Behavioral Sciences 7: Psychological Disorders

Schizophrenia

Prototypical disorder with psychosis.

Positive Symptoms

Add something to behavior, cognition or affect. Such as delusions or hallucinations.

Negative Symptoms

The loss of something. Such as disturbances of affect and avolition.

Major Depressive Disorder

At least 1 major depressive episode.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

Dysthymia for at least 2 years that doesn’t meet criteria for Major Depressive Disorder.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Depression occurring in winter.

Bipolar I

At least one manic episode.

Bipolar II

At least one hypomanic episode & at least one major depressive episode.

Cyclothymic Disorder

Hypomanic episodes with dysthymia.

Anxiety Disorders

Generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and panic disorder.

Obsessions

Persistent, intrusive thoughts & impulses.

Compulsions

Repetitive tasks that relieve tension but cause impairment in a person’s life.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Unrealistic negative evaluation of one’s appearance.

PTSD

Intrusive symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares. Avoidance symptoms, negative cognitive symptoms & arousal symptoms.

Dissociative Amnesia

Can’t recall past experiences.

Dissociative Fugue

Assumption of a new identity.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Multiple personalities.

Depersonalization / Derealization Disorder

Feeling detached from the mind and body, or environment.

Somatic Symptom Disorder

A somatic symptom causes disproportionate concern.

Illness Anxiety Disorder

Preoccupation with thoughts about having or coming down with illness.

Conversion Disorder

Associated with prior trauma involves unexplained symptoms resulting in loss of body function.

Hypochondriasis

One strongly believes he or she has a serious illness despite few or no symptoms.

Personality Disorders

Patterns of inflexible maladaptive behavior that cause distress or impaired function.

Cluster A

“Weird” - disorders characterized by odd or eccentric behaviors (paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal).

Cluster B

“Wild” - disorders characterized by dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviors (antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic).

Cluster C

“Worried” - disorders characterized by anxious or fearful behaviors (avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive).

Behaviorist Approach

Classical and operant conditioning shapes the disorder.

Biomedical Approach

Takes into account only physical and medical causes.

Biopsychosocial Approach

Considers relative contributions of biological, psychological, and social components.

Psychodynamic Approach

Related to Freud’s psychoanalysis.

DSM-5

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition. Categorizes mental disorders based on symptoms.

Schizophrenia

Genetic factors, birth trauma, marijuana use, family history.

Depression

↑glucocorticoids, ↓norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine.

Bipolar Disorders

↑norepinephrine and serotonin. Also heritable.

Alzheimer’s

Genetic factors, brain atrophy, ↓acetylcholine, senile plaques of β-amyloid.

Parkinson’s

Bradykinesia, resting tremor, pill-rolling tremor, masklike facies, cogwheel rigidity, and a shuffling gait. ↓dopamine