Psychopathology Exam 1

Abnormal Psychology

Scientific study of abnormal behaviors, with the intent to be able to predict reliably, explain, diagnosis, identify the cause, and treat maladaptive behaviors.

Culture 

The totality of socially transmitted behaviors, customs, values, technology, attitudes, beliefs, art and other products that are particular to a group 

Distress

Can take the form of psychological or physical pain, or both

Dysfunction

clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in psychological, biological, or developmental process underlying mental functioning.

Psychological disorders

Characterized by psychological dysfunction, which causes physical and/or psychological distress or impaired functioning and is not an expected behavior according to societal or cultural standards

Psychopathology

The study of psychological disorders  

Deviance

Atypical

Prehistoric period

supernatural view: mental disorders explained by evil spirits, demons, and witches

Trephination

Surgical procedure creating hole in the skull

Greek and Roman period

Abnormal behavior due to brain pathology and physical problems

Hippocrates focused on

Humoral theory of disorders

Middle ages period

Increased emphasis on supernatural causes of abnormal behavior. Treatments included exorcisms

Renaissance period

First asylums: moral treatment movement,

Reform movement

Mental hygiene movement and state hospitals established in US and Canada

Somatogenic perspective

Kraeplin notes symptom “clusters” and argues that mental dysfunction caused by physical factors

1890s

somatogenic perspective, psychogenic perspective (freud), classical conditioning (pavlov)

1900s

discovery of cause of syphilis, biological perspective. DSM-1 publisjed

1960s

anti psychotics developed, deinstutionalization (large reduction

Parity law

health insurance coverage for mental health be same as coverage for medical services

Affordable care act

Health insurance must include mental health care

Biological models

Psychopathology as illness caused by biological problems in the brain or body. emphasis on genetics, brain structure, and function

Genes

Stretches on DNA located along chromosomes ( aprox 25000) 

Alleles

alternate forms of genes

Amygdala

Part of the limbic system, responsible for evaluating sensory information, involved with the regulation of emotions

Behavior therapy

Process of changing behavior by use of learning processes including reinforcement and punishment

behavioral/cognitive behavioral model

psychological model of abnormal behavior, emphasis on psychopathology as caused by underlying dysfunction in thoughts, emotions, or learned behavior

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Focus on helping people learn how to identify and change destructive