Unit 8: Clinical Psychology

DSM-5

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Edition 5 is a handbook used by health care professionals for diagnosing mental disorders.

Psychological Disorders

Patterns of behavioral or psychological symptoms impacting multiple areas of life and causing distress.

Supernatural Etiology

Belief that mental disorders are caused by supernatural forces like demons or spirits.

Somatogenic Etiology

Theory that mental disorders result from organic causes such as brain damage or genetic predisposition.

Psychogenic Etiology

Theory suggesting psychological factors like stress or dysfunctional thought patterns cause mental illnesses.

Insanity Defense

Legal claim that a defendant was mentally disturbed during a criminal act, thus not accountable.

Anxiety Disorders

Mental health disorders characterized by strong anxiety and fear affecting daily activities.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Disorders caused by unusual brain development, brain damage, or abnormalities in the brain, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and intellectual disabilities.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

A developmental disorder characterized by atypical behaviors, speech, interests, thought patterns, and difficulties in social interactions and communication.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder marked by symptoms like extreme inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, often treated with medications.

Intellectual Disability

A condition characterized by limitations in learning, problem-solving, communication, and daily life skills, exemplified by an IQ below 70, as seen in Down Syndrome.

Neurocognitive Disorder

A decline in mental functioning due to somatogenic causes, with Alzheimer's disease being a common type affecting memory, thinking, and behavior.

Schizophrenia

A severe psychiatric disorder affecting perception of reality, with subtypes like Acute Schizophrenia (rapid onset, positive symptoms) and Chronic Schizophrenia (slow development, negative symptoms).

Brain Abnormalities

Structural or functional irregularities in the brain, such as low frontal lobe activity, tissue shrinkage, and enlarged ventricles, associated with disorders like schizophrenia.

Delusions

False beliefs that persist despite evidence to the contrary, common in disorders like schizophrenia, with types like erotomanic, grandiose, and persecutory.

Dopamine Levels

The amount of dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain, influencing pleasure, thinking, and motivation, with high levels linked to intensified schizophrenia symptoms.

Flat Affect

Lack of emotional reactivity, seen in conditions like schizophrenia, characterized by emotionless states and impaired social interactions.

Gene Expression and Behavior

How genes influence behavior by directing protein production affecting biological systems, including the nervous system, and interacting with environmental factors.

Hallucinations

Perceptions without external stimuli, like auditory hallucinations, common in disorders like schizophrenia, influencing false sensory experiences.

Intellectual Disability

Significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, originating before age 18, as seen in conditions like Down Syndrome.

Neurocognitive Disorder

Disorders affecting cognitive abilities like learning, memory, and problem-solving, exemplified by Alzheimer's disease.

Psychotic Disorders

Conditions causing significant deviations from reality perception, including hallucinations and delusions, as observed in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Type of depression with a seasonal pattern, typically occurring in fall and winter.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

A common perception of depression characterized by sustained feelings of sadness and loss of interest.

Dysthymic Disorder

Chronic mild depression lasting at least two years, affecting daily activities and self-esteem.

Bipolar Disorder

Mood disorder involving fluctuating mood swings between depression and mania or hypomania.

Suicide

Intentionally causing one's own death, more likely in individuals with depression or bipolar disorder.

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)

Deliberate self-harm without suicidal intent, often used as a coping mechanism.

Biological Factors

Genetic and neurochemical influences on mental health disorders like depression and bipolar disorder.

Explanatory Style

Psychological attribute determining how individuals explain events, influencing vulnerability to depression.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Psychological disorder characterized by excessive worry about everyday situations.

Phobias

Irrational fears leading to avoidance behavior, such as specific objects or situations.

Panic Disorder

Psychiatric disorder involving frequent panic attacks with physical symptoms and intense fear.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Anxiety disorder rooted in obsessions (repetitive thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors).

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Trauma-rooted anxiety disorder with triggers from past traumatic events, affecting daily functioning.

Somatic Symptom Disorder

Fixation on physical symptoms impacting emotional health and daily functioning.

Conversion Disorder

Experience of physical symptoms without physiological basis, leading to loss of function.

Illness Anxiety Disorder

A psychological disorder where individuals interpret regular physical symptoms as signs of disease, formerly known as hypochondriasis.

Dissociative Disorders

Mental conditions causing a disconnection in consciousness, leading to memory loss or identity changes.

Psychogenic Amnesia

Memory loss without physiological cause, often triggered by traumatic events related to time, place, or person.

Dissociative Fugue

A rare condition where individuals unexpectedly travel far from home, assuming a new identity with no recollection, possibly due to psychological stress.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Formerly Multiple Personality Disorder, a condition where a person's identity fragments into distinct personalities, often rooted in trauma.

Substance Abuse Disorders

Conditions arising from chemical dependency, disrupting neurotransmitter function and leading to brain chemical imbalances.

Anorexia Nervosa

Eating disorder characterized by body image issues, starvation, obsessions with weight, and malnutrition.

Bulimia Nervosa

Eating disorder involving cycles of binge eating and purging to lose weight, leading to fluctuating weight patterns.

Binge Eating Disorder

Condition where individuals uncontrollably eat large amounts of food, feeling guilty afterward, often due to hypothalamus issues.

Personality Disorders

Complex patterns of thoughts and behaviors detrimental to personal growth and relationships, challenging to treat due to deeply ingrained trauma.

Personality Disorders

Mental disorders involving atypical ways of thinking, behaving, and perceiving, leading to challenges in relationships, work, and social activities.

Purging

Engaging in unhealthy behaviors like vomiting or laxative misuse to eliminate food from the body.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Characterized by disinterest in social connections, solitary lifestyle, secretiveness, and emotional coldness.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Marked by severe social anxiety, thought disorder, paranoid ideation, and unconventional beliefs.

Starvation Diet

Drastically reducing food intake, often below 1,200 calories daily, to achieve rapid weight loss.

Substance Abuse Disorders

Mental health conditions involving excessive substance use leading to impairment or distress.

Withdrawal

Physical and mental symptoms occurring after reducing or stopping substance intake the body has become dependent on.

Carl Rogers

An influential psychologist known for client-centered therapy, emphasizing self-awareness and self-acceptance through active listening and unconditional positive regard.

Client-centered talk therapy

A therapeutic approach focusing on empathic listening, genuineness, and acceptance to help individuals reach self-actualization.

Psychodynamic Psychology

Focuses on unconscious motives and childhood experiences influencing behavior, contrasting with Rogers' present and future focus.

Active Listening

A counseling technique involving attentive listening, understanding, and reflecting back what the client expresses.

Cognitive-Behavioral Psychology

Integrates cognitive and behavioral approaches to change negative thoughts and behaviors, often using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Sociocultural Psychology

Examines how societal norms and interactions shape individual psychology and behavior.

Biological Perspective

Utilizes medication and psychopharmacology to treat disorders, focusing on chemical imbalances and drug effectiveness through experiments.

Antidepressants

Medications like SSRIs and SNRIs used to treat depression and anxiety by increasing serotonin and norepinephrine levels.

Anti-anxiety Drugs

Medications that reduce central nervous system activity to treat anxiety disorders, but can lead to addiction and tolerance.

Mood Stabilizers

Medications balancing mania and depression in bipolar disorder patients.

Antipsychotic Drugs

Treat disorders like schizophrenia by decreasing dopamine levels, but may cause side effects like tardive dyskinesia.

Helen Mayberg's Brain Area

Helen Mayberg identified a brain region that activates the frontal lobes and limbic system, aiming to treat depression by connecting this area to other brain regions.

Prefrontal Lobotomy

Prefrontal lobotomy was a surgical procedure from 1935 to 1955 involving the removal of the frontal lobes, often leaving patients emotionally numb.

Psychosurgery

Psychosurgery is a type of brain surgery used to treat mental disorders by removing or destroying parts of the brain to alter behavior or alleviate severe mental symptoms.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The CNS comprises the brain and spinal cord, integrating information, coordinating body activities, and influencing all body parts.

Deep-brain Stimulation

Deep-brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes in specific brain areas to regulate abnormal impulses through electrical impulses.

Double-Blind Procedure

A double-blind procedure in experiments ensures neither participants nor experimenters know the group assignments, reducing bias.

Neurogenesis

Neurogenesis is the process of forming new neurons in the brain.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

SSRIs are antidepressants that increase serotonin levels in the brain by preventing its reabsorption, linked to well-being and happiness.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is a supportive therapy form aiding individuals in feeling less isolated, developing social skills, and making progress in a cost-effective manner.

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy helps individuals identify and change harmful thought patterns leading to negative behaviors or feelings.