Psychopathology #1 (SUMMARY QUESTIONS)

What is abnormal psychology? CHPT1

the study of the symptoms and causes of behavioral and mental disorders; the objectives are to describe, explain, predict, and modify distressing emotions and behaviors

How do wer differentiate between normal and abnormal behaviors? CHPT1

four criteria: distress, deviance, dysfunction, and dangerousness

How common are mental disorders? CHPT1

over the course of a year, approx. one quarter of young adults in US experience a mental disorder

-in a study of college students in eight countries, over one third of those serveyed met the criteria for a mental disorder at some point in their lives

What societal factors affect definitions of abnormality? CHPT1

cultural context and sociopolitical factors can influence definitions of abnormality. Criteria used to define normality or abnormality must be considered in light of community standards, changes over time, cultural values and sociopolitical experiences

Why is it important to confront the stigmatization and stereotyping associated with mental illness? CHPT1

much of the stigma and sterotyping surrounding mental illness is based on inaccurate information, such as beliefs that those with mental illness are prone to violence or cannot make important social or career-related contributions. Unfortunately, some people living w mental illness come to belive this inaccurate info

-neg societal attitudes abt mental illness ar erelated discrimmination produce additional barriers

-a code of silence abt mental illness allows inaccurate stereotypes to continue and may prevent people from seeking treatment

how have explanations of abnormal behavior changed over time? CHPT1

-ancient people believed in demonology and attibuted abnormal behaviors to evil spirits that inhabited the victim’s body. treatments consisted of trephining, exoriscm, and bodily assults

-Greco-roman era: Hippocrates believed that abnormal behavior was due to biological causes, such as dysfunction or disease of the brain. treatment = more humane

-during middle ages = witch hunts

-14th - 16th centuries brought a return to rational and scientific inquiry along

What were early explanations regarding the causes of mental disorders? CHPT1

-19th & 20th centuries, major medical breakthroughs reignited a belief in the biological roots of mental illness. An especially important discovery during this period was the microorganism that causes the symptoms of general paresis

-the uncovering of a relationship between hypnosis and hysteria corroborated the belief that psychological processes could produce emotional difficulties

What are some contemporary trends in abnormal psychology? CHPT 1

multicultural psychology, positive psychology, the recovery movement, the drug revolution, managed care, evidence based practice, and the use of technology have all influenced the field of abnormal psychology

What models of psychopathology have been used to explain abnormal behavior? CHPT2

a variety of one-dimensional models have been traditionally used to explain disorders. Tehy are inadequate bc mental disorders are multidimensional

What is the multipath model of mental disorders? CHPT2

provides a framework for understanding biological, psychological, social, and sociocultural influences on mental disorders; the complexity of their interacting components; and the need to view disorders from a holistic framework

How is biology involved in mental disorders?CHPT2

genetics, brain anatomy, biochemical imbalances, central nervous system funcyioning, and autonomic nervous system reactively are often involved in mental disorders. Neaurotransmitters seem to play a significant role in abnormal behavio, and genetic inheritence and epigenetic factors are associated with many psychopathologies

How do psychological models explain mental disorders? CHPT2

-psychodynamic models emphasize childhood expereinces and the role of the unconscious in determining adult behavior

-behavioral models focus on the role of learning in symptoms of mental disorders. Abnormal behaviors are aquired through association (classical conditioning), reinforcement (operant conditioning), or modeling (observational learning)

-cognitive models are based on the assumption that mental disorders are due to irrational beliefs or distorted cognitive processes

-the humanistic-existential models view an individual’s realitiy as a product of personal perception and experience, see ppl as capable of making free choices and fulfilling their potential and emphasize the whole person

What role do social factors play in psychopathology?

-poor-quality or absenet social relationships are associated with increased susceptibility to mental disorders

-family systems approaches view abnormal behavior as the result of distorted or faulty communication or unbalanced relationships within the family

What sociocultural factors incluence mental helath

-proponents of the sociocultural approach believe that race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious preference, socioeconomic status, and other societal variables are powerful influences on the dev. and manifestation of mental disorders

why is it important to consider mental disorders from a multpath persepctive?

-focusing on only one theoretical perspective can overlook important aspects of the individual

-the majority of mental disorders result from complex and reciprocal interactions among biological, psychological, social, and sociocultural factors.