PSYC 507: Psychopathology Flashcards
(42 cards)
1
Q
ADHD
A
- neurodevelopmental disorder
- persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity
- interferes with functioning or development
- primary cause thought to be biological and related to frontal lobes
- typically treated with stimulant medications and behavioral therapy
Ex: A 7-year-old client is brought in following issues at school. He is not able to sit in his chair for more than 2 minutes at a time, is blurting out answers rather than raising his hand. He is exhibiting symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of ADHD.
2
Q
Anxiety Disorders
A
- A group of disorders in the DSM-5
- Characterized by anxiety or an emotional/physiological response to an anticipated or imagined danger – not an imminent threat of danger
- commonly involve avoidance of anxiety-inducing stimuli
- treated with medications such as benzodiazepines and/or SSRI’s AND CBT and/or exposure therapy
Ex:
3
Q
Anxiety Sensitivity
A
- Term meaning the presence of a fear associated with anxiety symptoms – typically a mis-assessment of bodily sensations found with anxiety
- the individual believes symptoms will cause harmful consequences
- the feeling of anxiety symptoms often worsens the initial anxiety
Ex:
4
Q
Assessment Interview
A
- Process of collecting relevant info about a client and their history
- allows the clinician to begin forming conceptualization of the case
- clinician gathers information about the client’s history and presenting problem(s)
- interviews may be structured (follows set list of questions) or unstructured (more conversation based)
Ex:
5
Q
Bipolar I vs Bipolar II Disorder
A
- Bipolar I is characterized by current FULL manic episode that may be preceded or succeeded by major depressive episodes
- Bipolar II is characterized by current or past hypomanic episode that is preceded or succeeded by major depressive episodes
- Mania differs from hypomania in that it lasts consistently for 1+ weeks (or if hospitalization is necessary) AND mood disturbance is severe enough to cause marked impairment
- Hypo mania is a less severe form of mania
- Bipolar II has the potential to develop into Bipolar I if left untreated
Ex:
6
Q
Borderline Personality Disorder
A
- A cluster B personality disorder
- characterized by pervasive patterns of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, affects, and has marked impulsivity
- Often diagnosed in early adulthood
- Often has components of recurrent suicidal behavior and self-injurious behavior
Ex:
7
Q
Case Study
A
- Type of research that takes in depth look at an individual and their history
- typically useful for studying disorders that are rare
- lack generalizability because they are completed with a single individual
- cannot establish a cause/effect relationship
Ex:
8
Q
Categorical vs Dimensional Diagnosis
A
- Terms used to refer to types of diagnostic approaches
- A categorical approach (aka medical model) views each diagnosis separately with no overlapping features
- Categorical makes it easy to provide a diagnosis
- A dimensional approach believes symptoms overlap and the combination is often what determines the diagnosis
- Dimensional model allows us to assess the severity of symptoms
Ex: A client comes in presenting problems with sleeping, decreased appetite, disinterest in hobbies and doesn’t feel like they have much of a future. From the categorical approach, the therapist can provide a diagnosis of depression. From a dimensional model, the clinician can assess the severity of sx’s of depression with a scale.
9
Q
Clinical significance
A
- Term used to describe the practical importance of a particular treatment effect and whether or not the treatment has a genuine effect on the client’s daily life
- refers to the degree of usefulness in clinical practice and overall impact of client’s functioning and quality of life outside the confines of treatment
Ex:
10
Q
Comorbidity
A
- presence of 2+ disorders in one individual at the same time
- not uncommon due to borders between diagnostic categories often being blurred
meant disorders often present concurrently and must be treated as such
Ex:
11
Q
Competency to Stand Trial
A
- Legal decision as to whether a person charged with a crime has the capacity to understand the charges against them and the ability to assist with their own defense
- refers to the client’s state of mind at the time of the trial, not at the time of the crime
- If the client is found incompetent to stand trial, the disorder(s) will be treated until they are deemed competent
Ex:
12
Q
Conduct Disorder
A
- A persistent and repetitive pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms/rules are violated
- Individual must be under the age of 18 and meet at least 3 of the possible 15 criteria in the past year and one must have occurred in the last 6 months
- Some possible criteria include aggression to people/animals, destruction of property, and/or deceitfulness or theft
- often thought to be a predecessor to antisocial personality disorder
Ex:
13
Q
Diagnosis
A
- A determination that a person’s problems are reflective of a particular disorder or syndrome
- diagnostic labels make it possible for clinicians to communicate clearly with one another
- may also carry negative connotations and/or social stigmas
- not always completely accurate or perfectly fit an individual’s symptoms
Ex:
14
Q
DSM-5
A
- Nomothetic categorical system of diagnoses developed by the American Psychiatric Association that provides a prototypical diagnosis approach
- primary manual used for diagnosis by mental health practitioners in the U.S.
- Provides common language for professionals to discuss disorders/symptoms
Ex:
15
Q
Diathesis Stress Model
A
- Theorizes a relationship between one’s biological nature and their environmental conditions
- Hypothesizes that individuals who develop disorders have a genetic predisposition towards a disorder which is then activated by stress in the environment
- this model offers a bio psychosocial explanation of abnormal behavior
Ex:
16
Q
Dissociative Disorders
A
- Group of disorders characterized by sudden or gradual disruption in the normal integrative functions of consciousness, memory or perception of the environment
- disruptions may last for minutes to years depending on the type of disorder
Ex:
17
Q
Dopamine
A
- Neurotransmitter that has important role in motor behavior
- Implicated in numerous mental conditions and emotional states
- Involved in the pleasure/reward center of the brain
- Affects learning and motivation
- Abnormal levels of dopamine are associated with Parkinson’s Disease, schizophrenia, and depressive symptoms
Ex:
18
Q
Eating Disorders
A
- Any disorder characterized primarily by a pathological disturbance of attitudes and behaviors related to food
- Diagnoses of eating disorders found in the DSM-5 include rumination, ARFID, OSFED, anorexia nerves, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder
Ex:
19
Q
GABA
A
- A major inhibitory neurotransmitter
- Low presence/activity in the brain’s fear circuit has been linked to symptoms of anxiety
- Utilized to weaken or slow down signals between neurons
- Decreased Lebel of GABA may be treated with benzodiazepines
Ex:
20
Q
Heritability
A
- A term used in genetics to describe how much of a condition is attributed to an individual’s genetic makeup as opposed to being caused by the environment
- Doesn’t always guarantee that a person will inherit a condition, but the condition is more likely to be present on the person’s genotype
- which has the potential to appear phenotypically
- there are some disorders that have high heritability like schizophrenia, depression and maybe substance use disorder
Ex:
21
Q
HPA Pathway/Axis
A
- A bodily system that maintains homeostasis by regulating the sympathetic nervous system
- The hypothalamus releases a corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)
- Pituitary gland receives CRF and releases adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- ACTH binds to the adrenal gland and releases stress hormone cortisol
- Dysfunction in the HPA pathway has been implicated in the pathophysiology of mood disorders, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, substance use and insomnia
Ex:
22
Q
Idiographic vs Nomothetic
A
- Idiographic assessment relates to the understanding of an individual case (micro). Takes into account the person’s culture
- Nomothetic assessment involves a study of a group of people/cases for the purpose of discovering general.universal principles that characterize the average case (macro).
- DSM is nomothetic; prevents from gathering a full understanding
Ex: Client comes in with depression (sx’s). From a nomothetic assessment approach, the clinician checks for sx’s being present that are based on the norms listed in the DSM for depression. From an idiographic assessment, clinician can consider unique characteristics to create an effective treatment plan for this specific client.
23
Q
Insanity
A
- A term used in the legal system that
- refers to the condition of the mind that
- renders a person incapable of being responsible for their criminal acts
- the term “insanity” is never used in a clinical setting, rather only in legal matters
- developed to protect people that have mental illness
Ex: Andrea Yates
24
Q
Mania
A
- Mania is a state of excitement, overactivity, and psychomotor agitation
- Last 1+ week for bipolar 1 d/o
- Often accompanied by overoptimism, grandiosity, and/or impaired judgment
- Individuals experiencing mania are often preoccupied with a particular activity or idea
- Mania is the main feature of Bipolar I disorder and can also lead to a period of psychosis
Ex:
25
Mood Disorders
- In the DSM-5, mood disorders are divided into (1) bipolar and related disorders and (2) depressive disorders
- Principle feature of mood disorders is prolonged and pervasive emotional disturbances
- Often have a biological root
- Can be treated with medication as well as therapeutic interventions such as CBT
Ex:
26
MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Noninvasive diagnostic technique that uses the responses of hydrogen in tissue molecules to strong magnetic impulses
- uses a powerful magnet and radio images to generate detailed
images of the body’s organs and structures
- Often used in psychology to determine if a condition has a biologic or structural component in the brain
- can be used to rule out biological conditions (like tumors)
Ex:
27
Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders
- A category of disorders characterized by intrusive, unwanted, recurring thoughts or sensations that make a person feel driven to repeatedly perform a behavior
- Thoughts (obsessions) can significantly interfere with everyday functioning
- Behaviors (compulsions) often lower the individual's anxiety brought on by the obsessive thoughts
- Treatment involves exposure ERP and/or cognitive therapy and medication
Ex:
28
Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD)
- A behavior disorder of childhood characterized by recurrent disobedient, negative, or hostile behavior toward authority figures
- Typically manifests as temper tantrums, active defiance of rules, argumentativeness, or stubbornness
- symptoms must last for at least 6 months
- Typically do not involve aggressive or destructive behavior (as with conduct disorder, which ODD can develop into if left untreated)
- Most commonly seen in young boys, but the frequency evens out across gender identities by puberty
Ex:
29
Panic Attack
- Can occur in the context of any anxiety disorder as well as other mental disorders
- Characterized by an abrupt surge of fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes
- The individual typically experiences symptoms such as accelerated heart rate, dizziness, shaking, feelings of choking, nausea, etc
- interoceptive exposure is used to treat this disorder
Ex: John describes recent experience that felt like a heart attack. He said he felt an intense wave of fear and had trouble breathing and he was shaking. He thought he was going to die but it went away after a couple of minutes. The therapist informs John that he had a panic attack not a heart attack.
30
Personality Disorder
- A group of disorders involving an endurance of pervasive patterns of perceiving, ranting to, and thinking about the environment and the self that interfere with long-term functioning and capacity for empathy/intimacy
- In the DSM-5, personality disorders are divided into 3 clusters (A) odd/eccentric (B) dramatic/emotional (C) anxious/fearful
- Personality disorders were an adaptive response during a period of trauma/chaos
Ex:
31
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan
- An imaging technique using radio-labeled tracers that emit positively charged particles as they re mobilized
- Assesses brain functioning during activities
- Can detect disease/damage of the brain
Ex:
32
Placebo Effect
- A phenomenon that occurs in research when subjects undergoing a placebo (or false treatment) experience the effects of the actual treatment
- Shows that client expectancies about the outcome of a treatment can significantly impact the actual outcome
Ex:
33
Positive vs Negative Symptoms
- terms used in the diagnosis of schizophrenia to categorize symptoms
- Positive symptoms refer to the presence of something abnormal, like hallucinations or disorganized speech
- Negative symptoms refer to the absence of something normal that should be present, like flat affect or lack of concentration
Ex:
34
Psychosis
- Fundamental break from reality
- Characterized by impairments or disruptions in perception, cognitive processing, and/or emotional state
- Often manifested via delusions, hallucinations and significantly disorganized speech
- Individuals experiencing psychosis have an inability to distinguish between internal and external stimuli
Ex:
35
Primary vs Secondary Gain
- Terms used in psychodynamic theory
- Primary gains refers to the basic psychological benefit of somatic symptoms keeping internal conflicts out of one's awareness
- Secondary gain is what people receive from others when their somatic symptoms elicit a response from others (sympathy, avoidance, extra attention, etc.)
Ex:
36
Remission
- A discontinuation or significant reduction in symptoms of a disorder, or the period during which this occurs
- Does not necessarily indicate that a disorder is "cured" or resolved entirely
Ex:
37
Schizophrenia
- A psychotic disorder (aka "split mind")
- Characterized by disturbances in cognition, emotional responsiveness and behavior
- Typical age of onset is late teens through mid-30's
- The disturbance must last for at least 6 months and include at least one month of active-phase symptoms -- meaning the individual experiences symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, etc.
- The main treatment approach for schizophrenia includes medication
Ex:
38
Seratonin
- A neurotransmitter in the brain
- Plays a role in emotional processing, mood regulation, appetite, sexual impulses, sleep and hallucinations
- Several psychiatric disorders, like depressive disorders and psychosis, benefit from psychotropic medication that includes serotonin
Ex:
39
State vs Trait Anxiety
- State anxiety refers to anxiety as a response to a specific situation that is perceived as threatening or dangerous
- State anxiety varies in intensity and fluctuates over time
- Trait anxiety refers to an individual's proneness to experience anxiety
- A person with high-trait anxiety is more likely to view the world as dangerous and respond to anxiety-inducing situations that wouldn't elicit the same response in individuals with low-trait anxiety
Ex:
40
Substance Related Disorders
- Characterized by excessive use of a substance or substances that lead to or are preceded by a series of maladaptive behaviors
- Substances may include caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogens, opioids, etc.
- The substance use must cause significant impairment in the person's day-to-day functioning
- high comorbidity with PTSD and depression
Ex:
41
Tolerance vs Withdrawal Symptoms
- Key symptoms in substance-related disorders
- Can be indicative of physical dependence
- Tolerance refers to a physiological state where the effectiveness of a drug has decreased due to chronic use (need more of the drug to achieve the same high)
- Withdrawal refers to the onset of physical and/or mental symptoms when the quantity of substance used is reduced or eliminated
- Withdrawal symptoms vary depending on the substance used and typically requires medical observation
Ex:
42
Trauma and Stress Related Disorders
- Category of disorders characterized by exposure to a traumatic or stressful event and a subsequent intense reaction to that event
- Individuals may experience symptoms such as re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance, numbing, sleep disturbances and/or withdrawal.
- Two examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder
Ex:
