Psychopathology CH 9

Somatic symptom disorders (categories/types and disorders)

When a bodily ailment has an excessive and disproportionate impact on the person, has no apparent medical cause, or is inconsistent with known medical diseases

Conversion disorder (description, symptoms, example)

A disorder in which bodily symptoms affect voluntary motor and sensory functions, but the symptoms are inconsistent with known medical diseases. Also called functional neurological symptom disorder.

Somatic symptom disorder (somatization) (description, symptoms, example

A disorder in which people become excessively distressed, concerned, and anxious about bodily symptoms they are experiencing, and their lives are disproportionately disrupted by the symptoms.

Somatic symptom disorder (with predominant pain) (description, symptoms, example)

the person's primary bodily problem is the experience of pain

Malingering vs. factitious disorder (descriptions, distinction, examples)

malingering - intentionally feigning illness to achieve some external gain, such as financial compensation or time off from work or to skip an exam

factitious disorder imposed on self - A disorder in which persons feign or induce physical symptoms on themselves, typically for the purpose of assuming the role of a sick person.

Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy (description, symptoms, examples)

imposing physical illnesses on self vs others

Illness anxiety disorder (description, symptoms, example)

A disorder in which people are chronically anxious about and preoccupied with the notion that they have or are developing a serious medical illness, despite the absence of somatic symptoms.

Body dysmorphic disorder (description, symptoms, example)

involves excessive preoccupation with an imagined defect in physical appearance

Somatic symptom disorder causes (psychodynamic mechanisms, primary and secondary gain, behavioral rewards)

primary gain - In psychodynamic theory, the gain people derive when their somatic symptoms keep their internal conflicts out of awareness.

Secondary gain - In psychodynamic theory, the gain people derive when their somatic symptoms elicit kindness from others or provide an excuse to avoid unpleasant activities.

Somatic symptom disorder treatments (suggestion, reinforcement, confrontation; examples)

often treat the causes/trauma; or if they focus on sickness they seek to remove awards for being sick

Psychological disorders affecting medical condition

1. the presence of medical condition

2. psychological factors negatively affect the medical condition

Psychophysiological disorders (description, examples)

Disorders in which biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors interact to cause or worsen a physical illness. Also known as psychological factors affecting other medical conditions.

Psychophysiological disorders (types, symptoms, risk factors)

ulcers, asthma, insomnia, chronic headaches, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease

Type A personality

A personality pattern characterized by hostility, cynicism, drivenness, impatience, competitiveness, and ambition.

Social Readjustment Rating Scale (most significant stressors)

assigns numerical values to the stresses that most people experience at some time in their lives. The most stressful was death of long-term partner

Lymphocytes (types, functions)

White blood cells that circulate through the lymph system and bloodstream, helping the body identify and destroy antigens and cancer cells.

Psychophysiological disorders treatments

behavioral medicine, relaxation training, biofeedback training

Relaxation training

A treatment procedure that teaches clients to relax at will so they can calm themselves in stressful situations.

biofeedback training

A technique in which a client is given information about physiological reactions as they occur and learns to control the reactions voluntarily.

Cognitive interventions for pain treatment

self-instruction/stress inoculation training: teach people to identify and eventually rid themselves of unpleasant thoughts that keep emerging during pain episodes