PSY 223 - Abnormal Psychology: Chapters 8, 9, 10

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Disorders that are characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking (speech), disorganized or abnormal motor behavior, and negative symptoms

Psychosis

A loss of contact with reality

Delusions

• Fixed beliefs that are not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence

• Examples: Grandeur, control, thought broadcasting, persecution, reference, thought withdrawal

Delusions of grandeur

• Belief they have exceptional abilities, wealth, or fame

• Belief they are God or other religious saviors

Delusions of control

Belief that others control their thoughts/feelings/actions

Delusions of thought broadcasting

Belief that one’s thoughts are transparent and everyone knows what they are thinking

Delusions of persecution

• Belief they are going to be harmed, harassed, plotted, or discriminated against by either an individual or an institution

• The most common delusion

Delusions of reference

Belief that specific gestures, comments, or even larger environmental cues are directed directly to them

Delusions of thought withdrawal

Belief that one’s thoughts have been removed by another source

Hallucinations

Perception-like experiences that occur without an external stimulus

Speech incoherence

• Speech is nearly incomprehensible and resembles receptive aphasia in its linguistic disorganization

• Also known as word salad

Derailment

The illogical connection in a chain of thoughts

Illogicality

The tendency to provide bizarre explanations for things

Catatonic behavior

The decreased or complete lack of reactivity to the environment

Negativism

Resistance to instruction

Mutism

• Complete lack of verbal and motor responses

• Also known as stupor

Rigidity

Maintaining a rigid or upright posture while resisting efforts to be moved

Posturing

Holding odd, awkward postures for long periods

Catatonic excitement

The individual experiences hyperactivity of motor behavior in a seemingly excited or delirious way

Positive symptoms

Symptoms that are an over-exaggeration of normal brain processes and new to the individual

Negative symptoms

• The inability or decreased ability to initiate actions, speech, express emotion, or feel pleasure

• Examples: Diminished emotional expression, alogia, anhedonia, asociality, avolition

Diminished emotional expression

Reduction in emotional expression, reduced display of emotional expression

Alogia

Poverty of speech or speech content

Anhedonia

Inability to experience pleasure

Asociality

Lack of interest in social relationships

Avolition

Lack of motivation for goal-directed behavior

Schizophrenia

• A disorder that includes the presentation of at least two of the following during a one-month period: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized/abnormal behavior, or negative symptoms

• These symptoms create significant impairment in an individual’s ability to engage in normal daily functioning, and continuous signs of the disturbance persist for at least 6 months

Prodromal symptoms

Symptoms that precede the active phase of the disorder

Residual symptoms

Symptoms that follow the active phase of the disorder

Schizophreniform disorder

• An intermediate disorder between schizophrenia and brief psychotic disorder, as the symptoms are present for at least one month but not longer than six months

• Many individuals display impaired functioning, but it is not essential for diagnosis

Schizoaffective disorder

• A disorder that is characterized by the psychotic symptoms included in schizophrenia and a concurrent uninterrupted period of a major mood episode (major depressive or manic)

• Requires the presence of a depressive or manic episode for the majority, if not the total duration of the disorder

• Psychotic symptoms should continue for at least two weeks in the absence of a major mood disorder

Delusional disorder

• A disorder that requires the presence of at least one delusion that lasts for at least one month in duration

• Daily functioning is not overly impacted due to the delusions

• Five main subtypes: Erotomanic, grandiose, jealous, persecutory, somatic

Erotomanic delusion

The subtype of delusional disorder that occurs when an individual reports a delusion of another person being in love with them

Grandiose delusion

The subtype of delusional disorder that involves the conviction of having great talent or insight

Jealous delusion

The subtype of delusional disorder that revolves around the conviction that one’s spouse or partner is/has been unfaithful

Persecutory delusion

The delusional disorder that involves the individual believing that they are being conspired against, spied on, followed, poisoned or drugged, maliciously maligned, harassed, or obstructed in pursuit of their long-term goals

Somatic delusion

The delusional disorder that involves delusions regarding bodily functions or sensations

Mixed type specifier

A specifier used if no one delusion predominates

Unspecified type specifier

A specifier used if the dominant delusional belief cannot be clearly determined

Bizarre

Implausible, not understandable, and not derived from ordinary life experience

Tardive dyskinesia

Involuntary movements isolated to the tongue, mouth, and face

Personality traits

Enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and oneself that are exhibited in a wide range of social and personality contexts

Personality disorder

• An enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the norms and expectations of the individual’s culture, is pervasive and inflexible, and has an onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable over time, and leads to distress or impairment

• Four defining features: Distorted thinking patterns, problematic emotional responses, over- or under-regulated impulse control, interpersonal difficulties

• Divided into three different clusters based on symptom similarities: A, B, C

Cluster A

• The odd or eccentric cluster

• Consists of paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders

Cluster B

• The dramatic, emotional, or erratic cluster

• Consists of antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders

Cluster C

• The anxious or fearful cluster

• Consists of avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders

Paranoid personality disorder

A Cluster A personality disorder that is characterized by a marked distrust or suspicion of others

Schizoid personality disorder

A Cluster A personality disorder, where individuals display a persistent pattern of avoidance of social relationships, along with a limited range of emotional expression in interpersonal settings

Schizotypal personality disorder

A Cluster A personality disorder that is characterized by a range of impairment in social and interpersonal relationships due to discomfort in relationships, along with odd cognitive or perceptual distortions and eccentric behaviors

Ideas of reference

• The belief that unrelated events pertain to them in a particular and unusual way

• One of the most prominent features of schizotypal personality disorder

Antisocial personality disorder

A Cluster B personality disorder where the essential feature is the persistent pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others

Conduct disorder

• A disorder that involves a repetitive and persistent pattern of behaviors that violate the rights of others or major age-appropriate norms

• Diagnosed prior to age 18, since they can’t be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder

A Cluster B personality disorder where individuals display a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect

Histrionic personality disorder

A Cluster B personality disorder that addresses pervasive and excessive emotionality and attention-seeking

Narcissistic personality disorder

A Cluster B personality disorder that centers around the individual, and they display a pattern of grandiosity along with a lack of empathy for others

Avoidant personality disorder

A Cluster C personality disorder, where individuals display a pervasive pattern of social inhibition due to feelings of inadequacy and increased sensitivity to negative evaluations

Dependent personality disorder

A Cluster C personality disorder that is characterized by pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of by others

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)

A Cluster C personality disorder that is defined by an individual’s preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and ability to control situations that they lose flexibility, openness, and efficiency in everyday life

Dichotomous thinking

• A cognitive distortion that involves all-or-nothing thinking

• Observed in several personality disorders

Attachment

An emotional bond developed with primary caregivers

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)

• A form of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by Marsha Linehan

• Four main goals: Reduce suicidal behavior, reduce therapy-interfering behavior, improve quality of life, and reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms

• Five main treatment components: Skills training, enhancing motivation, telephone and in vivo coaching, case management, consultation team

Dissociative identity disorder (DID)

• A disorder in which people present with more than one personality

• Also known as multiple personality disorder

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder where an individual shows a constant pattern of inattention and/or hyperactive and impulsive behavior that interferes with normal functioning

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

• The most misunderstood and puzzling of neurodevelopmental disorders

• Individuals show signs of significant disturbances in three main areas: Deficits in social interaction, deficits in communication, and repetitive patterns of behavior or interests

• These disturbances appear early in life and cause serious impairments in functioning