Psychopathology 1

Question 1

Statistical infrequency

Answer 1

When an individual has a less common characteristic for example being higher iq than 130

Question 2

Strength of statistical infrequency

Answer 2

Usefulness in rw used in clinical practice diagnosis of disorders for example those belo 70iq diagnosed w intellectual disability disorder.
= useful in diagnostic and assessment processes

Question 3

Limitation of statistical infrequency

Answer 3

Infrequent characteristics can be positive such as we would view someone w iq over 130 as abnormal or very low on the depression scale as abnormal may be unusual but doesn’t make someone abnormal
= not sufficient

Question 4

Deviation from social norms

Answer 4

A behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a society

Question 5

Strength of deviation from social norms

Answer 5

Usefulness used in clinical practice eg psychopathy characteristic failure to conform to acceptable behaviour used diagnosing schizophrenia all deviate from social norms
= value in medicine

Question 6

Limitation of social norms

Answer 6

The variability between cultures and what is a norm. May label as abnormal from 1 culture to another eg in tribes talked to by ancestors uk would diagnose as schizophrenia. Even within culture aggression accepted in a boxing match however frowned upon at dinner
= difficult to judge and use as an explanation of abnormality

Question 7

Failure to function adequately

Answer 7

When someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day to day life
Rosenhan - no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules
Sever personal distress
Dangerous to themselves
CSD

Question 8

Strength of failure to function adequately

Answer 8

Represents sensible threshold to seek help. Everyone on depression spectrum if reach this point seek pro help
= means treatment can be targeted to those who need it most

Question 9

Limitation of failure to function adequately

Answer 9

Discriminate label a nonstandard lifestyle as abnormal. Eg travellers may be seen as abnormal as they don’t have a permanent address or a job. Adrenaline junkies danger to self
= those who make unusual choices are at risk of being labelled abnormal and restrict freedom

Question 10

Deviation from mental health

Answer 10

When someone doesn’t reach the set of criteria for good mental heath
No distress
Rational
Self actualise
Cope w stress
Good self esteem
Independent

Question 11

Limitation of deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 11

Culture bound only made for us and eaurope doesn’t even apply to European countries eg Italy doesn’t value independence
= limited application

Question 12

Limitation of ideal mental health

Answer 12

Incredibly high standards no one meets all the time
Disheartening and may do more harm than good
= poor ideology of what is abnormal

Question 13

Phobia behavioural characteristics

Answer 13

Panic
Avoidance
Endurance

Question 14

Phobia emotional characteristics

Answer 14

Anxiety
Fear
Unreasonable emotional response

Question 15

Phobia cognitive characteristics

Answer 15

Selective attention
Irrational beliefs
Cognitive distortions

Question 16

Behavioural explanation of phobias

Answer 16

2 process model = acquisition classical conditioning (neutral stimulus unconditioned stimulus like dentists and pain)
- maintenance operant conditioning - behaviour reinforced -vely (avoid) and +vely behaviour= desirable consequences

Question 17

Evaluation of behavioural explanation

Answer 17

Real world application - exposure therapies successfully test by preventing avoidance cease to be reinforced
- limitation doesn’t account for cognitive aspect - hold irrational beliefs doesn’t completely explain
- strength evidence link bad experience w phobia ad de jongh dentists 73% fear= trauma

Question 18

Systematic desensitisation

Answer 18

Anxiety hierarchy
Reciprocal inhibition relax and anxiety can’t happen same time
Exposure

Question 19

Evaluation of SD

Answer 19

More effective than relaxation alone after 33 months and effective for wide range of phobias
Useful for people w learning difficulties flooding = traumatic

Question 20

Flooding

Answer 20

Exposes client without build up working by extinction of conditioned fear
Clients must give informed consent and be prepared

Question 21

Evaluation of flooding

Answer 21

Cost effective - better for the nhs will only take 1-3 sessions
Limitation = v traumatic and stressful than SD may experience more drop outs

Question 22

Depression behaviour characteristics

Answer 22

Low activity levels
Disruption to eat/sleep
Aggression/ self harm

Question 23

Depression emotional characteristics

Answer 23

Lowered mood
Anger towards self and others
Lowered self esteem

Question 24

Depression cognitive characteristics

Answer 24

Poor concentration
Dwell on negative
Absolutist thinking

Question 25

Becks theory of depression

Answer 25

Faulty info processing - attend to negative aspects of situation Negative self schema - negative info about ourselves Negative triad - the world the self the future

Question 26

Evaluation of becks theory

Answer 26

Supporting research- cognitive vulnerability- faulty info processing more common in those depressed Cohen 473 pp cog vuln= depression later RWA- identify vulnerabilities screen thise w risk of depression with CBT

Question 27

Ellis abc model

Answer 27

Irrational thoughts- interfere w happiness Activating event - trigger Beliefs- overreact to event Consequence- depression overreact to -ve events trigger depression/ SH

Question 28

Evaluation of ABC model

Answer 28

Real world application - leads to therapy -ve thoughts challenged REBT Only explain reactive depression not endogenous not caused by event- partial explanation

Question 29

Becks cognitive therapy

Answer 29

Identify negative thoughts and challenge them Client does hw proves themselves wrong client as scientist

Question 30

Ellis REBT

Answer 30

D dispute E effect identify and challenge irrational beliefs via empirical argument whether there is actual evidence

Question 31

Behavioural activation

Answer 31

Encourage client to engage in enjoyable activities

Question 32

Evaluation for CBT

Answer 32

-Cbt is as effective as antidepressant 81% more effective combined 86% -May not be suitable for those with sever case of depression or w learning disabilities -Relapse rate =42% after 6 months 53% within a year may need repeating

Question 33

OCD behaviour characteristics

Answer 33

Repetitive compulsions Compulsion performed to reduce anxiety Avoid triggers

Question 34

OCD emotional characteristics

Answer 34

Anxiety and distress Depression Guilt

Question 35

OCD cognitive characteristics

Answer 35

Obsessive thoughts Cognitive coping strategies Insight into excessive anxiety - catastrophic thoughts

Question 36

OCD is genetic

Answer 36

Candidate genes may produce symptoms 5HT1-D beta OCD is polygenic together form ocd Passed from 1 generation to another

Question 37

OCD genetic evaluation

Answer 37

Research support 68% mz twins w OCD only 31% dz twins ocd 4x more likely if family member has it Environmental factors play a part eg more than 50% of OCD experience trauma > trauma more sever OCD = only partial explanation

Question 38

OCD neural explanation

Answer 38

Serotonin low levels linked to ocd Frontal lobes and parrahippocampal gurus malfunctioning

Question 39

Neural ocd evaluation

Answer 39

Research support antidepressants work in serotonin systems alleviating ocd Serotonin ocd link may just be comorbiditiy with depression an emotional characteristic

Question 40

Drug therapy

Answer 40

Ssris antidepressants that increase levels of serotonin at synapse Ssris + cbt = best

Question 41

Drug therapy evaluation

Answer 41

Evidence of effectiveness Ssris more effective than placebo Cost effective and non disruptive don’t involve visit to therapy or nhs cheap Serious side effects - blurred vision loss of sex drive out people off