chap 15 psych vocab

psychopathology

Patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are maladaptive, disruptive, or uncomfortable for those who are affected or for those with whom they come in contact.

biopsychosocial approach

A view of mental disorders as caused by a combination of interacting biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.

medical model (biological model)

A view in which psychological disorders are seen as reflecting disturbances in the anatomy and chemistry of the brain and in other biological processes.

psychological model

A view in which mental disorder is seen as arising from psychological processes.

sociocultural perspective

A way of looking at mental disorders in relation to gender age, ethnicity, and other social and cultural factors.

socicultural factors

Characteristics or conditions that can influence the appearance and form of maladaptive behavior.

diathesis-stress model

The notion that psychological disorders arise when a predisposition for a disorder combines with sufficient amounts of stress to trigger symptoms.

anxiety disorder

A condition in which intense feelings of apprehension are longstanding and disruptive.

phobia

An anxiety disorder involving strong, irrational fear of an object or situation that does not objectively justify such a reaction.

specific phobia

An anxiety disorder involving fear and avoidance of heights animals or other specific stimuli and situations.

social phobia

An anxiety disorder involving strong irrational fears relating to social situations.

agoraphobia

An anxiety disorder involving strong fears relating to being alone or away from the security of home.

generalized anxiety disorder (G.A.D.)

A condition that involves relatively mild but long-lasting anxiety that is not focused on any particular object or situation.

panic disorder

An anxiety disorder involving sudden panic attacks.

obsessive-compulsive disorder

An anxiety disorder involving repetitive thoughts and urges to perform certain rituals.

obsessions

Persistent upsetting and unwanted thoughts that interfere with daily life and may lead to compulsions.

compulsions

Repetitive behaviors that interfere with daily functioning but are performed in an effort to prevent dangers or events associated with obsessions.

somatoform disorders

Psychological problems in which symptoms of a physical disorder are present without psychical cause.

conversion disorder

A somatoform disorder in which a person displays blindness, deafness, or other symptoms of sensory or motor failure without a physical cause.

hypochondriasis

A somatoform disorder involving strong , unjustified fear of having psychical illness.

somatization disorder

A somatoform disorder in which there are numerous physical complaints without verifiable physical illness.

somatoform pain disorder

A somatoform disorder marked by complaints of severe pain with no physical cause.

body dysmorphic disorder

A somatoform disorder characterized by intense distress over imagined abnormalities of the skin, hair, face, or other areas of the body.

dissociative disorder

Rare conditions that involve sudden and usually temporary disruptions in a person's memory, consciousness, or identity.

fugue reaction

A dissociative disorder involving sudden loss of memory and possible assumptions of a new identity in a new location.

dissociative amnesia

A dissociative disorder marked by a sudden loss of memory.

dissociative identity disorder (D.I.D)

A dissociative disorder in which a person reports having more than one identity.

affective disorder

A condition in which a person experiences extreme moods, such as depression or mania.

major depression

An effective disorder in which a person feels sad and hopeless for weeks or months.

delusions

False beliefs such as those experienced by people suffering from schizophrenia or extreme depression.

dysthymic disorder

An affective disorder involving a pattern of comparatively mild depression that lasts for at least two years.

bipolar disorders

Affective disorders in which a person alternates between emotional extremes of depression and mania.

mania

An elated, very active emotional state.

cyclothymic personality

An effective disorder characterized by an alternating pattern of mood swings that is less extreme than that of bipolar disorders.

schizophrenic

A severe and disabling pattern of disturbed thinking, emotions, perception, and behavior.

hallucinations

A symptom of disorder in which people perceive voice or other stimuli when there are no stimuli present.

positive symptoms

Schizophrenic symptoms such as disorganized thoughts, hallucinations, and delusions.

negative symptoms

Schizophrenic symptoms such as absence of pleasure , lack of speech, and flat affect.

personality disorders

Long-standing, inflexible ways of behaving that create a variety of problems.

antisocial personality disorder (A.P.D.)

A personality disorder involving impulsive, selfish, unscrupulous, and even criminal behavior.

addiction

Development of a physical need for a psychoactive drug.

substance-related disorders

Problems involving the use of psychoactive drugs for months or years in ways that harm the user or others.