Chapter 12

Question 1

Psychological disorders

Answer 1

Society - does behavior make me happy/unhappy (emotional distress/discomfort)
Mental health professional - is behavior maladaptive (self-defeating, dangerous) or functional (good, beneficial)

Question 2

Differences in mental illness

Answer 2

The mature and severity of disorders and their symptoms
The ability of the person to function in daily life, from mild impairment (high functioning) to significantly disabling impairment
Responses to treatment, from highly effective to relatively ineffective, with, in some cases, many months of struggle to find beneficial treatments
Sadly, some people don’t reach out for help when it comes to mental illness

Question 3

Definition of abnormal

Answer 3

know the definition of abnormal behavior is relative, not absolute - homosexuality was viewed as abnormal within the psychological and psychiatric communities and was listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), but today it is not

Question 4

Historical views of abnormal behavior

Answer 4

Late 18th century - unusual behaviors were attributed to supernatural powers
Emotional disturbances were sign of demonic possession
Treatment usually involved imprisonment with little to no actual treatment

Question 5

Biological model

Answer 5

Biochemical/physiological imbalances
stemming from hereditary/genetic factors (psychiatry and the
interdisciplinary field of neuroscience).

Question 6

Cognitive-behavioral model

Answer 6

faulty/maladaptive/irrational/negative cognitions (beliefs) about self, world, and future, along with maladaptive ways of behaving, resulting from learning experiences

Question 7

Diathesis stress model (vulnerability-stress model)

Answer 7

combination of biological predisposition to develop a mental illness (nature) and negative life experiences and psychological stresses (nurture)

Question 8

Systems model (biopsychosocial model)

Answer 8

same as model listed right above (both biological risk and psychological stresses), but also considers social factors (pressures and expectations) that contribute to psychological disorders. Emotional problems as “lifestyle diseases” as heart disease is viewed today

Question 9

Psychoanalytic model

Answer 9

unconscious internal conflicts

Question 10

Prevalence of disorders

Answer 10

any = approximately 18% (approx. 1 in 5 people) of the
population; severe mental illness (SMI) = approximately 4%

Question 11

Decision to seek help for a disorder

Answer 11

Is your distress affecting your personal life, family, friends, work?
Is the level of distress intense enough that you want to do something about it?
Are you no longer able to handle your problems on your own? Do you feel the need for more support?
At some point, the answer will become yes and the person seeks help

Question 12

Insanity

Answer 12

Is mentally ill considered insane? Insanity is a legal term, not a psychological or psychiatric term/diagnosis

Question 13

Competency

Answer 13

is the individual able to understand charges and participate in one’s own defense in court? Role of forensic psychology

Question 14

DSM-5

Answer 14

DSM-5 is a resource used by clinicians to accurately diagnose disorders; classifies psychological disorders into categories. does not include information for treatment

Question 15

Mental illness (fiction)

Answer 15

• people with mental illness are often violent
• mental illness is a sign of weakness
• only military personnel who have been in combat can be diagnosed with PTSD
• people with mental illness will never get better
• children aren’t diagnosed with mental illness
• mental illness can’t affect me

Question 16

Mental illness (fact)

Answer 16

• the vast majority of people living with mental illness conditions are no more violent than anyone else
• a mental illness is not caused by someone’s weakness nor can be cure by positive thinking or willpower—proper treatment is needed
• experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event can trigger PTSD, including violent personnel assaults such as rape or robbery, natural or human-caused disasters, or accidents

Question 17

Fact (again)

Answer 17

• mental illness could be a lifelong condition for some people, like diabetes, but as with diabetes, proper treatment enables many people with a mental illness to lead fulfilling and productive lives
• millions of children are affected by depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses, 1 in 10 children live with a diagnosable mental illness, getting treatment is essential
• mental illness can affect anyone. While some illnesses have a genetic risk, mental illnesses can affect people of all ages, races, and income levels, whether or not there is a family history

Question 18

Stigma

Answer 18

a collection of adverse and unfair beliefs

Question 19

Problems associated with using diagnostic labels

Answer 19

they are a double edged-sword—they can help lead to effective treatment and improved quality of life, but they can also hurt, psychologically, when people use them to stigmatize those living with mental illness