AP Psychology Unit 5: Health Psychology and Mental Health Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering Unit 5: Health Psychology and Mental Health, including stress, diagnostic criteria, psychological perspectives, disorder categories, and treatment approaches.

Stress

The body's response to challenges or demands.

Eustress

Positive stress that motivates, such as excitement before a performance.

Distress

Negative stress causing overwhelm or anxiety.

Traumatic stressors

Intense, significant events that cause stress.

Daily hassles

Minor, constant annoyances.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Early life stress such as abuse, neglect, or instability, which can affect lifelong health outcomes.

Positive psychology

A field of psychology focusing on happiness, resilience, and long-term well-being.

Positive subjective experience

Personal feelings of happiness and well-being.

Gratitude

The act of expressing thankfulness, which enhances happiness.

Signature strengths

Naturally strong personal traits that, when used, increase happiness.

Wisdom

A signature strength involving the use of knowledge and judgment.

Courage

A signature strength characterized by bravery and persistence.

Humanity

A signature strength focused on interpersonal traits and social connection.

Justice

A signature strength involving social responsibility and fairness.

Temperance

A signature strength defined by self-control and moderation.

Transcendence

A signature strength involving spirituality and connection to greater things.

Post-Traumatic Growth

The phenomenon where trauma leads to personal growth, new perspectives, and increased strength.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

The description of three physiological stages of stress: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

Alarm stage

The initial physiological stress stage involving activation of the sympathetic nervous system or fight or flight.

Resistance stage

The second physiological stress stage where the body attempts to cope and maintain stability.

Exhaustion stage

The final physiological stress stage where resources are depleted, increasing the risk of burnout and illness.

Tend and Befriend theory

A theory suggesting that individuals, especially women, seek social support and provide care when stressed.

Problem-focused coping

A strategy involving tackling the stressor directly.

Dysfunction

A diagnostic criterion where behavior interferes with an individual's daily functioning.

Distress (Diagnostic Criterion)

A diagnostic criterion representing emotional suffering experienced by the individual.

Deviance

A diagnostic criterion where behavior deviates from social norms.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

A standard manual used for the diagnosis of psychological disorders.

International Classification of Diseases (ICD)

An international system used for the classification and diagnosis of diseases.

Stigma and labeling

A challenge in diagnosis that can lead to negative perceptions and biases against individuals.

Biopsychosocial Model

A model suggesting disorders arise from interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A model stating that genetic predispositions combined with stressful life events trigger disorders.

Diathesis

A genetic or biological predisposition toward a psychological disorder.

Behavioral perspective

An interpretation of disorders as learned maladaptive behaviors or associations.

Psychodynamic perspective

An interpretation of disorders based on unconscious conflicts that often stem from childhood.

Humanistic perspective

An interpretation of disorders as resulting from a lack of support or failure to reach one's potential.

Cognitive perspective

An interpretation of disorders as resulting from negative or distorted thinking patterns.

Biological perspective

An interpretation of disorders caused by genetics, brain chemistry, or physiological factors.

Sociocultural perspective

An interpretation of disorders focusing on social environment, culture, and interpersonal factors.

Evolutionary perspective

An interpretation of disorders as behaviors that reduce survival or reproductive success.

Eclectic approach

An integrating method of diagnosis and treatment that uses multiple psychological perspectives.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A category of disorders including ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

ADHD

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder involving social communication difficulties and restricted behaviors.

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

A category of disorders characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized speech.

Delusions

False beliefs often involving ideas of persecution or grandeur.

Hallucinations

Sensory experiences, such as hearing voices, that occur without external stimuli.

Word salad

Disorganized speech often associated with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Catatonia

A state of motor abnormality that can involve excitement or stupor.

Flat affect

A symptom of schizophrenia characterized by reduced emotional expression.

Dopamine imbalance

A biological factor often associated with the development of schizophrenia.

Depressive Disorders

A category of disorders including Major Depressive Disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

A disorder characterized by severe and persistent feelings of sadness.

Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD)

A depressive disorder characterized by less severe symptoms but a longer duration.

Bipolar Disorders

A category of disorders involving cycles of mania and depression.

Bipolar I

A disorder characterized by the experience of full manic episodes.

Bipolar II

A disorder characterized by hypomania, which is less severe than full mania.

Mania

A state of intense excitement, high energy, and impulsivity.

Hypomania

A less severe form of mania that occurs in Bipolar II.

Anxiety Disorders

A category of disorders including generalized anxiety, phobias, and panic disorder.

Specific phobias

Intense fears of specific objects or situations, such as arachnophobia or acrophobia.

Arachnophobia

An intense, irrational fear of spiders.

Acrophobia

An intense, irrational fear of heights.

Agoraphobia

An anxiety disorder involving fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult.

Panic disorder

An anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected and repeated panic attacks.

Social anxiety disorder

A disorder characterized by an intense fear of social situations.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

An anxiety disorder characterized by persistent and excessive worry.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A disorder involving recurring uncontrollable thoughts and behaviors.

Hoarding disorder

A disorder characterized by difficulty discarding possessions regardless of value.

Dissociative Disorders

A category of disorders including Dissociative Identity Disorder and Dissociative Amnesia.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A disorder characterized by the presence of multiple personalities.

Dissociative Amnesia

Stress-induced memory loss often associated with traumatic events.

Fugue

A specific component or type of dissociative amnesia involving stress-induced memory loss and travel.

Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders

A category of disorders, such as PTSD, resulting from exposure to traumatic events.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A disorder characterized by flashbacks, avoidance, insomnia, and hypervigilance.

Flashbacks

Reliving a traumatic event as if it were happening in the present, commonly in PTSD.

Hypervigilance

An enhanced state of sensory sensitivity and alertness to threats, often seen in PTSD.

Feeding and Eating Disorders

A category of disorders including Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by extreme weight loss efforts and restricted eating.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors.

Compensatory behaviors

Actions such as vomiting or excessive exercise used to offset binge eating in Bulimia Nervosa.

Personality Disorders

Psychological disorders clustered into groups A, B, and C based on behavioral traits.

Cluster A Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by odd or eccentric behaviors.

Cluster B Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by dramatic, impulsive, or intense emotional behavior.

Cluster C Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by anxious, fearful, or control-seeking behavior.

Psychotropic medications

Drugs that affect brain neurotransmitters used to treat psychological disorders.

Tardive dyskinesia

A side effect of psychotropic medications characterized by involuntary movements.

Evidence-based treatment

Therapeutic approaches that are supported by scientific research.

Therapeutic alliance

The strong, trusting relationship between a therapist and a client.

Cultural humility

The therapist's sensitivity and openness to a client’s specific cultural context.

Non-maleficence

The ethical principle of 'do no harm' followed by psychologists.

Fidelity

The ethical principle involving the building of trust and keeping commitments.

Integrity

The ethical principle of being honest and truthful in practice.

Respect for Rights and Dignity

The ethical principle of honoring client autonomy and worth.

Psychodynamic Therapy

A type of therapy focusing on the exploration of the unconscious mind.

Free association

A psychodynamic technique where individuals say whatever comes to mind to explore the unconscious.

Cognitive Therapy

A type of therapy focused on correcting distorted or negative thinking patterns.

Cognitive restructuring

A technique in cognitive therapy used to identify and change distorted thoughts.

Behavioral Therapy

A type of therapy focusing on the principles of conditioning and learning to modify behavior.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A treatment that combines cognitive restructuring with behavioral modification methods.

Humanistic Therapy

A therapy type emphasizing personal growth, self-actualization, and active listening.