Psychopathology

Question 1

What are the four definitions of abnormality

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What is statistical infrequency as a definition of abnormality

Answer 2

A rare disease or illness which is based beyond 2 standard deviations from the mean. This includes 2.5% either side.

Question 3

what is deviation from social norms as a definition of abnormity

Answer 3

deviant behaviour from what society deems to be normal. The two types are; situational norms, acceptable behaviour based on the situation, and developmental norms, acceptable behaviour based on age.

Question 4

what is deviation from ideal mental health as a definition of abnormality

Answer 4

deviant behaviour far from what are classed as the characteristics of ideal mental health. These characteristics come from Jahoda and include;
positive attitude towards oneself
accurate perception of reality
autonomy/independence
resisting stress (integration)
self-actualisation (fulfilment)
environmental mastery/self-efficacy

Question 5

what is failure to function adequately as a definition of abnormality

Answer 5

inability to meet social standards such as; working, socialising, good health. Features of personal dysfunction based on Rosenhan and Seligman include;
personal distress (suffering)
maladaptive behaviour
unpredictability
irrationality
observer discomfort
violation of moral qualities
unconventionality (vividness)

Question 6

what are the emotional, behavioural and cognitive characteristics of phobias

Answer 6

emotional: fear excessiveness, panic attacks, fight or flight.
behavioural: avoidant, disruption of function.
cognitive: recognition of exaggerated anxiety

Question 7

what are the emotional, behavioural and cognitive characteristics of depression

Answer 7

emotional: depressed mood, feelings of worthlessness, lack of enthusiasm
behavioural: diminished interest or pleasure in any activity, extreme weight change, insomnia or hypersomnia, social impairment.
cognitive: psychomotor agitation/retardation, suicidal thoughts, reduced concentration.

Question 8

what are the emotional, behavioural and cognitive characteristics of OCD

Answer 8

emotional: anxiety, fear of loss of identity
behavioural: debilitation in function, social impairment.
emotional: recurrent thought patterns, self-generated patterns, realisation of inappropriateness, intrusive thoughts.

Question 9

what is the two-process model and how is it used as an explanation for phobias

Answer 9

behavioural approach:
caused by classical conditioning where traumatic event causes extreme fear. maintained by operant conditioning where either experiencing fear causes worsening or avoidance as a reward increases intensity

Question 10

what is systematic desensitisation and how is it used as a treatment for phobias

Answer 10

behavioural approach:
gradual exposure to separate events increasing in fearfulness based on fear hierarchy towards an individuals phobia over a long period of time.

Question 11

what is flooding and how it is used as a treatment for phobias

Answer 11

behavioural approach:
immediate exposure to most fearful event towards an individuals phobia taking a couple of hours

Question 12

what is Beck’s negative triad as an explanation for depression

Answer 12

cognitive approach:
begins with a small negative view about one’s self (I’m worthless). Moves to negative views about the world (everyone thinks I’m worthless). Moves to negative views about the future (never be good at anything because I’m worthless). Cycles.

Question 13

what is Ellis’s ABC model as an explanation for depression

Answer 13

cognitive approach:
A - activation (the activation event)
B - beliefs (beliefs are the decider to who does and doesn’t become depressed)
C - consequences of B (emotional response as a result to beliefs)

Question 14

what is CBT as a treatment for depression

Answer 14

cognitive approach:
1. identifying negative thinking patterns - non-judgemental identification of irrational thoughts.
2. challenging irrational thoughts - makes patients doubt irrational thoughts.
3. skill acquisition and application - homework assignments to change thought patterns.
4. follow-up - understand triggers therefore avoid.

Question 15

what is synaptic transmission

Answer 15

biological approach:
1. soma fires electrical impulse towards pre-synaptic membrane. boosted by myelin sheath.
2. electrical becomes chemical to go across synapse.
3. vesicles move towards membrane wall.
4. slides into wall firing chemicals across synapse to post-synaptic membrane.
5. binds with receptor on surface of post-synaptic membrane through lock and key.
6. any impulse which doesn’t find a receptor gets ‘reuptaken’ by pre-synaptic membrane.
7. the neurotransmitters (chemicals) that do make it across will elicit either excitatory or inhibitory response.
8. excitatory response (EPSP) increases chance of neuron firing, while inhibitory response (IPSP) decreases chance

Question 16

what is the genetic explanation of OCD

Answer 16

biological approach:
candidate genes regulate the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin.
COMT and SERT genes regulate dopamine. SERT means too much and COMT mean too little.

Question 17

what is the neural explanation of OCD

Answer 17

biological approach:
orbital frontal cortex detects problem.
cingulate gyrus causes solution.
caudate nucleus causes people to move on to the next task. the caudate nucleus is suggested to be damaged in someone with OCD therefore can’t move onto another task.

Question 18

what is drug therapy as a treatment for OCD

Answer 18

biological approach:
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are antidepressant medications which aim to alleviate symptoms of OCD by increasing serotonin levels.

Question 19

what are the implications on the economy when treating mental illnesses

Answer 19

• improving health and decreases people with mental health.
• they can contribute to economy and services by working.
• reduces reliance on benefits
• CBT can cure depression meaning long-term dependence NHS supplied drugs ease pressure on NHS.
• increases NHS resources to be spent on other things e.g. curing cancer.
• more people in work increases country productivity.

Question 20

give research support for systematic desensitisation

Answer 20

McGrath et al (1990) found 75% of patients with phobias had successful treatment using this method, increasing effectiveness

Question 21

give research support for Flooding

Answer 21

Wolpe (1973) forced girl with phobia of cars into car and drove her around. Was kicking and screaming to begin with but was sat calmly by end

Question 22

give conflicting research for CBT

Answer 22

Luborsky (2002) found little differences in effectiveness between therapies suggesting CBT isn’t much better

Question 23

give research support for the genetic explanation of OCD

Answer 23

Lewis (1936) found 37% of his OCD patients had parents with OCD and 21% had siblings with OCD

Question 24

give research support for the neural explanation of OCD

Answer 24

Chen et al (2016) found that decreases in the left caudate nucleus connectivity was positively associated with the duration of OCD when repeating tasks.

Question 25

give research support for SSRIs

Answer 25

Pigott and Seary (1999) completed a meta-analysis on effectiveness of SSRIs and found it had consistent effectiveness in treating OCD but had severe side effects.

Question 26

give research support for the two-process model

Answer 26

Little Albert (1919) had metal pole banged behind him every time he was presented with a white fluffy rabbit which led to him developing a phobia towards white fluffy rabbits through classical conditioning. also developed phobia towards other objects and animals which were white or fluffy or rabbits (not necessarily meeting all criteria for the original phobia)