psychopathology concepts and paradigms Flashcards
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
