Critical considerations in psychopathology

What is causality

• Cause and effect

• Eg with risk factors, a variable/condition associated with an increased risk/chance of disorder

• Correlation, a related or associated variable

What is the 3rd variable effect

• 2 variables (risk factor and outcome) are caused by a third variable

• Eg, socioeconomic factors and behavioural disorders

• Are SES effects causal? Is the SES behavioural disorder relationship moderated by other factors ?

How can you look at causality in mental health/wellbeing

• Experiments, ethical and practical?

• Longitudinal data can help

• Family and siblings design

• Natural experiments, quasi experimental studies

How are quantitive genetics influential In psychopathology

• Try to explain why there are differences in a population

• Disentangled gene and environmental effects eg nature vs nurture

• Based on comparing the similarity of family members who share different levels of genes and environment

• Designs include family studies, adoption studies and twin studies

How do twin studies work ?

• Based on comparisons between monozygotic and dizygotic twins

• Correlation for a trait MZ>DZ suggests genetic effect

Features of monozygotic twins

• Identical

• Share 100% of DNA and all of their shared environment

Features of dizygotic twins

• Non identical

• Share (on average) 50% of their DNA and all of their shared environment

Sources of variation for twin studies

• A, additive genetic influence, genetic effect

• C- Common (shared) environment, eg parenting and socioeconomic status however do have to make the assumption it is all in the same environment

• E- specific (non shared) environment, what is specific to each of the twins

What are randomised controlled trials (RCT)

Trials to determine if a specific therapy/treatment actually makes a positive difference to the people receiving it

How do RCTs work?

• Random allocation to various conditions

• Eg condition A vs condition B, placebo

• Reduces the risk of their being systematic differences between treatment groups

• Helps guard against potential confounding variables

• Provides a true reliable assessment of effectiveness

What is labelling

The process of identifying that an individual meets the eligibility criteria for special educational need (SEN) in general or a specific SEN

Use of labelling in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

• Helps parents to make sense of their child’s difficulties

• Guides parents’ hopes and expectations for their child

• Protects parents from negative reactions from others (“he does not mean to be rude”

• Facilitates communication between practitioners

Arguments for labelling

• Provides access to support services eg financial support

• Provides the child/family with an explanation for their difficulties which may increase self esteem

• This does help children understand their differences from other children and embrace them

• If children are not “labelled” no effective research on specific groups could be conducted

Arguments against labelling

• Exclusion from activities or opportunities (social disadvantage)

• Generalisation causes other issues to become overlooked, eg making assumptions about a child ability or lowering expectations of those around you

• Stigma can create labelling and stereotyping which could lead to bullying

• People may see the label and not the individual

• Labels stay with people through adulthood which could lead to discrimination

• In accurate diagnoses due to co mobordiity

What are the main critical considerations in psychopathology

• Cause or no cause

• Heritability

• Randomised controlled trials and quality of evidence

• Labelling