unit 8a: clinical psychology Flashcards
psychological disorder
a syndrome marked by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion, regulation, or behavior
what are some symptoms of a psychological disorder
- deviation from a statistical norm
- maladaptive
- emotional discomfort
- deviation from a social/cultural norm
maladaptive
if a behavior interferes with a person’s ability to function in every day life. considered abnormal
the medical model
the concept that diseases (psychological disorders) have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and cured
DSM-5
american psychiatric association’s diagnostic & statistical manual of mental disorders. the most comprehensive set of guidelines available for diagnosing psychological disorders
rosenhan study
david rosenhan and 7 others went to different hospital admissions complaining about hearing voices. all other questions were answered truthfully. all 8 were misdiagnosed with a disorder
self-fulfilling prophecy
a belief that leads to its own fulfillment
anxiety disorders
psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety
types of anxiety disorders
- generalized anxiety disorder
- social anxiety disorder
- panic disorders
- phobias
disorders including anxiety but classified separately
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
generalized anxiety disorder
an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal. contains free-falling anxiety (anxiety without a specific stressor)
social anxiety disorder
intense fear and avoidance of social solutions. type of anxiety disorder
panic disorder
an anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations
phobias
anxiety disorder marked by a persistent irrational fear & avoidance of a specific object, activity, or situation. tends to be chronic and onsets during childhood or young adulthood
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
a disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions), actions (compulsions), or both. onsets late teens or twenties
post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
a disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, numbness of feeling, and/or insomnia that lingers for 4 weeks or more after a traumatic experience
mood disorders
psychological disorders characterized by emotional extremes
types of mood disorders
- major depression
- persistent depressive disorder
- seasonal affective disorder
- bipolar disorder (manic depression)
major depressive disorder
a disorder in which a person experiences, in the absense of drugs or another medical condition, two or more weeks with 5 or more symptoms, at least one of which must be either a depressed mood or a loss of interest/pleasure
persistent depressive disorder
a person has experienced a mildly depressed mood for 2 years or more and displays at least 2 of its symptoms
symptoms of persistent depressive disorder
- feeling hopeless
- poor self-esteem
- reduced energy levels
- problems regulating sleep
- problems regulating appetite
seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
recurring depression during the winter months (where there is less natural sunlight)
bipolar disorder
a disorder in which a person alternates between the hopelessness & lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania. previously called manic-depressive disorder
mania
a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state in which dangerously poor judgment is common. a symptom of bipolar disorder
psychosis
a group of disorders marked by irrational ideas, distorted perceptions, and a loss of contact with reality. chief example: schizophrenia
schizophrenia
a disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and/or diminished inappropriate emotional expression
positive symptoms of schizophrenia
when inappropriate symptoms are present:
- break of contact with reality
- hallucinations
- delusions
- disorganized & bizarre behaviors
- disturbances in emotions, speech, thoughts
hallucinations
false sensory experiences
delusions
false but persistent beliefs
types of delusions
- grandeur
- reference
- persecution
- guilt or sin
delusions of grandeur
thinking you are someone of great importance
delusions of reference
thinking you are the center of attention, that people are looking at, or talking about, you
delusions of persecution
thinking that people are conspiring against you, out to get you, or harm you
delusions of guilt or sin
thinking that you are guilty, feelings of remorse for no valid reason
types of hallucinations
auditory (hearing things that are not there) and visual (seeing things that aren’t there)
neologisms
at times, a schizophrenic’s speech includes words and phrases not found in any dictionary
echolalia
repeating words over and over again
negative symptoms of schizophrenia
symptoms are subtracted, a lack of appropriate behavior:
- toneless voice or total silence (mutism)
- expressionless face
- loss of motivation
- rigid body
chronic schizophrenia
slow developing schizophrenia, recovery is doubtful
acute schizophrenia
rapidly developing schizophrenia, recovery is more likely
somatic symptom disorder
psychological disorder in which the symptoms take a bodily (somatic) form without physical cause. more common in asia, latin america, and africa
conversion disorder
a disorder in which a person experiences very specific genuine physical symptoms for which no medical explanation can be found
illness anxiety disorder
a disorder in which a person interprets normal physical sensations such as symptoms of a disease. formerly called hypochondriasis
dissociative disorders
disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, feelings
dissociative identity diroder
a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits 2 or more distinct and alternating personalities
dissociative amnesia
disorders in which a person has sudden memory loss
dissociative fugue (flight)
disorder in which a person has sudden memory loss and the creation of a new identity in a new location
anorexia nervosa
an eating disorder in which a person maintains a starvation diet despite being significantly (15% or more) underweight
bulimia nervosa
an eating disorder in which a person alternates binge eating with purging, excessive exercise, or fasting
binge-eating disorder
an eating disorder in which a person engages in significant binge-eating episodes, followed by distress, disgust, or guilt, but without the compensatory purging or fasting that makes bulimia nervosa
personality disorders
psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning
antisocial personality disorder
a personality disorder in which a person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even towards family and friends
