Lecture 1

Question 1

Four objectives of understanding behaviour

Answer 1

Describing what behaviours are evident, and if they fulfill criteria (nosology -> science dealing with classification of diseases)

Explaining -> why is the behaviour evident -> etiology

Predicting -> outcomes and prognosis

Managing -> treatment for behaviours considered problematic

Question 2

Views of abnormality and abnormality definition and elements

Answer 2

Relativist view -> symptoms and causes vary across cultures
Absolutist view -> a disorder is caused by the same biological factors across all cultures

Abnormality defined as the behaviours being a detriment
- Irrationality
- interference in functioning
- deviations from the norm
- violation of moral standards

Question 3

DSM5-TR

Answer 3

categorical approach focuses on symptoms and scientific basis of ideas
Clinical Presentation
Etiology
Developmental stage -> disorder look different at different ages?
Functional impairment

Classification of symptoms socially constructed and change over time

Question 4

Epidemiology

Answer 4

Incidence rate = number of new cases that appear in a population in a specific time period
Prevalence = total number of active cases in a given population during a specific time

Comorbidity = more than one condition

Question 5

History of psychopathology

Answer 5

During ancient greek hippocrates thought considered health as a balance of humours

Mania caused by excess yellow bile
Melancholy is excess black bile
Phrenitis is caused by brain injury

Middle ages dominated by religious view e.g. devil

14th-17th century renaissance first people to specialise in mental illness treatment

late 1700s moral treatment was used for mental illness

Question 6

Rise of scientific model

Answer 6

early 1800s Pinel building classification system for certain disorders (mostly mania and delirium)

early 1900s Krapelin developed classification of schizophrenia and bipolar

Question 7

Psychoanalytic revolution

Answer 7

early 1800s Mesmer treated hysterical disorders with hypnosis

Freud & Breur early 1900s used free association and dream analysis
-> talking treatment
-> how psychological factors affect behaviour, and how behaviour is affected by unconscious drives

Question 8

Biopsychosocial framework and diathesis-stress

Answer 8

Abnormal behaviour reflects combination of biological, psychological, social, and enviornmental factors

Diathesis is your vulnerability (e.g. genetics), and stress is the environment you are exposed to.

Question 9

Advances in treatment

Answer 9

Behavioural therapies
-> CBT and mindfulness, ACT
Humanistic models
Drugs

Question 10

Current view of abnormal behaviours

Answer 10

Behaviour must be considered within its context e.g. culture

use scientist-practicioner approach and incorporate holistic/multidisciplinary approach

Question 11

Diagnosis and classification

Answer 11

Symptom -> manifestation of a pathoogical condition -> subjective and objective

Syndrome -> group of symptoms that constitute a condition

Classification system -> list of conditions with description and guidelines for assigning individuals to categories (categorical vs dimensional)

Question 12

Clinical assessment

Answer 12

1. Clinical interview
2. various assessments to test hypotheses
3. diagnostic formulation
4. judgement about why disorder is present
5. treatment decisions

Question 13

Types of clinical assessments

Answer 13

Projective tests
Personality inventories
Self report inventories
Intelligence tests
neurological, behavioural, and physiological assessments