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Psychology > Psychopathology 1 > Flashcards

Psychopathology 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Definitions of abnormality

A

Statistical infrequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health

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2
Q

Statistical infrequency definition of abnormality

A

2 SDs above or below the average considered abnormal

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3
Q

Statistical infrequency definition of abnormality evaluation

A

+ Real-life application to clinical assessment and measuring symptom severity on a scale

  • labelling can negatively affect the person and their life
  • some abnormalities are considered desirable such as high IQ
  • some disorders are fairly common but considered abnormal such as depression
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4
Q

Deviation from social norms definition of abnormality

A

Deviation from the rules regulating how one should behave are seen as undesirable from the majority members

Standards/expectations of behaviour
Set and carried out by a social group

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5
Q

Deviation from social norms definition of abnormality evaluation

A

+ Takes desirable behaviours into account which statistical infrequency does not

  • different in different contexts
  • different in different cultures
  • no clear line between what’s an abnormal deviation
  • change over time
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6
Q

Failure to function adequately definition of abnormality

A

Healthy people able to operate within acceptable limits

If abnormal behaviour interferes with adequate functioning then considered abnormal

Rosenhan + Seligman = 7 major features in abnormal behaviour
e.g. loss of control
Observer discomfort
Violation of moral standards

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7
Q

Failure to function adequately definition of abnormality

A
  • Subjective

- Different in different cultures

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8
Q

Deviation from ideal mental health definition of abnormality

A

Deviating from an ideal positive mental health

Ideal mental health considered as a positive attitude towards self
Resistance to stress
Accurate perception of reality

Marie Jahoda’s criteria:
High self esteem
Personal growth
Integration (coping with stressful situations)

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9
Q

Deviation from ideal mental health definition of abnormality evaluation

A
  • different in different cultures
  • self-report
  • how many to be considered abnormal
  • assumes mental health is the same as physical health, may not be
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10
Q

Phobia definition

A

An anxiety disorder which interferes with daily living

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11
Q

Characteristics of phobias

A

Emotional:
Anxiety
Responses are unreasonable
Fear

Behavioural:
Panic
Avoidance
Endurance

Cognitive:
Selective attention
Irrational beliefs
Cognitive distortions

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12
Q

Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

A

Two process model:

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13
Q

Behavioural treatments of phobias

A

Flooding

Systematic desensitisation

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14
Q

Behavioural treatments of phobias: flooding

A

repeated exposure to the source of anxiety

based on the idea of extinction in classical conditioning; if conditioned stimulus is continued without the unconditioned response then the conditioned response is eventually non-existent

  1. Patient taught relaxation techniques
  2. patient exposed to the stimulus, causing fear response
  3. fear response has upper limit, as levels decline and the body’s physiological response begins returning to normal, a new stimulus- response link is learnt between the feared stimulus and relaxation
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15
Q

Behavioural treatments of phobias: flooding

evaluation

A
  • patients must fully consent and understand the theory
  • if session not completed, may make phobia worse
  • can’t be used for everything e.g. fear of flying
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16
Q

Behavioural treatments of phobias: systematic desensitisation

A

counterconditioning: replacing a maladaptive behaviour by producing a healthy response that is incompatible with the undesirable response

  1. Patient taught relaxation techniques
  2. desensitisation hierarchy established; least to most anxiety provoking
  3. reciprocal inhibition; work up hierarchy whilst practising relaxation techniques; not possible to experience fear and relaxation at the same time
  4. treatment complete when the entire hierarchy can be completed without feat
17
Q

Behavioural treatments of phobias: systematic desensitisation evaluation

A
  • clients encouraged to discuss and understand their fear so the change may be cognitive not behavioural
18
Q

OCD characteristics

A

Emotional:
anxiety and distress
guilt and disgust
accompanying depression

Behavioural:
compulsions
avoidance

Cognitive:
obsessive thoughts
insight into excessive anxiety
cognitive strategies to deal with obsessions

19
Q

Biological explanations of OCD

A

Genetics

Neural explanations

20
Q

Biological explanations of OCD: genetics

A

COMT gene

  • codes for an enzyme involved in the re-uptake of dopamine and noradrenaline
  • a variation produces lower activity of COMT gene so higher levels of dopamine, linked to OCD

SERT gene

  • affects transport of serotonin
  • low serotonin levels linked to OCD

Diathesis-stress
genetic vulnerability makes people more likely to develop OCD than normal people; environmental factors determine whether OCD is developed or not

21
Q

Biological explanations of OCD: genetics evaluation

A

+ Karayiorgou - DNA from OCD patients, 50% men and 10% women had the abnormal variation of the COMT gene
BUT not 100% so something else plays a role and gender differences

+ Nestadt et al. - people with a first degree relative with OCD are 5x more at risk than controls

+ Billet et al. - meta analysis of twins with OCD
concordance rates twice as high for MZ twins than DZ

22
Q

Biological explanations of OCD: neural explanations

A

abnormal levels of neurotransmitters

  • low serotonin; ineffective receptors on post-synaptic neurone; SSRIs reverse symptoms
  • high dopamine; creates compulsive behaviours; 40% of OCD patients don’t respond to SSRIs but do to anti-psychotic drugs which reduce dopamine

Abnormal brain circuits

  • frontal lobe abnormal in people with OCD
  • ‘worry circuit’ suppresses signals from the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) which may be damaged; when working the ‘worry circuit’ suppresses these worries
23
Q

Biological treatments of OCD

A

Anti-depressants:
- SSRIs prevent the reabsorption of serotonin in the synapse so levels increase in the synapse so more available for uptake so levels of serotonin increase

  • Trycyclics prevents the reabsorption of serotonin and noradrenaline

Anti-anxiety medication:
- Benzodiazepines (BZs) reduce anxiety by enhancing neurotransmitter GABA that regulates excitement in the nervous system e.g. Valium and Xanax

24
Q

Biological treatments of OCD evaluation

A

+ Soomro et al. - SSRIs more effective in treating OCD than placebo

+ Drug therapy more cost effective than psychological treatments

+ Drug therapy more successful if the patient lacks motivation to complete intense psychological treatments

  • Tricyclics have a greater number of side effects than SSRIs
  • Patients prone to relapse when stop treatment; not a long-term cure
25
Q

Depression

A

Negatively affects how you feel, act and think

Requires at least 5 symptoms in 2 weeks and must include either sadness or loss of enjoyment/pleasure in normal activities

26
Q

Characteristics of depression

A

Emotional:
sad/low self-esteem
anger
aggression/self-harm

Behavioural:
shift in activity levels
disruption in sleeping/eating behaviour

Cognitive:
poor concentration
dwelling on negative thoughts

27
Q

Cognitive explanations of depression

A

Ellis’ ABC model:
- Activating event
Beliefs about A (ir/rational thoughts)
Consequences of B (un/desirable behaviour)
- Negative thought processes leading to depression

Beck’s negative triad:

  • people depressed because their thinking is bias towards negative interpretations of the world and lack perceived sense of control
  • negative schema; idea/framework developed from parental/peer rejection and criticisms which can activate when the new situation resembles the original conditions the schema was learnt in
28
Q

Cognitive explanations of depression evaluation

A

+ Hammen and Krantz - participants with depression made more errors in logic when interpreting written material than non-depressed participants

+ Boury et al. - participants with depression more likely to misinterpret information negatively

  • suggests the client is responsible; overlooks situational factors and life events
  • irrational beliefs may be realistic

Psychology (11 decks)

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