Psychopathology Over the Lifespan

Key Concepts and Disorders

Psychiatric Diagnosis

Crucial for understanding and treating mental illness.

Classification

Systematic organization of mental disorders.

Diagnosis

Act of categorizing an individual's mental condition.

Syndrome

Pattern of symptoms without clear underlying causes.

Disorder

Syndrome explained by no other conditions.

Disease

Condition with well-understood pathology and etiology.

Validity

Correlation of diagnoses with clinical information.

Reliability

Consistency of diagnosis across different assessments.

Test-Retest Reliability

Stability of diagnosis over time.

Internal Consistency

Correlation of signs and symptoms within a diagnosis.

Interrater Reliability

Agreement among professionals assessing the same individual.

Labeling Theory

Diagnoses may lead to stigmatization and self-fulfilling prophecies.

Rosenhan Study

Demonstrated diagnostic labels skew perceptions of behavior.

Disruptive Disorders

Challenges in regulating emotions and behaviors.

Conduct Disorder

Infringes on others' rights through aggressive behaviors.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Pattern of angry mood and defiant behavior.

Diagnostic Criteria

Specific symptoms required for diagnosis of disorders.

Angry/Irritable Mood

Frequent temper loss and annoyance.

Argumentative Behavior

Defiance towards authority figures.

Vindictiveness

Spiteful behavior occurring at least twice in six months.

Severity Specification

Mild, moderate, or severe based on symptom settings.

Comorbid Conditions

Co-occurrence of anxiety and depressive disorders.

Cultural Factors

Influence symptom expression and diagnosis.

Developmental Trajectory

Common progression of oppositional defiant and conduct disorders.

Externalizing Behavior

Behaviors that violate societal norms.

Emotional Regulation

Ability to manage emotional responses effectively.

Psychiatric Classification Systems

Evolving frameworks for categorizing mental disorders.

Essentialist Perspective

Belief in inherent qualities defining mental disorders.

Nominalist Perspective

Focus on labels and social constructs of disorders.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Characterized by anger, irritability, and argumentative behavior.

Severity of Symptoms

Presence in three or more settings indicates severity.

Prevalence of ODD

Ranges from 1% to 11%, average 3.3%.

Gender Differences in ODD

Boys diagnosed more frequently than girls.

Developmental Trajectory of ODD

Typically begins in preschool years.

Risk Factors for ODD

Includes temperamental issues and harsh parenting.

Genetic Factors in ODD

Linked to genetic and physiological influences.

Neurobiological Marks

Heart rate variability relates to irritability.

Functional Consequences of ODD

Leads to conflicts with authority and peers.

Differential Diagnosis

Distinguishing ODD from conduct and adjustment disorders.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Characterized by impulsive aggressive outbursts.

Diagnostic Criteria for IED

Includes recurrent aggressive outbursts and impulsivity.

Verbal Aggression

Includes tantrums and verbal fights occurring frequently.

Physical Aggression

Involves property damage or injury to others.

Emotional Consequences of IED

Causes marked distress and functional impairment.

Prevalence of IED

2.6% in the past year, 4.0% lifetime.

Aggression to People and Animals

Includes bullying, physical fights, and cruelty.

Destruction of Property

Deliberate damage to property or fire setting.

Deceitfulness or Theft

Includes lying and stealing without confrontation.

Serious Violations of Rules

Staying out late or running away from home.

Cultural Influences on ODD

Cultural factors affect symptom presentation.

Emotion Dysregulation in ODD

Involves emotional control issues not seen in conduct disorder.

Chronic Course of IED

Often begins in childhood or adolescence.

Environmental Risk Factors

Includes early trauma and family history.

Neurobiological Research in IED

Involves serotonergic abnormalities and brain structure differences.

Impulsivity in IED

Outbursts are impulsive, not premeditated.

Diagnostic Overlap

Can coexist with ADHD and other disorders.

Childhood-onset Type

Symptoms appear before age ten.

Adolescent-onset Type

Symptoms appear after age ten.

Unspecified Onset

Onset timing of symptoms is unclear.

Limited Prosocial Emotions

Persistent lack of empathy and remorse.

Lack of Remorse

No guilt for harmful actions.

Callousness

Disregard for others' feelings.

Unconcerned About Performance

Indifference to poor performance outcomes.

Shallow Affect

Superficial emotional expressions lacking depth.

Severity Ratings

Mild, moderate, or severe conduct problems.

Aggressive Conduct

Harmful actions directed at others.

Nonaggressive Conduct

Destruction of property without aggression.

Deceitfulness

Engaging in theft or lying behaviors.

Rule Violations

Serious breaches of societal or home rules.

Pyromania

Compulsive fire-setting behavior.

Deliberate Fire Setting

Intentional act of starting fires multiple times.

Affective Arousal

Emotional tension before fire setting.

Fascination with Fire

Strong interest in fire and its contexts.

Pleasure from Fire

Gratification experienced during fire setting.

Non-monetary Motivation

Fire setting not for financial gain.

Impaired Judgment Exclusion

Not due to neurocognitive disorders.

Fire-setting Behaviors

Includes watching fires and setting false alarms.

Legal Ramifications

Consequences from property damage or harm.

Developmental Aspects

Often begins in late adolescence.

Functional Impairments

Disruptions in social or academic functioning.

Multiple Informants

Reports from various observers are essential.

Thrill-seeking Behavior

Engaging in risky activities for excitement.

Juvenile Fire-Setting

Fire-setting behavior in youth, often with conduct disorders.

Antisocial Behaviors

Actions violating societal norms, often linked to fire setting.

Suicidal Thoughts

Considerations of self-harm linked to fire-setting behaviors.

Kleptomania

Impulse control disorder characterized by stealing.

Tension Before Theft

Increased stress felt prior to stealing.

Pleasure During Theft

Gratification experienced while committing theft.

Non-Motivated Theft

Stealing not driven by anger or delusions.

Prevalence of Kleptomania

4%-24% among shoplifters; 0.3%-0.6% general population.

Gender Ratio in Kleptomania

Women affected more than men at 3:1.

Risk Factors

Genetic predisposition and family history of disorders.

Functional Consequences

Legal and social issues arising from kleptomania.

Ordinary Theft

Planned stealing motivated by item usefulness.

Malingering

Simulating symptoms to avoid legal consequences.

DSM-5

Current edition of mental disorder diagnostic criteria.

False Positives

Misdiagnosis of normal behavior as mental disorders.

Categorical System

Classification method maintaining distinct mental disorder categories.

Dimensional Approach

Proposed system to assess severity of disorders.

Harmful Dysfunction

Disorder defined by dysfunction causing cultural harm.