Psychopathology

Question 1

Definitions of abnormality

Answer 1

• Statistical infrequency:
• Deviation from social norms
• Failure to function adequately
• Deviation fro ideal mental heath

Question 2

Phobias: behavioural, cognitive and emotional characteristics

Answer 2

Behavioural: panic, avoidance
Cognitive: attention to phobic stimulus, irrational beliefs
Emotional: anxiety and fear, unreasonable responses

Question 3

Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Answer 3

• Mowrer
• Acquisition by classical conditioning
• Watson and Raynor: Little Albert
• Maintenance by operant conditioning

Question 4

Behavioural approach to treating phobias

Answer 4

1) Systematic desensitisation
- counterconditioning
- reciprocal inhibition
- relaxation at each level of anxiety hierarchy
2) Flooding
- immediate exposure to phobic stimulus
- unpleasant experience

Question 5

Depression: behavioural, cognitive, emotional characteristics

Answer 5

Behavioural: reduced activity levels, disruption to sleep and eating
Cognitive: poor concentration, absolutist thinking
Emotional: lowered mood, anger

Question 6

Cognitive approach to explaining depression

Answer 6

1) Beck’s theory of depression
- faulty information processing
- negative self-schemas
- negative triad: world, future, self
2) Ellis’s ABC model
A = activating event
B = beliefs
C = consequences

Question 7

Cognitive approach to treating depression

Answer 7

• Patient and therapist work together
• Challenge negative thoughts
• Set homework to record when someone was nice to them = used in future sessions
• Ellis’s REBT = extends to ABCDE model:
  D = dispute irrational beliefs
  E = effect
• Challenge irrational beliefs using: empirical argument or logical argument
• Behavioural activation

Question 8

OCD: behavioural, cognitive, emotional characteristics

Answer 8

Behavioural: compulsions, avoidance
Cognitive: obsessive thoughts, awareness into irrational behaviour an thoughts
Emotional: anxiety and distress, guilt and disgust

Question 9

Biological approach to explaining OCD

Answer 9

1) Genetic explanations
- candidate genes
- OCD is polygenic
- OCD is ‘aetiologically heterogeneous’
2) Neural explanations
- low serotonin lowers mood
- OCD is associated with impaired decision making

Question 10

Biological approach to treating OCD

Answer 10

-Drug therapy
- drugs increase level of serotonin
- SSRI = prevents absorption and breakdown of serotonin
- Combine SSRI with CBT
- Alternatives: Tricyclics
SNRIs