psychopathology notes unit 1

psychopathology

the scientific study of mental difficulties or disorders, including their explanations, causes, progression, symptoms, assessment, diagnosis and treatment

50% of workers in this field

clinical practitioners and or clinical scientist

how is psychopathology defined

using the four Ds but there is no universally accepted definition

4 D’s

deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger

deviance

behavior, thoughts, and emotions that are marked as “different”/ “unusual” because they differ from a society’s ideas and proper functionings

• social norms aren’t followed (explicit and implied rules for proper conduct)

judgments of psychopathology

depend on specific contexts or circumstances, especially when trying to see if there behavior is deviant

distress

unpleasant and upsettlng for the person

• not all examples of psychopathology have distress (subjective)

• different levels

dysfunction

interfering with the persons daily functioning or ability to conduct daily activities in a constructive way

• taken within a cultural context( ex. physical impairments doesn’t indicate psychopath)

• ex. not being productive for long period of time

danger

posing risk of harm to oneself or others

• behavior that is consistently careless, hostile, or confused maybe placing self or others at risk

• this is the exception rather than the rule; most present no immediate danger

elusive nature of psychopathology

each society selects general criteria for defining psychopathology and then uses those criteria to judge particular cases

advocate for mental health disorders

Szasz

continuum

what mental health difficulties occur on

around 50% of population

how many people experience serious psychological disturbances

treatment

also known as therapy, is a procedure designed to change pathological behavior into more functional behavior

three components of therapy

1. individual who seeks relief from a therapist

2. trained socially accepted therapist whose expertise is accepted by the individual and his/her social group

3. series of contacts between the therapist and the individual through which change is produced

outpatient care

primary mode of treatment

severe treatment

typically short term hospitalization and then outpatient psychotherapy and medication in community settings via the community mental health approach

revolving door

people in and out if hospital because the community follow up isn’t always strong and present (60% of people with severe disturbances)

models of paradigms

perspective used to explain events

• influences what is observed the questions asked, info sought and how info is interpreted

biological model

adopts a medical perspective

• psychopathology is an illness brought about by malfunctioning parts of the organism

• focuses typically on the brain

areas of focus and study in the biological model

brain autonomy, brain chemistry, and brain circuitry

evolution and genetics

sources if psychopathology in biological model

evolution

looks at a combination of adaptation behaviors of the past, genes, and the interaction between genes and current environment events

• prepadrenss hypothesis and fear responses

genetics

inheritances okays a role in several disorders in most cases serve; teens combine to influence our actions and reactions

biological model treatments

drug therapy, electric therapy (ETC), and psychosurgery

Strengths of the biological model

considerable respect in the field, constantly produces new valuable information, can bring great relief for some

limitations of the biological model

limits rather than enhances our understanding, treatments produce undesirable side effects

cognitive behavioral model

focused on elements of human functioning that are readily observable and or reportable

• tends to be present-focused, empirically based, action oriented and structured

cognition → ←emotions →←behaviors

what the cognitive behavioral model is interested in

therapy of thoughts and behaviors saw well as how they impact emotions

behavioral model

aims to identify behaviors that are causing the individual problems, “how were the problems learned?”

• all may produce functional or dysfunctional behavior

serval forms of conditioning in behavioral model

operant, modeling and classical

operant conditioning

humans and animals learn to behave in certain ways as result of reinforcement whenever they do so

reinforcement

increases the likelihood that the behavior will reoccur

postive reinforcement

addition of receiving a a psgotve experience as a reward

negative reinforcement

removal of a negative experience as a reward

example of reinforcement

Mom wants you to do dishes

positive- gives you a cookie if you do so

negative- you don’t have to do dishes

punishment

decreases the likelihood that the behavior will reoccur

positive- adding something undesirable

negative- taking away something desirable

modeling

individuals learn response by observing and repeating behavior

-ex the language you use around your friends mirror theirs

classical condoning

when two events repeatedly occur close together in time they become paired in a persons mind, before long th person responds in the same way to both events

• temporal association

behavioral therapies

seeks to replace problem behaviors with more adaptive ones (we can learn something different)

cognitive model

faulty thinking, argues clinicians mist ask questions about assumptions, attires, and thoughts of a client

• fault assumptions and attunes

• illogical thinking process (overgeneralization and jumping to conclusions)

cognitive therapies

seeks to help the cielnt change their thinking patterns

Becks cognitive therapy

goals is to help clients recognize and challenge their thinking

• therapist guide clients to challenge their dysfunctional thoughts tru out new interpretations and apply new ways of thinking in their daily lives (first used to treat depression)

Sigmund Freud

is the father of psychodynamic theory and psychoanalytic therapy

ID

Present from the beginning and guided by
the Pleasure Principle, wanting to obtain pleasure or gratification. Includes
instinctual needs, drives, and impulses. Fueled by our sexual energy

ego

Guided by the Reality Principle, the ego
seeks gratification but guides us to know when
we can and cannot express our id impulses. It
grows out of id and recognizes that it isn’t
always acceptable to express some desires
outright. The ego uses ego defense mechanisms
to protect us from the impulses of the id and
anxiety that it causes

super ego

Considered our moral center. It is value-driven and grows out of the ego around age 5. It is
our sense of right and wrong, or our conscience, adopted from our parents. The superego uses guilt as a tool to indicate wrong.

psychodynamic therpies

free association, therapist interpretation, catharsis, working through

free association

The individual describes any thought, feeling, or image that comes to mind, even if it seems
unimportant, in efforts to tap into the unconscious

therapist interpretation

interpret resistance, transference, and dreams to better understand the unconscious

catharsis

reliving of past repressed feelings to settle internal conflicts and overcome problems

working through

process of examining the same issues over the course of many sessions (often years) to gain
greater clarity and improve functionality. Not conducive to managed care and third party payer systems

example of fixation

In the anal stage, early or harsh potty training may lead to the child becoming an anal-retentive personality who hates
mess, is obsessively tidy, punctual, and respectful of authority. They may be stubborn and tight-fisted

oral stage (age 0 months- 18 month)

• Erogenous zone: Mouth (sucking, biting, swallowing).

• Key task: Weaning (from breast/bottle).

• Fixation outcomes:

  • Oral receptive (dependency, gullibility, overeating, smoking).

  • Oral aggressive (hostility, sarcasm, nail-biting).

anal stage (18 months to 3)

• Erogenous zone: Anus (toilet training).

• Key task: Control over elimination.

• Fixation outcomes:

  • Anal retentive (excessively orderly, stubborn, perfectionist).

  • Anal expulsive (messy, careless, destructive, disorganized

pahllic (3 to 5 years old)

• Erogenous zone: Genitals.

• Key conflicts:

  • Oedipus complex (boys desire mother, rivalry with father).

  • Electra complex (girls desire father, rivalry with mother).

• Resolution: Identification with same-sex parent → development of superego (morals).

• Fixation outcomes: Vanity, recklessness, difficulty with authority, relationship issues.

latency (5-12 years old)

• Erogenous zone: Dormant (sexual impulses repressed).

• Focus: Social interactions, school, hobbies, friendships.

• Key development: Learning, cultural values, communication skills.

• Fixation: Usually none (stage of relative calm).

genital

• Erogenous zone: Genitals (mature sexual interest).

• Focus: Healthy sexual relationships, balance of love and work.

• Successful resolution: Ability to form intimate, lasting relationships.

• Fixation: If earlier conflicts unresolved, may struggle with relationships or fulfillment.

electra

A girl’s unconscious desire for her father and rivalry with her mother.

oepidus

A boy’s unconscious desire for his mother and rivalry with his father (phallic stage, ages 3–6)