Unit 4 AOS 2 Flashcards
Define mental health
the state of emotional and social well-being in which an individual can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and contribute to their community.
Define mental health problem
disruption to an individual’s usual level of social and emotional wellbeing, including when their abilities are negatively affected.
What are characteristics of mental health problems
often temporary, triggered by normal life experiences such as stress, once the stressor is removed the mental health problem may be resolved
How can a mental health problem develop into a mental disorder
if the stressor is not remove or the individual does not overcome the symptoms
Define mental disorder
disorder that affects one or more functions of the mind. A mental disorder can interfere with a person’s thoughts, emotions, perceptions or behaviour
What are characteristics of mental health disorders
can be diagnosed by a professional, affects daily functioning
What is the main different between mental health and a mental disorder
everyone has some level of mental health, however it is possible to be without mental illness
What are examples of internal factors influencing mental health
genetics, hormones, age, cognition (thought processes and self-concept)
What are examples of external factors influencing mental health
stressors (e.g. work, school, life events, environment), social support,
What are the three characteristics of a mentally healthy person
high levels of functioning, social and emotional wellbeing, resilience to life stressors
How are high levels of functioning demonstrated
interacting and involving oneself in society, undertaking everyday tasks such as maintaining personal hygiene, and being independents, being able to set goals and develop overtime
What is social wellbeing
a sense of belonging to a community, feeling connected and valued.
What is emotional wellbeing
being able to experience positive emotions or balanced emotions that are within the normal range and have strategies to deal with our emotions
Define resilience
the ability to properly adapt, cope or recover in situations of stress or adversity
What is a resilient person better able to do
cope (maintain social and emotional wellbeing) when confronted with negative experiences in life
What factors is resilience influenced by
a person’s cognitions (own thought processes) and biology (genetic makeup) as well as social and situational factors (things that have happened to the person and the world around them)
What must the experimenter inform the participants of
the true nature and purpose of the experiment (where appropriate), any foreseeable risks to the participant and the participants rights (e.g. withdrawal rights)
What must the researcher ensure about participants
that any psychologically vulnerable people do not participate in the study
Why is informed consent an issue with people with mental illness
sufferers of mental illness may lack the capacity to understand the research procedure and therefore may not really have the ability to provide informed consent.
Issues with placebos in mental health experiments
experiments involving placebo treatments can involve deception - the participants may not know that there is a possibility they will receive a placebo, rather than an actual treatment and being involved in a trial may stop people from seeking alternative treatment - if they are assigned to the placebo group, this could mean they are not receiving any treatment at all.
What must be considered if placebos are used
thorough debriefing must occur to negate the deception.
What does the 4 P’s approach consider
it considers 4 types of factors that contribute to the development and progression of mental health disorders.
Define risk factors
any exposure that increases the likelihood of developing and maintaining a mental health disorder/illness
What are the types of risk factors
pre-disposing risk factors, precipitating risk factors and perpetuating risk factors
Define pre-disposing risk factors
factors that increase a person’s vulnerability to developing a mental health problem
Define precipitating risk factors
factors that trigger the onset or exacerbation of a mental health problem
Define perpetuating risk factors
factors that prolong the course of the disorder and inhibit recovery
List of the predisposing risk factors (6)
family history and genetic vulnerability, physical illness, poor self-efficacy, disorganised attachment, environmental exposures before birth, and neglect/abuse/trauma
Which of the predisposing factors are biological
family history and genetic vulnerability, physical illness
Which of the predisposing factors are psychological
poor self-efficacy
Which of the predisposing factors are social
neglect/abuse/trauma, disorganised attachment, environmental exposures before birth
List of the precipitating risk factors (7)
poor sleep, substance use/misuse, physical illness, confronting news, life event stress, losing a job, deterioration or loss of a significant relationship
Which of the precipitating factors are biological
poor sleep, substance use/misuse, physical illness
Which of the precipitating factors are psychological
confronting news, life event stress
Which of the precipitating factors are social
losing a job, loss of a significant relationship
List of the perpetuating risk factors (7)
poor response to medication, substance use/misuse, rumination, impaired reasoning and memory, role of stigma as a barrier to accessing treatment, unemployment, lack of support
Which of the perpetuating risk factors are biological
poor response to medication, substance use/misuse
Which of the perpetuating factors are psychological
rumination, impaired reasoning and memory,
Which of the perpetuating factors are social
role of stigma as a barrier to accessing treatment, unemployment, lack of support
List of the protective factors (4)
a resilient attitude, a positive social group, a satisfying job, suitable accommodation
Define self-efficacy
an individual’s belief that they will be able to accomplish a specific task.
Examples of environmental exposures before birth
alcohol and drugs while in womb
What does life event stress refer to
The way a person reacts to stressful situations makes a difference in their overall wellbeing. Chronic stress can weaken the immune system and trigger mental health problems.
Why can deterioration/loss or significant relationship trigger mental disorders
strong emotional responses and behavioural changes (e.g. poor sleeping/substance abuse)
Why can impaired reasoning and memory perpetuate mental disorders
can prevent people from thinking rationally and may affect daily functioning of sufferer
What does a resilient attitude lead to
a person perceiving difficulties as challenges
What does suitable accommodation refer to
a safe and secure environment
What are genetic factors
biological factors that can enhance (or reduce) an individual’s risk of, or vulnerability to, developing a particular condition
Define genetic vulnerability
an increased likelihood of developing a particular disease based on a person’s genetic make-up.
What are reasons for why people may not take medication
as it is a constant reminder of the disorder, the side effects of the medication affect the person’s life making them reluctant to take it
Define rumination
the compulsively focused attention on/the preoccupation about the symptoms of one’s distress, and on its possible causes and consequences, as opposed to its solutions (i.e. people overthink or obsess about situations or life events)
Define reasoning
thinking about information in a logical way to understand it and form a realistic conclusion or judgement that helps us solve problems and make decisions.
Define disorganised attachment
the instability in a caregiving relationship that interferes with the child’s sense of trust and security.
What can positive relationships do
promote self esteem and confidence, provide a sense of belonging, promote feelings of happiness
What are the consequences of stigma
impaired help-seeking behaviours, affected medication adherence, impair overall recover, impair self esteem of the sufferer
Define cumulative risk
accumulation of and exposure to multiple risk factors that increase susceptibility to developing a mental disorder or perpetuates an existing mental disorder.
Risk factors are …. in nature
accumulative
What does the biopsychosocial model propose
This model proposes that health and illness outcomes are a result of the complex interaction of contributing biological (internal), psychological (internal) and social (external) factors
What does the biopsychosocial approach provide
provides a holistic view of health, taking into account the interactive nature of physical, mental and social aspects of a person’s health to enable a more comprehensive and personalised diagnosis and treatment plan.
Define stress
a state of psychological or physiological tension, where the demands on an individual exceed their perceived ability to cope
How can stress develop into anxiety
Repetitive, recurrent and ongoing stress
Define anxiety
A state of physiological arousal, associated with feelings of worry, dread or uneasiness (usually that something is wrong, or that something unpleasant is about to happen.)
What is severe anxiety usually accompanied with
intense physiological responses e.g. breathlessness, sweating, dizziness,
How can anxiety develop into an anxiety disorder
persistent, severe anxiety