Abnormal Psychology Module Flashcards
(18 cards)
Biological Explanation (4+2/3)
Theory
1. Multiple complementary explanations
2. Serotonin and cortisol hypotheses
3. Genetic inheritance of MDD
4. Success of antidepressants
Holistic Evaluation
+ Reliabiliity of experiments
- Reductionism
- Correlational
- Treatment causation fallacy
+ Success of antidepressant pharmaceuticals as treatments
Serotonin Hypothesis of MDD (3)
Theory
1. Excessive reuptake of serotonin into presynaptic neuron
2. Lack of serotonin causes dysregulation of emotion
3. 5-HTT codes for serotonin reuptake
Cortisol Hypothesis of MDD (3)
Theory
1. Hyperactive HPA axis oversecretes cortisol, reducing neurogenesis
2. Effects on amygdala, hippocampus, and circadian rhythms
3. Explains multiple symptoms
Caspi et al (2003)
Aim: Verify GxE in MDD aetiology
Sample: 847 26 y/o in New Zealand, assessed for mental health on biannual basis until age 21
Procedure: Record 5HTT genotype, assessed for MDD, and questionnaire about 14 Stressful life events in past 5 years
Findings: More mutated 5HTT alleles and 3+ stressful life events correlated with MDD
Conclusions: GxE between 5HTT and environmental stress
Link: 5HTT polymorphisms cause genetic vulnerability. MDD is triggered by external stimuli.
+ Holistic Approach (GxE)
- Self-reporting
RM: Quasi-experiment/Correlational Study
Ethics: Confidentiality
Kendler et al (2006)
Aim: Heritability of MDD
Sample: 15493 Swedish twin pairs, born in 1886-1958
Procedure: Telephone interviews and DSM-IV diagnosis by trained interviewers
Findings: 0.46 v 0.31 v 0.16 v 0.11 v 0.11, 0.38 overall
Conclusions: MDD is partially genetic
Link: MZ concordance is larger than DZ twins, but not 100%
+ Reliability with data triangulation
- Correlational
Videbech and Ravnkide (2004)
Aim: Difference in hippocampal grey matter volume in people with MDD
Sample: 351 depressed, 279 healthy controls
Procedure: Meta-analysis of 12 MRIs
Findings: Depressed patients have 10% smaller hippocampi, correlating to number of self-reported depressive episodes
Conclusions: Grey matter is negatively correlated with MDD severity
Link: Hyperactive HPA axis oversecretes cortisol, reducing neurogenesis. Explains memory impairment and irritability.
+ Generalisability (meta-analysis)
- Self-reporting
Cognitive Explanation (5+2/3)
Theory
1. Individual differences in MDD symptoms
2. Beck and Greenberg’s Cognitive Triad of self, world, and future
3. Negative life events (family problems, social rejection)
4. Triggering dysfunctional beliefs (negative self-evaluation) and faulty cognitions (magnification)
5. Rumination
Holistic Evaluation
+ Explains individual difference
- Reductionism
- Construct validity
- Treatment causation fallacy
+ Success of cogntiive behavioural therapy treatment
Response Styles Theory (3)
Theory
1. Repetitive thoughts about a problem and consequences
2. Provokes anxiety and depression
3. Triggers dysfunctional beliefs and fault cognitions
Alloy et al (1990)
Aim: Negative cogntions and onset/relapse of depression
Sample: College freshmen, half have history of depression
Procedure: Collect data on cognitive styles, stressful life events, and symptoms of depression over 5.5 years. Experiment to test recall of positive vs negative adjectives.
Findings: High risk cognitive correlates with MDD symptoms and suicide (28.2% vs 12%), worse memory of positive than negative words. Relapse rate of MDD higher than development rate.
Conclusions: Negative cognitions influence/ are influenced by symptoms.
Link: Negative cognitions cause domino causality
+ Method Triangulation
- Correlational (quasi-experiment)
Nolen-Hoeksema (2000)
Aim: Rumination and depressive symptoms
Sample: 1132 random participants from San Francisco community
Procedure: Two 90-minute interviews in 1 year, BDI, BAI, HRS, SCID, and questionnaire about rumination
Findings: Those with more symptoms reported ruminating more. Those who had recovered from MDD during the experiment reuminated less than chronic MDD.
Conclusions: Rumination is important to depression.
Link: More dysfunctional beliefs and fault cognitions during rumination.
+ Biological evidence (Farb et al, 2011)
- Participant attrition from 1317
Sociocultural Explanations (4+2/3)
Theory
1. Unexplained cultural differences in MDD symptoms
2. Social explanation (vulnerability model)
3. Cultural explanation (culture-gene-coevolution hypothesis)
4. Explains differing prevalence rates in different social/cultural groups
Holistic Evaluation
+ Cultural explanatory models predict cultural differences
- Correlational
- Construct Validity
- Imposed Etic, effect of globalisation
+ Support from biological and cognitive explanations gives holistic overview
Vulnerability Model (3)
Theory
1. Vulnerability factors
2. Protective factors
3. Environmental provoking agents
Culture-Gene Coevolution Hypothesis
Theory
1. Collectivism evolved to protect physical and mental health
2. Collectivism promotes harmony and reduce stress
3. Collectivism is evolutionarily advantageous for survival
Brown and Harris (1978)
Aim: Depression and stressful life events
Sample: 458 women in South London
Procedure: Semi-structured interviews about daily life, number of depressive episodes, and social class
Findings: 89% who had serious life event in the past year had MDD (vs 30% without). Lower levels of intimacy with husband, more than 3 children, and unemployed husband or lower social class correlates with MDD.
Conclusions: MDD is linked to specific social factors.
Link: Many depressed interviewees lacked protective factors and suffered vulnerablitiy factors towards environmental provoking factors.
+ Semi-structured interviews
- Self-reporting
Chiao and Blizinsky (2010)
Aim: Relationship between IvC, historical pathogen prevalence, and frequency of 5HTTPLR
Sample: 50193 individuals from 29 countries
Procedure: Determine IvC, collect secondary data on historical pathogen prevalence, and frequency of 5HTTPLR.
Findings: Strong correlation between collectivism and pathogens, mutated S-allele.
Link: Collectivism evolved to protect against pathogenic disorders and mood disorders.
+ Generalisability
- Confirmation bias
Prevalence Rates (3+2/3)
Theory
1. Prevalence is proportion of population that has psychological disorder.
2. Sex difference in lifetime prevalence rate after age 13.
3. Artifact hypothesis: gender bias overdiagnoses women with MDD
Holistic Evaluation
+ Supported by many large studies
- Difficulty in distinguishing actual and reported prevalence rates
- Social and cultural norms influence reported prevalence
- Research research bias
+ Important to identify vulnerable groups
Brommelhof et al (2004)
Aim: Sex differences in prevalence rates and artifact hypothesis
Sample: 205 adults whose family is in the Yale Family Study
Procedure: Compared self-reported and family-reported depressive symptoms
Findings: Family members more likely to report women having depressive symptoms despite them not reporting it themselves, and more likely to attribute to internal causes than for men.
Conclusions: Supports artifact hypothesis.
Link: Stereotype that women are more emotional and more processes influencing emotion (eg. menstruation). Gender bias in reporting.
+ Holistic overview by address cognitive and social factors
- Self-reporting
Amenson and Lewinsohn (1981)
Aim: Sex differences in prevalence rates and artifact hypothesis
Sample: 998 random volunteers from Oregon county voter registration
Procedure: “understanding of physiological health and its relationship to what people do, think and feel”. CES-D disguised in 938 questionnaire twice, 8-9 months apart. 2-hour clinical diagnosis with single-blind interviewers.
Findings: Men and women equally likely to be diagnosed. CES-D and clinical diagnosis agree for 81% female, and 92% male.
Conclusions: Challenges artifact hypothesis.
Link: Men and women are equally likely to be diagnosed, challenging the extent of gender bias in reporting.
+ Single-blind
- Contradiction due to sex difference in agreement rate?
