PSY 1001 PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS AND THERAPIES

What percentage of college freshmen screen positive for a mental health disorder before entering college?

Approximately 1 in 4 students.

What is the difference between describing someone as “mentally ill” versus “a person struggling with mental illness?”

"Mental illness" labels the person; "struggling with mental illness" focuses on their experience.

What is a psychological disorder?

A clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior.

What makes a behavior “abnormal?” What are the four or five Ds?

Abnormal behaviors are statistically rare and deviate from cultural norms. The four Ds are: Deviance, Distress, Dysfunction, Danger (sometimes Duration).

What are the different types of professionals who diagnose and treat psychopathology?

• Clinical Psychologist: PhD or PsyD, focuses on therapy.

• Psychiatrist: Medical doctor (MD or DO), can prescribe medication.

What is the DSM-5?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, a guide for diagnosing mental disorders.

How can diagnosis be helpful?

It guides treatment, offers insight, and helps explain behavior.

How can diagnosis be problematic?

It can lead to stigma, over-diagnosis, or misdiagnosis.

What is a categorical vs. dimensional model approach to describing mental health conditions?

Categorical = disorders are distinct (you either have it or you don’t); Dimensional = disorders exist on a spectrum.

What is the difference between internalizing vs. externalizing stress?

Internalizing: internal distress, such as anxiety or depression. Externalizing: outward behaviors like aggression or conduct problems.

What is Schizophrenia?

A chronic mental disorder characterized by distorted thinking, hallucinations, and disorganized behavior.

What are the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

Positive: hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech. Negative: lack of emotion, social withdrawal, lack of motivation.

What is a delusion?

A false belief not based on reality (e.g., thinking one has special powers).

What is disorganized speech and disorganized behavior?

Disorganized speech: incoherent or nonsensical speech. Disorganized behavior: unpredictable actions or catatonia.

What are some examples of negative symptoms of Schizophrenia?

Social withdrawal, apathy, lack of speech or emotion, reduced motivation.

What is the frequency of schizophrenia in the general population?

About 1% of the population.

What are some of the key facts and statistics related to this disorder?

It often begins in late adolescence/early adulthood and affects men and women equally.

What is the prodromal phase of psychosis?

Early symptoms that precede full-blown schizophrenia, such as social withdrawal or unusual thoughts.

What are the odds of developing schizophrenia if your identical twin has schizophrenia?

About 50% chance of developing schizophrenia if your identical twin has it.

What do these percentages suggest about the genetic basis of schizophrenia?

There is a strong genetic component to schizophrenia, but environmental factors also play a role.

What brain abnormalities are associated with schizophrenia and why do most researchers consider schizophrenia to be a brain disorder?

Enlarged ventricles, decreased gray matter, and abnormalities in dopamine functioning.

What is the role of dopamine in schizophrenia?

Excess dopamine activity in certain brain regions is thought to contribute to symptoms like delusions and hallucinations.

What evidence suggests that schizophrenia could begin in the womb?

Evidence of prenatal factors like malnutrition or stress can increase the risk of developing schizophrenia later in life.

What is the Diathesis-Stress Model?

A model suggesting that a genetic predisposition (diathesis) combined with environmental stressors can trigger mental disorders.

What are psychological and social influences on schizophrenia?

Stress, family dynamics, and early life trauma may trigger or worsen schizophrenia.

What drugs are used to treat schizophrenia?

Antipsychotic medications, often dopamine antagonists.

What is the prognosis for schizophrenia?

Varied; some individuals recover, but many experience chronic symptoms requiring long-term treatment.

What are mood disorders?

Mental health conditions characterized by significant changes in mood, like depression or mania.

What are the two broad types of mood disorders?

Depressive disorders and bipolar disorders.

What are the symptoms of a major depressive episode?

Persistent sadness, loss of interest, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, changes in sleep and appetite.

What is required to make a firm diagnosis of major depressive disorder?

Persistent depressive symptoms lasting at least two weeks.

What is the lifetime risk for major depressive disorder?

Approximately 16% of the population.

What is the course of a major depressive episode?

It often begins gradually, with episodes lasting several months.

What is the rate of remission?

About 40-60% of individuals with depression experience remission after treatment.

What percentage of individuals with depression are later diagnosed as bipolar?

About 10-20% of people with depression eventually develop bipolar disorder.

What is a major clinical concern for individuals with depression?

Suicidal ideation or behaviors.

How do the rates of depression differ across gender identities?

Women are more likely to experience depression than men.

In what way does depression have a biological basis?

Genetics, neurochemical imbalances (e.g., serotonin, norepinephrine), and structural brain changes.

What is distinctive about the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis response of individuals with unipolar depression?

Individuals with depression often show increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

What thinking patterns are characteristic of depression?

Negative thought patterns, including overgeneralization, catastrophizing, and cognitive distortions.

What is learned helplessness?

A theory suggesting that depression arises from feeling unable to control or escape from negative events.

What is bipolar disorder?

A mood disorder characterized by extreme fluctuations in mood, ranging from manic episodes to depressive episodes.

What are the symptoms of Bipolar disorder and mania?

Mania includes elevated mood, grandiosity, decreased sleep, racing thoughts, and impulsive behavior.

How are Bipolar I and Bipolar II different?

Bipolar I includes full manic episodes, while Bipolar II involves hypomanic episodes (less severe).

Which psychological disorder is among the most genetically influenced of all mental disorders?

Bipolar disorder.

What’s the difference between biological therapies and psychological treatments?

Biological therapies include medication, while psychological therapies include talk therapy.

What treatments are available and effective for unipolar and bipolar depression?

Unipolar: SSRIs, CBT. Bipolar: mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, therapy.

What non-drug treatments are used for depression?

CBT, exercise, ECT, light therapy, TMS.

Is therapy effective?

Yes, therapy is effective, particularly when tailored to the individual and disorder.

When is Electro-Convulsive Treatment used to treat depression?

Used for severe, treatment-resistant depression.

What are the main symptoms of anxiety?

Excessive worry, restlessness, fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbance.

What are the symptoms of a phobia?

Intense fear of specific objects or situations, avoidance, and distress.

What is social anxiety disorder?

Fear of social or performance situations, fearing scrutiny or judgment.

What is panic disorder and agoraphobia?

Panic disorder involves recurrent panic attacks; agoraphobia is a fear of being in places without escape during an attack.

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

Chronic and excessive worry about various life domains, lasting at least 6 months.

What are the symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

Obsessions (intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (ritualistic behaviors to reduce anxiety).

What is the difference between an obsession and a compulsion?

Obsessions are intrusive thoughts; compulsions are behaviors to relieve anxiety.

What is a personality disorder?

An enduring pattern of behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the individual’s culture.

What are the characteristics of personality disorders?

Long-standing, inflexible patterns of behavior that cause distress or impairment.

What is antisocial personality disorder?

A disorder characterized by disregard for others, impulsivity, and often criminal behavior.

What is borderline personality disorder?

Instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions, along with impulsive behaviors and fear of abandonment.

What were early treatments for psychological disorder?

Treatments like bloodletting, trephination, and asylums.

What is classical psychoanalysis?

Freud’s technique of exploring the unconscious through methods like free association.

In psychoanalysis, what are free association, interpretation, resistance, and transference?

Free association: speaking freely; Interpretation: therapist insight; Resistance: avoidance; Transference: projecting feelings onto therapist.

What are cognitive and cognitive-behavioral approaches?

Cognitive therapy changes thought patterns; CBT combines cognitive and behavioral strategies.

What are behavioral approaches and some specific strategies?

Behavioral therapy focuses on changing maladaptive behavior via reinforcement or exposure.

What assumptions underlie behavioral approaches to treatment?

Behavior is learned and can be unlearned using principles of conditioning.

What is humanistic therapy and Carl Rogers' client-centered therapy?

A therapy emphasizing self-actualization, empathy, and unconditional positive regard.

How does humanistic therapy differ from psychoanalysis?

Humanistic is client-driven and present-focused, while psychoanalysis is therapist-driven and past-focused.

What is consciousness?

Our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment.

What are the properties and components of consciousness?

Intentionality, unity, selectivity, and transience; includes perception, attention, and self-awareness.

What are the easy and hard problems of consciousness?

Easy: understanding brain processes; Hard: explaining subjective experience (qualia).

How can researchers measure the consciousness of an individual in a vegetative state?

Using fMRI, by asking patients to imagine activities like playing tennis.

What are the results of Owen (2006)?

Some patients in a vegetative state showed brain activity similar to conscious individuals.

What is blindsight?

The ability to respond to visual stimuli without consciously perceiving them.

What is meant by a split brain?

When the corpus callosum is severed, causing communication problems between brain hemispheres.

What are some effects of a split-brain patient?

Information presented to one hemisphere may not be accessible to the other.

What is the circadian rhythm?

The body's 24-hour cycle that regulates sleep, wakefulness, and other physiological processes.

How do stages of sleep vary?

NREM stages 1–3 (light to deep sleep), with REM sleep involving vivid dreams and high brain activity.

What is REM sleep?

Rapid Eye Movement sleep, associated with dreaming and muscle paralysis.

What are the different drug types (depressants, stimulants, psychedelics) and their physical effects?

• Depressants: Slow CNS (e.g., alcohol).

• Stimulants: Speed up CNS (e.g., caffeine).

• Psychedelics: Alter perception (e.g., LSD).

Is multitasking effective?

No, multitasking can reduce performance and accuracy due to attention limitations.