Abnormal Psychology Practice Flashcards

1000 Vocabulary flashcards for studying Abnormal Psychology and psychiatric disorders based on class lectures.

Anhedonia

The inability to experience pleasure, which is a cardinal symptom of depression and a factor that differentiates it from anxiety.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Criterion A

Presence of at least $5$ symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least $2$ weeks, including depressed mood or anhedonia.

MDD Symptom 1

Depressed mood or frequent crying.

MDD Symptom 2

Diminished interest or pleasure in all or almost all activities (anhedonia).

MDD Symptom 3

Significant weight change or change in appetite.

MDD Symptom 4

Change in sleep, such as insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping much more than usual).

MDD Symptom 5

Change in activity level, such as moving faster (psychomotor agitation) or slower (psychomotor retardation) than usual.

MDD Symptom 6

Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.

MDD Symptom 7

Feelings of worthlessness or excessive/inappropriate guilt.

MDD Symptom 8

Diminished ability to concentrate or indecisiveness.

MDD Symptom 9

Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation.

MDD Timeline Requirement

Symptoms must be present for a minimum of $2$ weeks.

MDD Exclusionary Rule

The individual must never have had a manic or hypomanic episode (which would indicate bipolar disorder).

Anhedonia Etymology

Derived from 'An' meaning 'no' and 'hedos' meaning 'pleasure'.

Average Length of Depressive Episode

The average duration is $6-9$ months.

Single Episode MDD

Diagnosis given when an individual experiences only one major depressive episode in their lifetime.

Recurrent MDD

Diagnosis given when multiple depressive episodes occur; half of people with one major episode will have another.

MDD Specifiers

Existing symptoms or features noted when making a diagnosis that provide additional detail beyond the basic criteria.

Melancholic Features Specifier

Loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities and failure to react to pleasurable stimuli or desired events.

Psychotic Features Specifier

Loss of contact with reality, involving delusions (false beliefs) or hallucinations (false sensory perceptions).

Mood Congruent Psyhotic Features

Psychotic content seen as appropriate to depression, such as themes of personal inadequacy, guilt, punishment, death, or disease.

Deteriorated Internal Organs Delusion

A mood-congruent delusional idea where the person believes their organs have rotted or deteriorated.

Atypical Features Specifier

Characterized by mood reactivity, where a person’s mood brightens in response to potential positive events.

Catatonic Features Specifier

A range of psychomotor symptoms from motoric immobility (catalepsy) to extensive psychomotor activity, mutism, and rigidity.

Seasonal Pattern Specifier

Also known as seasonal affective disorder, requiring $2$ episodes in the past $2$ years at the same time of year (usually fall/winter).

Seasonal Remission Requirement

Full remission of seasonal depressive episodes must occur at the same time of year (usually spring).

Postpartum Depression Risk

Greater likelihood of development following postpartum blues or among those with prior depressive episodes before or during pregnancy.

Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) Duration

Depressed mood occurring more days than not for at least $2$ continuous years.

PDD Symptom 1

Change in eating, including low appetite or overeating.

PDD Symptom 2

Sleep disturbance, such as insomnia or hypersomnia.

PDD Symptom 3

Fatigue or low energy.

PDD Symptom 4

Low self-esteem.

PDD Symptom 5

Poor concentration or indecisiveness.

PDD Symptom 6

Feelings of hopelessness.

PDD Exclusionary Rule

Individual cannot have had a manic episode, as this would indicate bipolar disorder.

Mania Definition

An elevated, euphoric, and out of control mood often characterized by reckless behavior.

Manic Behaviors

Spending sprees, reckless sexual behavior, and engaging in new activities without feeling tired for days.

Manic Episode Duration

A distinct period of elevated mood lasting at least $1$ week (or any duration if hospitalization is needed).

Manic Episode Criterion B1

Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity.

Manic Episode Criterion B2

Decreased need for sleep, such as feeling rested after only $3$ hours.

Manic Episode Criterion B3

More talkative than usual or pressured speech.

Manic Episode Criterion B4

Flight of ideas or the subjective experience that thoughts are racing.

Manic Episode Criterion B5

Distractibility.

Manic Episode Criterion B6

Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation.

Psychomotor Agitation

Purposeless, non-goal-directed movement occurring during manic or depressive episodes.

Manic Episode Criterion B7

Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities with a high potential for painful consequences (e.g. buying sprees).

Psychosis in Mania

Loss of touch with reality, which is typically mood-congruent and involves positive-themed beliefs like dating a celebrity.

Hypomanic Episode Duration

Symptoms of mania that last for at least $4$ days but are milder in severity.

Hypomania Characteristics

Noticeable change in functioning by others that is uncharacteristic of the individual but not severe enough for hospitalization.

Bipolar Disorder I

Distinguished from MDD by the presence of at least one manic episode; majority also have depressive episodes.

Mixed Episode

Characterized by symptoms of both manic and major depressive episodes for at least $1$ week, intermixed or alternating rapidly.

Bipolar Disorder II

A disorder characterized by at least one hypomanic episode and at least one major depressive episode, without any full manic episodes.

Bipolar Disorder Prevalence

Bipolar II is more common than Bipolar I.

Suicidal Ideation

Thoughts about taking one's life, ranging from passive (not waking up) to active (wanting to kill oneself).

Passive Suicidal Ideation Example

'It would be nice not to wake up tomorrow.'

Active Suicidal Ideation Example

'I'd like to kill myself.'

Suicidal Plans

A form of active suicidal ideation where a person has specific ideas about how they would commit suicide.

Suicide Attempt

An attempt to harm oneself with the intent to die, which can be passive (not looking before crossing the street) or active.

Completed Suicide

The act of intentionally taking one's life resulting in death, often referred to as 'dying by suicide'.

Cisgender Suicide Demographics (Ideation/Attempts)

Cisgender women are more likely to think about and attempt suicide than cisgender men.

Cisgender Suicide Demographics (Completion)

Cisgender men are $4 imes$ more likely to die by suicide because they tend to use more lethal means like firearms.

Suicide Methods by Gender

Women commonly use medication (overdose), while men commonly use firearms.

Suicide Risk and Age

There is a dramatic increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors from age $12$ to the $20 ext{s}$.

Suicide and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is associated with acting on suicidal thoughts due to components of agitation and impulsiveness.

Suicide and PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a risk factor for acting on suicidal ideation.

Comorbidity and Suicide Risk (1 diagnosis)

Having one diagnosis does not increase suicidal risk compared to those with no history of psych disorders.

Comorbidity and Suicide Risk (2 diagnoses)

Having two psychiatric diagnoses increases risk by $2 imes$.

Comorbidity and Suicide Risk (3+ diagnoses)

Having three or more diagnoses increases risk by $6-9 imes$.

Positive Affect Difference

Depressed individuals report low levels of positive affect (excitement, pride), while anxious individuals do not necessarily show this deficit.

Anxious Hyperarousal Symptoms

Racing heart, trembling, dizziness, and shortness of breath characteristic of anxiety rather than depression.

Suicide Warning Sign 1

Significant changes in mood or loss of interest in activities.

Suicide Warning Sign 2

Significant stressors such as financial loss, breakups, or terminal illness diagnoses.

Suicide Warning Sign 3

Previous suicide attempts.

Suicide Communication Stat

$70 imes$ of people who attempt suicide talk about death or suicidal intent beforehand.

Suicide Risk Assessment

A provider evaluation involving questions about ideation, behaviors, and risk/protective factors.

Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)

A comprehensive, well-validated tool used in research and clinical practice to assess suicide risk.

Non-Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI)

Self-harm intended to cause tissue damage (cutting, burning) without the intent of suicide.

NSSI Adolescence Stat

$15-20 imes$ of adolescents and young adults engage in NSSI at least once.

Automatic Negative Reinforcement (NSSI)

Engaging in self-harm to calm down or get rid of negative feelings (emotion regulation).

Automatic Positive Reinforcement (NSSI)

Self-harm used for self-stimulation or to 'feel something' when feeling numb.

Social Positive Reinforcement (NSSI)

Self-harm used to communicate distress to others or gain access to resources.

Social Negative Reinforcement (NSSI)

Self-harm used to remove unwanted situations or demands, such as getting out of undesirable activities.

Anorexia Nervosa Criterion A

Restricted food intake leading to significantly low body weight, typically defined as a BMI < 18.

Anorexia Nervosa Criterion B

Intense fear of gaining weight/becoming fat or persistent behavior that interferes with weight gain.

Anorexia Nervosa Criterion C

Disturbance in body experience, undue influence of weight on evaluation, or lack of recognition of current low weight seriousness.

Anorexia: Restricting Type

Weight loss achieved through dieting, fasting, and excessive exercise over the last $3$ months.

Anorexia: Binge-Eating/Purging Type

The individual regularly engages in binge eating and/or purging behaviors (vomiting, laxatives) during the current episode.

Purging Definition

Removing food from the body via self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas.

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)

Diagnosis given for eating disorders that cause distress but do not meet full weight or frequency criteria (e.g., atypical anorexia).

Caloric Intake in Anorexia

Many individuals eat fewer than $1,000$ calories per day, except on binge days where avg calories reach $4,500$.

Restrictive Eating Behaviors

Cutting food into tiny pieces, covering food with salt/hot sauce, and chewing more than $30+$ times.

Egosyntonic

A state where behavior is in line with one's 'ideal' self or desired identity, common in Anorexia.

Pro-ana Websites

Online communities that provide support to help individuals maintain their anorexic symptoms.

Amenorrhea

The loss of menstrual periods in women, a medical consequence of Anorexia.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

Extreme picky eating leading to low body weight or distress, without the body image disturbance seen in Anorexia.

Bulimia Nervosa Criterion A

Recurrent binges characterized by large food intake and a lack of control over eating.

Bulimia Nervosa Criterion B

Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain (vomiting, laxatives, fasting).

Bulimia Nervosa Frequency

Binging and compensatory behaviors must occur at least $1 imes ext{week}$ for $3$ months.

Anorexia vs. Bulimia Differential

If an individual meets criteria for Anorexia (low weight), they are diagnosed with Anorexia instead of Bulimia.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

Recurrent binges without compensatory behaviors (purging), occurring at least $1 imes ext{week}$ for $3$ months.