Behavior Disorders Exam 2

What is a stressor?

External event or situation that places a physical or psychological demand on a person

What is stress?

Internal psychological or physiological response to a stressor

What is Acute Stress Disorder?

Anxiety symptoms that occur within one month after exposure to a traumatic stressor

What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?

Anxiety symptoms that last for more than one month and that occur as a result of exposure to extreme trauma

What does a diagnosis of both ASD and PTSD require?

Both require exposure to an extreme stressor

What is the onset of ASD?

Within 4 weeks

What is the onset for PTSD?

Can occur at any time

How long does ASD last?

2 days to 4 weeks

How long does PTSD last?

Lasts longer than a month

What are the symptoms of PTSD and ASD?

Re experiencing the traumatic event (nightmares, flashbacks), reduced responsiveness, avoidance behavior, heightened autonomic arousal

What does the etiology for PTSD and ASD depend on?

Depends on level of danger involved, individual’s characteristics and perception of the event

What are the biological factors of ASD and PTSD?

HPA axis dysfunction, release of epinephrine and cortisol, higher heart rate and blood pressure

What happens when the sympathetic nervous system is triggered?

Results in fight or flight response

What has been found to be true in the brains of people with PTSD?

Smaller hippocampus in those with PTSD

What are psychological risk factors for PTSD?

Preexisting psychological conditions, classical conditioning

How can classical conditioning make PTSD symptoms worse?

A person can associate a harmless event with a harmful event, anxiety responses to harmless stimuli (sights, sounds, smells, etc.) that remind victim of the trauma

How can personality factors affect PTSD symptoms?

People who score high in neuroticism on the OCEAN scale have a higher risk of PTSD symptoms

What are the social risk factors of PTSD and ASD?

Social isolation, lack of social support after trauma

What are the sociocultural risk factors for PTSD and ASD?

Gender and stress disorders, childhood experiences (poverty, assault or abuse, divorce)

What is the biological treatment for ASD and PTSD?

SSRI’s

What is the psychological treatment for ASD and PTSD?

Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy

What is Prolonged Exposure Therapy?

Imaginal exposure, exposure to avoided situation or events

What is Cognitive Processing Therapy?

Modifying negative/problematic thoughts associated with self blame. Patients are taught to identify self guilt/blame thoughts and modify them