Abnormal Psych Midterm Study Guide

Identify and briefly define the four “D’s” when defining abnormal behavior:

a.     Deviance: behavior that violates social norms

b.     Distress: negative emotions like sadness or anxiety

c.     Dysfunction: behavior that interferes with daily life

d.     Danger: behavior poses risks of harm to self or others

Identify and briefly describe the three methods of investigation used in clinical research:

a.     Case Study: detailed information about a person’s life, symptoms, and psychological problem

b.     Correlational Method: events or characteristics that will interfere with one another (co-relationship between variables)

c.     Experimental Method: manipulating one variable and seeing the effect on the other

 Identify and briefly discuss the five models of abnormality:

a.     Biological: physical or biological factors such as genetics or brain structure, chemistry (neurotransmitters and hormones), and circuitry

b.     Psychodynamic: unconscious conflicts, early childhood experiences, and defense mechanisms

c.     Cognitive-behavioral: behavior exhibits and thought processes behind it

d.     Humanistic-existential : existential roles of values and choices (view of self)

e.     Sociocultural: social and cultural influences (culture, gender, race, family)

Be able to identify the general characteristics of anxiety disorders:

a.     Uncontrollable anxious thoughts

b.     Persistent feelings of worry or tension

c.     Physical symptoms like a racing heart

d.     Shortness of breath

e.     Behavioral changes like avoiding situations that trigger anxiety

Identify and briefly describe the disorders associated with anxiety:

a.     Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): chronic, excessive worry about everyday events and activities (finances, health, or family)

b.     Panic disorder: repeated and unexpected panic attacks, which are sudden, intense episodes of fear or terror

c.     Phobia-related disorders: intense, irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity (flying, height). Exposure leads to immediate and overwhelming anxiety response, leading to avoidance

d.     Separation anxiety disorder (SAD): excessive or developmentally inappropriate fear or anxiety concerning separation from home or from individuals to whom the person is attached

e.   Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): cycle of unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to relieve anxiety. 

What are the main differences between acute and posttraumatic stress disorders?

a.     Onset

b.     Duration of symptoms

Be able to identify general characteristics of mood disorders:

a.     Affects mood, thoughts, and behavior

b.     Causes intense and persistent emotional states

c.     Significantly impairs functioning

d.     Tends to be episodic

e.     Involves physical symptoms

f.      Increase risk of suicide

Identify and briefly describe the disorders associated with mood:

a.     Major depressive disorder: clinical depression involves long periods of intense sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. Affects how a person feels, thinkings, and behaves leading to various emotional and physical problems

c.     Bipolar disorder: “mania or manic”; dramatic shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration (BIPOLAR I AND II talked about in class)