operant conditioning.
Define Flooding
Giving someone maximum exposure to their phobia so that they can’t avoid it until their fear has decreased/extinguished.
Define Systematic Desensitisation
- Create Fear Hierarchy
- Teach Relaxation Techniques
- Gradual Exposure
Define Depression
A mental disorder characterised by low mood and low energy levels.
What are the behavioural characteristics of depression?
- Change in activity levels
- Aggression
- Changes in sleeping and eating behaviours
- Self Harm
What are the emotional characteristics of depression?
- Low Mood
- Lowered self-esteem
- Anger
What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?
- Poor concentration
- Absolutist thinking (Everything is either all good or all bad)
- Attempts to and dwelling on the negative
- Negative schemas
Define Beck’s Cognitive Explanation of Depression
Depression results from negative thinking patterns and biases that individuals have about themselves, their experiences and the future.
Define Cognitive Biases
Depressed people are more likely to focus on the negative aspects of a situation, while ignoring the positives.
Define Overgeneralisation
Making a sweeping conclusion based on a single incident.
Define Catastrophising
Exaggerating a minor setback and believing it’s a complete disaster.
Define Negative Self-Schemas
Depressed people are likely to interpret information about themselves in a negative way, which could lead to cognitive biases.
Define Negative Triad
Cognitive biases and negative self-schemas maintain the negative triad, a negative and irrational view of ourselves, the future and the world around us. These thoughts occur automatically for depressed people.
Define Ellis’ ABC Explanation of Depression
Good mental health is the result of rational thinking, allowing people to be happy and pain free, whereas depression is the result of irrational thinking, which prevents us from being happy and pain free.
Define Belief in the ABC Model
Your interpretation of the event, which can either be rational or irrational.
Define Consequence in the ABC Model
Rational beliefs lead to healthy emotional outcomes whereas irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy emotional outcomes, including depression.
Define CBT
Aims to identify negative irrational thoughts and replace these with more positive ones. The behavioural element of CBT encourages patients to to test their beliefs through behavioural experiments and homework.
What are the key components of CBT?
- Initial Assessment
- Goal Setting
- Identifying negative irrational thoughts and challenging these (either using Beck’s Cognitive Therapy or Ellis’s REBT)
- Homework
Describe Becks Cognitive Therapy
- Help patient to identify negative thoughts relating to themselves, their world and the future using Beck’s negative triad.
- Patient and therapist work together to challenge irrational thoughts by discussing evidence for and against them.
- Patient encouraged to test validity of their negative thoughts and may be set homework to challenge and test their negative thoughts.
- Patient acts as the scientist.
Describe Ellis’s REBT
- Developed ABC Model to include D (dispute) and E (effect).
- Main idea is to challenge irrational thoughts which is achieved through dispute (argument).
- Dispute can be logical or empirical.
-Homework
Define OCD
An anxiety disorder with two main components - obessions and compulsions.
What are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?
- Compulsions - Repetitive behaviours that relieve anxiety caused by obsessions.
- Avoidance
What are the emotional characteristics of OCD?
- Anxiety
- Depression/Low Mood
What are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?
- Obsession - Recurring, intrusive and persistent thoughts which cause anxiety.
- Selective Attention
- Awareness that beliefs are irrational
Describe Genetic Explanation of OCD
- Inherited condition
- Genetic Vulnerability/Predisposition
- OCD is polygenic
- SERT lowers serotonin levels
- COMT increases dopamine levels
What is the effect of low serotonin levels?
Reduced ability to regulate mood and behaviour. This can contribute to obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
What is the effect of high dopamine levels?
Increased drive and repetitive behaviours.
What is the role and OCD symptom of Basal Ganglia System?
- Responsible for motor control and habit formation.
- Disturbed communication, explaining compulsive and repetitive actions.
What is the role and OCD symptom of Orbital Frontal Cortex and Thalamus?
- Involved in decision making and impulse control.
- Abnormal activity, leading to persistent, intrusive thoughts and compulsions.
What is the role and OCD symptom of Parahippocampal gyrus?
- Regulates unpleasant emotions.
- Heightened anxiety and distress.
