Chapter 5: Psychological Disorders

Question 1

What was abnormal behaviour was historically attributed to?

Answer 1

Supernatural forces; possession by demons, evil spirits.

Question 2

Describe trephination.

Answer 2

A hole is drilled into the patient’s skull, supposedly to allow evil spirits to exit the body.

Question 3

What do mania, melancholia, and phrenitis refer to, respectively?

Answer 3

Mania: Intense euphoria
Melancholia: Intense sadness
Phrenitis: Mental confusion

Question 4

What are the three ‘D’s of psychopathology?

Answer 4

Distressing, dysfunctional, deviant.

Question 5

What is the modern definition of abnormal behaviour?

Answer 5

Behaviour that is personally distressing, personally dysfunctional, and/or so culturally deviant that people say it is maladaptive.

Question 6

What are the two factors contributing to psych disorders under the Vulnerability-Stress Model/Diathesis-Stress model?

Answer 6

Vulnerability, stressors. (duh)

Question 7

What is the DSM-5? (What does it stand for and what does it allow for?)

Answer 7

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Fifth Edition. It allows for reliability and standardization in diagnosis of psych disorders.

Question 8

How does the DSM-5 differ from its predecessor, the DSM-4?

Answer 8

The DSM-5 is less restrictive. It takes a more continuous dimensional approach (as opposed to a binary in-or-out categorization).

Question 9

In the context of psych disorders, what is comorbidity?

Answer 9

An overlap in different types of disorders.

Question 10

What is reductionism and why is it bad.

Answer 10

Reductionism refers to reducing patients to their label. Eventually both patient and clinician see all behaviours as symptoms of perceived pathology. (confirmation bias)

Question 11

Describe some symptoms of internalizing vs externalizing disorders, respectively.

Answer 11

Internalizing: distress, fear, depression, anxiety, panic
Externalizing: impulsivity, out of control behaviour, substance abuse

Question 12

Describe the symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Answer 12

State of diffuse, ‘free-floating’ anxiety, not tied to specific situations.

Question 13

What are Phobic Disorders?

Answer 13

Strong, irrational fears of objects or situations.

Question 14

What are the cognitive and behavioural components of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), respectively?

Answer 14

Cognitive: obsessions; repeated unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, etc.
Behavioural: Compulsions in response to obsessions to reduce anxiety.

Question 15

(Low/High) levels of GABA are associated with anxiety disorders.

Answer 15

Low

Question 16

(Low/High) levels of GABA are associated with anxiety disorders.

Answer 16

Low

Question 17

What are two eating disorders?

Answer 17

Anorexia nervosa (intense fear of being fat), and bulimia nervosa (binging and purging).

Question 18

How does depression differ from ‘a case of the blues’ or ‘having a bad day’?

Answer 18

Frequency, intensity, and duration of symptoms is out of proportion to the situation.

Question 19

Major depression is defined by a major depressive episode lasting at least __________.

Answer 19

two weeks

Question 20

Persistent depression disorder consists of mild to moderate depression lasting for __________.

Answer 20

5 to 10, up to even 20 years.

Question 21

What is anhedonia?

Answer 21

Loss of interest in pleasurable activity.

Question 22

What does bipolar disorder consist of?

Answer 22

Manic states (hyperactive, euphoric mood), and depressive episodes.

Question 23

What does bipolar disorder consist of?

Answer 23

Manic states (hyperactive, euphoric mood), and depressive episodes.

Question 24

Describe the differences between Bipolar I Disorder and Bipolar II Disorder.

Answer 24

Bipolar I Disorder has more extreme manic episodes and does not require a depressive diagnosis, Bipolar II disorder consists of hypomania and major depressive episodes.

Question 25

Affective disorders are associated with over- or under-activity of which neurotransmitters?

Answer 25

Norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin.

Question 26

What negative thoughts does the depressive cognitive triad consist of?

Answer 26

The world, oneself, the future.

Question 27

Hypochondriasis is an example of what kind of disorder?

Answer 27

Somatic symptom disorders.

Question 28

What is functional neurological symptom disorder is defined by?

Answer 28

Psychosomatic disorder without cause for loss of feeling in body parts.

Question 29

What are positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

Answer 29

Positive symptoms: Traits present as symptoms, not present in normal behaviour.
Negative symptoms: Traits missing from normal function not present in schizophrenic person.

Question 30

The neurodegenerative hypothesis attributes schizophrenia to __________.

Answer 30

atrophy and destruction of neural tissue, especially the thalamus (sensory issues).

Question 31

In general, what causes dissociative disorders?

Answer 31

Trauma.

Question 32

What are the symptoms of dissociative amnesia vs dissociative fugue?

Answer 32

Dissociative amnesia: memory loss following trauma
Dissociative fugue: loss of all personal identity (more extreme)

Question 33

What are the symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?

Answer 33

Two or more separate unique identities. Additional identities are known as ‘alters’.

Question 34

Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by the lack of what?

Answer 34

Conscience and remorse.

Question 35

What are the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

Answer 35

Emotional dysregulation, instability in behaviour, emotion, identity