Psychological Disorders

psychopathology ayyyyy

psychological disorders

psychopathology & therapy

abnormal behavior

any behavior that leads to distress (including distress to others), disability (impaired functioning), or an increased risk of death, pain, or loss of freedom — As defined by the APA

abnormal behavior is also described as…

deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional

current Western viewpoint of mental illness

biopsychosocial model

diathesis-stress model

psych theory that explains the development of mental disorders through claiming that an interaction between a predisposing vulnerability (diathesis) and stressful life events (stress) leads to the onset of a disorder

DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual)

manual for assessment and diagnosis of mental disorders

pyschology and the law

clinical & experimental aspects

clinical aspects of psychology and the law

forensic assessment

experimental aspects of psychology and the law

jury decision making

eyewitness testimony

impact of expert testimony

forensic assessment

psychological evaluation of an individual for a matter important to a criminal or civil court

what is determined in a forensic assessment?

• competency to stand trial

• risk assessment

• personal injury claims

• child custody and parental fitness

• family violence

• malingering (faking illness to avoid work)

• criminal responsibility or insanity

what to keep in mind

“abnormal” and “normal” are not two distinct categories

abnormal does not mean dangerous/bad

people jailed for violent crimes =/ more likely

persons with disorders are more likely to be victims of violent crime

the insanity defense

the term “insanity” is a legal term, NOT a psych one; includes cognitive incapacity, moral incapacity, and volitional incapacity

cognitive incapacity

did not know or fully understand the consequences of their actions at a given time

moral incapacity

could not discern the difference between right and wrong

volitional incapacity

was unable to exercise control over their actions at the time a crime was committed

history of the insanity defense

M’Naghten (1843) to the Model Penal Code (1972)

prevalence of psychological disorders

nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness (52.9 million in 2020)

generalized anxiety disorders

4% of the population; persistent: excessive & uncontrollable worry for at least 6 months

panic disorder

3% of the population; unpredictable panic attacks that are minutes long(smokers are 2-4x greater risk of a panic attack); intense fear and dread

phobias

8% of the population; focused anxiety on a specific object, activity, or situation; fears become phobias when they interfere with your daily functioning

obsessive-compulsive disorder

unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions (compulsions); 2-3% of people develop OCD during their late teens-20s

mood disorders

characterized by emotional extremes:

1. major depressive disorder (clinical depression)

2. bipolar disorder

causes of mood disorders

family history

previous diagnosis of a mood disorder

trauma, stress, or major life changes—depression

brain structure and function—bipolar

biological explanations for mood disorders

genetic—runs in families; more likely in women

chemicals—depression: serotonin; depressed brain=small frontal lobes and hippocampus

major depressive disorders

#1 reason people seek mental health services and is the leading cause of disability

major depressive disorder is characterized by:

2+ weeks of:

• significantly low moods

• feelings of worthlessness

• lack of energy (lethargy)

• diminished interest or pleasure in activities

• unable to concentrate, eat, or sleep normally

bipolar disorder

a disorder in which a person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression & the overexcited state of mania

mania

a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state in which dangerously poor judgement is common; evidence points towards episodes of mania occur when levels of non-adrenaline are too high, and episode of depression may be the result of non-adrenaline levels becoming too low

trauma- and stressor-related disorders

• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• acute stress disorder (ASD)

• disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED)

• adjustment disorders

• reactive attachment disorder (RAD)

PTSD

*DSM-5: now a standalone disorder; characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, hyper vigilance, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, numbness of feeling, and/or insomnia; symptoms last for 4 weeks or more after a traumatic experience; not always combat/military-associated

dissociative disorders

experiencing a disconnect and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity

dissociative identity disorder (DID)

when a person has 2 or more distinct and alternating personalities—each personality does not have memories of the other—a person can have more than 9 identities (ages 6/28)

one personality…

had the child

carried the child

raised the child

schizophrenia “split mind”

where a split from reality shows itself in disorganized thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions/actions

hallucinations vs delusions

hallucinations: false sensory perception without real external stimulus—positive psychotic symptoms (a.k.a visible/noticeable)

delusions: fixed, false beliefs that cannot be corrected by logic—are not consistent with culture and education; 3 types: persecution, grandeur, reference

positive disorganization symptoms

word salad, thought disorder, disorganized behavior

negative symptoms

lack of hygiene, alogia (poverty of speech), flat affect, poor attention, lack of motivation/pleasure

sub types of schizophrenia

paranoid, disorganized, and residual

paranoid schizophrenia

preoccupation with delusions or hallucinations, often beliefs of persecutions

disorganized schizophrenia

disorganized speech/behavior, flat or inappropriate emotion

residual schizophrenia

withdrawal, after delusions and hallucinations have disappeared

schizophrenia facts

• affects 1.1% of the population (approx. 2.8 millions adults in the US aged 18 or older)

• develops between 18-mid 20s

• affects males slightly more than females

• chronic and very hard to treat

causes of schizophrenia

biological—ventricular enlargement is one of the earliest and most consistent findings in schizophrenia

genetic—multiple genes with small effects

brain chemistry—excessive dopamine receptors; THC found in marijuana

personality disorders

people with personality disorders differ greatly from an average person; major differences in terms of how they think, perceive, feel, or relate to others; traits are inflexible and behavior impair social functioning — VERY HARD TO TREAT/CURE

cluster A of personality disorders

paranoid personality disorder—schizoid personality disorder—schizotypal personality disorder

cluster B of personality disorders

antisocial personality disorder—histrionic personality—narcissistic personality disorder—borderline personality disorder

cluster C of personality disorders

avoidant personality disorder—obsessive-compulsive personality disorder—dependent personality disorder

paranoid personality disorder

suspicious, hypersensitive, secretive

schizoid personality disorder

seclusive, indifferent, passive

schizotypal personality disorder

odd in thinking, bizarre fantasy, peculiar language

histrionic personality

attention-seeking, flamboyant, proactive

narcissistic personality disorder

excessive self-admiration, egocentric, sense of grandiose

borderline personality disorder

impulsive, self-mutilative, manipulative

antisocial personality disorder

rule-breaking, aggressive, abusive

avoidant personality disorder

fears criticism, overly-serious, withdrawn

dependent personality disorder

clingy, indecisive, submissive

obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

perfectionist, passive-aggressive, rigid

acute stress disorder (ASD)

lasts 3 days-1 month after a traumatic event; intense, unpleasant reactions including intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, feeling "numb" or detached, avoiding reminders of the event, irritability, sleep issues, and severe anxiety

disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED)

a childhood attachment disorder caused by severe early neglect or institutional care, where children show no fear of strangers and display, overly familiar physical/verbal behavior

adjustment disorders

short-term, stress-related condition where a person experiences emotional or behavioral symptoms—such as anxiety, depression, or difficulty functioning—that are disproportionate to a specific, identifiable stressor

reactive attachment disorder (RAD)

rare but serious trauma-related condition in young children (before age 5) caused by severe neglect, abuse, or instability, such as early institutional care or frequent caregiver changes; causes significant, consistent struggles in forming emotional attachments, resulting in withdrawn behavior, inability to seek comfort, emotional regulation issues, and extreme defiance