Terminology Flashcards
Euthymia
A normal mood state
Looseness of association
A pattern of thinking that is haphazard, illogical, and confused, and in which connections in thought are interrupted; it is seen primarily in schizophrenic disorders
Anorexia
A medical term that signifies a loss of appetite
Pressure of speech
A speech pattern characterized by forceful energy manifested in frantic, jumbled speech as when a manic individual struggles to keep pace with racing thoughts
Echolalia
Mimicry or imitation of the speech of another person
Insight
Understanding and awareness of the reasons for and meaning behind one’s motives and behavior
Perseveration
The involuntary repetition of the same thought, phrase, or motor response (e.g. brushing teeth, walking); it is associated with brain damage
Delusion
A false belief held to be true even with evidence to the contrary (e.g. the false belief that one is being singled out for harm by others)
Apathy
A state of indifference
Circumstantial speech
A pattern of speech characterized by indirectness and delay before the person gets to the point or answers a question; the person gets caught up in countless details and explanations
Grandiosity
Exaggerated belief in or claims about one’s importance or identity
Anxiety
A state of feeling apprehension, uneasiness, uncertainty, or dread resulting from a real or perceived threat whose actual source is unknown or unrecognized
Hallucinations
A sensory perception (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, or touching) for which no external stimulus exists
Clang association
The meaningless rhyming of words, often in a forceful manner
Compulsion
Repetitive, seemingly purposeless behaviors performed according to certain rules known to the client to temporarily reduce escalating anxiety
Affect
The external manifestation of feeling or emotion, which can be assessed by observing facial expression, tone of voice, and body language
Flight of ideas
A continuous flow of speech in which the person jumps rapidly from one topic to another
Labile
Characterized by rapid shifts; unstable
Obsession
An idea, impulse, or emotion that a person cannot put out of his or her consciousness; the condition can be mild or severe
Blocking
A sudden obstruction or interruption in the spontaneous flow of thinking or speaking that is perceived as an absence or deprivation of thought
Mood
Defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a pervasive and sustained emotion that, when extreme, can markedly color the way the individual perceives the world
Flat
Absence or near absence of any signs of affective expression
Tangentiality
A disturbance in associative thinking in which the individual goes off the topic. When it happens frequently and the individual does not return to the topic, interpersonal communication shuts down
Catatonia
A state of psychologically induced immobilization at times interrupted by episodes of extreme agitation
Incongruent
The client’s affect does not correspond to the content of his/her speech
Idea of reference
The false impression that outside events have special meaning for oneself
Judgment
The ability to make logical, rational decisions
Mania
An unstable elevated mood in which delusions, poor judgment, and other signs of impaired reality testing are evident
Congruent
The client’s affect “matches” the content of his/her/speech
Blunted
Mild restriction in the range and intensity of emotional expression
Intellectualization
The use of thinking and talking to avoid emotions and closeness
Resiliency
The ability to recover from trauma or change with adaptive coping
