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Psychological Disorders Flashcards

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1
Q

Explain why ‘unusual’ thinking or behavior is not the same as a mental disorder.

A

Some patterns of thinking are statistically rare but do not negatively interfere with life.

For example, being a math genius is rare, but not a psychological disorder.

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2
Q

Describe a definition of mental disorder that uses evolutionary concepts (Jerome Wakefield). Cons?

A

An emotional state or behavior that is 1) harmful to oneself or others and 2) dysfunctional because it does not perform its evolutionary function.

Cons: it is difficult to trace the evolutionary feature of a mental disorder.

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3
Q

Textbook’s definition of mental disorder (roughly)

A

A disturbance in emotion, thinking, or behavior that causes suffering, is self-destructive, interferes with relationships, etc.

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4
Q

DSM full name

A

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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5
Q

When was homosexuality removed from the DSM?

A

1973 (during DSM-II)

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6
Q

Describe the over-diagnosis danger of ADHD and its relation to the DSM

A

There’s evidence that subthreshold diagnosis is happening. Normal behavior (not listening to teacher, refusing to nap, being disruptive) is being interpreted as psychological issues.

After ADHD was added to DSM, the cases skyrocketed.

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7
Q

Drapetomania

A

A ‘mental disorder’ of the urge to escape slavery (1851).

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8
Q

Describe the power of diagnostic labels

A

After one is labeled, others start to see their behaviors based on the label (even if inaccurate)

On the other hand, it might help with identity and serve to explain uncontrollable behavior

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9
Q

Medical Diseases vs. Psychological Disorders

A

Most medical diseases are defined by root causes rather than symptoms.

Psychological disorders are defined by symptoms rather than root causes.

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10
Q

What are Projective Tests? What assumptions do they have? Are they good?

A

Projective tests are interpretive tests that show unconscious motives or conflicts. (eg. Rorschach inkblot tests)

Assumes that unconscious dynamics will be projected (projection assumption)

They generally lack validity and reliability

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11
Q

Think: A study found babies who were sexually abused were interested in genitals of dolls at a statistically significant level. Would doll behavior be a good way to test childhood sexual abuse?

A

It needs a control group. Turns out most babies had interest in genitals too.

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12
Q

Major Depression (definition) (hint: 4 aspects)

A

A disorder characterized by disturbances in emotion, behavior, cognition, and body function

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13
Q

Explain why Major Depression is not just an emotional disorder?

A

It impacts emotion, but it is also a behavioral, cognitive, and physical disorder.

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14
Q

What do people generally want to achieve from suicide?

A

Relief from their existing pain.

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15
Q

____% of people experience major depression at some point in their life

A

20%

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16
Q

Describe the gender gap in prevalence of depression. What eliminates the gap?

A

It might be because men tend to hide their emotions and refuse to seek help. Maybe they use it in other means (eg. abusing alcohol, attacks, etc.)

When including alcohol abuse, anger attacks, etc. the gap disappears. Definition matters.

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17
Q

What psychological disorder did Mark Twain have?

A

Bipolar Disorder

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18
Q

Define Mania

A

The opposite of depression.

A euphoric state; feeling powerful (or even invincible), full of plans, delusional, irritable, etc.

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19
Q

In the DSM, Bipolar Disorder is in between which two disorders? Why?

A

Between major depression and schizophrenia.

Biopolar shares some symptoms with each disorder

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20
Q

Vulnerability-Stress Model

A

Individual vulnerability (i.e., genetic, personality, cognitive habits)
+
Stressful/Triggering event(s) (eg. job loss, violence, abuse)
–>
Severe Depression

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21
Q

What’s the issue with finding a single genetic variant in people with depression?

A

That’s not a thing. A large study found 87 genetic variants significantly related to depression.

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22
Q

What personality profile longitudinally predicted depression?

A

Neuroticism or High Negative Emotionality predicted depression later in life.

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23
Q

What are the two parts of cognitive habits of people with depression about their depression?

A

They think their state is 1) permanent and 2) uncontrollable

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24
Q

What happened when people with depression were told to recall happy memories? What about those without depression?

A

When depressed individuals relived happy memories, they became sadder (possibly because of hopelessness; ‘i won’t ever be able to return to that’)

For those not depressed, the opposite reaction occured.

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25
What are the two strongest predictors of suicide and attempted suicide?
Repeated sexual abuse and violence when young (WHO, Stein 2010)
26
5 Onset of Depression Factors in the textbook
1) Genetic Predispositions 2) Personality 3) Cognitive Habits 4) Violence and Abuse 5) Loss of Relationships
27
Anxiety is adaptive. But when does it become a disorder?
When fear lingers past the presence of a threat or in the absence of a potential threat.
28
Define: Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Continuous anxiety with worry or apprehension; Difficulty in concentration and motor tension; for the majority of days in a 6-month period without a physical cause
29
Is an event needed for one to have generalized anxiety disorder?
No. Genetic predispositions are sufficient.
30
What is the neurobiology of generalized anxiety disorder?
Abnormalities in the amygdala (fear acquisition) and prefrontal cortex (associated with ability to realize danger has passed)
31
Define: Panic Disorder Differentiate between panic attacks and a disorder
Attacks of intense fear, physical arousal, feelings of impending doom/death, feeling like a heart attack Panic disorder must involve feelings of impending doom or death
32
What usually precedes the onset of panic disorder?
Some event. And the attacks from a specific experience gets delayed.
33
Define a Phobia What category is it under?
An exaggerated fear or avoidance of a situation, object, or activity An anxiety disorder
34
Define: Social Anxiety Disorder. Differentiate it from social anxiety What category is it under?
Extreme anxiousness in situations where others observe. It causes sweating, trembling, nausea, or feelings of inadequacy It is under phobias. (Also called social phobia). Which is under anxiety disorders.
35
Define: Agoraphobia What happens if this disorder is full-blown developed?
A fear of places where escape or rescue is difficult in case of a panic attack Eventually, one with agoraphobia will have trouble leaving the home. Or they only leave if accompanied by someone trusted.
36
Define: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
A disorder that arises from a traumatic event where significant distress persists after 1 month of the event. Symptoms include: intrusive memories, nightmares, physiological arousal (eg. insomnia, irritability, hypervigilance)
37
Differentiate those who develop PTSD and those who don't develop PTSD following the experience of a same event.
Usually has pre-existing vulnerability. Neurobiological: Smaller hippocampus (autobiographical memory), exaggerated activation of amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex Personality (neuroticism?)
38
Define: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
recurrent and persistent unwanted thoughts or images (obsessions) with repetitive behaviors that are believed to be needed to avoid disaster (compulsions); causes distress and interferes with life
39
What are some common compulsions for those with OCD?
Handwashing, counting, touching, checking
40
For someone with OCD, what does knowing that they have irrational compulsions do?
Usually nothing. They still believe that the compulsions have to be done for relief. Only doing the compulsions will relieve.
41
What 3 brain areas have overreactivity in connections for those with OCD?
Frontal cortex, Striatum, and Thalamus
42
How is OCD similar to anxiety disorders?
The 'fear alarm' goes off after danger.
43
Define: Hoarding Disorder. What category?
A difficulty of throwing away possessions and tendency to fill homes with unnecessary junk.
44
Define: Personality Disorders
Pervasive and enduring patterns of emotion and behavior that cause distress or impair in getting along with others (outside of social norm).
45
Define: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) What might the disorder lead to? (or how might it manifest?)
Extreme negative emotionality and failure to regulate emotions. Self-destructive behavior, impulsivity, chronic feelings of emptiness, suicide threats, emotional volatility, self-harm
46
How does abandonment relate to BPD?
Those with BPD try to avoid any real or imagined abandonment. (eg. even a vacation)
47
What are reasons people (with BPD) self-harm?
To reduce stress, seek social support, relieve social obligations (?)
48
What is the biosocial model of how BPD unfolds?
Similar to vulnerability-stress model. Genetic Vulnerability (frontal lobe, negative emotion disposition) + Invalidating environment (eg. caregiver relationship and saying kids' symptoms are unjustified) --> BPD
49
Define: Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
A tendency to break laws, be violent, impulsive, reckless, irresponsible, etc.
50
Neurobiology of ASPD
Abnormalities (less grey matter and less activation) in frontal cortex and smaller amygdala. Longitudinally predicts agression 3 years later.
51
Define: Psychopathy
Fearless, lack of empathy, guilt, and remorse; use of deceit; coldhearted
52
Physiological basis of psychopathy
Less startle response. Empathy region has little to no activation
53
Are most psychopaths violent?
No, most use their charm to manipulate.
54
What did Polaschek, 2014 find about Psychopathy?
Those who scored high on psychopathy measures can change with intentional treatment
55
Psychopathy and detecting expressions
People high on psychopathy struggle to detect fear expressions and have low amygdala activity when seeing fear.
56
Define an addiction
The inability to control one's compulsion for a substance
57
How many classes of drugs are in the DSM?
10 classes.
58
At age 20, those who had higher tolerance to alcohol are more or less likely to develop alcoholism in the next decade?
Those higher tolerance were more likely to develop alcoholism.
59
What might explain how White population has higher rates of alcoholism than Asian populations?
There's an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol, which is more common in Asia than in White populations.
60
What neurobiological predispositions predicted alcohol misuse later on?
Thinner frontal and parietal cortex
61
How might a voluntary use of alcohol become an addiction according to biological model?
Use of alcohol shrinks cerebral cortex, reduces painkilling endorphins, leading to cravings.
62
What do policies to prohibit alcohol tend to result in?
Increased alcoholism.
63
Differentiate drinking for socializing verses drinking to reduce anxiety/depression.
Problem drinking (drinking to reduce anxiety or depression) leads to greater chance of alcoholism.
64
Define: Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
The apparent appearance of 2 or more distinct personalities in one person, each with a distinct name and personality
65
Why is DID considered a culture-bound syndrome?
There were very few cases before 1980, then tens of thousands in North America mid-1990s All cases involve influence by therapists or media
66
Define psychosis
A distortion of reality with impaired functioning
67
Neurobiology of Schizophrenia
Reduced grey matter in prefrontal cortex and temporal lobes abnormalities in hippocampus and abnormal neurotransmitter connections
68
5 Main Symptoms of Schizophrenia
1) Delusions (false beliefs with complete conviction) 2) Hallucinations (sensory experiences like hearing voices) 3) Disorganized Speech (illogical jumble of words) 4) Catatonic/Disorganized Behavior (childlike, violent, purposeless and strange behavior) 5) Negative Symptoms (an absence of normal behavior, like caring for self or intent to interact with others)
69
Heredity of Schizophrenia
When both parents with Schizophrenia: 27-46% One parent: 7-12% General population: 1%
70
What biological events in adolescence leads to schizophrenia?
Too many synapses pruned away in adolescence

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