psychopathology concepts and paradigms Flashcards

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1
Q

what is psychopathology?

A
  • 4 key approaches > deviation from statistical norms, deviation from social & political norms, maladaptive behaviour & harmful dysfunction, distress & disability
  • refers to study of mental disorders or abnormal behaviour
  • aims to explore manifestations of mental disorders > incl their symptoms, causes, & treatment
  • difficulty defining due to absence of objective measures
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2
Q

what is deviation from statistical norm?

A
  • Defines abnormality as behaviour characteristic that is numerically less common or less frequent in society
  • E.g. avg IQ is 100, most people have IQ of 85 -115. 2% are below average = these people would be considered abnormal
  • problems: fosters stigmatising language > ‘abnormal’, arbitrary > someone who is 68 = abnormal but 72= not?
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3
Q

What is deviation from social and political norms?

A
  • Defines abnormality as any behaviour that breaks societies rules and expectations
  • problems: cultural differences, not socially acceptable ≠ pathology
    > stigmatises ppl who don’t conform
    > can be used dangerously by political regimes
    > culture bound symptoms
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4
Q

what is maladaptive behaviour & harmful dysfunction?

A
  • focuses on dysfunction impact > actions that are counter-productive, causes, harm or impairment to the individual
  • problems: doesn’t distinguish between behaviours that could be good for us/ protective e.g. phobias
    > some behaviours are chosen = not psychopathology way e.g. hunger strikes for political reasons
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5
Q

what is distress and disability?

A
  • Abnormal behaviour is defined by lvl of distress it causes to individual & its impact on their ability to carry out daily activities
  • individual refer themselves for treatment = lack objective standard
  • problems: no standards for objective judgement of behaviour
    > not all disorders ppl want to classify as psychopathology
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6
Q

what is stigma?

A
  • the mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance > mental health disorder
  • 2 types: stigma from society (skl, home, medical professions) & self stigma (internalisation)
  • rooted in history : caution & fear + popular media
  • impacts on treatment success & outcomes
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7
Q

how were the Hippocrates relevant in psychopathology?

A
  • first to investigate mental health disturbances > came up with model > humorism > idea we have diff fluids in body > balance of this fluid determines our mental states + personality > blood, black & yellow bile, phlegm
  • if someone showed ‘insanity’ =. balance needs to be restored
  • Demology model: till 18th century > believed insanity behaviour was due to demon > treatment involved exorcism or sent to asylums
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8
Q

how did we change from asylums?

A
  • 1850- 1950: change from routine hospitalisation > social breakdown syndrome
  • 1950-1970: de-institutionalisation > token economies, new medication
  • today: community-based adult mental health services> ACT & outreach
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9
Q

what is the recovery model?

A
  • looks for reduction in distress rather than cure = tried to improve functioning
  • views mental health as continuous, not dichotomous
  • sees recovery as personal journey > holistic approach + sees person as part of wider society
  • instilling hope, empowerment and inclusion
  • treatment happens in stepped care
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10
Q

what is stepped care?

A
  • healthcare model > starts with low-intensity interventions & progresses to more intensive treatments based on an individual’s response
  • aims to tailor mental health care to the specific needs of each person > optimising resource allocation and providing personalised treatment.
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11
Q

what is the medical model?

A
  • biological model
  • assumption was to look at discrete group of symptoms that indicate illness (diagnostic approach)
  • there are biological causes > neurotransmitters involved in schizophrenia or depression
  • treatment: psychiatry : medicine w/ aim of identifying biological causes of psychopathology & treat w/ medication or surgery
  • popularised around 1900s, influenced by Emil Kraepelin
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12
Q

what are biological models of psychopathology?

A
  • perspectives that attribute mental disorders to biological factors > incl: genetics, neurochemistry, & brain structure or function
  • Genetics: genetic component varies from sufficient to not sufficient as trigger e.g. Huntington’s
  • Diathesis-stress mode> predisposition to illness + stress = high risk
  • Heritability> proportion of observed variation in trait attributed to inherited genetic vs environmental factors
  • neuroscience > brain anatomy/ function > structural changes but v reductionist explanation
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13
Q

what is the Psychodynamic Model in psychopathology?

A
  • Psychodynamic Model: Rooted in Freudian theory > unconscious conflicts & early life experiences that shape behaviour & contribute to mental disorders
  • psychopathology results from disruptions in the psychosexual stages of development = maladaptive coping mechanisms & symptoms
  • psychoanalysis (therapy treatment): > treatment techniques: free association (expressing thoughts, freely without censorship), transference (unconscious transfer of emotion onto therapist), dream analysis < limitations: concepts difficult to define/ measure, little evidence, duration & costs
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14
Q

what is behaviourism in psychopathology?

A
  • psychological model
  • suggests that maladaptive behaviours are learned responses to environmental stimuli
  • Behavioural therapy (classical conditioning) > aims to modify these learned behaviours through extinction, and other principles of learning > exposure, flooding, systematic desensitisation
  • behavioural modification analysis (operant conditioning) > functional analysis, token economy (rewards), response shaping
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15
Q

what is the Humanistic Model in psychopathology?

A
  • psychological conflict/ emotional distress are acquired
  • person-centered therapy > focus on individuals’ self-awareness, personal growth, and the pursuit of self-actualisation
  • emphasise importance of fulfilling one’s potential for well-being.
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16
Q

what is the cognitive approach in psychopathology?

A
  • psychopathology due to information processing error
  • CBT emphasises >interplay between thoughts, feelings, & behaviours > suggests that maladaptive thought patterns and behaviours contribute to mental disorders
  • interventions aim to modify these patterns to improve mental health > challenge irrational beliefs. & thinking develop more realistic ways of thinking
  • ABC model (ellis) & becks cognitive thinking