Clinical Psychology

clinical psychology

subfield of psychology investigating the factors that cause psychological disorders and the methods to treat them

psychopathology

disorder of the mind; when life disrupted and sitressed caused over a long period

criteria for psychpathology

does it deviate from CULTURAL NORMS, is it MALADAPTIVE, is it SELF-DESTRUCTIVE, does it cause DISCOMFORT and CONCCERN TO OTHERS

diathesis stress model

disorder may develop as a result of an underlying vulnerability coupled with a precipitating event

DSM-5 (1952)

diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders; 19 major categories

etiology

the cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition

pscyhotherapy

treatment in which a therapist works with patients to help them understand their problems and work toward solutions; change patterns of thought and/or behavior

three main approaches used to treat disorders

psychotherapy, psychotropic medications, alternative treatments

psychodynamic therapy

therapist works with patients to help uncover unconscious processes that may be causing conflict and impairing daily functioning - free association, dream analysis

humanistic therapy

therapist works with patients to help them develop their full potential for personal growth through greater self-understanding

behavior therapy

therapist works with patients to help them unlearn behaviors that negatively affect their functioning

cognitive therapy

therapist works with patients to help them change distorted thought patterns that produce maladaptive behaviors and emotions

cognitive behavioral theory (CBT)

techniques that incorporate techniques from cog. and beh. therapy; very effective for many types of psychological behaviors

group therapy

organized around a particular type of problem or particular type of client; cost efficient

psychotropic medications

drugs that affect mental processes (alter brain neurochemistry

examples of psychotropic medications

anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, stimulants

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

produces a seizure; uses to treat severe depression

transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

magnetic field interrupts function in specific regions of the brain

deep brain stimulation (DBS)

electricity passed through electrodes planted in the patient’s brain to stimulate the brain at a certain frequency and intensity; treats severe OCD and depression

phobias

fear of a specific object or situation that is out of proportion with an actual threat

social anxiety disorder (social phobia)

fear of being negatively evaluated by others

specific phobias

concern particular objects/situations

obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

frequent intrusive thoughts that create anxiety and compulsive actions that temporarily reduce the anxiety

obsessions

recurrent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, urges, or mental images

compulsions

specific acts that one feels driven to perform over and over again

treatment for OCD

anti-anxiety drugs, deep brain stimulation, CBT

exposure

therapy technique that involves repeatedly exposing patients to an anxiety-producing stimulus or situation, with the goal of reducing fear

systematic desensitization

therapy technique that involves exposing clients to increasingly anxiety-producing stimuli or situations while coaching them to relax

aversive conditioning

behavioral conditioning in which unpleasant stimuli are associated with undesirable behavior that is to be modified or abolished

depressive disorders

mood disorder with persistent and pervasive feelings of sadness

learned helplessness

perception of self as unable to affect life events

major depressive disorder

mood disorder with extremely depressed moods or lack of interest in normally pleasurable activities for 2 WEEKS OR MORE

persistent depressive disorder

mood disorder with mildly or moderately depressed moods, that persists for AT LEAST TWO YEARS

bipolar i disorder

mood disorder with extremely elevated moods during manic episodes

bipolar ii disorder

mood disorder with alternating periods of extremely depressed and mildly elevated moods

treatments for bipolar disorders

mood stabilizer lithium combined with antipsychotic

schizophrenia

psychotic disorder w/ split btw. thought and emotion with difficulty distinguishing whether altered thoughts, perceptions, and conscious experiences are real or imagined

symptoms of schizophrenia

delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, negative symptoms (deficits in functioning)

conventional antipsychotics

reduce POSITIVE symptoms of schizophrenia with little to no effect on negative symptoms; irreversible tardive dyskinesia as side effect

atypical antipsychotics

beneficial in treating both the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia; serious side effects

attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

excessive activity or fidgeting, inattentiveness, and impulsivity

treatment for adhd

stimulants and psychological behavior therapies

autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

deficits in social interaction, impaired communication, and restricted, repetitive interests and behavior

treatment for ASD

intensive behavior therapy based on operant conditioning