AP Psych - Unit 8: Clinical Psychology

psychological disorder

a syndrome marked by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior

medical model

the perspective that assumes diseases have physical causes, can be diagnosed based on symptoms, and that seeks treatment or cures in a hospital.

DSM-5

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition); published by the APA in 2013, used to classifying psychological disorders

insanity

a legal term indicating that, because of a mental disease or defect, a defendant was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of their acts or to control their behavior

stigma

a mark of disgrace or shame

anxiety disorders

psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety

generalized anxiety disorder

an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive anxiety or worry and the physical symptoms of constant autonomic nervous system arousal

panic disorder

an anxiety disorder marked by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and persistent worry over future attacks

panic attack

an abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort, characterized by several physical and mental symptoms

specific phobia

an anxiety disorder characterized by a a marked fear or anxiety about an object or situation

social anxiety disorder

an anxiety disorder characterized by a marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others; formerly called social phobia

agoraphobia

an anxiety disorder characterized by a marked fear or anxiety about situations in which an individual feels they might not be able to escape or help might not be available if something happens

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

a disorder characterized by the presence of recurrent and persistent thoughts that cause anxiety, repetitive behaviors aimed at easing anxiety, or both.

obsessions

in OCD, the recurrent and persistent thoughts that cause anxiety

compulsions

in OCD, the repetitive behaviors that an individual feels driven to perform to prevent or reduce anxiety

posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

a disorder characterized intrusive symptoms related to the memory of a traumatic event; such as haunting memories, nightmares, flashbacks, and other mental and physiological symptoms

posttraumatic growth

positive psychological changes as a result of struggling with extremely challenging circumstances and life crises

mood disorders

psychological disorders characterized by emotional extremes

major depressive disorder

a mood disorder in which a person experiences two or more weeks with depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure, among other symptoms

persistent depressive disorder

a mood disorder in which a person experiences a depressed mood for at least two years, among other symptoms

Bipolar Disorder

a mood disorder in which a person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania; formerly known as manic-depressive disorder

mania

a hyperactive, euphoric state

bipolar disorder

a mood disorder in which a person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the over-excited state of mania. (Formerly called manic-depressive disorder.)

Bipolar I Disorder

a bipolar disorder typically more characterized by full-blown manic episodes, with possibly less-severe depressive episodes

Bipolar II Disorder

a bipolar disorder typically more characterized by full-blown depressive episodes, with possibly less-severe manic episodes

rumination

compulsive fretting; overthinking about our problems and their causes

psychosis

a state in which a person loses contact with reality, experiencing irrational ideas and distorted perceptions

schizophrenia

a psychological disorder characterized by delusions and hallucinations, among other positive and negative symptoms

delusions

false beliefs that are firmly maintained even when contradicted

hallucinations

false sensory experiences that occur in the absence of sensory stimulation

somatic symptom disorder

a psychological disorder characterized by physical symptoms with no apparent physical cause

conversion disorder

a psychological disorder characterized by very specific, genuine physical symptoms such as blindness or paralysis, with no apparent physical cause

illness anxiety disorder

a disorder in which a person interprets normal physical sensations as symptoms of a disease; formerly called hypochondriasis

dissociative disorders

disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings

dissociative identity disorder (DID)

a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities; formerly called multiple personality disorder

anorexia nervosa

an eating disorder in which a person maintain a starvation diet despite being significantly underweight

bulimia nervosa

an eating disorder in which a person alternates binge eating with purging or fasting

binge-eating disorder

significant binge-eating episodes, followed by distress, disgust, or guilt, but without the compensatory purging or fasting that marks bulimia nervosa

personality disorders

psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning

antisocial personality disorder

a personality disorder in which a person exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members

psychotherapy

treatment that acts on a person's behavior or mental process; consisting of interactions between a trained therapist and a patient or client

biomedical therapy

prescribed treatment that acts on a person's physiology

eclectic approach

an approach to therapy that uses various techniques and treatments depending on the client's needs

psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud's therapeutic technique; used the patient's free associations, resistances, dreams, and transferences - and the therapist's interpretations of them - to release previously repressed feelings, allowing the patient to gain self-insight

resistance

in psychoanalysis, the blocking from consciousness of anxiety-laden material

interpretation

in psychoanalysis, the analyst's noting supposed dream meanings, resistances, and other significant behaviors and events in order to promote insight

transference

in psychoanalysis, the patient's transfer to the analyst of emotions linked with other relationships

psychodynamic therapy

therapy deriving from the psychoanalytic tradition that views individuals as responding to unconscious forces and childhood experiences, and that seeks to enhance self-insight

insight therapies

a variety of therapies that aim to improve psychological functioning by increasing a person's awareness of underlying motives and defenses

client-centered therapy

Roger's therapeutic techniques, uses active listening within a genuine, accepting, empathic environment to facilitate clients' growth

active listening

empathic listening in which the listener echoes, restates, and clarifies, without interpreting or judging

unconditional positive regard

a caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, which Carl Rogers believed would help clients to develop self-awareness and self-acceptance

behavior therapy

therapeutic techniques that act directly on problem behaviors using learning principles

counterconditioning

a behavior therapy procedure that uses classical conditioning to evoke new responses to stimuli that are triggering unwanted behaviors; includes exposure therapies and aversive conditioning

exposure therapy

behavioral techniques that treat anxieties by exposing people (in imagination or actuality) to the things they fear and avoid

systematic desensitization

a type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli

virtual reality exposure therapy

an anxiety treatment that progressively exposes people to simulations of their greatest fears, such as airplane flying, spiders, or public speaking

aversive conditioning

a type of counterconditioning that associates an unpleasant state (such as nausea) with an unwanted behavior (such as drinking alcohol)

token economy

an operant conditioning procedure in which people earn a token of some sort for exhibiting a desired behavior and can later exchange the tokens for various privileges or treats

cognitive therapies

therapeutic techniques that act on a person's conscious mental process, by helping to create new ways of thinking and reacting

rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT)

a confrontational cognitive therapy, developed by Albert Ellis, that vigorously challenges people's illogical, self-defeating attitudes and assumptions

cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

a popular integrative therapy that combines acts both on a person's behavior and their mental processes

group therapy

therapy conducted with groups rather than individuals, permitting therapeutic benefits from group interaction

family therapy

therapy that treats the family as a system. Views an individual's unwanted behaviors as influenced by, or directed at, other family members

regression toward the mean

the tendency for extreme or unusual scores to fall back toward their average.

meta-analysis

a procedure for statistically combining the results of many different research studies

evidence-based practice

clinical decision making that integrates the best available research with clinical expertise and patient characteristics and preferences

therapeutic alliance

a bond of trust and mutual understanding between a therapist and client, who work together constructively to overcome the client's problem

resilience

the personal strength that helps most people cope with stress and recover from adversity and even trauma

psychopharmacology

the study of the effects of drugs on mind and behavior

antipsychotic drugs

drugs used to treat schizophrenia and other related disorders

anxiolytics

drugs that treat anxiety disorders and other disorders with anxiety as a primary symptom

antidepressant drugs

drugs used to treat depression and other disorders that affect mood

mood stabilizing drugs

drugs used to control mood swings in patients with bipolar mood disorders

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

a biomedical therapy for severely depressed patients in which a brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized patient

repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

the application of repeated pulses of magnetic energy to the brain; used to stimulate or suppress brain activity

psychosurgery

surgery that removes or destroys brain tissue in an effort to change behavior

lobotomy

a psychosurgical procedure once used to calm uncontrollably emotional or violent patients by cutting the nerves connecting the frontal lobes to the limbic system