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Psychology > Mental Health + Stress > Flashcards

Mental Health + Stress Flashcards

1
Q

Normality

A

A pattern of thoughts, feelings or behaviour that is usual, typical or expected.

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2
Q

Abnormality

A

A pattern of thoughts, feelings or behaviour that is deviant, distressing or dysfunctional.

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3
Q

List the 6 approaches to defining normality.

A
  1. Socio-cultural
  2. Functional
  3. Historical
  4. Situational
  5. Medical
  6. Statistical
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4
Q

In what two ways does normality link to mental health?

A
  1. it helps diagnose whether someone is mentally unhealthy

2. it helps to identify mental illnesses

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5
Q

Mental Health

A

The capacity of an individual to interact with others and the environment in ways that promote effective use of cognitive, emotional and social abilities.

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6
Q

List 3 features of a mental health problem.

A
  1. mild to moderate distress
  2. like a “bad day”
  3. mild or temporary impairment
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7
Q

Mental Illness

A

A psychological disorder that significantly interferes with an individual’s cognitive, emotional and social abilities.

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8
Q

List 4 features of the categorical approach to classifying mental conditions.

A
  1. yes/no approach
  2. good for classifying symptoms initially
  3. classifies symptoms/characteristics in terms of which mental disorder category they best fit or belong to
  4. used in the ICD and DSM
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9
Q

What are the key factors of the categorical approach to classifying mental conditions?

A
  1. Validity
  2. Reliability
  3. Inter-rater reliability
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10
Q

Explain validity as a key factor of the categorical approach.

A

The classification system must accurately organise mental disorders into distinct and discrete categories.

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11
Q

Explain reliability as a key factor of the categorical approach.

A

The classification system must produce the same diagnosis each time it is used in the same situation.

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12
Q

List 4 strengths of the categorical approach.

A
  1. user friendly
  2. provides common language between professionals through diagnosis labels that provide precise definitions
  3. very comprehensive
  4. based on ongoing research and is regularly revised
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13
Q

List 4 limitations of the categorical approach.

A
  1. low inter-rater reliability for some disorders
  2. stigmatisation due to diagnostic labels
  3. substantial loss of clinical info as unique combinations of symptoms are overlooked
  4. categories and symptoms can overlap and lead to misdiagnosis
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14
Q

List 4 features of the dimensional approach to classifying mental conditions.

A
  1. classifies symptoms in terms of ‘how much’, along a spectrum/continuum
  2. based on the idea that independent dimensions exist in everyone to some degree
  3. often uses an inventory
  4. used in personality test EPQ-R
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15
Q

List 4 strengths of the dimensional approach.

A
  1. reduces stigma because patient is not labelled, instead given ‘profile of scores’
  2. richer and more detailed description
  3. recognises unique combination of symptoms
  4. doesn’t slot people into categories
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16
Q

List 4 limitations of the dimensional approach.

A
  1. no standardised inventory (unlike the DSM/ICD)
  2. time consuming to use
  3. no agreement on the number and nature of dimensions
  4. too many dimensions can overcomplicate assessment
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17
Q

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR)

A
  • 365 mental disorders
  • 16 categories + 1 additional category
  • used in Australia
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18
Q

What additional info does the DSM-IV-TR provide?

A
  1. typical course
  2. likely age
  3. degree of impairment
  4. prevalence (how common)
  5. whether it runs in the family
  6. disorder’s relationship to gender/age/culture
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19
Q

List the 4 types of DSM criteria.

A
  1. Diagnostic criteria
  2. Inclusion criteria
  3. Exclusion criteria
  4. Polythetic criteria sets
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20
Q

List and explain the contents of the 5 axes of the DSM multiaxial system.

A

I → clinical disorders, other conditions that may be focus of clinical attention
II → personality disorders and mental retardation
III → general medical conditions
IV → psychosocial and environmental problems
V → global assessment of functioning

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21
Q

International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)

A
  • 21 chapters
  • less detailed than DSM
  • used in Europe
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22
Q

The Biopsychosocial Framework is…

A

A holistic approach to explaining how biological, psychological and social factors combine and interact to influence a person’s physical and mental health.

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23
Q

List 5 biological factors of the biopsychosocial framework.

A
  1. genes
  2. male/female
  3. hormones
  4. brain function
  5. immune system
24
Q

List 5 psychological factors of the biopsychosocial framework.

A
  1. thinking/reasoning skills
  2. coping skills
  3. emotional state
  4. personality traits
  5. learning and memory
25
Q

List 5 social factors of the biopsychosocial framework.

A
  1. social skills
  2. cultural values
  3. social isolation or support
  4. life events
  5. stressors and trauma
26
Q

Define stress.

A

An unpleasant state of physiological or psychological tension produced by internal or external forces, which is perceived as exceeding a person’s resources and ability to cope.

27
Q

List the 3 types of stress.

A
  1. Mild stress
  2. Acute stress
  3. Chronic stress
28
Q

Define eustress.

A

A positive psychological response to a stressor.

29
Q

Define distress.

A

A negative psychological response to a stressor.

30
Q

Can the body differentiate between eustress and distress?

A

No, it will react the same way to both.

31
Q

List the 3 physiological responses to stress.

A
  1. Fight or flight response
  2. HPA Axis
  3. Allostasis and homeostasis
32
Q

List the 5 steps of the fight or flight response.

A
  1. threat is perceived
  2. hypothalamus activated
  3. sympathetic NS activated
  4. adrenal medulla stimulated to release catecholamines
  5. adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) circulate blood stream to create physiological reactions.
33
Q

When is the HPA axis activated and why?

A

When we need to deal with a stressor over time as the body can’t maintain the fight/flight intensity for a prolonged period.

34
Q

List the 6 steps of the HPA axis.

A
  1. ongoing stressor
  2. hypothalamus activated
  3. pituitary gland stimulated
  4. secretes adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone
  5. stimulates adrenal cortex
  6. releases corticosteroids including cortisol
35
Q

What does cortisol do in the body when it is released during the activation of the HPA axis?

A

Cortisol energises the body by increasing blood sugar and metabolism.

36
Q

Define allostasis.

A

Maintains the body physiologically through change.

37
Q

Define homeostasis.

A

Maintains the body physiologically by keeping things constant.

38
Q

What is the allostatic load?

A

The cumulative negative effects of the wear/tear that the body and brain experiences due to repeated cycles of allostatic changes.

39
Q

What is allostatic overload?

A

The point at which a person develops a serious health problem (physical disease or mental illness).

40
Q

How does the allostatic model link to the biospsychosocial framework?

A
  1. The appraisal of a potential stressor will depend on prior experience (psychological) and current circumstances (social)
  2. this appraisal then determines which biological systems are used in the allostatic response.
41
Q

Why is it bad to remain in a state of stress-induced intense arousal for a prolonged period?

A

Because the HPA axis is still active, cortisol is still present in the body. The immune system weakens and the person may suffer from headaches, fatigue, dizziness and rashes.

42
Q

List the 3 psychological responses to stress.

A
  1. Emotional changes
  2. Cognitive changes (eg: impaired problem solving)
  3. Behavioural changes
43
Q

In Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping, what is the difference between the 3 types of appraisal?

A
  1. Primary appraisal - evaluates significance of situation
  2. Secondary appraisal - evaluates coping options and resources
  3. Reappraisal - determines if additional resources are required
44
Q

In the transactional model of stress and coping, when a stressor is deemed ‘stressful’, what three categories can it fall under?

A
  1. Harm/loss (damage already occurred)
  2. Threat (damage yet to occur)
  3. Challenge (holds potential for gain/growth)
45
Q

List 3 problem-focused coping methods.

A
  1. obtaining more info on stressor
  2. learning new skills to manage stressor
  3. examining stressor from new perspective
46
Q

List 3 emotion-focused coping methods.

A
  1. denial
  2. wishful thinking
  3. avoiding
47
Q

List 3 strengths of the transactional model.

A
  1. helps explain why different individuals respond differently to the same stressors
  2. explains how stressors and thinking can change over time
  3. addresses voluntary thinking (cognitive processes)
48
Q

List 3 limitations of the transactional model.

A
  1. difficult to test through experimental research
  2. primary and secondary appraisals can interact so it is difficult to isolate them for study as separate variables
  3. some psychologists doubt the need for appraisal in causing stress
49
Q

List the 5 strategies for coping with stress.

A
  1. Biofeedback
  2. Meditation
  3. Relaxation
  4. Physical Exercise
  5. Social Support (I ATE)
50
Q

List the 3 categories of influences on the stress response.

A
  1. Social
  2. Cultural
  3. Environmental
51
Q

List 5 life events and their ratings on Holmes and Rahe’s social readjustment rating scale.

A 
100 = death of a spouse
73 = divorce
50 = marriage
26 = beginning/ending school
12 = Christmas
52
Q

According to Holmes and Rahe’s Social Readjustment Scale, what people are more prone to stress related illnesses?

A

People who score 200 or more life change units in 12 months.

53
Q

Define acculturative stress (cultural factors that influence stress response)

A

Stress people experience trying to adapt to a new culture (sometimes called racism-related stress)

54
Q

In Calhoun’s experiment, what happened to the mice when faced with overcrowding?

A

They developed maladaptive behaviour such as:

  • aggression
  • cannibalism
  • became hyper or lethargic
  • stopped reproducing
55
Q

What is overcrowding?

A

An invasion of personal space (50cm radius from person) by strangers.

Psychology (5 decks)

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