WK 11 - PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS Flashcards
(41 cards)
Psychological disorder
Psychological disorders are: marked by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation and behaviour > disturbed or dysfunctional thoughts, emotions or behaviours are maladaptive
Psychological disorder
A mental disorder reflects a dynsfunction in the psychological, biological or developmental processes underlying mental function. Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress or disability in social, occupational or other important activities > an expectable or culturally approved response to a common stressor or loss, such as the death of a loved one, is not a mental disorder
Socially deviant behaviour (e.g. political, religious, sexual) and conflicts that are primarily between the individual and society are not mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict results from a dysfunction in the individual
Bio-psycho-social approach to psychological disorders
1) Biological > evolution, genes, brain structure and chemistry
2) Psychological > stress, trauma, learned helplessness, mood-related perceptions and memories
3) Social-cultural > roles, expectations, definitions of normality and disorder
Diagnostic classification
Predicts the disorder’s future course > suggests appropriate treatment > prompts research into its causes
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5)
Describes disorders and estimates their occurrence.
1) Changes > some label changes (e.g ASD), new or altered diagnoses, new categories
2) Criticism > some did poorly on field trials, contributes to pathologizing of every day life, system labels are society’s value judgement
3) Benefits > helps mental health professional communicate and is useful in research
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Key symptoms > extreme inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity. These can be treated with medications and other therapies. Ongoing debates whether high energy is too often diagnosed as a disorder and whether there is a cost to the long-term use of stimulant drugs in treating ADHD
Prevalence of psychological disorders
Australia > prevalence rates of any mental disorder = 45% in lifetime. Experiences with poverty contribute to development of psychological disorders - but some can drive people into poverty (schizophrenia)
Mental disorders: vulnerability
Risk factors > academic failure, child abuse, chronic pain, medical illness, disabilities, trauma experience, substance abuse
Protective factors > exercise, feelings of security, self-esteem, social skills, economic independence
Anxiety disorders (AD)
Marked by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviours that reduce anxiety
AD: generalised anxiety disorder
Person is continually tense, apprehensive and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal
AD: panic disorder
Person experiences sudden episodes of intense dread and often lives in fear of when the next attack might strike
AD: phobias
Person experiences a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object, activity or situation
AS: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Characterised by persistent and repetitive thoughts (obsessions), actions (compulsions) or both, occurs when obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours interfere with everyday life and cause distress - is more common among teens and young adults than older people
AD: post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Characterised by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, numbness or feeling, and/or insomnia lingering for four weeks or more after a traumatic experience - often involves battle-scarred veterans, survivors of accidents, disasters, and violent and sexual assaults > has higher risk for women
Understanding ADs: conditioning
1) Classical conditioning > research helps explain how panic-prone people associate anxiety with certain cues
2) Stimulus generalisation > research demonstrates how a fearful event can later become a fear of similar events
3) Reinforcement (operant conditioning) > can help maintain a developed and generalised phobia
Understanding ADs: cognition
1) Observing others > can contribute to development of some fears (Olsson and colleagues - wild monkey research findings)
2) Interpretation and expectations > shape reactions - hyper-vigilance
Understanding ADs: biology
1) Genes > genetic predisposition to anxiety, OCD and PTSD
2) The brain > trauma linked to new fear pathways, hyperactive danger detection, impulse control and habitual behaviour areas of brain
3) Natural selection > biological preparedness to fear threats - easily conditioned and difficult to extinguish
Major depressive disorder
Person experiences two or more weeks with five or more symptoms, at least one of which must be either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest of pleasure
Bipolar disorder
Person experiences not only depression but also mania - impulsive disorder
Persistent depressive disorder
Person experiences mildly depressed mood more often than not for at least two years, along with at least two other symptoms
Understanding DD/BP: theories
Any theory of depression must explain > behaviours and thoughts change with depression, it is widespread, most major depressive episodes end on their own, stressful events often precede depression and with each new generation, it is striking earlier in life and affecting more people
Understanding DD/BP: the depressed brain
Brain activity slows during depression, left frontal lobe less active and scarcity of norepinephrine and serotonin
Understanding DD/BP: heritability
Risk increase if family member has disorder, twin studies data estimated heritability of major depression at 37 percent, linkage analysis points to “chromosome neighbourhood” > many genes work together and produce interacting small effects that increase risk for depression
Understanding DD/BP: social influence
Depressed people view self and world negatively > learned helplessness may exist with self-defeating beliefs, self-focused rumination and self-blaming and pessimistic explanatory style
